View Full Version : Pumpkin's Video Game Diary!
Pumpkin
03-15-2015, 04:40 AM
So I had so much fun writing reviews for my top games list that I am going to do a video game diary!
How it will work:
When I complete a game, I'll write up a review on it and post it here
Reviews will be linked in this first post
I will also write reviews of games I have played and completed before, but if I play it again, I won't post the same review twice.
Meaning: I'm replaying Final Fantasy XII, which I have played before, so when I complete it, I'll post a review in here. However, if I play it again after posting a review in this thread, I won't post another one
Because I love characters so much, I'm going to do a big character session where I talk about each important character
These reviews will focus less on why I like the game (or didn't like) and more on just general information, in case someone is ever interested in playing. There will be a paragraph at the end with how I would rate it
There will also be a verdict. Possible verdicts (in order of best to worst): Loved it, Liked it a lot, liked it, it was okay, meh, didn't like it, hated it
I will spoiler spoilers so there won't be any just floating around
Feel free to participate, or just read the games that interest you! This should be fun!
Style Savvy Trendsetters (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3521049&viewfull=1#post3521049)
Atelier Shallie (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3523047&viewfull=1#post3523047)
Atelier Ayesha (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3526869&viewfull=1#post3526869)
Tears to Tiara II (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3528832#post3528832)
Long Live the Queen (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3529594&viewfull=1#post3529594)
Kitty Powers' Matchmaker (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary%21?p=3529720&viewfull=1#post3529720)
Hyperdimension Neptunia PP (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary%21?p=3531594&viewfull=1#post3531594)
The Guided Fate Paradox (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary%21?p=3532409&viewfull=1#post3532409)
Cherry Tree High Comedy Club (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary%21?p=3533056&viewfull=1#post3533056)
Arcana Heart 3 Love Max!!!!! (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary%21?p=3534028&viewfull=1#post3534028)
Fading Hearts (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary%21?p=3534933&viewfull=1#post3534933)
Atelier Rorona Plus (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary%21?p=3535424&viewfull=1#post3535424)
Tales of Hearts R (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3536271&viewfull=1#post3536271)
fault milestone one (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3537104&viewfull=1#post3537104)
Persona 3 Portable (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3537747&viewfull=1#post3537747)
Virtua Fighter 4 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3538805&viewfull=1#post3538805)
Hyperdevotion Noire
(http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3540602&viewfull=1#post3540602)Futurama (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3541750&viewfull=1#post3541750)
Tales of Graces f (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3542838&viewfull=1#post3542838)
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3543570&viewfull=1#post3543570)
Scribblenauts Unlimited (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3547030&viewfull=1#post3547030)
BlazBlue Chronophantasma (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3550953&viewfull=1#post3550953)
Persona 4 Golden (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3553736&viewfull=1#post3553736)
King of Fighters XIII (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3554698&viewfull=1#post3554698)
The Simpsons: Road Rage (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3556665#post3556665)
Suikoden IV (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3557594&viewfull=1#post3557594)
Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3558075#post3558075)
Umineko No Naku Koro Ni: Episodes 1-4 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3559621&viewfull=1#post3559621)
Tokyo School Life (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3560008&viewfull=1#post3560008)
Suikoden V (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3560123&viewfull=1#post3560123)
Doodle God (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3560391&viewfull=1#post3560391)
Dragon Quest IV (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3560675&viewfull=1#post3560675)
Ys: Memories of Celceta (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3560944#post3560944)
Suikoden (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3562715&viewfull=1#post3562715)
AquaPazza (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3563139&viewfull=1#post3563139)
Test Drive Unlimited 2 (Guest Review)
(http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3563686&viewfull=1#post3563686)Doki Doki Universe
(http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3564338&viewfull=1#post3564338)Illusion of Gaia (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3564992#post3564992)
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3566093&viewfull=1#post3566093)
Suikoden II (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3566857&viewfull=1#post3566857)
Mass Effect 2 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3568283&viewfull=1#post3568283)
Fallout: New Vegas (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3569893#post3569893)
Super Mario Bros. 3 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3570552&viewfull=1#post3570552)
Final Fantasy IX (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3571080&viewfull=1#post3571080)
Tales of Zestiria (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3571549&viewfull=1#post3571549)
Eternal Sonata (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3572469&viewfull=1#post3572469)
Tales of Vesperia (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3575402&viewfull=1#post3575402)
Conception II (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3579125&viewfull=1#post3579125)
Omega Quintet (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3581499&viewfull=1#post3581499)
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3583475&viewfull=1#post3583475)
Civilization Revolution (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3586835#post3586835)
Until Dawn (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3587577&viewfull=1#post3587577)
Mortal Kombat (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3590777&viewfull=1#post3590777)
Battle Arena Toshinden (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3591662#post3591662)
CLANNAD (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3594660&viewfull=1#post3594660)
Life is Strange (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3596591&viewfull=1#post3596591)
Bloody Roar 3 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3600268#post3600268)
Threads of Fate (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3600733#post3600733)
Dengeki Buno: Fighting Climax (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3602405&viewfull=1#post3602405)
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3608571&viewfull=1#post3608571)
Super Mario Galaxy (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3610524&viewfull=1#post3610524)
Dragon Age: Origins (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3610793&viewfull=1#post3610793)
XCOM: Enemy Within (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3611674&viewfull=1#post3611674)
eden* (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3611927#post3611927)
Emily is Away (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3612330&viewfull=1#post3612330)
Grandia II (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3612829&viewfull=1#post3612829)
To The Moon (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3613185&viewfull=1#post3613185)
Tomb Raider (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3613977&viewfull=1#post3613977)
If My Heart Had Wings (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3615500#post3615500)
Time and Eternity (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3616140&viewfull=1#post3616140)
Little Big Planet (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3616501&viewfull=1#post3616501)
Senran Kagura: Estival Versus (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3618963&viewfull=1#post3618963)
Saints Row: The Third (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3620205#post3620205)
Atelier Sophie (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3620748&viewfull=1#post3620748)
Virtue's Last Reward (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3621871&viewfull=1#post3621871)
Flower (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3622206&viewfull=1#post3622206)
Monster Loves You (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3625840&viewfull=1#post3625840)
HuniePop (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3626093#post3626093)
Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3627023&viewfull=1#post3627023)
Undertale (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3627667&viewfull=1#post3627667)
planetarian (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3627970&viewfull=1#post3627970)
Tales of Xillia 2 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3628418&viewfull=1#post3628418)
Ar Tonelico Qoga (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3628945&viewfull=1#post3628945)
Always Sometimes Monsters (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3629602&viewfull=1#post3629602)
Heavy Rain (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3629875#post3629875)
Bravely Second (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3630212&viewfull=1#post3630212)
Tomoyo After (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3630599&viewfull=1#post3630599)
The Sad Story of Emmeline Burns (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3630810&viewfull=1#post3630810)
Message Quest (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3631285#post3631285)
The Walking Dead: Season 1 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3631775#post3631775)
Muramasa Rebirth (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3631869&viewfull=1#post3631869)
A Link Between Worlds (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3632129&viewfull=1#post3632129)
Read Only Memories (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3632325&viewfull=1#post3632325)
Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3632685#post3632685)
Eternal Senia (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3633741&viewfull=1#post3633741)
Golden Sun (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3635719&viewfull=1#post3635719)
Upcoming:
Dragon Age II
Mana Khemia
Pokemon X
Spooky's Jump Scare Mansion
The Fruit of Grisaia
The Legend of Dragoon
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel II
Pumpkin
03-15-2015, 05:21 AM
Style Savvy Trendsetters (Nintendo 3DS)
63589
In this game, your character becomes the owner of a fashion boutique. You make your character and name her whatever you want, and choose how she looks. You can unlock more and more clothing and hair styles as the game progresses, and can also change your characters makeup and bedroom.
63590
There are two main elements to the game: running the store and fashion contests. When running the store, you will select from the available list of customers, who will then make a request. Requests vary widely from one customer to another. For example, one may as for a girly skirt. One may ask for a whole luxury outfit. Some customers will just ask for something that suits their style, which you have to guess based on their clothing. There is a handy search function, allowing you to search clothing by brand, style, colour, budget, type, and some other things. Once you've selected something for the customer, you can either encourage them to try it on right away, leading to more happiness points, or suggest it to them, giving you up to 3 chances to select a different item if they don't like it. So encouraging them to try it on right away should be used when you're sure they'll like it, whereas suggesting should be used if you're unsure.
63591
The fashion contests give you a theme. From there you select a model and try to pick an outfit for her based on the theme. Then you also pick her hair and makeup. There are four contests: Beginner, Premier, Elite, and International, each being harder than the last. There are 10 different themes and prizes for each. Once you've completed all 10 themes, you can redo the contests for prize money.
63592
The game takes place during the month you're playing. So for example, if your 3DS clock says March, the game will be played in March and will change to April in April. This affects the fashions you can buy as well as requests. For example, in February, a lot of customers will not purchase an outfit if it doesn't come with a winter coat or other seasonally appropriate attire. But the game does have an in game time clock as well. The day will progress depending on your actions, with each day lasting about 10-30 minutes. There are four time frames, morning, day, night, and late night. The time affects what is available as far as outside activities. For example, the contests are only open at night.
63593
The store also has some other aspects to it. You can choose an interior decor, a window decor, and you can dress male and female mannequins, displaying one at a time. A customer can choose to buy an entire outfit from a mannequin. Another important aspect is the buyer's center. This center is where you purchase the clothing you'll sell in your store. The center has a number of different stores, each specializing in a certain fashion. More becomes unlocked as you proceed. You can only hold up to 1000 unique fashions at a time per gender when all of your storage is unlocked. You also get a copy of everything you buy added to your personal wardrobe. When you successfully sell to a customer, interact with someone, compete in a contest, shop, or do something for yourself, you gain happiness points, which unlocks new things.
63594
Aside from the main running the store, there are a few other things you can do. You can dress your own character as often as you like, get your hair and makeup done, get your picture taken, decorate your bedroom, go to the park or cafe or a few other areas, and have extra scenes with customers. There are hundreds of customers in this game, and sometimes they'll invite you to dinner or an event, which will be added to your schedule.
Characters of note (other than the avatar):
63595Michaela: She is your boss in the beginning of the game and the owner of the boutique
63596Emmylou: Starts off as your coworker and becomes a competing stylist
63597Avery: A former fashion model who meets you at the contest hall
63598Celeste: The town hairdresser
63599Ingrid: Makeup artist for the town
63600Daphne: The greeter at the fashion center (and my personal favourite non-customer or avatar character)
63601Harris: Owner of the furniture shop
63602MC Mode: Contest host
Overall I love this game and it's a huge improvement from the original Style Savvy, although with a few things I missed. Really good if you like fashion games. If not, probably not for you!
Verdict:
LOVED IT
63603
This looks pretty similar to what my character looked like
Pumpkin
03-25-2015, 08:40 PM
Atelier Shallie: Alchemists of the Dusk Sea (PlayStation 3)
63705
Story:
This is the third game in the Atelier Dusk series, following Atelier Ayesha and Atelier Escha & Logy. Atelier Shallie is about two young alchemists, both nicknamed Shallie. After the prologue, the player will get to choose which Shallie to play. Shallistera is a young woman from a small village that is suffering from a drought, due to the "Dusk", an event which is causing the world to basically rot. She travels to Stellard, the oasis city, in search of help. Shallotte is a young alchemist who isn't quite sure what she wants to do with herself yet, other than strike it rich and make a name for herself, although others don't always take her seriously. Through the game, you'll be uncovering secrets of the drought and the dusk and working to help others.
The game takes place over 10 chapters. The two character stories meet and combine around chapter 4-5, where you'll gain access to both alchemists to use. From there, the stories are more or less the same with only a few scene differences. The first 4 chapters are almost completely separate however. After clearing the game, you can go back and play as the other alchemist while keeping weapons, equipment, search items, and money. I recommend playing both to get a more complete story.
63706
Gameplay:
There are some new things in this game and some more familiar things for fans of the series. As usual, alchemy plays a large roll. You gather ingredients and mix them together to make items. Items range from healing to attacking to just making more ingredients to synthesize more stuff. Shallie also allows you to add attributes to the ingredients to make stronger items. A certain character, named Miruca, can imbue weapons and armor for you, which will allow you to synthesize stronger equipment and add certain qualities and attributes to them. So for example, with the right alchemy skills and ingredients, you can make a weapon that inflicts poison when attacking.
63707
This game is a turn-based RPG. Battles are fast paced and exciting. You can bring six characters with you with three in the frontlines. In battle, the 3 front characters can be switched out by any of the back 3 characters either by selecting swap under battle commands or by using support attacks or defense in battle. Your supporting 3 characters have a meter that builds up every turn, and when it's full, they can defend a character against an attack, bringing them in to that spot to attack, or they can add a second (or third or fourth) attack, also switching them in to the frontline spot. During battle, a burst gauge will fill up. When filled, attacks become stronger, and you can have all of your backrow characters add to a support attack if their meters are full, which will lead to special attacks. You can only do a single support attack when not in burst. As the game progresses, you also gain access to ultimate skills, which can be used when the skill bar fills up for the party. The Shallie's are the only characters who can use items in battle. Because of the support system, you essentially get to use 6 characters in battle, all of whom get swapped out regularly, and it makes the battle system engaging and fun.
63708
Requests can be accepted for extra money. These range from bringing certain items to battling certain foes. You can also shop for ingredients (or go gather them yourself) and buy synthesis books to gain more synthesis recipes.
The game has two main sections to progress. The first is the story section. During this time, you'll be given one or two specific tasks to complete before the game progresses. Afterwards is sort of a "free time". During the free time, there are two main things to do. The first is to check your goal menu (press select) and complete the various tasks for extra battle exp and other bonuses. These range from jumping a certain amount of times, fighting in certain areas, gathering certain things, synthesizing certain items, and many many more. The second are story goals. Once you complete enough of the story goals, the game will prompt you to move on to the next chapter when you return to your Atelier. The time limit of the previous PS3 entries in the series are gone, allowing you to progress the game and your own pace.
63709
World:
The game does a good job of making an interesting area with some beautiful locations, while also getting across the point that the world is going through the Dusk and this area is facing a drought. Travel is handled on a map, where you select a location and go to it. Some areas have only one screen and some have several.
63710
Characters:
Ordered from my favourite to least favourite:
63695Miruca: Younger sister of Jurie. Has an imbedding shop where she makes weapons and armor. In battle uses a sort of drill gun. She has both attack and support skills and can also heal. She's very shy, but also very blunt in her thoughts, although she doesn't always have the easiest time expressing her feelings.
63696Shallistera: One of the protagonists, she's a young alchemist trying to find a way to save her village from the drought. In battle she uses a bell and items. She has access to several unique attack items. She's the daughter of her village chief, and a bit naive. She feels like a fish out of water in the big city and isn't sure how to act.
63697Wilbell: A returning character, she's a magician/witch traveling to gain the power of the spirits and work on her magic. She gets roped in to being Shallotte's "master". She attacks using a magic ring, and is one of the best support characters to help from the back lines. She can also heal. She's more mature than she was before, but still isn't the most serious person.
63698Homura: He is a homunculus treasure hunter. In battle, he acts as a samurai of sorts, and has a number of attack skills and status buffs. He has a pretty straightforward and simple approach to life and is very friendly.
63699Shallotte: One of the main protagonists, she's not sure what to do with her life and is trying to save up some money and make a name for herself. In battle she attacks with a broom and can use items. She's outgoing and friendly, but people don't always take her seriously.
63700Jurie: Miruca's older sister and an adventurer. In battle she uses daggers and has a lot of attack skills, as well as some that allow her to steal from the enemy. She has an interest and knowledge of many things, and she cares deeply about her younger sister. She's very outgoing.
63701Kortes: A village member of Shallie's who cares greatly about her. He doesn't feel at home in the small village community. He fights with a spear and has a number of attack skills. He's very protective of Shallie, but wishes their village was more advanced than it is.
63702Keithgriff: An older gentleman alchemist searching for the truth about the Dusk. In battle, he uses magic attacks and has some strong magic skills. He's short and impatient and only cares about learning the truth of the world.
Overall:
So far my second favourite Atelier game. I was happy to see the timelimit gone, giving me more time to progress the game at my own speed. There's also a difficulty setting. The game is on the shorter side, which is okay considering there are two stories to play. It did get a bit repetitive towards the end, but overall it was fun and I really enjoyed it. A downside would be that certain things were not clearly explained, leaving me to figure them out on my own. Alchemy was made more involving and the battle system was excellent for keeping my attention and keeping me engaged.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
63711
Pumpkin
04-16-2015, 09:43 PM
Atelier Ayesha: The Alchemist of Dusk (PlayStation 3)
63892
Story:
This is the first game in the Atelier Dusk series. It follows a young apothecary named Ayesha, who's sister was "spirited away" a while before the start of the game. Going to gather ingredients one day, her sister appears before her momentarily before disappearing again. A mysterious man, named Keithgriff, instructs her to use alchemy to find her sister, who he says has about 3 years to live in her current state. Ayesha then goes on journey to find her sister and bring her back.
63893
Gameplay:
Atelier Ayesha is a mixture of RPG and time management game. The game is very time dependent, with most actions taking a certain amount of time to complete. Travel will take days, as will alchemy, and doing things like gathering and fighting will take portions of a day. While in towns, talking, shopping, and events will not consume time. The game has a time limit of 3 years to accomplish the goal of finding Ayesha's sister. If you succeed before that time, the rest of the time is left free to do character quests or whatever else the player chooses. Requests can be completed, allowing the player to earn extra money and "memory points" which are used to gain bonuses at certain points in the game. There are also bazaar's every month, allowing the player additional places to shop. Twice a year there will be a contest where the player will try to present a rare item for prizes.
63894
Alchemy is a large part of the game. With alchemy, the player can make everything from attack items, healing items, accessories, or even more ingredients to synthesize better items. Recipes for alchemy can be found and bought. Ingredients for synthesis can be made through alchemy, bought, or gathered in different areas. Synthesis will consume a number of days, depending on the item and how much is made.
63895
Battles are turn based RPG. There are a total of 7 playable characters, some missable, and 3 can be used in battle at a time. To use a character you must speak with them in town to add them to your party. In battle, there is a bar to indicate who's turn is next. When a character has a turn, they can attack, perform skills, move to another area of the battlefield, or attempt to flee. Being an alchemist, Ayesha can also use items in battle. She is the only character who can do so. Characters can also support each other in battle, either by attacking or defending against an attack aimed at a different character. Once a character reaches level 30, they can also begin to perform special skills once their bar is full. The bar for special skills and for supporting are filled by acting or being attacked.
63896
World:
Travel is done on a map, where you will select a location to go before entering the location. It will also give you the number of days that will pass while traveling to the location. You can also see characters on the map, and if you move to their location you can speak to them and might trigger certain scenes. In fields and dungeons, the player can gather materials and fight battles. In towns, the player can shop, save, synthesize, and other things. The world itself is diverse enough, with some bright areas, and some desolate and lonely areas.
63897
Characters:
Ordered from my favourite to least favourite:
63885Linca: A swordswoman with a mysterious past. She knows only battle and is taken care of by a woman named Marion. She means well, but is a bit clueless about everyday life. She joins as a bodyguard for Ayesha. She fights with a large sword and is a heavy hitter.
63886Wilbell: A young witch in training. She's quick to excite, she doesn't think things through, and she wants to become rich in a flash. She's also spunky and fun to be around. She fights with a broom and has a lot of magical attacks.
63887Ayesha: An apothecary turned alchemist on a quest to save her sister. She's naive but caring and charming. She never wants to be in the way and she likes helping her friends. She's the protagonist and can synthesize and use items in battle.
63888Regina: The tomboy of the group who works as a prospector, fighting off monsters and exploring ruins. She's pretty responsible overall.
63889Nio: Ayesha's sister who went missing. She loves flowers and really looks up to her older sister.
63890Juris: A man who is very quiet, straightforward, and protects his sister with his life. He doesn't take well to people, but he has a good heart.
63891Keithgriff: A man with a passion for alchemy and the study of ancient times. He's investigating why the world is in decay. He knows how to rescue Ayesha's sister, but wants her to figure it out on her own merits. Standoffish and cold.
Overall:
This game has so far been my least of the PS3 games, and I only have Rorona left to play. That isn't to say it's not a good game. The opening is amazing, the world and story are interesting, our heroine is likeable and has the cutest outfit ever. The time limit was a bit less strict than in the games before it, but much more strict than the games after it. It's easy to feel the pressure as the days press forward and you're not sure where to go or what to do. The characters were memorable and likeable, and the story itself was very sweet. There are multiple endings based on what you've accomplished, as well as which characters you've built up your relationships with, adding to replayability. I plan to play it again, but not without a walkthrough next time.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
63898
CimminyCricket
04-16-2015, 11:13 PM
DISGAEA?!?!?!?!?!
Pumpkin
04-24-2015, 11:36 PM
Tears to Tiara II: Heir of the Overlord (PlayStation 3)
63950
Story:
I want to start by saying that this game and it's story was nothing like I expected it to be. The art style is typical anime, they have adorable battle sprites, the environments are overall bright, and it has a silly sense of humour. So I was surprised to find that the story itself is actually pretty serious and heavy. It deals with a lot of mature themes, such as death, cannibalism, revenge, blood lust, corruption, the darker side of organized religion, forced slavery, kidnapping, betrayal, torture, genocide, and literal brainwashing. The story does have it's more lighthearted scenes, but overall it is a serious story. I should also note that there are some translation issues, but you should still be able to understand conversations based on context.
63951
Tears to Tiara II is a political fantasy based on the Punic wars. As such, it explores a lot of history, a lot of it Roman and Catholic. It is a sequel to a visual novel, although you don't need to have played the first to play this one. The story starts with our hero, Hamil, playing the fool to avoid being used in a rebellion against the evil empire, who is mistreating the people. But one day, a woman claiming to be the Goddess of Ba'al, Astarte, descends and presents herself to Hamil. When she is kidnapped by the empire and threatened with death, Hamil has had enough of the violence and humiliation and takes a stand. He forms a pact with the blood thirsty God of War, Melquart, in exchange for the power to save his people. From there he plans a rebellion against the evil Empire and the Divine Order controlling it.
63952
Gameplay:
This game is a combination visual novel and strategy RPG. This means you will be watching many scenes, taking a break only to buy new stuff or to fight in strategy battles. Unlike a lot of visual novels, however, you can't save at any time during scenes, only when the scenes are over, in between or during battles, or at certain prompted times.
63953
Battles take place on a grid and each battle has a certain objective. These range from "annihilate enemy forces" to "survive x amount of turns" to "reach the destination". They'll also have different defeat conditions and bonus conditions, which if fulfilled, will give you bonuses after the battle is won. You choose which of your characters to use in battle, although some battles have mandatory characters, and different battles have different character limits. Meaning in one fight you might only get to use 8 characters while in the next fight you get to use 12. On your turn you move your characters and select actions for them to do, such as attacking the enemy or using magic. There is also an elemental wheel, showing you which magics are effective against which. There's a wide range of playable characters so you can choose which you enjoy using more. Grinding is also possible as you can revisit maps you've previously cleared for extra points and money. You can buy items and equipment and synthesize equipment as well. After battle you'll receive a grade for the battle, which increases your winnings. There are three difficulty settings for different play styles.
63954
World:
Being the type of game it is, the world is not fully explorable. Instead, you'll only see it through scenes or in battles. With that being said, the battle maps are often diverse and interesting, providing you with different challenges through the game. The world map, where you pick your destination, bears a striking resemblance to a certain area...
63955
Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite
63956Charis: A little girl and priestess to Tarte and Hamil. She's very cheery and positive. She serves mostly as a healer in battle, although she can charm enemies and ride certain beasts.
63957Daphnis: Servant to Elissa, he dresses as a woman to be able to follow her better. He's intelligent and loyal, but a bit modest and shy. He's an archer.
63958Kleito: Kleito's true form is a dragon of the Dragon Tribe, and she serves as the guardian for the main fortress of our heroes. She's very mischievous and playful, but serious when she needs to be. She uses a lot of offensive magics.
63959Enneads: Sarcastic and casual, but the brains behind a lot of the operations. In battle he uses offensive and healing magics.
63960Tarte: Claiming to be the Goddess Astarte of Ba'al, she is devoted to Hamil and his cause of overthrowing the evil Empire. She fights with a large sword and can transform in to the Goddess Tanit in battle.
63961Elissa: A noblewoman of a trade city, she's very passionate and cares deeply about others. In battle she uses a giant hammer to deal massive damage.
63962Hamil: Of the famous Barca family, he is fighting against the evil Empire and it's injustices. He formed a pact with the blood thirsty Melquart and can transform in to him in battle.
63963Saul: Patrols the border and maintains relations with the tribes people. He's been in many battles and seen many things he wishes he never saw. He uses a heavy sword for heavy damage in battle.
63964Artio: The daughter of the Chief Tribesman, she's got a fighting spirit and a stand out attitude. She's very mobile and agile in battle.
63965Aemilia: A technocrat from the empire. Very arrogant and prideful and thinks of herself as a genius. She uses daggers in battle for long range attacks.
63966Monomachus: A battle hardened warrior and a soldier to his core. He is gruff and always wanting to take action. He uses a spear in battle.
63967Izabel: Previous adviser to Hamil's father, she betrayed him and was given a lot of power in the empire. Manipulative and psychotic. She uses a spear and magic in battle.
63968Laelius: Izabel's lapdog and very loyal to the empire. He believes strongly in honour. He fights with a sword.
63969Dion: A young, cowardly womanizer who wants to one day become a great sage so he can get all the babes. He uses a bow in battle and can use a number of status buffs.
63970Golyat: A former companion of Saul's, he is always itching for a battle and is a very strong opponent. He uses a large hammer in battle.
Overall:
This game is not what I expected it to be, and at first I was rather meh about it because of that. But the story picked up the further in I got and not to long in, I started to love it. The characters have depth, the story has depth, and I even learned some history from it. It also provides some good lessons to think about, and I always like when a game makes me think. I had the game and easy and even that started to get too hard by the end, so the harder difficulties might be quite a challenge. It's fun to play, it's got a good story, and some awesome characters. What's not to like?
Verdict:
LOVED IT
63972
Welcome to the world of video game critique. Fun, isn't it? Nice rating system.
Pumpkin
04-28-2015, 09:14 PM
Long Live the Queen (Steam)
63998
In Long Live the Queen, you play as fourteen year old Princess Elodie, shortly after the death of her mother. She needs to prepare to become Queen by studying hard, impressing the right people, and not dying in one way or another.
This game has a few elements to it. It goes by week. Every week you will pick two things for Elodie to study. They can be the same two things in a row. Elodie will then gain points towards that particular skill depending on her mood. By checking the Skills menu, you can see what skills Elodie has and at what rate she will learn the skill for that week. If the skill has a +0.00 next to it, she will gain 10 points towards it that week. If it has a higher number she will gain more points and if it has a lower number, such as -0.02, you could be wasting your time. Skills will affect how the game plays out and what options become available to you, so it's important to choose wisely and make use of your bonuses.
63999
You can check Elodie's mood for the week on the Mood menu. Mood's will affect which skills get bonuses and penalties. Moods can be changed in a few ways. Some are through story events, some are through decisions you make. The main way to have control over your moods is through weekend activities. Each activity will show a certain mood, such as Lonely +1 or Cheerful +1, which will affect her mood for the following week. Moods work in kind of a tug of war. For example, Cheerful and Depressed work in opposition to each other. So the more Cheerful Elodie is, the less Depressed she is. Afraid and Angry work in the same way, etc. So you can boost your Cheerful by selecting an activity of Cheerful +1 OR by selecting an activity with Depressed -1.
64000
As the weeks go on you will face certain story events and be given selections. These will affect the outcome of the game. As the story plays on, you'll have skill checks which will also affect the game. So for example, a scene might test you for archery and if you fail, you could be killed. If you pass, you'll live to continue. Some skill checks are much less important. Because of this, you can replay the game many times focusing on different skills and getting different outcomes to the events. If you have certain skills high enough, you might also gain new options to select when prompted that will lead to story that you otherwise wouldn't have seen.
http://i.imgur.com/s0s0Ujr.png
As you learn more skills, you can also unlock different outfits. The outfits will give you a large boost to your skills, not just when learning, but also when a skill check comes up. These can be a life saver when you're short on a certain skill. But don't worry about always saving your life, this game rewards you for all the different possible deaths by giving you various different trophies, adding to the replay value of seeing how many ways you can get yourself killed.
64001
The game is successfully completed once you've survived your coronation, which depends on a variety of factors. There's many different ways to reach this end goal, so if you prefer magic stories or military ones, there's more than one way to become the Queen. It's also fun to try and see how many different ways you can get to the end goal.
64002
Overall this was a fun game, but it can get a bit repetitive trying to figure out when you need which skills. With that being said, a full playthrough doesn't take very long at all, like an hour from start to finish, so it doesn't take up too much time to figure everything out.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
64003
Aaaah, Long Live The Queen! Quite possibly my favourite Unfortunate Princess Demise simulator to date. Shame about the messy interface, it was a chore to decipher at times. Worth it for all the chibi death drawings alone though.
Pumpkin
04-28-2015, 10:16 PM
Quite possibly my favourite Unfortunate Princess Demise simulator
Is.... is this a genre?
I got this game in one of the charity bundles online that was giving money to help women become game developers. I still haven't gotten around to playing it yet. Was saving it for a Women's Month or whenever I felt like playing it.
Pumpkin
04-29-2015, 07:32 PM
Kitty Powers' Matchmaker (Steam)
64013
Kitty Powers' Matchmaker is a silly little matchmaking game, not at all meant to be taken seriously. It's filled with sometimes groan worthy jokes and puns, but overall it has a nice sense of humour and it's easy to get a chuckle out of.
In this game, you play a matchmaker. You create your own avatar and give them a personality profile, which can be used by other random people playing the game to try to match you with some people (if you want). Likewise, some clients will be other people's avatars as well. As you match more people successfully, you will gain levels, which will give you more stuff. You gain money to unlock several things, such as more restaurants, a place to change your client's appearance, and more pages in your matchbook so you have more options for your client. As you level up, you will also be able to do things like kick out a trouble customer, advertise in different areas to get different client types, unlock different personality traits, and get more difficult customers to try and match up.
64014
The first thing you do is pick a client. You'll have at least one person in line, but can have up to three. Once you've selected your client, they will give you some information about themselves. The information starts with their occupation, astrological sign (some customers care about this, others don't), sexual orientation (there are gay and bisexual clients), what colour eyes and hair they like, and 3 interests. Kitty will then give them a type, such as 'geeky' or 'hippy' or 'glam' or whatever. As you level up, you'll learn more about their personalities, such as if they're introverted or extroverted, traditional or modern, spicy or sweet, etc. Then you will refer to your list of people, browse their profile and decide a match. From there, you will go on a date. If you've unlocked the salon, you can change their appearance to make them more appealing to their match.
64015
After that, you'll choose a restaurant for them to go to. You unlock more restaurants as you level up and purchase them, and each has a difficulty rating of easy, medium, or hard. These will affect the difficulty of the date challenges. To choose a restaurant, they will each be shown and then "hidden" in an envelope, and swapped around. You then pick an envelope and see which restaurant you've ended up with. Some clients will only be pleased with more upscale restaurants. If your client is going on a second or third date with a match, make sure they don't go to the same restaurant twice! The game also has a cheat option for almost every activity to help you out, if you can afford it. There are a total of 12 restaurants and each restaurant you unlock will add a new date challenge.
64016
The date has three sections to it, each with two activities. The first activity is pulling the love handle to find a subject for your pair to discuss. When you pull the love handle, three options will come up, and you pick from one of them for the pair to talk about. Try to pick something they'll both enjoy. Sometimes when you pull the love handle, the same subject will come up more than once. Don't talk about the same thing more than once, and you can cheat by moving the roll up or down to discuss something different.
64017
The second activity is a random challenge you will receive, and there are a good variety of challenges. They range from your date going to the bathroom and changing something about their appearance, and you having to pinpoint what they changed, to figuring it out how much to tip the waiter. A few other challenges are: dealing with an ex showing up, playing a rock-paper-scissors flirting game, and playing the memory game, among many others. The date is complete once you've done 3 challenges and discussed 3 things from the love handle. You'll also have to order for your date at the beginning of the meal. If you choose a discussion that doesn't fit well with the pair, or you fail a challenge, you'll receive a strike. Three strikes and the date is over. At the end of the date, your client will tell you if they want to make the couple official, ask for another date, or just stay friends. The end goal is for them to become a couple, but you have to make sure the match is in to them to, or your client will end up being rejected, which will lower your reputation.
64018
Once you've successfully matched a pair, you'll get some good points, and later on they will send you a letter telling you how they've been. They could end up splitting, staying together, getting engaged, moving in together, getting married, or having kids. When you get this letter it will either raise or lower your reputation, and sometimes you'll receive a gift. So get out there and match up these cooky people and see how it goes!
64019
Overall this game is some lighthearted and silly fun and it's good for unwinding. It can get a bit repetitive if played straight for a while, but doing a few dates here and there has been a good mood booster for me, because it's actually really funny in an absurd way. I even played it with my boyfriend who also enjoys it and it had us both laughing with the sillyness of the whole thing. It's not a very serious game, but it is a lot of fun. My main complaint is how difficult some customers can be and you'll spend a lot of money trying to make the date go smoothly.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
64020
http://home.eyesonff.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=64019&d=1430332334
This woman has an exceptionally skilled dog.
Pumpkin
05-07-2015, 07:16 PM
Hyperdimension Neptunia PP (Producing Perfection) (PS Vita)
64099
This game is a short little game that takes place in the Hyperdimension Neptunia universe. It isn't serious or story driven and more serves as a sim for people who enjoy the series to get to know the characters better and get to play a mini game. As such, I wouldn't recommend it to those who aren't familiar with the series, unless you're looking for something casual, silly, short, and lighthearted.
64104
In the Hyperdimension Neptunia universe, some of our favourite gaming systems have been turned in to anime looking attractive ladies. In this game, the ladies find themselves to be losing shares and powers because people are too busy obsessing over j-pop music group, MOB48. The ladies summon a producer, the player, to direct them in to becoming pop music idols and getting their shares back!
64100
This game has two main elements to it. The player will choose which of the four main characters to direct in to becoming a pop music icon. They then have up to 180 days to make them number one and get the most shares. The first aspect is a sim type situation, where the player will choose a variety of things to do during the day. The second is producing concerts.
The sim version is what will be played most. The player will choose an action for the character to do. A day will pass after an option is selected. Note that there are some days reserved for story events and those will pass without the player doing anything. There are a few main categories to choose from when deciding what to do for the day. The first is 'Work'. Work allows the character to promote themselves in some way, gaining more fans. Later in the game, you'll also be given an option to form a group with 1 or 2 other characters. The next is 'Lesson'. Lesson allows the character to improve their stats. The third is 'Relax'. This option allows the character to lower their stress (which can be raised by doing lessons or putting on concerts), interact with the player, or interact with other characters, which will raise friendship and affection levels. The player can also choose to 'Move' to another area and help another character, and at certain points, you'll be able to put on a 'Concert'.
64101
The concert version has a few steps to it. The first thing you will do is pick a stage to perform on, which song to perform, and which effects you would like to be able to use during concerts. Effects are set to Triangle, Square, or X. Effects will increase your performance, especially if used when the fans start cheering. They take time to recharge though. Afterwards, you can decide where on the stage to place the character, and decide their outfit and overall look. Afterwards, the player will watch them perform their concert while working the camera angles. The camera angles work with the d-pad. It has two sections to it. By pressing the left arrow, for example, the player will focus on the characters face. If they press the down arrow afterwards, it will zoom out of the face. If they press up, it will zoom in on the face. The player then has to press O to put the camera angle in to effect. Using different camera angles and switching them up often is crucial to a good performance.
64102
The game is won when the character chosen holds the most shares. They will receive a huge stat boost, and you can then start a new game. Stats and affection carry over in to the next playthrough. The game will also keep track of options you've chosen during conversations and highlight them in green, so you can choose to select different options afterwards.
Aside from the main story mode, called 'Producer Mode', the player also has a mode to put on concerts using things unlocked from Producer Mode. There is also a viewer mode where you can view the characters and their different outfits.
64103
Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite
64105Vert: Vert represents the Xbox and is one of the characters the player can choose from. She is a mixture of proper lady in the way she speaks and presents herself, and neckbeard gamer, being obsessed with video games and playing them at every possible opportunity. She can be conceited.
64106Neptune: Neptune represents the Sega and one of the characters the player can choose from. She's very upbeat and playful, but also very lazy. She uses a lot of outdated slang and breaks the fourth wall quite often.
64107Rom: One of the little sisters of Blanc and twin sister of Ram. She is not playable. She's the quieter of the sisters.
64108Nepgear: Little sister of Neptune. Not playable. She loves spending time with her sister and can be quite naive. Very sweet.
64109Uni: Little sister of Noire. Not playable. Really looks up to her sister and cares about her, but can be very aggressive and rude.
64110Noire: Noire represents the PlayStation and is one of the characters the player can choose from. She's very hard working and dedicated, but she hides her feelings under arrogance and bossiness.
64111Blanc: Represents the Nintendo and is one of the characters the player can choose from. She is usually very calm and quiet, but she has a short temper and will begin swearing and yelling very easily.
64112Ram: One of the little sisters of Blanc and Rom's twin sister. She is the more mischievous of the two and loves causing trouble.
Overall I quite enjoyed this game because I enjoy the characters in the series and I got to know them on a bit of a more casual level. It is very short and can easily be played through in a few hours, and if you enjoy it you can move on to the other characters. A negative would be that it has an unfortunate amount of fanservice, although that's not unexpected from the series. It has some cute humour and it's a fun casual game to play. It definitely isn't for everyone though, but if you enjoy those types of games, it's pretty fun.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
64113
Pumpkin
05-07-2015, 09:42 PM
Also!
I have now added an upcoming section in the first post. If they say soon next to them, those are the ones you can expect the soonest. The others are still a ways off :3
FFIX Choco Boy
05-07-2015, 09:50 PM
I can't wait to hear your opinions on FFIX and P3P.
Pumpkin
05-07-2015, 09:56 PM
I can't wait to hear your opinions on FFIX and P3P.
I can already tell you I adore Final Fantasy IX (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/161484-Pumpkin-s-Top-Games-of-All-Time-Ever?p=3518591&viewfull=1#post3518591) (this is going to be like my 12th playthrough or so) but it is my first time playing any Persona game thanks to Fynn pushing it on me :monster:
He's like a drug pusher but with Persona
FFIX Choco Boy
05-08-2015, 01:14 AM
Number... :cry: Number 1? YOU'RE GOOD PEOPLE! :love:
Pumpkin
05-11-2015, 05:54 AM
The Guided Fate Paradox (PlayStation 3)
64157
Story:
The Guided Fate Paradox is the story of a young boy named Renya who becomes God by drawing the winning ticket at a mall lottery. There he meets some Angels in a place called Celestia, where he is told about the Fate Revolution Circuit. The Fate Revolution Circuit is a powerful device that allows God to grant wishes chosen by his Angels. The Circuit can cross in to different dimensions, and once the wish has been chosen, Renya will have to grant the wishes of believers such as Cinderella, a zombie, a mermaid, and many others. What if he just wants to quit and go back to normal life? He will be devoured.
64158
Gameplay:
There are 10 chapters in this game, and most of the gameplay takes place inside of the Fate Revolution Circuit. Each chapter brings you to a new battle map, and each map has a different gimmick to it. Whether it be that you're on platforms that move every few turns, or in a level where you need to shoot yourself out of cannons to move around. Because of this, the battle maps are very diverse. Each area contains 10 floors to go through, with the boss fight being on the 10th floor.
64159
When on the battle map, you move Renya by square. When he moves or acts, so do the enemies. They will not move or act if he does not. You attack enemies in front of you by pressing X. As you go through levels, you will gain battle equipment. Not only does this improve your stats, but it also affects which skills can be used. Each equipment type comes with one skill that can be used only while it is equipped. Using the equipment will build up its "Bust" meter. One a piece of equipment is in "Burst" status, it will no longer be as effective unless upgraded at a shop. So the best thing to do is switch to a new piece of battle equipment.
64160
During battle you have to keep track of HP, which is your health, SP, which allows the use of skills, and EN, which is your energy. Energy is depleted by moving and taking certain actions and once depleted your HP will begin to drain. You also have your guardian angel, Liliel, accompany you in dungeons, except for during boss fights. Later on you can use other angels. Levels are not retained once you leave a dungeon, meaning you start back at level 1 each time, but you do gain stat increases from every level gained, meaning you will be a stronger level 1. You also gain access to a way to increase your character stats by placing panels on a board. If you lose in a dungeon, you will lose all items and half of your money and have to start over from the 1st floor of the dungeon. Note that you cannot leave the dungeon without a certain item called an "Exit" or by dying until the 10 levels are complete. The exceptions are the beginning chapters where they give you a break halfway through.
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World:
The main area is rather small, although pretty, but the different battle maps (where most of the game is spent) are very diverse. Each area brings something new to the table to challenge players and keep things fresh. Each area has a different gimmick and a whole different environment that makes things more exciting. When not in battle, you can buy items, put some funds in the bank, do some special things with equipment, talk to the angels, upgrade your stats, and a few other things in your headquarters of Celestia.
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Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite
64149Liliel: Renya's personal guardian angel who will accompany you for a lot of the game. She is a rookie angel who often consults her handy dandy manual to better serve Renya. Fiercely loyal and sweet.
64150Kuroiel: Another new angel, she is very good at cooking and makes some excellent tea. But she worries she doesn't contribute much. She's spunky and kind.
64151Renya: The hero of our story, he was chosen to be God after picking a winning ticket at a mall lottery. A bit clueless but he works his hardest for the people who's fates he guides to fulfill their wishes.
64152Cheriel: A former devil who became an angel. She is very sexual and makes inappropriate remarks quite often, but she's an intelligent woman who knows what's going on.
64153Neliel: A shut in angel who doesn't leave her room, she works very well with computers and does a lot behind the scenes.
64154Galtion: One of the two male angels, he's very welcoming and helpful to Renya when he needs to be.
64155Rakiel: One of the strongest angels, he is very cold and distant due to some events in his past.
64156Lanael: A sweet looking girl with a dark side, she makes up many fake second names for herself and switches personalities when it suits her.
Overall:
I'm going to start by saying that this game is hard. Really hard. It was a bit too difficult for my liking, but if you like a challenge it might be right up your alley. The story is interesting, there are some great scenes, and I loved seeing what the newest world would look like and who the new believer would be. With that being said, some dialogue was cringe-worthy and uncomfortable, and I found my interest waning the further in I got. It also has a sense of humour to it, but the overall story takes a more serious turn. If you like this game, it now has a sequel called The Awakened Fate Ultimatum! Overall I had fun and there were some great characters, something I really enjoy. It very was fun, but very challenging.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/XHwo82V.png
Pumpkin
05-13-2015, 05:34 AM
Cherry Tree High Comedy Club (Steam)
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Cherry Tree High Comedy Club comes in two flavours. The original and the westernized versions. Both are in English, but the Westernized version changes the names to English names, as well as some Japanese references. You can play the game both ways and use the same save files, so feel free to try out both versions and see what you think.
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Our hero, Mairu/Miley (Japanese and Westernized names respectively), wants to start a Comedy Club at her High School. She is quite the comedy lover! She has herself and her best friend Hoemi/Harriet all signed up to go, and she's pumped. But her old friend/current rival brings her some bad news. Official clubs need AT LEAST 5 members to receive funding and be recognized. And this all needs to be complete by May 1st. And it's the end of March!
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The goal of the game is to get at least 3 people to join your comedy group of the 6 potential recruits. How do you do that? By spending time with them and discussing different topics! The days in this game are broken up in to 3 sections: morning, afternoon, and evening. After a little while you'll be returning to school and your days will be lunch hour, after school, and evenings. Certain actions will move the day to the next section. During spring break, mornings and afternoons can be spent talking to potential recruits, shopping, exploring, doing homework, and improving skills. Afternoons can also be spent cleaning the shrine for some extra pocket money. Once school starts you can spend your lunches improving certain skills or chit chatting with some recruits. Evenings are the only time you can save, and you do so by speaking to Hoemi/Harriet in your dorm room. You can also make jewelry for extra money, read magazines you've purchased for a skill boost, resting to refresh yourself, do homework, or call recruits to chat for extra points once you've reached level 2 friendship and they've given you their number. A recruit must be at level 5 to join your club!
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Skills are what you talk to recruits about for big friendship boosts. Each character will have things they like (or even love) discussing and things that make for awkward conversation. Make sure to pay attention so you don't end up wasting time! Skills can be improved a number of ways. One is by buying a magazine and reading it in the evening. You can also read magazines in the school library. You can watch a movie, find random magazines on the ground, go to an art exhibit, among other things to increase your skills. The higher the skill the more points will go towards the friendship when discussed.
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Another aspect to the game is managing your energy and homework. Energy is pretty easy to manage if you don't push yourself and can be replenished by going to bed early, using items, or by giving it time as long as you don't keep pushing yourself. You'll also have several homework assignments to do, represented by little pencils on your status screen. By opening the menu (press X on your keyboard) you can see more info about your recruits and check your skill levels and items. Certain days will also have special scenes to them and when a friendship level increases you'll get a scene with that particular character.
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Skills carry over to a new game, so if you want you can spend one playthrough improving skills and the next working to recruit the characters. Remember, you need at least 3, but the bold player can try and get all 6!
Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite:
64214Hoemi/Harriet: Mairu/Miley's best friend and roommate at the dorm. She's very sweet and kind, she's good at cooking, she's selfless and attractive, and everyone seems to notice what a stand up lady she is except for Mairu/Miley!
64215Amane/May: A sweet young girl who is a lot on the naive side. But she's a hard worker and helps work at the candy store her grandparents own to help out with some family financial troubles. A childhood friend of Mairu/Miley.
64216Yoriko/Sara: A transfer student who stays at the same dorm as Mairu/Miley and Hoemi/Harriet. She's very shy and soft spoken. She's not sure what she wants to do yet and is trying to figure it out. She has a pet dog whom she loves.
64219Miley/Mairu: Heroine to the story and comedy lover. She's very outgoing and jokes around with everyone about everything. This can make her seem immature, but she has some hidden layers to her.
64217Ravian/Vivian: In the original she is a transfer student from Canada. In the Westernized version she is from Sweden. Very bubbly and enthusiastic.
64218Shinnosuke/Curtis: Son of a famous comedian and popular with the ladies. He acts aloof and like he doesn't care about comedy, but his words and actions say otherwise!
64220Haru/Cindy: Childhood friend of Mairu/Miley. She turned punk and is now in a band and has a very aggressive attitude which scares some. She's having some hard times at home.
64221Yoshiki/Tyler: Obsessed with celebrities, he keeps files and records on every girl in town in case she becomes famous one day!
There are a few other characters, but I wanted to focus on the main two and our recruits!
Overall I was really excited about this game when I first got it. It has a few elements I like such as a more laid back environment, a large cast of female characters, and a fun sense of humour. And while I can say those things are big points for the game, overall I found myself disappointed. It's rather short, which is actually a positive thing because it's not that fun. It gets boring and repetitive very quickly and it just isn't all that engaging. I did like the protagonist and a lot of the characters, but there wasn't enough done with them to keep me excited about the game. Still, it's worth it if you're looking for something along the lines of a dating sim and you want something short and sweet.
Verdict:
MEH
64222
FFIX Choco Boy
05-13-2015, 07:33 AM
Note to self: Read this review when I'm a little more sober. It looks really interesting. Also: Thank you, Pumpkin, for introducing me to a lot of good games I wouldn't know otherwise.
Vermachtnis
05-15-2015, 07:28 PM
Love it, don't know how I missed this. Characters are one of my favorite parts of a game too.
Pumpkin
05-17-2015, 05:25 AM
Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!! (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/SmsiDMM.jpg
Note that I did not add the extra 5 exclamation points out of excitement, it's actually in the title!
Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!! is an all-female 2D fighting game with 23 total playable characters. There is a story, but being a fighting game, it isn't the main focus. The story revolves around an institute called the Drexler Institute, an evil organization disguising themselves as something different. Dimensional rifts are being opened all across Japan and suddenly there's a giant robot trying to destroy Japan, an obsessive brainwashed girl, and a whole bunch of ladies being dispatched to figure out what the heck is going on and stop it.
http://i.imgur.com/efdJATU.png
There are several different play modes in this game. The first is 'Story' where you guide a character through their version of the happenings, always ending with fighting the giant robot boss and destroying it's 5 crystals in 60 seconds. 'After Story' is a secondary story mode following the characters searching for a mysterious hot spring connected to some even more mysterious gems. In 'Survival Score Attack' you will try to defeat each character with your health carrying over each fight. 'Time Attack' has you trying to defeat your opponents in the least amount of time possible. 'Trial' mode gives you specific tasks to accomplish each mission.
http://i.imgur.com/iP5rk3c.png
You can also play against other players in 'Versus' or sign in to the PlayStation Network for online combat. There is also 'Training' to practice your fighting skills, and a 'Gallery' mode. In gallery mode, you can watch through individual character stories and sub-stories to learn more about them. They play out largely visual novel style, and sometimes you'll be prompted to make decisions, but occasionally you'll have to fight. Gallery stories can be unlocked by playing different sections of the game.
http://i.imgur.com/9UGGJTR.jpg
Since this is a fighting game, the main focus is on fighting. The game offers you 19 colour swaps for each character and the option to turn on link animations. Link animations give your characters on the side panels more variety and movement, whereas if the link animation is off, they will mostly stay the regular portraits with few exceptions. This doesn't make a big difference in gameplay, just a personal preference. The game also gives you several difficulty settings, available in options, for different play styles. You can also add or remove rounds to a fight (meaning you can fight only once per fight, or do two rounds, or more) and you can increase or decrease the available time limit.
http://i.imgur.com/uY9Ys75.jpg
The player also has an option for controls, either 'Normal' or 'Simple'. In both modes, the X button results in homing, or moving in on the opponent. In normal mode, the square button is used for a weak attack, the triangle button for a medium attack, the O for a strong attack, with the R1 used for an arcana attack. In simple mode, square is a regular attack, triangle is a special attack, O is an arcana attack, and R2 results in the huge arcana attack. Regular mode generally allows for more combos while simple mode makes it easier to use more complicated attacks. I prefer simple mode, but it's personal preference.
http://i.imgur.com/gguFkjT.jpg
In this game, on top of 23 playable characters, you have 23 arcana to choose from. Arcana will determine what type of arcana attacks can be used (either through R1 in normal mode or O in simple mode). Most are separated by element and in simple mode, you will always be stuck with their default arcana. In regular mode however, you can choose whichever arcana you'd like. You also have a Force Gauge and an Arcana Guage which will allow you to perform special moves.
Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite:
64280Konoha: A young ninja who became the retainer of Kamui, a woman she highly respects, admires, and loves. She is a swift character and her default arcana is the arcana of nature.
64281Eko: A girl with mysterious powers, one of her drawings came to life and his name is Kazu and he is quite the gentleman. Eko is generally carefree and fights mainly using Kazu. Her default arcana is the arcana of luck.
64282Fiona: A girl who was sucked in to the spirit plane by accident and wants to become a human again. She uses a giant sword and is very slow, but hits hard. She is quite the crybaby, she apologizes a lot, and her default arcana is the arcana of metal.
64283Kamui: Known as the Millennial Guardian, she awakens whenever the regular and spirit worlds are in trouble and goes back to sleep afterwards. Konoha has been made her retainer and she loves the young girl quite a bit. She uses a sword in battle and has a lot of counter strikes. She's serious, but kind and her default arcana is the arcana of time.
64284Petra: One of the heads of the Celestial Union, she's dedicated to stoping the Drexler Institute. She's very serious, hard working, and doesn't often let her guard down. She fights with what seem to be laser guns and her default arcana is the holy arcana.
64285Heart: The character the series is named after, she is incredibly kind hearted, loving, caring, upbeat, and positive. She believes in helping all those in need. She has a lot of heart based attacks, a heart cowlick, and her default arcana is the arcana of love.
64286Catherine: A genius girl who built herself a giant robot which she fights with, she wears her heart on her sleeve, she's playful, and she likes to tease. She's a heavy hitter and a huge target and her default arcana is the arcana of magnetism.
64287Clarice: A demon nun with horrible mood swings and desperate crush on Elsa, she's very self-focused. She has a variety of attacks and is a well rounded character. Her default arcana is the arcana of sin.
64288Maori: A shrine maiden whose family has been dealing with the spiritual plane for generations. She's kind and sweet and level-headed. In battle she uses a yo-yo and can also summon her sisters to aid her. Her default arcana is the arcana of earth.
64289Elsa: A hard working nun who works under Petra in the celestial union, she's friendly and outgoing, but also a hard worker. She fights with a cross in battle and her default arcana is the arcana of punishment.
64290Akane: Smothering older sister to Nazuna, whose family aids the Mellennial Guardian. She's very carefree and lazy, but loves her sister very much. She has a lot of energy, she uses a lot of kicks, and her default arcana is the arcana of sound.
64291Dorothy: A young magician, she's always upbeat and cheerful, but a hard worker as well. She has a lot of tricks up her sleeves in battle and can use giant cards against her opponent. Her default arcana is the arcana of mirrors.
64292Angelia: A girl from the spiritual plane, she's very cranky, snarky, and has a serious mean streak. In battle she fights with her halo and is fast and good with cornered opponents. Her default arcana is her sister, the arcana of light.
64293Kira: A super-genius little girl, she's very bitter and jaded and wants to take over the world. In battle she uses a giant water blob which she constantly swims in to help her fight. She's a heavy hitter and good at throws. Her default arcana is the arcana of water.
64294Saki: Heart's best friend, although she seems to wish it were more. She's a serious girl, a serious student, and just... overall serious. She uses a lot of kicks in battle and is very quick. Her default arcana is the arcana of thunder.
64295Lilica: A half-demon girl with magical motorized roller-blades, she's snarky and sarcastic and loves teasing people. She's very quick in battle and can speed around with ease. Her default arcana is the arcana of wind.
64296Weiss: A valkyrie who was rescued by Petra after being created by the Drexler Institute. She's very serious and has a hard time being more casual and speaking normally. She has a good number of special attacks and her default arcana is the arcana Tyr.
64297Yoriko: A friend of Lilica, she summoned a demon God, Michelangelo, but due to her partial failure they're stuck with one another. She's a shy, quiet bookworm with an interest in the occult. In a fight, Michelangelo doubles as a cane and cape which she can use to attack with. Her default arcana is the arcana of evil.
64298Nazuna: Akane's little sister and Konoha's rival, she's been trying to take the place as retainer of Kamui, who she strongly admires. She's stubborn, direct, and usually cranky. She uses a staff in fights as well as a wolf and bird. Her default arcana is the arcana of blossoms.
64299Mei-Fang: A multi-purpose humainoid developed by a scientist named Mei-Ling. She's usually docile and kind, and listens very well to orders. She's swift and agile in battle and her default arcana is the arcana of fire.
64300Zenia: She works for the Celestial Police Force and has almost no memories to speak of, although she wants that to change. She's very serious and direct. She has sort of a piston arm and uses a lot of punches. Her default arcana is the arcana of ice.
64301Lieselotte: A mysterious young girl who sealed away her memories due to trauma. She controls puppets in battle and her default arcana is the arcana of darkness.
64302Scharlachrot: A valkyrie made by the Drexler Institute with strong feelings for Weiss. She's short tempered and aggressive. She uses chains in battle and her default arcana is the arcana Fenrir.
Overall I ended up liking this game much more than I expected. The fanservice is a bit unsettling, but I actually really liked most of the characters and they ended up mostly being kind and interesting. There are a lot of different characters for different play styles and I enjoyed trying them all to see who I would fit best with. I like the simple mode for those not as good at fighting games (like myself) and I liked the character scenes in gallery mode so I could learn more about each character. Overall a solid game with solid characters and I had a lot of fun!
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/4QMH2UH.png
Pumpkin
05-20-2015, 06:39 PM
Fading Hearts (Steam)
64334
Fading Hearts is primarily a visual novel, although it can have some RPG aspects to it depending on how you play the story. The story is about a high schooler named Ryou and what initially starts as a sort of love triangle. He has two close friends, Rina and Claire, and Rina is well known to have feelings for him. Sadly, he doesn't feel the same way. He does have feelings for Claire though, but she's already with someone and keeps pushing him towards Rina. Things take a turn for the worst when he learns that Claire's boyfriend may be abusing her.
64335
If that wasn't enough, he starts zoning out and having dreams about a knight from a past life who used magic. Shortly afterwards, Ryou discovers he actually can use magic! He also goes in to the forest where shadow monsters dwell and meets a mysterious magical girl named Mystica. But who is she really and what's really going on?
64336
Those two sections serve as the two main story points in the game, and you can choose to focus on both or on either one. The first one plays out in typical visual novel style, while the second incorporates some RPG gameplay. If you choose that route, you can read manga, which can be purchased at the Cosplay Cafe or via Internet shopping, and some issues will teach Ryou new magical spells. You can then wander in to the woods and fight shadow monsters and gain experience and level up. You might even learn more about Mystica.
64337
Whether you choose to explore the fantasy section or not, there are a few other aspects to the game. The first is a dating sim aspect. During your free time, you'll have a few options. You can call people to make plans for the next day, you can work, you can read manga, you can go hang out at the Cosplay Cafe or the Bubble Tea restaurant, you can rest, or a few other things. If you choose to work, you'll receive points towards certain aspects of different companies, which will give you more money come payday. You'll get paid whether you work or not, but this will increase your earnings.
64338
There are a few stats to keep track of. PS is personal strength and it affects what options you have in your social interactions. This can be refilled by spending time talking to different people and hanging out with them. Your max PS will sometimes be increased when you get a vision, which happens during certain scenes or sometimes while exploring the forest. Your PS is lowered by avoiding social contact, like staying cooped up in your house too much, for example. You also have stress which is raised by doing a few things like working too much and can be restored by resting or relaxing. If you pursue the RPG gameplay, you also have HP and such to keep track of as well!
64339
The game has dates that go by, and everyday you'll be able to do some stuff, like socialize or read or work. School days will give you the afternoons and evenings and weekends will give you three sections of the day instead of just two. There's a good bit of time to do what you need to do and pursue several different aspects of the game.
Although this is a visual novel, it's very choice heavy with scenes thrown in here and there. You'll be making a lot of decisions instead of just reading. There are multiple endings, some good and some bad, although I've heard it can be hard to get them all because the game has a random factor that affects things like when your magic becomes available to you.
64340
Characters:
In no particular order
64341Ryou: Our protagonist, a high school boy who starts having visions and develops magical powers. He is the object or Rina's affection, and has feelings for his friend Claire.
64342Claire: Ryou's friend since forever who he has feelings for. She's very outgoing and likes to tease him. She has an older boyfriend from another town who is rumored to be abusive towards her.
64343Rina, Ryou's childhood friend, she's incredibly smart and very sweet, never speaking badly about anyone. She's had a long time crush on Ryou and lately she seems to have something strange going on.
64344Sophie: An investigative journalist who first warns Ryou that something may be amiss with his friends. She's nosy and blunt but is a generally good source of information.
64345Alex: An otaku who plays a lot of video games and frequents the Cosplay Cafe, he also drags Ryou in to that stuff, although Ryou is never quite as enthusiastic. Has a mysterious past.
64346Tracy: A waitress at the Cosplay Caf who plays up the 'Maid' trope. She's very kind and likes seeing Alex and Ryou around.
64347Mystica: A mysterious magical girl who protects the city from shadow monsters and warns Ryou to stay away since she can't do it properly if she's stuck watching him too!
64341Meta-Ryou: Ryou from the future who gives you clues and hints sometimes, although he stays pretty vague.
Overall it was pretty solid. The characters were interesting, it poked fun at itself, and I liked the protagonist. I also liked that you could take the game in different directions. On the downside, it could get repetitive and sometimes there would be long stretches with very little in the way or scenes or story advancement. I've played it twice now and both times were fun, but not the most exciting.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
64348
Karifean
05-20-2015, 07:41 PM
Hmm, sounds interesting. Especially with how you can basically choose what kind of game you're playing. I might give that one a try.
Meta-Ryou: Ryou from the future who gives you clues and hints sometimes, although he stays pretty vague.
Ahaha that sounds great. I usually love that kind of thing.
Pumpkin
05-23-2015, 04:21 PM
Atelier Rorona Plus (PlayStation 3)
64387
This game is a rerelease of Atelier Rorona for the PlayStation 3. I haven't played the original, so I can't comment on the changes or improvements.
Story:
This is a story about a young girl named Rorolina, or Rorona for short. She works at an alchemy Atelier with her master, Astrid. But because Astrid is so lazy and generally disliked by the people, as well as because of the greed of certain figures, the Atelier is at risk of being shut down! This doesn't bode well for Rorona, who is indebted to her master for healing her sick mother. If Astrid packs up and leaves, Rorona will have to follow suit. But there is a silver lining. Over the next 3 years, she must complete 12 assignments given to her by the castle to show them that alchemy can benefit their kingdom and that the Atelier should not be shut down. However, Astrid decides that this should be Rorona's responsibility, so she has to make it work somehow.
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Gameplay:
Atelier Rorona is kind of a mixture of time management and RPG. Every 3 months or so (generally about 89 days), you'll be given an assignment to fulfill. These generally take the form of synthesizing a certain item at the Atelier, but sometimes involves gathering certain items on the field, or fighting certain enemies. Once you report the assignment, you will be given a rank of up to 10 stars. You need a minimum of 3 stars to not be shut down, but it's better to aim for the most possible. For most assignments you can come back and report more and more of the item(s) and keep gaining stars until the time limit is up. Aside from the main mission, there are also side goals to do. Each month differs, but it ranges from fighting a certain strong foe, completely exploring an area, or synthesizing an item with a certain trait to it. When you complete one of these goals, you'll receive a stamp for a bingo style card, and once you fill a line, you'll receive a prize. So if you have time leftover after your main goal, you can try for some prizes with your remaining time!
64389
A big part of the game is alchemy. Alchemy allows you to synthesize items. You can synthesize everything from food to accessories to healing and attack items. You can even synthesize ingredients for better items, or special items that have positive effects such as traveling faster. To synthesize an item, you'll enter your atelier and use the cauldron. A list will be presented to you of synthesis recipes. Some recipes are higher level than others, and you may need to improve your level before it will be successful. It will show you a percentage of success, so you can judge if you want to go through with it. From there you will decide how many you want to make, and select the ingredients. Better quality ingredients will lead to a better quality item. You can also select traits to add to your item as well. Synthesis takes up days, how many days depends on how many and which items you're making.
64390
Aside from synthesis, you can also go out in to the world map to gather ingredients and fight enemies. Battle is typical turn based RPG. You'll see a turn order on the screen and when a characters turn comes up, you'll select an action such as attack or skill. Rorona is the only one who can use items though, so make sure to pack her healing and attack items when you go out. You can have two allies accompany her when she travels, but in this game party members must be hired by paying a fee. The fee varies by character. There's also a support gauge that builds as you take certain actions, and this can allow an ally to guard Rorona from an attack, or to join in on certain attacks for extra damage.
64391
When traveling the world map, you'll select an area on the map and Rorona will go to that area. Each area has a number of days to get there and get back. Once at an area, you'll explore different maps, each which consume a number of days, regardless of your actions. So you might as well do everything you can in that map to get your time's worth!
64392
Aside from those main aspects there are a few other things you can do, such as buy new alchemic books, do requests to increase popularity (which is important), do character requests to increase your friendship with party members, and even dress up Rorona in DLC costumes or unlockables if you have save data from the other PS3 games in the series. You'll also gain access to a helper of sorts later on who will help you make items and gather ingredients. There are multiple endings depending on how well you did your job and how much the people like you, as well as a few other factors. The game is relatively short, amking it easier to replay and aim for better endings.
World:
The world has a range of different locations to explore, as well as discoveries within those areas that make you use your synthesis to get to them. There's a wide range of different locations, from forests to lakes, and some of them are quite interesting and impressive. Travel takes a certain amount of days and each area has submaps in them to explore, which also consume a number of days.
64393
Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite:
64394Lionela: Lionela travels the world as a street performer with her two "puppets". She's almost criminally shy and a bit ditzy but she has a big heart. She uses magic bracelets and she can heal as well as do certain ice skills, as well as a few status buffs.
64395Sterkenburg: A knight with people's best interests at heart, however he comes across as a bit cold and scary. He's very serious about his duties. He has a number of offensive skills and uses swords.
64396Rorona: A young alchemist who is forced to try to keep her master's Atelier open through hard work and synthesis. She's a bit ditzy and naive, but she's generally got her heart in the right place. She uses staves and is the only character who can use items in battle.
64397Iksel: A friend of Rorona's who owns a cafe, he really enjoys cooking. He's a bit hot headed. He uses pans in battle and has a number of buffs as well as healing.
64398Gio: A mysterious man who tries to replay Rorona because she covered his bill once, he's shown to be a very powerful warrior. He uses swords and has a number of attack and buff skills.
64399Cordelia: Rorona's best friend and part of nobility. She's a bit stuck up and spoiled and she tries hard to hide how much she cares about Rorona, but she's sweet when she shows it. She uses a gun in battle.
64400Astrid: Rorona's alchemy master, she's rude and blunt and likes to bother people. She's also lazy and generally disliked, but she's very intelligent and a brilliant alchemist. She can join in battle for a heafty sum and has a number of buffs.
64401"Tantris": A mysterious bard man who's father is actually involved in some of the events behind the scenes. He uses gloves and has attack and buff spells.
Overall:
I enjoyed this game much more than I was expecting and found it easier than the other two Arland Atelier games because of how it's segmented. The characters were overall interesting, although it was odd having to pay my party members. I enjoyed Rorona as a protagonist although I think she shines more in Atelier Totori, the sequel. Overall it was a good fun game and I had a lot of fun!
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
64402
Pumpkin
05-28-2015, 06:04 PM
Tales of Hearts R (PS Vita)
64443
This game is a remake of Tales of Hearts which was never officially translated in to English, but I have not played that version so I cannot make any comparisons. While the game has English subtitles, the voice acting remains in Japanese and there are clearly some changes that have been made. Voice acting can be turned off though if it's bothersome.
Story:
In this game, people have things known as 'Spirias', which are hearts of sorts and govern emotions. Sometimes a person comes down with a case of despair, meaning something bad is happening with their Spirias. Certain people possess things called 'Somas'. Somas take the form of weapons, differing depending on the wielder, and those in possession of a Soma can perform a 'Spiria Link' in to those with despair in order to cure them.
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We start the game with our hero, Kor Meteor, training with his grandfather. But when his grandfather leaves in order to cure someone of despair, he finds a mysterious young girl, Kohaku Hearts, and her brother, Hisui, on the run from a witch who seems to be trying to kill them. The witch catches up with them and does something to Kohaku's Spiria, so Kor enters to try and cure her. Inside her Spiria he finds a girl with emerald hair. But things go horribly wrong and Kohaku's Spiria shatters to all corners of the world. She only has one fragment left, Kindness. Kor and Hisui make it their mission to find all the shards of her Spiria Core and return her to the girl she once was.
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Gameplay:
Anyone who has played a 3D Tales game is probably familiar with the battle system. This game is an RPG, and encounters are random. In battle, you take control of one of 4 characters (with eight playable total). By pressing X you will attack the enemy, pressing O will use and art, Square will guard, and Triangle will open the menu where you can do such things as flee or use items. Arts use up TP, which is restored by attacking, using items, cooking, or by completing a battle. You'll also gain a limit bar or sorts that when pressing L1+ a directional arrow, will increase your power and allow you to perform special attacks later in the game.
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Abilities are learned through the Somas option. When a character levels up, they will receive a certain amount of points. Points are then distributed in to one of 5 categories. Once the appropriate number of points has been allocated (it will tell you how many you need) you will learn the corresponding ability, skill, stat bonus, or even gain new weapons. By allocating points, your stats will also increase in certain categories. This is the only way to get new weapons. Points can be distributed however you like and at certain points in the game, the Somas will expand, allowing you to learn more from those 5 categories. You can also set strategies for how your party will fight, and you can do this in little detail, or buy purchasing commands for them at stores and setting them very detailed. You can also set skills, such as allowing more TP to be restored after battle, or having spells cast more quickly. Characters can also cook for bonus effects or healing if they have recipes and ingredients.
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Eight different arts can be set to the character you're using. One to the O button, one to the O+up directional button, one to the O+down directional button, one to the O+left/right directional buttons, and one to each of the right analogue stick. In battle, characters can also initiate a "chase link" where a blue indicator will appear on an enemy, and if attacked enough, the enemy will be stunned. You can then attack him freely and also perform a combo by tapping on the portrait of a glowing character. The 3 characters who accompany you in battle but are not controlled directly can also have certain commands assigned to them, which you can activate by tapping or swiping their portrait.
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there are a number of sidequests to do, as well as different outfits and accessories for the characters. The game is fairly linear at first but opens up later in the game. You can collect recipes, improve your cooking, watch skits between characters, find namicoins for prizes, play a few mini games, among other things. You can also check the relationship between your characters, improved by scenes, skits, and battle time together, and they'll give you little quotes about the other. There's also a synopsis section if you find yourself forgetting what's going on and is written in the form of a diary by the playable characters.
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World:
The world is fairly large with a wide range of locations. You travel on the world map by foot and boat, and later acquire a way to fly, opening up the world map to areas not accessible before. There are towns and dungeons, and dungeons usually involve puzzles to solve them. The first part of the game is linear and doesn't allow for too much exploration, although it does open up later on.
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Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite:
64451Kohaku: A girl being chased by a mysterious with, she has a woman living in her Spiria. She goes out seeking the aid of Kor's grandfather but is attacked and eventually her Spiria shatters to all corners of the globe. The first part of the game revolves around restoring her emotions. She has a lot of fire elemental spells, she can heal, and kicks like a mule.
64452Kor: The hero of our journey. A bit slow and naive, having grown up in a small town, but full of energy. He always rushes in head first when someone is in trouble and has vowed to restore Kohaku's Spiria. He uses a sword in battle and is good with Thunder/Lightning elements.
64453Chalcedony: A member of the Crystal Knights who was ordered to get the Spiria Shards from Kohaku's Spiria, he is very loyal to the Church and very much believes in Knightly Honour. He has a number of spells and can shoot an enemy in the air. He's also a decent healer.
64454Beryl: A young girl who one day wants to become a court painter. She's very brash and not afraid to speak her mind, but holds some insecurities under it all. She's an offensive magic user style of character.
64455Gall: A mysterious older man who helps out Kor and Hisui when he sees them struggling with the broken Spiria's Kohaku. He doesn't reveal much about himself, but he's always there to encourage and help the others. He uses an axe/machete combo in battle.
64456Hisui: Older brother of Kohaku and very protective of his sister. He's not immediately trusting and very hot-headed but he does what he needs to to help Kohaku. He's an archer character with wind and healing magics.
64457Ines: A ridiculously strong woman with a courrier business and a taste for money. She has various water magics. She's business and street smart and a bit ruthless when it comes to what she wants.
64458Kunzite: A mech from ancient times who's mission it is to protect his "master" which seems to be Kohaku! Very analytical and cold.
Overall:
Overall I adored this game from the moment I started playing. The menu screen was beautiful, the main character positive and happy, and the story interesting. The main complaint I have is that the game was very linear for a long time, but other than that I liked the story, characters, world, gameplay. Amazing game and I'm really glad I played it.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
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Pumpkin
06-01-2015, 06:00 AM
fault milestone one (Steam)
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fault milestone one is the first part of the fault series of visual novels. It should be noted that the other parts are not yet released, although milestone two does now have a demo available. If you want to play the complete series, you'll have to wait a while. Also note that there is an occasional graphically violent scene, but they are few and far between. There is no nudity or sexuality of any sort.
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fault milestone one is a visual novel that takes place in a fictional world, a world where magic plays a large role. At the beginning of the story, we see a city being burned to the ground by some mysterious people. Our heroines are introduced shortly, one is a Princess named Selphine, kind-hearted and sweet, and her personal guard and adept magic user, Ritona.
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It isn't long before the girls realize they're fighting a losing battle, so Ritona pulls out some crazy magic and teleports them somewhere. However, they end up somewhere they don't want to be and don't know very well. After wandering around a while they learn that they're on the "outer-pole", a place where magic is scarce and most people don't take kindly to those who use it. Instead, the outer-pole has put a lot of focus on science and development to make due with their lack of magic and the difficulties it has afforded them.
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While in the outer-pole, they meet a girl who calls herself "Rune". Rune helps the girls get situated, find some money, and make plans to leave the outer-pole and head for home. Rune is rather mysterious though, and Ritona can't tell at first whether to make heads or tails of the girl. Eventually she grows to trust and even like her. Sadly, things then take a turn for the worst.
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The girls meet a man named "Rudo", who speaks of Rune as if she's property. Worse yet, he insists her name is Sara, and that soon she'll be punished for a theft she committed in order to help the girls out. After doing some investigative work, our heroes learn that "Rune" was actually a child who used to live in the village. A hellion of a child who committed many atrocities, such as severely wounding a child and torturing animals before she died. Why is Sara calling herself Rune? Why is she treated like property? These are questions our heroes want to discover and learn as they try to help Sara/Rune out of her punishment. But bad news, if they stay on the outer-pole for too long, their body will go through shock from mana (magic) depletion, and they'll be stuck on the outer-pole forever.
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This game is a visual novel, although there is only one choice present in the game as far as I'm aware. Most of the gameplay is simply reading about the adventure. You can of course save, and the game also provides you with an encyclopedia to learn more about the terms, and once you've completed the game you'll get access to a gallery as well as have your new character present on the start up screen. When playing, there will be a menu on the bottom of the screen, which you can access by scrolling over it. This menu allows you to quick save, quick load, view the encyclopedia, and a few other things. By right clicking on the screen at any time, you will gain access to a menu with options and the option to save as well.
Characters:
In no particular order:
64511Ritona: One of the protagonists, she also serves as the narrator to our story. She's a wise young woman who is highly skilled in many ways and is fiercely loyal to Selphine, her Princess. She serves as more of the serious realist.
64512Selphine: A young Princess, she cares deeply about her people and almost everyone she meets. She has many valuable skills and is an excellent people person. Very sweet and caring.
64513Rune(Sara?): A girl the two heroes meet on the outer-pole, she is very helpful to them and does her best to aid them, even stealing something they need despite the consequences. She calls herself Rune, but others say her name is really Sara, and she's called "it" and treated like property.
64514Rune: A young girl infamous in the town for being a Hell Spawn, she committed many violent acts against others and displayed psychotic behavior. She died before the start of the story.
64515Rudo: A man in charge of a very prominent corporation in the advancement of science, he treats Rune/Sara as property. Very short tempered, he lived through some trauma involving his younger sister, Rune.
64516Cid: The now deceased father of Rudo and Rune, he was incredibly influential in the advancement of science on the outer-pole. He was a very passionate man.
64517Eline: Cid's wife and mother of Rudo and Rune, she was very supportive of her husband and a very loving mother, however she was born rather frail and ill.
64518Albas: Albas helped Cid start up the company and helped with the advancement of science in the outer-pole in place of magic. He serves as second in command to Rudo.
64519Hertzwaan: The town drunk with a good set of skills, good people skills, and a lot of contacts. He knew Cid and has known Albas for a long time.
64520Melano: Indicated to be the big-bad of the story, she is responsible for the attack on Ritona and Selphine's home that forced them to flee.
64521Koko: A skilled magician girl who's skills rival Ritona's she is responsible for a lot of the destruction to Selphine and Ritona's homeland. She feels justified doing these things if it protects the ones she cares about.
64522Mharie: A skilled magician and in league with Koko, she is very quiet due to her speech impediment, but is very skilled.
64523Sian: Another one of the bad guys along with Koko and co., not much is known about her yet, but she seems very level-headed.
Overall, I wasn't sure what to expect of this story, but it got good reviews so I picked it up. I wasn't very invested at first, but once things start to pick up, I could barely take my eyes away. The story was interesting and engaging, the characters made me care, and it left me guessing. The game does feel a bit amateur, but I don't mean that in a bad way. It just seems a bit less polished than other visual novel's that I've read, but that gives it a certain charm. I am a bit sad that for the price it was only one part and I have to wait for future installments now.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
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Karifean
06-01-2015, 08:24 AM
Ooh, I'd thought of possibly picking this one up! I've been following Sekai Project's localizations ever since they announced CLANNAD, which is how I came to know about it, and it sounded interesting though the incompleteness of it was a bit of a turnoff. Sounds like it's worth looking into. Maybe a bit later this year since fault milestone two is set for a Q4 2015 release.
Always glad to find new visual novels that are worth a read :)
Pumpkin
06-04-2015, 08:20 AM
Persona 3 Portable (PSP)
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This version is a remake of Persona 3, with a few changes made. I haven't played the original, so I can't comment to much on the changes or compare the versions. In Persona 3 Portable, they added a female main character option, which changes the story a little bit, and changes some of the social interactions. I played as the female main character, although you can play as a male if you choose.
Story:
In this game, your main character is a newcomer, getting settled in to a new dorm and a new school. Shortly after he or she arrives, some strange stuff happens, including encountering some very odd people. Pretty soon, the MC (main character) learns about the Dark Hour, Personas, and Shadows.
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Every night between 12:00 am and 12:01 am, there is a hidden hour that normal people aren't aware of. But certain people, such as the MC, are fully aware and can summon their inner beings, known as Persona. These Persona are used to help fight the shadows, evil beings who cause harm to humans, leaving them in a zombie like state known as Apathy Syndrome.
The MC joins a group called SEES (Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad) which has several other Persona users. Together they enter the tower known as Tartarus where the shadows come from, with the goal of ridding the world of these shadows. This is on top of having to go to school, socialize, and sometimes working part time jobs.
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Gameplay:
There are quite a few aspects to the gameplay of this game. The first is dungeon crawling RPG, and the second is more in line with a social sim with a few dating sim aspects to it. You'll spend your days managing social interactions, going to school, and battling it out in the game's dungeon.
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The dungeon aspect is a large part of the game. Each day has certain time periods to it, and once you reach the 'Evening' period, you can choose to go to Tartarus and take on the dungeon. When in Tartarus, you'll go from randomized floor to randomized floor battling shadows. You can bring with you a party of four character and in battle you can choose their tactics, whether it be supporting and healing allies, going all out, or conserving SP (used for magic and skills). You can also choose to manually control your party members if you prefer. In battle, you can press Triangle to have everyone attack in a Rush, although this won't allow for healing unless you turn Rush mode off. In the dungeon you can also separate with your party members and they will proceed to fight Shadows on their own and find treasure. This does leave them more vulnerable, however, so is best used on floors below your level.
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When you encounter a shadow in the dungeon, you can gain the upper-hand in battle by surprising them by pressing x to strike them. Once in contact, you will be taken to the battle screen, in turn-based RPG style. In battle, you can select a Persona to use, which will be summoned under the 'Skills' command. You can also change which Persona you use under the 'Persona' command while in and out of battle. Different Persona come with different strengths, weaknesses, and skills. So essentially, your Persona determines what you're weak against and what magics and skills you can use in battle. If you use something the enemy is weak against, you'll get another turn. If all enemies are 'down' (what happens after being hit with their weakness), you can perform a powerful group attack.
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Persona can be found in dungeons when you get the 'Shuffle' option after a battle, or by fusing Personas you have together. Some skills will even carry over from the old Personas to the new one. Eventually you will also gain the ability to buy back any old Personas, so there's no reason not to fuse some of the ones you never use to make an even more powerful one! The strength of your Personas and which ones you can fuse will depend on your social links with characters in the game. Each social link represents a certain arcana, and different persona are represented by these arcana. So by having the 'Lovers' social link, you can make stronger Persona with the 'Lovers' arcana.
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Social links are another important aspect of the game. When not exploring Tartarus, the game takes place as kind of a social sim. Your day goes by depending on actions, and you have school most days. After school can be spent however you like, such as shopping, working, improving your Intelligence, Charm, or Courage, or increasing your social links. To increase social links, you have to talk to certain people. During these scenes, you'll have certain conversational options, which will help improve the link. Also, having a Persona of the same arcana as the social link will work to improving your relationship even faster. The link will max out at 10. So the best way to get strong Personas is to go out and make friends everywhere you can find them. There are also romantic option available as your bonds increase as well.
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World:
The world is overall pretty limited. You can select where to go, such as the school, the dorm, the mall, and a few other places, and each area has a few screens to explore where you can scroll over a person to speak to them. There isn't a wide variety of areas, though. There is only one dungeon, although it is massive and changes its appearance every so many floors. The floors are also randomized with a few preset here and there.
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Characters:
So that there aren't too many, I'll only be presenting party members and not all available social links.
Ordered from favourite to least favourite:
64557Koromaru: A dog whose owner was killed in an accident, he loyally guarded the shrine where his master was a monk. He's loyal and kind and helps SEES in their operations.
64558Akihiko: A senior in school and an older member of SEES. He trains very hard and is part of the boxing club. He's a bit socially awkward but generally admired by those around him.
64559Aigis: A robot created to battle the shadows, she clings to the main characters rather strongly for some reason. Speaks very robotic and unnaturally.
64560Fuuka: A shy girl who feels the pressure from her successful family. She can analyze enemies in battle and find shadows for SEES.
64561Female Main Character: Serves as an avatar character of sorts for the player. She can summon several Persona, something not many others can do.
64562Junpei: A classmate of the main character who fancies himself a ladies man. He's very open, although a bit hot headed and struggles with feelings of inadequacy.
64563Yukari: A classmate of the main character, she's pretty hones about her feelings and rather blunt. A relatively new member of SEES who joined shortly before the main character.
64564Mitsuru: A senior and a senior member of SEES, she's of the Kirijo family which owns the school. She's rather proper and an overachiever in many ways.
64565Ken: A young boy who lost his mother. He's calm and mature beyond his young years, partly due to what he went through.
64566Shinjiro: An old friend of Akihiko's, he doesn't open up much and mostly keeps to himself due to some things that have happened in his past.
Overall:
Overall I enjoyed this game. The social aspects were so much fun and the characters were realistic and likeable and very well written. The voice acting for them was excellent as well. The dungeon, however, was incredibly tedious, and the poor pacing made it so most of my time was spent in the dungeon, doing something I didn't care for instead of something I did. Even though I liked it, I was rather worn out by the end, and I'm not sure I'd play it again.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/AnumcHR.jpg
Glad you made it to the end, Pumpkin! :D The game can get a bit tedious, I wholeheartedly agree, but for me, the writing, the characters and the themes all make up for it. This is one of my favorite games of all time, and I think the PSP version is the definitive version of it ;)
I'm really curious how you'll like Persona 4 Golden!
Pumpkin
06-08-2015, 06:21 PM
Virtua Fighter 4 (PlayStation 2)
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This is the first Virtua Fighter game I've played and as such I can't comment on change or new characters or things of that sort.
Virtua Fighter 4 is a 3D fighting game. I can't comment on the story because if there is one, they didn't tell me. This is a fighting game that very much focuses on the fighting aspect, it has no story mode, no story seems to be being told (other than that of people fighting each other in a tournament environment) and the characters are not shown to have specific endings or anything of the sort.
http://i.imgur.com/F7jcNGW.png
This game has a few different modes to it. The first is Arcade mode, where you select a character and battle through 13 rounds and one bonus round. You will always fight the same characters in the same order. You can go to Options to change the difficulty level, the time limit, and how many rounds must be fought to advance to the next round. VS allows you to play versus other players. In training, you can practice your moves, or select a mode where the game will give you a rundown on your characters and their moves.
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Kumite allows you to play against characters seemingly designed to simulate online mode. The characters will be given special screennames and have a win/lose record. This mode cannot have the difficulty changed and you'll need to fight 3 rounds per battle. You can also use your A.I. in this mode, but more on that in a second. Replay allows you to replay matches if you have replay data, and Data Files allows you to create an AI.
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For the A.I., you pick a certain fighter and use a screenname of sorts for when fighting. It can be any of the available fighters. You can also change and customize their looks from here. Once created, you can select the A.I. System mode and train your fighter. How this works is that the computer will record your fighting style. Moves will be registered, as will how you react to different sorts of attacks. The more you teach it, the more it knows. From there you can enter Kumite and select your A.I. to fight, and it will gain a win/lose record and fight in the way you taught it to.
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This game is designed to simulate more realistic fighting styles, so characters might take longer to get back up than in other games, and you won't get any attacks like laser eyes or fireballs. There's also not a huge selection of fighters but there is a good variety of fighting styles for different players:
Characters:
Since I know nothing about them, I'll give a bit of general info that the game provided me with.
Ordered from favourite to use to least favourite to use:
64639Pai: She is from Hong-Kong and uses Ensei-Ken fighting style
64640Lei-Fei: He is from China and uses Shaolin Kung Fu
64641Jacky: He is from U.S.A. and uses Jeet Kune Do
64642Kage: He is from Japan and uses Hagakure-Ryu Jiu-Jitsu
64643Sarah: She is from U.S.A. and uses mixed martial arts/Jeet Kun Do
64644Lion: He is from France and uses the Northern Praying Mantis style
64645Aoi: She is from Japan and uses Aiki-Jujutsu
64646Lau: He is from China and uses Koen-Ken style
64647Shun: He is from China and uses Drunken Kung Fu style
64648Jeffrey: He is from Autralia and uses Pancratium
64649Akira: He is from Japan and uses Hakkyoku-ken
64650Vanessa: Her origins are unknown and she uses Muay-Thai
64651Wolf: He is from Canada and uses Pro Wrestinling style
Overall it was fun to try but far from mt favourite fighting series. It felt kind of bland and wasn't the most exciting. With that being said, the A.I. system is a fun and interesting idea and I would play again to try that. I also wouldn't be opposed to trying more games in the series. But as it stands, while it wasn't bad, it wasn't exciting either.
Verdict:
MEH
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sharkythesharkdogg
06-08-2015, 06:25 PM
Remember kids, Vanessa isn't black. She just had a tan for this game.
Pumpkin
06-08-2015, 06:43 PM
For anyone wondering, he's talking about the fact that Vanessa apparently got much lighter skin (https://gamebabble.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/vf_vanessa.jpg) by Virtua Fighter 5. Curious about this, I did a google search and found some discussions about it. It was brought up that they did not make her lighter skinned, but that she just had a tan for VF4.
sharkythesharkdogg
06-08-2015, 07:53 PM
You wanted to know what the story of VF4 is. My theory is it centers around Vanessa and this game.
http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/I3PTI-yyUtA/mqdefault.jpg
We see the results in VF5.
Pumpkin
06-15-2015, 06:07 PM
Hyperdevotion Noire: Goddess Black Heart (PS Vita)
http://i.imgur.com/cnKCTH1.jpg
I want to note a few things at the start of this review. This game has nudity and sexual content, if that's something that makes you uncomfortable. And I know no one likes trigger warnings but I'm going to give you one anyway; some of the scenes can be considered sexual assault, even if it's demonstrated in a lighthearted manner. I would avoid the game if any of the above would upset you.
Story:
Hyperdevotion Noire is a game in the Hyperdimesnion Neptunia series. The game takes place in yet another alternate dimesnion, this time in a place called Gamarket. The series takes popular video game consoles and turns them in to anime ladies, and it provides a humourous, fourth wall breaking take on the video game industry. This game has a new main character, Noire, representing the PlayStation consoles. It also has a blank avatar character for the player called the Secretary, who becomes Noire's secretary, and it introduces a large cast of new characters.
http://i.imgur.com/3LShcgg.png
Noire is dominating the Gamarket, but she doesn't enjoy the fighting with her friends. A mysterious, totally trustworthy looking woman approaches and may have a solution to her problems. Or not. Instead, Noire finds Gamarket to be in a bad spot. The shares are gone, and the generals have begun fighting amongst themselves and claiming territory. What happened and why? These are the pieces Noire must find to solve this mystery puzzle while building her country back up.
http://i.imgur.com/AFqYM9M.png
Gameplay:
Hyperdevotion Noire is a strategy RPG. It's actually rather simple to play for a SRPG, so it could be a good intro in to the genre for newcomers. You have a certain amount of characters you can add to a fight, and then you move on a grid. Each character has a different range they can move and each his her own skills in battle. Characters can be moved in any order you want as turns are simply divided by Player Turn and Enemy Turn. Therefor on your turn you can move whoever whenever and choose for them to attack, use items, or use skills. One a character has acted and moved, they will be unable to take more action until the next Player Turn. You can also have them Wait if you choose. Each map will have an objective and most have a gimmick to them as well, and each map has a defeat condition.
http://i.imgur.com/VvX8FUA.png
A bit part of the game is the Lily System. This is support offered in battle. When two characters are next to each other, if one chooses to use a Skill, their SP (skill points) cost will be lower and points will be added to the Lily bar out of 100. When the Lily bar reaches 100, a Special super move can be used. The more characters around the skill user, the better it will be and will add more points to the Lily bar. When the person casting the Special Move is surrounded by allies, the cost will also drop from 100 points depending on how many people are around. Also, CPU characters can use 30 Lily points to transform in to their HDD form. On top of this, characters who offer support to the Skill user will gain relationship boosts, which can lead to different scenes. So the Lily system is an important part of deciding where to place your characters and when.
http://i.imgur.com/NURebF5.jpg
Aside from the battles there are a few other things to do. You gain blueprints sometimes which can then be used as recipes for items once you have all of the ingredients. You can also take on side mission battles separate from the main story. You can shop and talk to people around town and view movies and albums. Another aspect is the Sim Noire section. By going in to Noire's home, you can upgrade and add items to her house using points gained from shopping. You can also read requests sent in by people and answer them. If you answer well, you'll get an extra scene with Noire.
http://i.imgur.com/QDZgYKp.jpg
World:
While the world isn't really explorable at all, the battle maps are pretty diverse and usually offer up different gimmicks to keep things fresh. There is only one town that allows you to interact with others. You can redo any previously done battles, allowing you to re-explore old battle maps and get all of the treasure chests.
http://i.imgur.com/OSxGD3T.jpg
Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite
http://i.imgur.com/gLfMiHv.pngVert: The CPU representing the Xbox consoles, she's a mixture of proper lady and neckbeard gamer. She uses a spear/lance type of weapon.
http://i.imgur.com/Nc59Km8.pngLid: A serious woman and master of traps, she'll fumble her words from time to time. She represents Solid Snake from the Metal Gear Solid series and she uses a knife in battle.
http://i.imgur.com/S7o2wx1.pngPoona: She is a sweet girl who talks veeerryyyy sloooowwwlyy. She is thought to be based on the Opoona game. She uses a bon bon in battle and can heal and use offensive magic.
http://i.imgur.com/phmYEUW.pngLittle Rain:She is a sweet, kind girl who does what's best for others at the expense of herself. But beware her wrath if she finds out you took advantage of those qualities. It tends to rain when she's around. She's based on Blazing Soul's character Little Snow.
http://i.imgur.com/wcZaUzN.pngNeptune: The CPU representing Sega, she's very goofy and lazy and talks with some horribly outdated slang. She uses swords in battle.
http://i.imgur.com/HaLxyXS.pngMoru: Not the brightest girl in the world, but a skilled warrior with an upbeat attitude. She fights with a giant mace or club. She represents the Monster Hunter franchise.
http://i.imgur.com/aYwlEWg.pngSaori: A pure-hearted maiden with a serious crush on The Secretary, she is very love focused. She uses letters in battle and represents the dating sim genre.
http://i.imgur.com/SaCCRuV.pngTsunemi: An idol girl who cares about others and has a kind heart. She's a versatile character and uses music as her weapon. She is based on the idol character Hatsune Miku
http://i.imgur.com/ENWm6EI.pngEstelle: A bright, cheery girl who thinks herself a hero and wants everything to be legendary. She attacks with a sword and represents the main character from Dragon Quest III.
http://i.imgur.com/IWf6K1E.pngLee-Fi: A passionate woman who loves to fight and battle it out. She fights with her fist and has no jump limit. She represents Chun-Li from the Street Fighter Series.
http://i.imgur.com/eIrfyMf.pngNoire: The protagonist of the game and CPU representing the PlayStation consoles. She's very hard working and generally series and hides her feelings, but she very much wants friends and takes care of the ones she has. She fights with a sword.
http://i.imgur.com/TcmHomh.pngGeneria G: A military woman with a knack for machines and a good work ethic. She uses a connaon in battle and is based on the SD Gundam G Generation series.
http://i.imgur.com/cqM5tBH.pngWyn: A tomboy who is very very passionate about her soccer and knows and cares little about anything else. She uses a soccer ball in battle and represents sports/soccer games.
http://i.imgur.com/5cWmJRO.pngLady Wac: Lady Wac is a powerful woman, but has a sore spot about her age, being one of the oldest generals in Gamarket. She represents the Ms. Pac Man games.
http://i.imgur.com/40IpFP1.pngResta: A seemingly sweet girl with a bit of an attitude and an early game healer. She's a bit too interested in the baby making process. She uses a staff in battle and is based off of the High Elf characters in the Agarest War series.
http://i.imgur.com/lFWMI1s.pngEin Al: She thinks of herself as a hero and often speaks in criptic, overly complex speech patterns but will slip up and speak normally from time to time. She uses swords in battle and represents the Final Fantasy series.
http://i.imgur.com/zgjXN4t.pngRyuka: A woman who likes to tease and is very overtly friendly and sociable. She uses bottles as a weapon and represents the Yakuza franchise.
http://i.imgur.com/ScvRjLW.pngBlanc: A CPU representing the Nintendo consoles. She's very soft spoken and quiet until she gets angry and her temper flies out of control. She uses hammers as a weapon.
http://i.imgur.com/ZzwO8PS.pngBlossom Aisen: A theatrical woman with a lot of poise and grace. She fights with a rapier and represents the Sakura Wars franchise.
http://i.imgur.com/MEJ2p8F.pngAi Masujima: A wannabe idol with a bit of a jealous streak and a mischievous side. She attacks with a microphone and her voice and represents the idol master franchise.
http://i.imgur.com/ihLUxcX.pngSango: A very arrogant and conceited woman and a sore loser, she can be very selfish and haughty. She represents the Dynasty Warrior games.
http://i.imgur.com/ks1USLv.pngVio: A woman who seems very trigger happy and kind of arrogant and cocky. She uses guns in battle and represents the Resident Evil series.
Overall:
I suppose I'll start with the bad. I've never been a fan of fanservice but I can ignore it if I like other aspects of the game enough, and I've often found the series to be pretty funny and fun to play. Sadly this time the game went very much overboard with the fanservice to the point that I was genuinely uncomfortable and almost felt like I was watching porn. I have nothing against porn but if I wanted to watch it I would watch it instead of playing a strategy RPG. A few scenes also bordered on sexual abuse, even though the game doesn't present them as such. Now for the positive, the game was once again pretty funny and I enjoyed the cast of characters and seeing which different games they were parodying. It was also pretty fun and not overly complicated like a lot of strategy RPG's, which is good because I am not good at them. It also let you try again if you lost fights. So if the sexual content doesn't bother you (or is maybe something you enjoy) this is a fun SRPG with some amusing characters, but for me personally it was just too much.
Verdict:
MEH
http://i.imgur.com/bJU56s3.jpg
Pumpkin
06-17-2015, 06:29 PM
Futurama (PlayStation 2)
http://i.imgur.com/DUYTYIE.jpg
Futurama the video game follows a few of the Futurama crew after the Professor sells Planet Express to Mom, thereby allowing her to become supreme ruler of Earth. The best solution to this is to high-tail it out of there! Unfortunately, it isn't that simple and the characters need to complete certain tasks to make their escape.
http://i.imgur.com/hNxCzmV.png
This game is a 3D platformer. You'll take control of Fry, Bender, Leela, and Zoidberg and different times and complete platforming levels through a variety of locations, such as the sewers, temples, and the Sun. In typical platform style, you'll be jumping, shooting, dodging, and finding certain items, as well as health and ammo refuels.
http://i.imgur.com/n2pRnQg.jpg
Each character plays slightly differently, and Zoidberg is only present for one small section of the game that plays more as a mini-game. The other three characters all get decent runs and you'll be switching between them in different levels. Futurama also runs a pretty good length and should keep you occupied for a while.
http://i.imgur.com/hPLnfaL.jpg
You'll gain different weapons as the game goes on and you can find ammo refills as well as health refills in crates and boxes and the like. You can also get some health in vending machines for example. There are also Nibblers to find in every level, as well as each character having a certain items scattered about everywhere to collect (such as money). At the end of a level you'll be shown how much of everything you've collected and you can save, redo the levels to try and get a better score, or proceed to the next chapter.
Futurama is pretty loyal to the show in terms of characterization, it retains the same voice actors, and fans of the show will probably be pleased to see a lot of in-jokes and references to the episodes. The dialogue and scenes are generally pretty funny as well as some of the quotes as you go about the game.
http://i.imgur.com/S55TDNu.jpg
Overall, I do like Futurama so I was excited to try this game. Sadly, I am not a skilled platformer, making this game quite a challenge. While it is fun and does stay loyal to the show, as well as provide some funny quotes, the game is not without faults. The camera can be very wonky as can the aiming controls, something that makes the game more difficult. You'll sometimes get stuck staring at a wall while being attacked, or have to rotate your camera the long way around because it for some reason won't just rotate a bit to the side. This can be challenging when you need to quickly jump to another area but can't quite see properly. While aiming, occasionally it won't register the aim at all, or it will aim at something off in the distance rather than whatever is right in front of you and attacking you. If you are a skilled platformer these things may not be a huge issue, but for someone like me who already has a hard time, it made things much more difficult. This game could be a lot of fun for fans of the series and 3D platformers, otherwise it has it's faults and isn't the best example of the genre.
Verdict:
DIDN'T LIKE IT
http://i.imgur.com/JtqYSzL.jpg
Shauna
06-17-2015, 06:30 PM
This is a terrible game.
Pumpkin
06-20-2015, 06:41 AM
Tales of Graces f (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/1nqxi3r.jpg
Story:
Tales of Graces f starts us off with little boy Asbel and his brother Hubert. Asbel is a little trouble maker, and heir of an important family. He cares little for the headache he causes his father though and instead insists on doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants. While exploring a place he was told to stay away from, he discovers a mysterious girl passed out in a field of flowers. She can't remember anything about herself, so Asbel, always the good citizen, takes her on back to his village to meet his family and his ill friend, Cheria. After looking for clues about the mysterious girl with no results, Asbel names her Sophie and vows to protect her, but Sophie has other ideas and vows to protect him. He also gets to meet the young King Richard and Asbel, Sophie and Richard make a vow of friendship. Things go well until Asbel one day learns that rules exist for a reason, and tragedy befalls him and his friends.
http://i.imgur.com/RuSzY2B.png
Skip to seven years later, Asbel has left home and trained to become a Knight, becoming much more disciplined. He's lost contact with most friends since then, but pretty soon some tragic news about his father brings him back home and reunited with them. But things only go downhill from there when Sophie appears again and Richard seems to be having some kind of serious difficulties. Pretty soon they find themselves on a quest to save the world because RPG.
http://i.imgur.com/SsOib1F.png
Gameplay:
Tales of Graces f is an RPG. You gain characters which then level up through experience in battle. It follows a similar battle style to the other Tales games with a few differences. You gain access to many playable characters and can switch any character in and out of battle from the main menu, with a maximum of four appearing in battle. You will control one of these four characters, but can switch to any of the other three in battle by pressing the directional buttons. Characters have two types of attacks, A-Artes, and B-Artes. A-Arts are used by pressing X and B-Artes are used by pressing O.
http://i.imgur.com/sR9Hzw9.jpg
Each character has a CC count, which determines how many attacks can be used in a row. There are a few ways to increase the available CC in battle and outside of battle. Each arte has a CC count, and using that attack will deplete the available CC, which will then take a few seconds to recharge. A-Artes also work in a branch style, where one will lead to another and then another and so on until there is no CC. You can also change which arte is being used by pressing the left analogue stick in different directions while pressing X or O. Each character has a different fighting style and different skills to go along with it.
http://i.imgur.com/C3vMQIZ.jpg
Skills, artes, abilities, and stat bonuses, as well as costumes, are gained through Titles. Titles can be unlocked by accomplishing certain things in battle, progressing the story, completing sidequests, or doing any number of other things. Each character has a huge amount of Titles to master and learn. Each Title has 5 levels to it and points go towards the mastery of it. Something will be gained at every level of the Title. Once a Title is obtained, you are free to learn and master and equip Titles at your leisure in any order you choose, making it a very open and non-linear system.
http://i.imgur.com/2oHBoEH.png
Outside of battle there are a number of things to do. You can take requests for extra skill points and prizes, play a card game featuring previous Tales heroes, find discoveries, mix items to make new items, add boosts to your weapons, play some mini-games, view skits, and a whole bunch of other stuff. This game also gives you an "Eleth Mixer" which can do a few things for you, such as generate items and use cooked meals in battle automatically to do things like restore HP or revive a character (without using anything from your inventory). The only downside is you'll need to recharge it once in a while, but it's fairly cheap, and overall a great system to take advantage of.
http://i.imgur.com/Kn7rcCt.jpg
World:
The world is vast and explorable, although fairly linear for most of the game. There's a wide variety of towns and different locations to visit and many people to meet. Some areas are quite gorgeous. The game also has a good number of dungeons which usually require some puzzle solving, although most are pretty simple and the challenge is mostly because it's time consuming. The world also offers you "Discoveries" to add to your book and Discoveries will sometimes give you items when you visit them as well, giving the player incentive to explore a little bit.
http://i.imgur.com/3Xdo7Ze.png
Characters:
In order of favourite to least favourite:
http://i.imgur.com/pl3FZHq.gifPascal: A mysterious, upbeat, and intelligent girl who latches on to Sophie pretty quickly. She's always happy and friendly, but seems to have trouble reading the mood of the room. She's very good with machines and technology. In battle she uses a staff/gun type of weapon and is great at offensive magics.
http://i.imgur.com/exeaxdR.gifCheria: Cheria is a childhood friend of Asbel who grew up ill. She can be bossy but she cares very much for everyone and wants to take care of them. She uses throwing daggers in battle and is a strong healer.
http://i.imgur.com/mRwq8fh.gifSophie: A mysterious girl found by Asbel one day, she can't remember anything about her past. She likes flowers and she imitates a lot of things and is generally naive about the world. She cares about her friends more than anything. She fights with her fists and has a good range of attack skills as well as some healing and buffs.
http://i.imgur.com/ZVReghA.gifMalik: Asbel's trainer and superior, he's a mysterious man who seems gruff and serious at first but actually has a good sense of humour and a good head on his shoulders. He uses a weapon called a Bladerang, which is a combination of a boomerang and a blade, and also has a number of offensive spells.
http://i.imgur.com/sfoLXdC.gifAsbel: The protagonist of our story. He was a rambunctious and misbehaving child who grew up and trained to become a knight to protect those important to him. He tries to think of others first and does what he can to save everyone. He uses a sword in battle.
http://i.imgur.com/RfMSrtH.gifHubert: Asbel's younger brother. As a child he is very shy and quiet, but he grows up very successful and hard working. He's not very trusting and sometimes has a short temper and he has no qualms about telling people the truth even if it's hard for them to hear. He uses a dualblade type of weapon and has a good variety of skills.
http://i.imgur.com/eNVI0Pw.gifRichard: Prince who has to worry about assassinations and politics in his family, he makes good friends with Asbel as children. When he's older he seems to have some issues that has Asbel greatly concerned and suffers from strong mood swings. He uses rapiers in battle.
Overall:
This was a good game and I very much enjoyed it BUT I don't think it's the best the series has to offer. It was a bit jarring having the protagonist start out as very lively and full of personality and later become rather drab. The story is also more cookie cutter than most Tales games as well as some of the characters. It did take a while to get going and grow on me, but I did have a lot of fun with it and I would certainly play it again. The characters do grow and develop more and the story is pretty interesting and the world is fun to explore. It also has some really fun sidequests to take part in. So while the Tales series can do better, it's still a solid, enjoyable game.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/1Ejl1sn.jpg
Shauna
06-20-2015, 11:18 AM
It is very "generic" and "cliche" but I thoroughly enjoyed it anyway. When I got to grips with the damned CC battle system, that is.
Pumpkin
06-22-2015, 07:23 PM
Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/PzuxKcn.jpg
This is the first and only Dead or Alive game I've played, so I can't compare it to older games in the series. There are some differences between Last Round and the original Dead or Alive 5 and Dead or Alive 5 Ultimate. New DLC characters, new stages, and new costumes are a few differences.
http://i.imgur.com/NtpQEMD.jpg
DOA 5 is a fighting game. It has several modes to choose from, such as Story, Arcade, Online Modes, Options, and a few others. This series is known for it's fanservice, but for those who are less in to that, this game does offer the option to turn off clothing tears as well as turn off the breast jiggle. You can also turn on or off the option to have characters get dirt on themselves, and in certain modes you can turn off "danger zones", which are interactive features in battle stages that will cause more damage.
http://i.imgur.com/G2dw4sW.png
The story mode divides the story in to several chapters featuring different characters. As you progress, a timeline will be shown and you will be given control of a character for their chapter as you unravel the story. You can go back and play any previously completed fights.
http://i.imgur.com/CJadXUl.png
Fight mode has a few options, such as Arcade, Versus, Time Attack, Team Attack, and Survival. A lot of modes allow you to choose from Solo mode, which is playing with one character, and Tag Team, which is playing with two. Versus allows you to play with or against friends. In several modes you'll have eight difficulties to choose from, so you can find something to suit your play style. Versus allows you to play against (or with) others or against the computer. Arcade has you move through stages to reach the end. Survival has you trying to fight through as many enemies as you can with your health not recovering entirely between fights, Time Attack has you trying to clear all rounds in the least amount of time possible, and Team Attack has you using up to seven characters.
http://i.imgur.com/DtKTkM2.jpg
There are a few other things you can do, such as take part in Online fights, go in to Training Mode to practice or to learn character specific moves, as well as a few others such as Spectator mode, where you can select characters and watch the computer fight it out. The game also has unlockable character outfits. These can be unlocked by completing Arcade, Survival, or Time Attack modes. The costume will be unlocked for the character (or characters in tag team) being used. You can redo the same modes and continue to unlock costumes.
Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite:
http://i.imgur.com/ZDDrlDF.pngHonoka: DLC Character. She is a young mysterious girl with odd powers. She is Japanese and uses a combination of other characters' fighting styles as well as some unique moves, which she calls Honoka Fu.
http://i.imgur.com/EUVBL8O.pngKokoro: The half sister of Helena. She is Japanese and uses Ba Ji Quan.
http://i.imgur.com/U7f5kwo.pngHitomi: A skilled martial artist who wants to prove herself. She is german and uses Karate.
http://i.imgur.com/7nORwgw.pngMarie Rose: DLC Character. She is the servant of Helena. She is Swedish and uses the Systema fighting style.
http://i.imgur.com/IJlMSQL.pngKasumi: A ninja who became the series protagonist. She is Japanese and uses Mugen Tenshin Ninjutsu.
http://i.imgur.com/TRHvW6d.pngPhase 4: She is a clone of Kasumi. She uses Modified Mugen Tenshin Ninjutsu.
http://i.imgur.com/wik88AM.pngAyane: A ninja and half sister of Kasumi. She is Japanese and used Mugen Tenshin Ninjutsu.
http://i.imgur.com/SijrfEa.pngLeifang: A college student and prodigee of Tai Chi. She is Chinese and uses Tai Chi.
http://i.imgur.com/B5qpGu2.pngEliot: A young man on a martial arts journey. He is British and uses Xing Yi Quan.
http://i.imgur.com/sZgOP3J.pngRig: A man who works on an oil rig and doesn't know much about himself. He is Canadian and uses Taekwondo
http://i.imgur.com/TVY8VmW.pngHelena: An Opera Singer and new leader of DOATEC. She is French and uses Pi Gua Quan
http://i.imgur.com/2FuylD5.pngPai: A guest character from Virtua Fighter. She is Chinese and uses Mi Zong Yi.
http://i.imgur.com/XGDaVZm.pngChristie: A professional assassin. She is British and uses She Quan martial arts.
http://i.imgur.com/K7FhfR9.pngHayabusa: The protagonist of the Ninja Gaiden series, he is Japanese and uses the Hayabusa Ninjutsu fighting style.
http://i.imgur.com/yy5StC4.pngMomiji: She is from the Ninja Gaidan series. She is Japanese and uses Hayabusa Akijutsu.
http://i.imgur.com/nD86666.pngSarah: A guest character from Virtua Fighter. She is American and uses Mixed Martial Arts.
http://i.imgur.com/ocmcdUo.pngJacky: A guest character from Virtua Fighter. He is American and uses Jeet Kun Do.
http://i.imgur.com/qtzyM9D.pngAlpha-152: She is a clone of Kasumi and uses Modified Mugen Tenshin Ninjutsu fighting style.
http://i.imgur.com/eSOHlzz.pngJann Lee: He wants to become the greatest fighter of all time. He is Chinese and uses Jeet Kun Do.
http://i.imgur.com/IW9hMl2.pngGen Fu: A book store owner and Martial Arts Master. He is Chinese and uses Xinyi Liuhe Quan.
http://i.imgur.com/etaBCm5.pngEin: The "alter-ego" of Hayate. He is Japanese and uses Karate.
http://i.imgur.com/k4qLIyf.pngBrad Wong: A drunk martial arts master. He is Chinese and uses Zui Quan.
http://i.imgur.com/Cgjco3B.pngHayate: An important Ninja and Kasumi's brother. He is Japanese and uses Mugen Tenshin Ninjutsy
http://i.imgur.com/Rb33pwz.pngZack: He wants fame and money and has a very outgoing personality. He is American and uses Muay Thai.
http://i.imgur.com/2C4ItVi.pngRachel: A character from Ninja Gaiden. She uses Counter Fiend Combat.
http://i.imgur.com/63YEJSP.pngLeon: He wants to prove he's the strongest fighter in the world. He is Italian and uses Close Quarter Combat.
http://i.imgur.com/edOlxoi.pngMila: A young martial artist who works at a diner. She is Spanish and uses Mixed Martial Arts.
http://i.imgur.com/i4HQysJ.pngLa Mariposa/Lisa: A former scientist and Luchadora. She is American and uses Lucha Libre fighting style.
http://i.imgur.com/gPcCuGm.pngNyotengu: DLC Character. A female Tengu who uses the Tengu-Do fighting style.
http://i.imgur.com/xt0ICVw.pngBayman: A former assassin and current mercenary. He is Russian and uses Sambo Martial Arts.
http://i.imgur.com/uZKuAoc.pngAkira: A guest character from Virtua Fighter. He is Japanese and uses Ba Ji Quan.
http://i.imgur.com/rpT4aeX.pngTina: A pro-wrestler. She has a dream of becoming famous. She is American and uses Pro-Wrestling.
http://i.imgur.com/EF7Z0Y4.pngBass: A famous pro-wrestler. He is American and uses Pro-Wrestling.
http://i.imgur.com/LkOn0LS.pngRaidou: DLC Character. He is Japanese and uses Modified Mugen Tenshin Ninjutsu.
Overall this was a good fighting game. Even though a lot of characters have similar fighting styles, they still play slightly differently and there's a wide variety to choose from. The battle arenas are pretty interesting and interactive and the story was surprisingly good for a figthting game. As for the negative, there was a LOT of DLC stuff which I never got to use because money, although the purchase of the DLC characters was worth it to me. The fanservice for certain characters is also uncomfortably over the top, which is not something I personally enjoy, so I did like the option to tone down the jiggle. I would say it was a good, fun fighting game and I would play it again.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/5LBchAd.jpg
Formalhaut
06-22-2015, 09:00 PM
I'm guessing it is Honoka who is your current avatar and signature then Pumpkin?
Pumpkin
06-22-2015, 09:02 PM
Indeed :D
She has adorable cow overalls
http://i.imgur.com/yh3rW3p.png
Vermachtnis
06-22-2015, 09:04 PM
Indeed :D
She has adorable cow overalls
http://i.imgur.com/yh3rW3p.png
One could say they're UDDERly adorable. :jess:
Formalhaut
06-22-2015, 09:05 PM
Her top in your signature also has a cow design on it. Seriously, what's up with this girl's fascination with cows?
Pumpkin
06-22-2015, 09:07 PM
It's a joke about her boob size (https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/proxy/z4Ty2te8x5ESQJyqkM4Ask1ekaVOJkLEacldy5-BKzbjL7v7M0B_gxdTowBfVHuWdxPnb3OkEFHwmoN6Ko5lh5USGLs=w426-h240-n) but I'm going to ignore that part because no matter your cup size IT'S FRIGGIN ADORABLE
She even has a cow keychain which you can't see to well in the picture
Formalhaut
06-22-2015, 09:08 PM
It's a joke about her boob size but I'm going to ignore that part because no matter your cup size IT'S FRIGGIN ADORABLE
She even has a cow keychain which you can't see to well in the picture
Wait, what does a part of the female anatomy have to do with cows?
I admit, her cow motif does look pretty adorable. What's her story-line in the game then?
Pumpkin
06-22-2015, 09:12 PM
Milk. It's a boob-milk joke.
She doesn't have a bunch of story as she is a DLC character and it wasn't really shown in game. According to the DOA wikia, she was raised by her grandmother and is a generally sweet girl, but she has ~mysterious powers~ similar to one of the bad guys of the series and doesn't know where they came from. It basically makes her kind of glow redish and get warm. She is also said to learn moves from others very quickly which is why her fighting style is a mixture of everyone else's with a few unique moves, which she calls "Honoka Fu"
Pumpkin
06-30-2015, 10:57 PM
Scribblenauts Unlimited (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/gX9FSfl.jpg
This is a game in the Scribblenauts series, which follows Maxwell and his magic notebook. In this game, Maxwell and his sister, Lily, have caused some trouble with the notebook for a little old man. The old man doesn't take this lying down and curses Lily to slowly turn to stone. The two come up with a solution: Gather Starites by doing good deeds around the world and save Lily from her predicament.
http://i.imgur.com/oT1tkqZ.jpg
You'll take control of Maxwell, but you'll unlock his siblings as you progress the game and solve their problems. By clicking on Maxwell, you can change which sibling you'll control. You then travel to different areas, where you have a number of problems to solve. When entering a new area, you can click on the 'Starite' icon on the top left of your screen to see how many Starite and Starite pieces you can collect. Once they have all been collected, you'll see a 'Level Complete' appear on your screen.
http://i.imgur.com/oM3p58S.jpg
Starite pieces can be obtained by solving problems of the people, or creatures, or even objects you see in an area. By clicking on them, sometimes you'll see a problem above their description. These can range from "I need a friend" to "I'm looking for an object I lost". Maxwell can then use his magic notepad to help them. Full Starite missions are shown in each area by a blue star. Approaching these and clicking on them will take you to a special level of sorts with several steps to complete in order to receive the Starite. These vary from "Complete the Prison Gauntlet" to "Help Solve The Crime of the Missing Santa".
http://i.imgur.com/ssqEma8.jpg
As I mentioned before, a lot of these problems are solved using the Magic Notebook. You can access it either by clicking on an object or person that needs help, or by clicking the icon in the upper right corner of the screen. Then you simply type in a word and it will appear. There are limits, no profanities, sexuality, trademarks, concept, and a few other things, but there is a very wide range of items, people, or animals you can make. You can also apply adjectives to things, such as "Big", "Hot", "Frozen, etc.
http://i.imgur.com/ObwZRWd.jpg
The game is very open in terms of how you complete most challenges. Occasionally you will receive a challenge that needs one very specific thing, but a lot of the time you can be very creative. For example, when asking for a long range weapon, you can create a gun, a slingshot, or even a baseball to fulfill the request. This can add some variety to replays. You can also just do silly things like making your wings pink and sparkly. This is also a good game for kids as it allows them to use their imagination and try to solve problems, but younger kids may need help with some concepts and references. The game isn't too challenging, but some problems require you to think a little harder.
http://i.imgur.com/Kecxqyx.jpg
There are a wide variety of locations to visit, so if you find some you don't enjoy, there are plenty of different types to explore. The world opens up the more Starites you collect, with 60 needed to complete the game. Once you've collected 60, you can continue to play and try to collect all the Starites, of which there are over 100. Travel between areas can be done in each area (you'll see a small globe with an arrow insdicating that clicking on it will send you to a new area) or by clicking on the globe icon on the top of your screen and selecting any available location on the map. There's also an item editor mode, where you can edit the appearance of a lot of the things you'll see, as well as your avatar.
http://i.imgur.com/tuWUqr9.png
Overall this game was very fun, and it was good for some laughs. Some of the scenes or consequences were pretty amusing. It's easy to pick up and play for a few minutes and put back down, or for playing for a while. It's not overly complicated, but it does make you use your brain. I enjoyed seeing a lot of the new areas and seeing the most creative ways I could solve certain problems. It took me a while to get the hang of some of it, but overall I have very little complaints. It's not a serious or heavy game if that's what you're looking for, but it's great fun if you want something shorter and more lighthearted.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/KpitXiK.png
Pumpkin
07-06-2015, 05:30 AM
BlazBlue: Chronophantasma (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/2q5ltdO.jpg
Please note that I have not played any other game in the series and as such there may be spoilers in this review because I am not sure what is established by this game, and what is new in terms of story. It is also a very complex story and I don't have a complete picture of it due to this being the first one I've played.
BlazBlue: Chronopantasma is a 2D fighting game with some Visual Novel aspects to it as well. It is very story heavy, and the story itself is very complex. While the game does offer a "Teach Me Miss Litchi" section to bring the players up to date, there is a lot to catch up on and some things still may not be clear without having played earlier entries. The story has to do with a man named Ragna the Bloodegde and some time disturbances. Ragna is out to defeat a man named Terumi who has kidnapped his friend and is helping do some rather unfortunate things.
http://i.imgur.com/j1QoG78.png
There are several modes to this game, including a Story Mode, which is very long, detailed, and plays similar to a Visual Novel except at certain fighting points. There are branching storylines to follow. You can also play Arcade Mode, which takes you through individual character stories as you progress though the battle stages. The game also offers the "Teach Me Miss Litchi" section to help the player learn more about the story, and several other fighting modes to challenge the player. You can also engage in training modes to learn more about the controls.
http://i.imgur.com/fweayqB.jpg
The game has several difficulties for the player to choose from, and also offers two different fighting styles, Technical and Stylish. Stylish is for more casual players, and has simplified controls, where Technical is a bit more complex. You can also battle online, although I never used the feature myself, and there are certain DLC purchases that can be made, such as artwork and additional characters.
http://i.imgur.com/0VxuLMh.jpg
Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite:
http://i.imgur.com/jrdGzOV.pngPlatinum: A girl who harbors three personalities: A rude girl named Luna, a polite person named Sena, and the legendary hero, Trinity.
http://i.imgur.com/HdmFb8S.jpgNoel: A former member of the NOL and good friends of Tsubaki and also Ragna. Very kind-hearted.
http://i.imgur.com/AQiY5Z5.gifIzayoi: The "awakened" form of Tsubaki who took the Izayoi weapon. A very strong sense of justice.
http://i.imgur.com/Nl0zqc7.pngBang: A ninja with a good attitude who hold a key component to some people's plans.
http://i.imgur.com/NI300s9.pngRachel: A vampire and an observer, she knows a lot of what is going on and holds a lot of power.
http://i.imgur.com/H3qLRhz.pngRagna: The protagonist of the series, a very important man who is highly sought after by just about everybody.
http://i.imgur.com/IkSD8tT.pngTsubaki: Friend of Noel, she is under the influence of a mind-eater and is essentially brainwashed.
http://i.imgur.com/rBTvN4u.pngLitchi: A scientist who left Sector Seven and is searching for a way to save Roy, a.k.a Arakune.
http://i.imgur.com/cLndbb6.pngMu. -No.12-: The true form of Noel, she was created to be an ultimate weapon.
http://i.imgur.com/FoHjsRN.pngTaokaka: A vigilante and friend of Ragna, she thinks mostly with her stomach. Her and her race were created as clones of one of the six legendary heroes.
http://i.imgur.com/3WC7dWK.pngJin: Brother of Ragna and respected hero. He used to have a prominent position in the NOL.
http://i.imgur.com/x6faWKi.gifAmane is a crossdressing man who gathers young girls and boys for his performance troupe.
http://i.imgur.com/JPRBFpb.pngCarl: A vigilante who believes his doll-weapon is his older sister. The son of Relius.
http://i.imgur.com/pbY1vA9.pngValkenhayn: One of the six legendary heroes who now serves Rachel. He can turn in to a wolf.
http://i.imgur.com/9hWmGrv.pngBullet: A mercenary who's former squad was killed in an incident. As a result, she hates Sector Seven.
http://i.imgur.com/lHbUSuZ.pngHakumen: One of the six legendary heroes, he is considered incredibly wise, but is a bit lacking in social skills.
http://i.imgur.com/e0HbfjK.pngMakoto: A hyperactive girl searching for her friends, Noel and Tsubaki.
http://i.imgur.com/sigsXiG.pngNu. -No.13- was designed as a weapon. She has a split personality which comes out when around Ragna.
http://i.imgur.com/olP0y2A.jpgTager: A loyal soldier to a scientist named Kokonoe, he follows her orders and does what she asks of him, although he lets his own feelings interfere sometimes.
http://i.imgur.com/Wn5lhBi.pngAzrael: A beastly, powerful, cannibal man who was in a frozen slumber until some random men brought him back under their control.
http://i.imgur.com/nkZlK9r.pngArakune: A former man who became obsessed with power and had an accident resulting in what he is today. He is obsessed with the Azure and devours things.
http://i.imgur.com/T28jRc8.pngRelius: Carl's father, a man who views people as tools and will do whatever it takes to further his own goals.
http://i.imgur.com/JAbqtRA.jpgHazama: The bad guy of the game leading to a lot of negative things. Working under the Imperator.
Overall, while it was an alright game, I don't think it was the best suited for me. The story was complicated and at times the writing felt very forced or unnatural, although I do appreciate them trying to give a fighting game a more complex story. There were some pretty levels, and I liked the Stylish Mode options and tutorial levels. The Teach Me Miss Litchi segments were pretty enjoyable. There were some strong characters. But overall the game wasn't the most to my tastes and story mode felt more like a chore than anything. While I don't regret trying it, I don't think I'll play another BlazBlue game.
Verdict:
MEH
http://i.imgur.com/tYF5uJq.jpg
Karifean
07-06-2015, 10:31 AM
For some reason this series is on VNDB (https://vndb.org/v/all?sq=BlazBlue). I'd thought of checking it out, but now I'm not so sure anymore ^^
I played DOA5 with my brother and nephew. I actually found it immensely enjoyable and take back the bad things I said about Team Ninja.
Christie is my favorite character to play as.
That art style looks weird.
Pumpkin
07-06-2015, 03:23 PM
For some reason this series is on VNDB (https://vndb.org/v/all?sq=BlazBlue). I'd thought of checking it out, but now I'm not so sure anymore ^^
Don't let me deter you too much. It actually gets good reviews and is pretty popular overall, it just wasn't to my tastes, personally. The older ones are pretty cheap now and may be worth a look in to for the price! It does also have a pure visual novel I think, but I have not tries it so I couldn't tell you what it's like
Pumpkin
07-14-2015, 05:53 AM
Persona 4 Golden (PS Vita)
http://i.imgur.com/pyISIDv.jpg
Note that I have not played the original Persona 4 and so I couldn't comment on the changes. I do know they've added a new social link and a new possible ending, called the Golden ending.
Story:
Persona 4 follows our main character as he moves from the big city to the small town of Inaba for a year to stay with his uncle Dojima and his cousin Nanako. He attends the local high school and makes some friends. Soon he hears a rumour about a strange thing called "The Midnight Channel". Supposedly, if you watch it on a rainy night at midnight, your soulmate will appear. Despite not believing it, he tries it out anyway. Sure enough, someone appears on the television. Even weirder, he finds he can stick his hand through the television!
http://i.imgur.com/hftHduK.jpg
Things escalate from there when a series of murders plagues this small town. Our hero (default name of Yu) and his friends learn that the midnight channel might have something to do with it, seeing as how the people who appear tend to die shortly afterwards. Using his strange powers, Yu and his friends enter in to the TV world in an attempt to save the victims and find out who has been committing these crimes.
http://i.imgur.com/eXaalEa.jpg
Gameplay:
There are a few aspects to this game. One is an RPG style and the other is more along the lines of a simulation game. Your days are broken up in to fragments, which will be spent going to school, studying, improving your skills, and forming social links. You can also do things like shop, fish, catch bugs, garden, drive around on your scooter, among others. It's very open aside from certain times where the game forces you to do certain things and you can choose how to spend your days.
http://i.imgur.com/kvCUsZn.jpg
Social links are a very important aspect to the game. You can form social links by spending time with people, and after a certain amount of time, a scene will be triggered, allowing your link to "level up", with 10 being the max. There are ways to help speed things along, as you'll discover. Forming links with people will allow you to fuse stronger "Personas" which are used in dungeons. Forming links with the other playable character will also grant them bonuses in battle.
http://i.imgur.com/nhCsKm8.jpg
The other aspect of the game is an RPG. When you spot someone in the TV, you will gain access to a new dungeon. You have to complete this dungeon before a certain time or you'll get a game over. Each dungeon has mostly randomized floors, usually being around 10 floors, although some are less. You'll find chests and battle Shadows. Enemies are visible on the map and when engaged, you will be taken to a special screen that plays out in typical RPG fashion. You select actions such as "attack" or "skill" or "item". You can choose to directly control your other party members, or you can set a specific strategy for them.
http://i.imgur.com/admOBIS.jpg
Another aspect is the "Persona". You can gain more Personas for your character either by receiving them after completing certain battles or by merging together Personas you already have. When merging them, you will get to choose a certain amount of skills to carry over from the Personas you've fused in to the new one. Personas dictate what skills you can use and what your strengths and weaknesses are. They can be changed freely in the menu or in battle, so switch them up as often as you'd like to your advantage.
http://i.imgur.com/yTqXjgm.jpg
There are a few more aspects to this game. You can complete requests, and even change characters outfits in battle. There is also a TV section where you can look at some game art, listen to some lore behind the game, listen to music, and even take part in a trivia show later on in the game. The game also has multiple endings and the option to date certain characters as well.
World:
The social aspect of the game allows you to travel to different areas throughout the town of Inaba, where you can interact with people, stop and shop, or do any other number of things, some which might pass the time. As the game progress you may gain access to a few areas outside of town as well. Dungeons unlock as the game progresses and vary in appearance. The floor layouts are usually randomized with a few preset floors here and there.
http://i.imgur.com/0g3NAru.jpg
Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite (I will only be listing party members and not all possible social links):
http://i.imgur.com/V8Qgph5.pngYukiko: A young woman who's family owns the local Inn, she feels a heavy burden to carry the torch. She seems a bit closed off but opens up when she gets to know people and tends to have laughing fits at things no one else finds funny.
http://i.imgur.com/hlywF5p.pngKanki: Perceived as a bad youth, he's actually a good guy with his heart in the right place. He has some interesting hobbies that he feels judged for and can be very aggressive, even when being kind.
http://i.imgur.com/tsH0Tht.pngChie: A boisterous and outgoing girl who watches a lot of kung fu movies and eats a lot of steak. She's very kind hearted and does her best to stand up for others.
http://i.imgur.com/ohWwoHs.pngMain Character (Yu): Moved to Inaba for a year to live with his uncle and discovers the hidden TV world. He is a blank slate for you to play how you want.
http://i.imgur.com/kaNYrMP.pngRise: An idol who needs some time away from the spotlight to learn who the real Rise is outside of the public eye. She has some insecurities but is overall outgoing, flirty, and not afraid to speak her mind.
http://i.imgur.com/XIOE7YZ.pngYosuke: One of Yu's first friends, his father runs the local Junes department store that is running local stores out of business. He's also from a big town and often feels ostrasized because of his dad's job.
http://i.imgur.com/oaRp3Df.pngNaoto: A young detective also investigating the murder cases who worries about being taken seriously because of persona reasons. A bit standoffish at first, but opens up later on.
http://i.imgur.com/ows7xkJ.pngTeddie: A mysterious bear who lives in the TV world. Always making terrible puns and hitting on all of the ladies (and sometimes dudes). He feels lonely when the others are away and very much wants friends.
Overall:
While the game has some annoying faults to it, I found myself enjoying it more as time went on. Depending on the period in the game, I sometimes felt my interest waning, but then it would pick back up again and the cycle would repeat. The message of truth and self-acceptance is definitelty one that hit me in a personal way, and I was excited to see how the others resolved their individual stories. There were a lot of characters I really liked and not many I disliked, which is major points for this game. And of course I loved the social aspect, the dating sim, and the outfits changes. Overall it was a lot of fun, although it did drag on sometimes, and I definitely plan to play it again.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/qzik9H0.jpg
Vermachtnis
07-14-2015, 06:31 AM
Your top four favorite characters, is my favorite party. I really like what they did with Yukiko in Golden. In the original, she was little weird. But in Golden they played that up and also gave her some good snark.
Pumpkin
07-14-2015, 06:34 AM
Oh really, how was she weird?
EDIT:
Sorry I hope that didn't come off like I don't believe you, I'm just very curious about what was changed!
Vermachtnis
07-14-2015, 08:45 AM
I phrased that wrong ^^;. She was weird in both of them. The snark was new though.
Pumpkin
07-16-2015, 10:45 PM
The King of Fighters XIII (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/wNf8TtZ.jpg
The King of Fighters XIII is the conclusion of the "Ash Saga" that started with The King of Fighters 2003. It features fighters from a variety of SNK games brought together in to this one game, much like the previous KOF games. I should note that this is my first King of Fighters game and so I cannot comment on changes or compare to previous entries in the series.
http://i.imgur.com/J8dqqvm.jpg
The story is about some bad guys trying to control the Gate of Time and some bad guy named Orochi and his revival of sorts. The game does have a Story Mode, but if you haven't played the other games, the story can come off as a bit hard to follow since you might not know who's who. But the Story Mode allows you to revisit scenes and fights and select different options to unlock more of the story.
http://i.imgur.com/V6BAqnh.jpg
This game is, of course, a fighting game. Unlike most fighting games, however, you do not simply fight with one character, but rather with three. For Story Mode, there are assigned "teams" to choose from, but in other modes you are free to select any three characters. When a battle begins, you will select the order you want the characters to fight in by pressing the button assigned to them. Once battle starts, you'll use your first character, followed by the second when that character is K.O.'d, followed by your third selection.
http://i.imgur.com/zBnL5kW.png
Aside from Story Mode, you also have Arcade Mode, Mission Mode (which has things such as Survival and Time Attack), Training, Practice, and a few more. And there are online matches, although I haven't tried them myself. You can also customize each character with different colour schemes, on top of the pallet swaps already offered.
http://i.imgur.com/jC6ovxv.jpg
As you fight, there are gauges that fill up, which allow for special moves and super special moves and neo max super special moves. You can check the command menu for each character to see how to execute these moves, and some will require some of your gauges to be full, which can be filled by doing things like attacking and getting hit. In Story Mode, you can also complete optional objectives, which can help fill your gauges and/or give you bonus points.
Characters:
Ordered by favourite to least favourite TEAM:
http://i.imgur.com/owux5y5.pngPsycho Soldier Team: Left to right: Chin Gentsai from KOF, Athena from Psycho Soldier, and Sie Kensou from Psycho Soldier
http://i.imgur.com/69bsCMC.pngK' Team: Left to right: Maxima from KOF, K' from KOF, and Kula Diamond from KOF
http://i.imgur.com/FvsaPJf.pngWoman Fighters Team: Left to right: Yuri Sakazaki from Art of Fighting, Mai Shiranui from Fatal Fury, and King from Art of Fighting
http://i.imgur.com/m4VXTH7.pngJapan Team: Left to Right: Goro Daimon from KOF, Kyo Kusanagi from KOF, and Benimaru Nikaido from KOF
http://i.imgur.com/VOXecOc.pngElisabeth Team: Left to right: Shen Woo from KOF, Elisabeth Blacnctorch from KOF, and Duo Lon from KOF
http://i.imgur.com/8O5Ckvn.pngIkari Warriors Team: Left to right: Clark from Ikari Warriors, Leona from KOF, and Ralf Jones from Ikari Warriors
http://i.imgur.com/o0W0gD1.pngFatal Fury Team: Left to right: Joe Higashi from Fatal Fury, Terry Bogard from Fatal Fury, and Andy Bogard from Fatal Fury
http://i.imgur.com/h39t0pj.pngYagami Team: Left to Right: Mature from KOF, Iori Yagami from KOF, and Vice from KOF
http://i.imgur.com/nce8ORY.pngKim Team: Left to right: Hwa Jai from Fatal Fury, Kim Kaphwan from Fatal Fury, and Raiden from Fatal Fury
http://i.imgur.com/4dnsCj7.jpgArt of Fighting Team: Left to right: Takuma Sakazaki from Art of Fighting, Ryo Sakazaki from Art of Fighting, and Robert Garcia from Art of Fighting
http://i.imgur.com/XV1oeUm.pngAsh from KOF
Overall there were a lot of things I liked about this game. It had character customization, a lot of characters to choose from, and the characters also get special, personalized interaction which each other when fighting, which to me was an excellent touch. But I am not good at combos and pressing several buttons and for someone like me, this game was quite difficult. I could sometimes pull of special moves, but nothing higher than that, which can certainly make a huge difference. It's not the most button masher friendly, although I did have a bit of an easier time using the analogue stick rather than the arrow keys. So while it had a lot that I liked, I'm just really really bad at it.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i.imgur.com/chD2lHe.jpg
Pumpkin
07-23-2015, 08:58 PM
The Simpsons: Road Rage (PlayStation 2)
http://i.imgur.com/eUDo1Q5.jpg
The Simpsons Road Rage features some of the show's characters as they taxi people around to raise money. Mr. Burns has started a bus transit line, but the buses are obviously dangerous and he must be stopped. The solution to this is equally dangerous driving and expensive prices. Because logic.
http://i.imgur.com/vPuLSEm.png
You start out with only a few characters and one area, but unlock more as you go. You select a character and you're then given a time limit, depending on your difficulty setting (which can be changed in the options menu). Passengers will have blue, circular lines around them and you must stop inside the circle to pick them up. Once you do, you'll be given a destination and a time frame to arrive in. The sooner you get there, the bigger a bonus you'll get, plus the fare for travel time. The destination will be surrounded in yellow lines and you must stop within them to deliver your passenger. Then you pick up another one, all until time runs out. If you fail to deliver a passenger in the allotted time, they'll leave the car and you'll have to go pick up somebody else.
http://i.imgur.com/7W7hMNo.jpg
During your runs, you'll also sometimes be challenged to avoid traffic, leading to a $250 bonus, or to hit a certain number of objects, leading to a $1000 dollar bonus. As you drive, character will sometimes say funny one liners or engage in small banter depending on who you're using and who you've picked up. Mr. Burns will also try to sabotage you by running in to you and slowing you down, as will the nuclear bus.
http://i.imgur.com/827aX7y.jpg
Each car has it's advantages and disadvantages, and on average the areas get harder as you go. Once your run is complete, you'll get a rating, be able to register your score, and your money will go towards unlocking new areas and characters. Areas are unlocked in order but characters can be selected freely. You'll need more and more money to unlock things the more progress you've made.
http://i.imgur.com/wQVhopY.jpg
The is also a Sunday Drive where you can drive around at your leisure, and this is a good way to discover shortcuts and secret roads to help you in Road Rage mode. You can also undertake a Mission Mode where you'll be given ten specific objectives, which will allow you to unlock a special car.
http://i.imgur.com/dv8IVXw.jpg
Characters:
(In no particular order):
http://i.imgur.com/Xadc9AJ.pngHomer: Family Sedan
http://i.imgur.com/AS9YH7r.pngMarge: Canyonero
http://i.imgur.com/eC7TSea.pngBart: Soap Box Racer
http://i.imgur.com/moidc6U.pngLisa: Elec-taurus
http://i.imgur.com/FYJbr03.pngGrandpa Abe: Shriner Car
http://i.imgur.com/RTzktw6.pngNed Flanders: Station Wagon
http://i.imgur.com/79XyJfN.pngReverend Lovejoy: Book Burning Mobile
http://i.imgur.com/KM6BuWg.pngProfessor Frink: Flying Car
http://i.imgur.com/f8tQwhq.pngApu: Sports Car
http://i.imgur.com/JtwIilD.pngHomer: Mr. Plow
http://i.imgur.com/vBTa1vK.pngBarney: The Plow King
http://i.imgur.com/RXWugTB.pngMoe: Sedan
http://i.imgur.com/p6gQixw.pngChief Wiggum: Police Car
http://i.imgur.com/XMgmoyi.pngSnake: Lil' Bandit
http://i.imgur.com/JTvs9pj.pngKrusty: Klown Kar
http://i.imgur.com/1DCwkfR.pngGroundskeeper Willie: Tractor
http://i.imgur.com/JGWsERd.pngOtto: School Bus
Overall this is a very fun game, and it has some genuinely funny dialogue in at that makes it quite amusing. It does have some downfalls, though. It gets repetitive and especially towards the end when you need a lot of money to unlock one more thing, you'll find yourself needing a break. Also sometimes the dialogue of one character doesn't match well with another. The game has terrible load times and can be glitchy, which can either be frustrating or amusing. I did have a lot of fun with it before and I will again in the future, but it is best enjoyed in small doses where it will be a lot of fun, rather than playing it constantly where it gets boring.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/3We9nXg.png
Karifean
07-23-2015, 09:06 PM
I played this game for a couple of hours at a friend's house. I enjoyed it quite a bit, which was probably what led me to buy Hit & Run shortly thereafter. Which is a totally awesome game by the way.
Pumpkin
07-23-2015, 09:08 PM
I've heard of it but never played it. I want to some day though :o
Pumpkin
07-29-2015, 06:12 AM
Suikoden IV (PlayStation 2)
http://i.imgur.com/WnGHPu0.png
Story:
Suikoden IV is the first game in the Suikoden timeline. It follows a young man (default name of Lazlo) as he graduates the Knight's Academy in the Island Nations and becomes a fully-fledged knight. On a job one day, they run in to some pirates, one of whom carries one of the mystical True Runes, the Rune of Punishment. This Rune grants it's wielder unbelievable strength, but at the cost of their lives. Most don't live for very long.
http://i.imgur.com/bNvUu4v.png
After inheriting the Rune of Punishment, being accused of murder, and being exiled from his home, Lazlo comes across a man named Lino En Kuldes, the King of one of the Island nations. The Island nations are under attack by the Kooluk army and Lino recruits our hero's aid. He needs to assemble as many of the 108 Stars of Destiny (special people) as he can in order to fend off the Kooluk and save the Island Nations.
http://i.imgur.com/D5brGEu.png
Gameplay:
Suikode IV, like most Suikoden games, is an RPG. You can have parties of up to four members, and you will select a command such as "Attack", "Item", or "Rune" (This game's version of magic). There are also Combo attacks that can be learned by certain characters should they participate in enough battles together. The experience is awarded in a unique was to compensate for the large cast of playable characters. Characters will gain more or less experience based on their level, and when reaching 1000 exp, they will level up. This makes for quick leveling of characters who may have joined late or who aren't caught up.
http://i.imgur.com/hnOjiNt.jpg
You can equip Runes on characters to determine which magics they can use, you can buy and change equipment, and you can also sharpen weapons to make them stronger. If you assemble ingredients, you can also have certain characters make you special equipment. The game in total has 56 characters you can use in battle as well as 108 to be recruited. Some are missable however. There are also a number of mini games to play such as cards, coin flips, dice, and a confessional booth where you can hear your characters confessions and choose to forgive them or not, among others.
http://i.imgur.com/vWv9Wnk.png
Aside from the turn based gameplay, there are also duels and what I call war battles. Duels take place as a sort of rock-paper-scissors match where you have to guess which move your opponent will make based off of what they say. Attack beats Guard, Guard beats Special, and Special beats Attack. The war battles take place on ships. You have "Rune Cannons" of certain elements. Each element is strong against one element and weak to another. You have to equip your ship to deal with your foes weaknesses.
http://i.imgur.com/Upa1ehp.png
World:
The world takes place in the Island Nations and as such, most travel will be done by ship, although you may recruit a character who can teleport you from island to island later in the game. You'll visit different cities on different islands, as well as some dungeons. You'll be sailing through the seas a lot, so prepare to see a lot of water. Your headquarters is also on a ship, which you can explore whenever to play mini-games or speak to your recruits and such.
http://i.imgur.com/dPJ2wST.png
Characters:
There are 108 characters, not including other story relevant characters, so here I will post the NON-MISSABLE characters in the potential order you can recruit them.
http://i.imgur.com/srLaemK.pngLazlo – Leader and main character
http://i.imgur.com/eVh1CiI.pngKennith – Knight of Razril along with Lazlo
http://i.imgur.com/MO0RjXc.pngTal – Knight of Razril along with Lazlo
http://i.imgur.com/8cwlLKJ.pngJewel – Knight of Razril along with Lazlo
http://i.imgur.com/pSsxfeF.pngPaula – Knight of Razril along with Lazlo
http://i.imgur.com/xtzRSla.pngChiepoo – Nay-Kobold (cat person) who wants to become a great merchant
http://i.imgur.com/0QoMEz2.pngDesmond – Manages your character roster
http://i.imgur.com/ePVMmvK.pngLouise – Runs the Inn/tavern
http://i.imgur.com/Vbtfcjf.pngChadli – Runs the supply store, items and equipment
http://i.imgur.com/1EnKOid.pngTov – Your shipwright
http://i.imgur.com/2tH1acV.pngRakgi – A young man who's father was killed by the Rune of Punishment
http://i.imgur.com/loq8Y7E.pngRiki – Rakgi's mother
http://i.imgur.com/XE4E8Sy.pngLilin – A mermaid who is being hunted by poachers
http://i.imgur.com/lzeLoNq.pngOleg – A genious inventor
http://i.imgur.com/EvEOEZb.pngRamada – A man with mysterious motives
http://i.imgur.com/m66V7nd.pngAkaghi – A man working with Ramada
http://i.imgur.com/IltQg2k.pngMizuki – A woman working with Ramada
http://i.imgur.com/nwiz93L.pngYu – Your doctor
http://i.imgur.com/mqwHAPg.pngLino – The King of Obel
http://i.imgur.com/AQE4wiU.pngHaruto – Your navigator
http://i.imgur.com/JbiYQtT.pngNico – Your ship lookout
http://i.imgur.com/Edi5gp9.pngPablo – Works with your Rune Cannons
http://i.imgur.com/8cEol93.pngKika – Pirate leader
http://i.imgur.com/OUR7NUm.pngDario – Works under Kika
http://i.imgur.com/A6cfwfl.pngNalleo – Dario's son
http://i.imgur.com/861XoB7.pngSigurd – Works under Kika
http://i.imgur.com/BNDDUAT.pngHervey – Works under Kika
http://i.imgur.com/h3v7utG.pngElenor – Your tactician, and also a drunk
http://i.imgur.com/8oQCZ1g.pngAgnes – Elenor's apprentice
http://i.imgur.com/n1drnQ6.pngAxel – Son of Na-Nal's mayor
http://i.imgur.com/IjfB0WV.pngKevin – A man tended to by the Nay Island Mayor. Cooks fish
http://i.imgur.com/wepcWOU.pngPam – Kevin's wife who also cooks fish
http://i.imgur.com/ViyYMKH.pngHelmut – A former Kooluk soldier
http://i.imgur.com/W6RyAdv.pngFlare – Lino's daughter, Princess of Obel
http://i.imgur.com/mwFWLVq.pngSetsu – Works for the Obel royal family
Overall:
This game is generally considered the weak point of the series, and I would have to agree. The encounter rate is very high and traveling slowly by ship (which they don't explain to you how to properly control) is tedious. The characters are also largely forgettable, and the story is oddly paced.. However, that doesn't stop this from being a great game. It's a lot of fun, there are some great areas, and the story is excellent. The Rune of Punishment is a great story asset and makes you feel for the people it affects. It has some fun mini games, and I like how even the confessional mini game ties in to the game's theme of forgiveness and punishment. The ending when you have an option to forgive someone or not, which affects the story, also helps tie in to this message. So while this game isn't the best the series has to offer, I still had a ton of fun and couldn't put it down.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/0d8Rl1c.jpg
Pumpkin
08-01-2015, 05:40 AM
Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven (Nintendo 3DS)
http://i.imgur.com/IFohiGV.jpg
Story:
Luchs is a young man who runs an Inn on the outskirts of town. He never has any guests but he was told by his father to keep the Inn running. He was told that one day, his special guests would arrive and he is to treat them like family. While going out to collect some crystals to sell for money, he finds a mysterious girl trapped in a Crystal. Soon he finds himself under attack by vicious monsters when the girl steps in and saves him. She can't remember who she is or where she's from, but Luchs makes sure to let her stay and treat her like family. But it turns out that she's not the only mysterious girl, and bringing them all together may be the key to regaining their memories.
http://i.imgur.com/QaGy5tT.png
Gameplay:
Lord of Magna has an interesting and somewhat unique gameplay mechanic. You assign up to four characters per battle. Each character has a certain range they can move and a certain reach with their weapon. There will be a turn order displayed, and on your characters turn, you can move them within their movement circle and then act. By acting you can use items, skills, attack, defend, or end your turn to save up 'AP' which are needed for some skills. When you hit most enemies, they will roll back and possibly hit and defeat other enemies, making battles sort of like Dominoes or bowling, where you have to line up your attacks to defeat the most enemies possible in a single turn. If you defeat 10, you get to act again immediately.
http://i.imgur.com/WT0DhH1.jpg
There are a few types of enemies. First is the most basic, weak enemy. They will deal minimal damage and only need one attack to defeat. Defeating them is a quick and easy way to earn money and build up your special ability meter. The second type are stronger enemies that can summon the weaker enemies. Until you defeat them, they will most likely continue to summon numerous weaker enemies. They are much more of a threat and range in strength. There are also crystals that start to flash after a few turns. These will summon the stronger enemies, or sometimes healing items. These won't attack you, but they will continue to summon stronger enemies either until you destroy them or until the battle ends.
http://i.imgur.com/fP499Lt.jpg
There are a few other aspects to the gameplay. The game has a dating sim in it, where at certain points you will get to witness heart events with your characters. This will give them access to special abilities. It is not possible to see them all in one playthrough, and they do carry over in to New Game+. Your ending and a few scenes here and there will change depending on who you've seen all of the heart events with. You can also craft items in to new items or skills and equip different skills on your characters.
http://i.imgur.com/R2tGJZT.jpg
World:
The world is mostly explored through battle. You can freely explore the Inn and interact with characters and objects, but other than that you will choose an area and a level on the world map, which will bring you to a battle. The game will indicate if the battle is story related or not, so you're free to level grind at the other areas. The areas will also give you a level guide, so you won't accidentally stumble in to an area you are not prepared for.
http://i.imgur.com/80uYNfX.jpg
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite):
http://i.imgur.com/J4sta5g.pngBeatrix: Serious and mature, she believes in doing everything properly. She is an archer, giving her good attack range.
http://i.imgur.com/qLdRyxH.pngAdelheid: The eldest sister, a wise leader who always does what's best and isn't afraid to make the hard decisions. She is slow but can take a hit better than anyone.
http://i.imgur.com/d9ExzOC.pngDiana: Lacking in social graces with her mind always on the battlefield. She uses a spear and is a well rounded character.
http://i.imgur.com/wBdUa3O.pngCharlotte: Outgoing and friendly, Charlotte quickly makes herself at home with Luchs. She uses a sword and is very fast and hits hard.
http://i.imgur.com/Yf7e2Rz.pngLuchs: The protagonist and proprietor of the Inn, he's always friendly and welcoming. He acts as a support in battle and a healer.
http://i.imgur.com/zOpbQuj.pngGabriele: A spunky young girl who isn't afraid to speak her mind. She has good range and good support abilities.
http://i.imgur.com/8W5rPF8.pngElfriede: A mechanic whiz and genius inventor. She has a small range in battle, but can attack three times in a row.
http://i.imgur.com/1ZMBUAb.pngFrancesca: A messy, athletic, tomboy of a woman. She can't take a hit as well as the others but does devastating damage and can attack four times in a row.
Overall:
I suppose I have a lot to say about this game. I found it incredibly charming and I loved the sprite characters. The game slows down a bit at times, but it never really bothered me. It also has difficulty settings. While the story doesn't break any mold and can be rather cliche at times, I found it very sweet and I was engaged in the story, especially later on in the game. I also appreciated that the women in this game are all more powerful than your leading man, and he serves as your healer and support character, something that isn't seen as often. The gameplay was fun and interesting as well. It also came with a music CD and a full game booklet that you don't often find anymore, showing you characters and hints and the like, which I appreciate. Even their website (http://lordofmagna.com/) is adorably and cleverly designed. While there is a bit of fanservice, it's pretty mild overall and the story was more sweet than anything. My main complaint is that the game is very short, although that would allow you to replay it and see more character events if you want to. The characters were also great and I found myself really liking most of them, and disliking none of them. Overall I found this to be an incredibly sweet, engaging, fun, and charming game, but it isn't anything new, unique, or special if that's what you're looking for. It was more than enough for me though!
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/0l6Yq9q.jpg
Pumpkin
08-10-2015, 08:48 PM
Umineko No Naku Koro Ni (Episodes 1-4)
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/umineko.jpg
Do note that this game has strong themes of violence and abuse, if that's something that makes you uncomfortable.
Umineko No Naku Koro Ni (which I will refer to as simply Umineko from here on) is a very long visual novel. It has an interesting structure, being separated in to different Episodes, with each Episode also having a "playable" epilogue of sorts called the Tea Party, as well as a second ???? section, as well as a Tips section once the episode has been completed. You can also save at any time and resume where you were. Episodes are locked until the previous one is completed, although you can choose to unlock them if you wish. You can also go with the original artwork or download a patch for the updated graphics and such.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/0004.png
I have read the first 4 Episodes, with Episodes 5-8 being a separate download and called Umineko No Naku Koro Ni Chiru, which I haven't started yet and will review once I have completed them.
These first four Episodes of Umineko introduce us to the Ushiromiya family, a wealthy family headed to their family conference on the island of Rokkenjima. Battler, an 18 year old who hasn't been to the family conferences in many a year, is presented as our protagonist and serves as the narrator for a lot of the story. After the merriment and reintroductions and pleasantries, the island is suddenly cut off from the rest of the world because of a typhoon.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/0002.jpg
Things only go downhill from there when a series of bizarre murders is committed. A big point of the game is determining who is committing these murders, how to stop them, and also how they're being committed. Is one of the family members committing these murders? Maybe to inherit the family's wealth? Is there someone else on the island? Is there some truth to the Legend of the Golden Witch? Were these crimes committed by magic? The game explores these things and presents arguments for the reader to analyze if they so choose to try and figure out what the answer is, or they can just read along and see where the story takes them.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/0005.png
This is not the most interactive visual novel and you won't really be given choices that affect the story to select from. This can be a positive or a negative depending on how you feel, but I was a bit relieved that I wasn't actually prompted to solve this mysteries as that's not really a strong suit of mine. During the Tips section you will be able to go over each characters profile as well as what happened to them during the Episode, and you can also pull up the character profiles as well as some general tips and info as you play.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/0001.jpg
One thing to note is that the game changes moods considerably over the four episodes, going from thrilling and a bit scary, more focused on mystery and puzzles, dealing with some strong emotional content, and sometimes even some humour. Things that seemed scary, intimidating, or important during one section can sometimes lop around and no longer be very relevant, or the opposite can be true. If you have time to invest and the core story interest you, it's worth noting that if a particular tone is not to your tastes, it does change quite a bit.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/0003.png
Characters:
There are a lot of characters introduced but I'll focus on the core starting group. In no particular order:
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/battler.pngBattler: Protagonist and narrator, Battler had been away from the family for a while before returning. Does not believe in magic or witches like the Legend of the Golden Witch.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/kinzo.pngKinzo: Head of the Ushiromiya family, he is very strict and unfriendly, and has an obsession with western things and the occult.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/krauss.pngKrauss: Eldest son of Kinzo who is thought to be the next head of the family.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/natsuhi.pngNatsuhi: Krauss' wife, a very prim and proper woman prone to chronic headaches.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/jessica.pngJessica: Krauss and Natsuhi's daughter, a tomboy who isn't afraid to speak her mind.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/eva.pngEva: Krauss' eldest daughter, very clever and intelligent.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/hideyoshi.pngHideyoshi: Eva's husband who took the family name when they married. A generally happy man.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/george.pngGeorge: Eva and Hideyoshi's son, he's making his way in to adulthood and working to be a mature and successful young man.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/rudolph.pngRudolph: Battler's father and Kinzo's son who is a business man with a reputation as a bit of a playboy.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/kyrie.pngKyrie: Battler's step-mother and Rudolph's second wife. A master of critical thinking.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/rosa.pngRosa: The youngest daughter of Kinzo, she's softspoken and usually reserved.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/maria.pngMaria: Rosa's daughter who believes strongly in magic and the Legend of the Golden Witch and sometimes pretends she's a witch.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/genji.pngGenji: Oldest and most trusted servant of Kinzo.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/old%20lady.pngKumasawa: An old, experienced servant who makes a lot of silly jokes and has a positive attitude.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/gohda.pngGohda: A new servant and master cook hired by Krauss and Natsuhi.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/shannon.pngShannon: A servant who is very shy and nervous but also very friendly and kind.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/kannon.pngKannon: A servant who views himself as furniture, meaning less than human, and does his best to be a good servant.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/nanjo.pngNanjo: A trusted doctor and friend of Kinzo's.
Overall:
It's hard to place this game exactly and I'm going to wait until I have finished Episodes 5-8 before giving a verdict since I've already seen how much things can change during this story. It had some positives and negatives. The negatives for me were the writing. It came off at times as pretentious, the narration would change suddenly sometimes, and things could be oddly and repeatedly explained. The positives would be that the story is very complex and has many layers to it, and if you like the challenge of solving complicated mysteries, this would should have you scratching your head. There were a lot of moments that really made me question what was happening and why and wanting to understand the situation better. There's a wide variety of characters, which is also something I enjoy. Keep in mind this visual novel is quite long, but if a complicated murder mystery that focuses heavily on weaving together a story is what you're looking for, this VN is worth checking out!
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/0006.png
sharkythesharkdogg
08-11-2015, 08:24 PM
This happens a lot.
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive/28483300/images/1385360433467.png
Like.....a lot, a lot.
Karifean
08-11-2015, 11:04 PM
AND IT IS GLORIOUS.
Pumpkin
08-14-2015, 05:29 PM
Tokyo School Life (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/tqVBdXR.png
Tokyo School Life is a visual novel. It's about a teenage boy (default name of John Smith, which is totally not sketchy or anything), who gets his dream chance to spend a few months in Japan. He's learned Japanese largely through anime and manga (something he is a big fan of), and had his eccentric traveling Sensei from back home teach him a bit about the culture, so he feels quite prepared for his visit. Unfortunately for him, it turns out his Sensei is a bit of a troll and has set him up to live in a house with three female classmates, without telling any of them what was going on.
http://i.imgur.com/PNJxnrj.png
After the initial misunderstanding is (sort of) cleared up, John is free to enjoy his time in Japan. Thankfully his three roommates, Aoi, Karin, and Sakura, are more than willing to show him around and explain a few things here and there about the culture. I can't say I've fact checked everything, but I did look up a few things mentioned and I learned a few things myself!
http://i.imgur.com/IK9TgzM.png
This visual novel is a dating sim, where you may end up with one of the three ladies. For the first part of the game, you will at certain points be prompted with "questions", of which there will be 3 replies to choose from. There are 8 questions total, and two different sorts. The first kind, like the first question you will receive, will give you 1 point towards one of the girls. So when they ask what type of food you like, replying the first way will give you 1 point towards girl #1, the second reply will give you 1 point towards girl #2, and the third reply will give you 1 point towards girl #3. The second type of question will add points towards one girl only. One answer will give you 0 points with her, one answer will give you 1 point, and one answer will give you 2 points. Your answers to these questions will NOT affect the other girls' points at all. You will also hear a little chime for a 1 point answer, a big chime for a 2 point answer, and no chime for a 0 point answer. Each girl has two of these questions.
http://i.imgur.com/pNuqo16.png
For the second part, you will decide which romance to pursue. You must have at least 4 points with a girl in order to have the option to pursue her ending. There is no option to date more than one of the ladies, so either save your game in one of the zillion available spaces or just start over in order to see a different ending. The game is quite short and there is a skip feature so you can fast forward to the questions and try again. The game will also write the options you've already chosen in a different colour so you can select a different option if you choose. Once you've chosen an ending, the second part of the story will follow John's blossoming romance with that girl. If you didn't get at least 4 points with any of the girls, you will get the "bad" solo ending.
http://i.imgur.com/RSGyt5l.png
There are also different language and subtitle options available, and you can turn the voices off if you wish to. However, the voices are done in Japanese, except for the few times someone speaks English. I should also note that I occasionally run in to the issue of buttons and clicking not responding when I start up the game, but minimizing and returning the page solves the issue.
Characters:
In order of favourite to least favourite:
http://i.imgur.com/p3TtlpP.pngAoi: Aoi is a short, sweet, bouncy girl who loves to cook and takes good care of her housemates, acting as a mother to them. She's also trained in Karate and practices diligently every single day.
http://i.imgur.com/LIURkPW.pngSakura: Sakura is sweet and soft-spoken and in less than ideal health. She's very graceful and caring. She also has some interests she's rather embarrassed about and tries to hide from others.
http://i.imgur.com/aVEYS0t.pngKarin: Karin is spunky and loud and a big eater. She has a soft spot for all things cute. While usually confident and self-assured, she does have one weak spot that she struggles with.
http://i.imgur.com/c3SStY6.pngJohn: The main character, John is pretty open and blunt and loves all things Japan. He's very excited about his stay overseas and makes the most of everyday.
Overall:
I was a bit worried when Steam asked for my age as I'm the type who loves dating sims but hates more sexual scenes. While this visual novel had some fanservice, it was overall very mild. It gave the impression more of 12 or 13 year olds becoming smitten (which is actually under the age of the characters) and it was actually very sweet and cute, something I enjoyed a good bit. There were some cliche moments and some bad writing moments, but for me the game was actually quite charming and I liked seeing each character develop in their own way. Aoi, the character that stood out for me the least in the beginning, actually became my favourite, and I really enjoyed watching her storyline. I also liked how the game would focus on the particular character when you chose their route, because it reminded me of my younger crushes and how suddenly everything centered around them. I also really liked the friendship between the ladies and how caring and supportive of each other they were. There was no drama or cheating or anything of the sort. It was just a sweet, summer romance between some teenagers growing up. If you're looking for something heavier, deeper, more original, and less tooth-achingly sweet, this may not be for you. But for me, it was incredibly sweet, charming, lovable, and probably my favourite visual novel to date. The only downside for me was how short it was.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/W6Xq6Ev.jpg
Karifean
08-14-2015, 05:44 PM
Hmm, maybe I'll get this one after all. I've only just finished a mostly dramaless VN so I'll definitely read something else inbetween, but lighthearted stories like these are fun from time to time.
Pumpkin
08-15-2015, 04:10 AM
Suikoden V (PlayStation 2)
http://i.imgur.com/LyNrjEd.jpg
Story:
Suikoden V is the second game in the Suikoden timeline. It follows a young Prince (default name of Freyjadour) in the Queendom of Falena. Falena is a beautiful, prospering nation, blessed by the divine and powerful Sun Rune. But the politics underneath that are a bit more complicated. Soon, the Prince's little sister, Lymsleia, is to be wed. Her future husband is decided by an event called "The Sacred Games" in which men compete for the hand of the Princess. But they don't need to compete themselves, they can also hire representatives to fight in the tournament for them.
http://i.imgur.com/zI3oy8m.jpg
The two most powerful and most corrupt noble families, the Godwins and the Barows, both have some powerful fighters and a few tricks up their sleeves when it comes to the Sacred Games. Both want to wed the young Queen so they can rule Falena in the way they see fit. And it's up to the Prince to gather the 108 Stars of Destiny (special people) in order to stop the corruption happening in his country.
http://i.imgur.com/Ts43HRE.jpg
Gameplay:
This will feel very familiar to fans of the series and fans of RPG's in general. Encounters are random and you'll have a party of six to fight with. At the beginning of the turn, you'll input commands for each character, such as "Attack", "Rune" (magic), or "Item" among others. Characters and enemies will then act according to speed and a few other things. There's also an auto battle mode, and this game offers a few new changes to the battle system. In Suikoden V, you can bring an entourage with you, which can consist of support characters (who offer a certain benefit but can't fight) or other playable characters that you can swap in. This game also allows you to find and use different battle formations, which raise your stats and allow you to strategically place your units according to their strengths.
http://i.imgur.com/pHOmYSd.jpg
You can sharpen weapons, buy equipment, buy items, trade goods for profit, equip magical runes to your characters, and also increase and equip certain skills which will raise their stats and allow them to do things like parry an enemy attack. You can also play various mini-games depending on the allies you have recruited.
http://i.imgur.com/g27GBu3.jpg
Aside from regular battles, there are also War Battles and Duels. Duels take place as a sort of rock-paper-scissors match. The enemy will give you a hint as to their action and you have 3 seconds do decide between Attack, Defend, and Special. Attack beats Defend, Defend beats Special, and Special beats Attack. In War Battles, you will control Units which you will then move across a battle map to engage with the enemy. There are two types of War Battles, land and sea (and sometimes a combination of the two), and they also take place as a rock-paper-scissor match of sorts. By moving a unit over another one, you can tell if it will be strong, weak, or equal to that unit. You can also set up the Units to use special skills like Recover and certain magics.
http://i.imgur.com/iXjx1yd.jpg
A big part of the game is collecting the 108 Stars of Destiny. These are people that will help you with your cause and in some cases be playable. Certain characters are recruited automatically, while others will need special conditions fulfilled at special times. The number of Stars of Destiny you have will also affect which ending you get, as their are multiple possible endings. There are certain other factors that play in to which ending you get as well, such as dialogue choices, adding some replay value to the game.
World:
The country of Falena is quite beautiful, and has the Feitas River flowing throughout it. You'll find many areas to explore by foot and by boat as well. You also gain access to a character who can teleport you to areas you've been previously. Like a lot of RPG's, you'll gain access to more and more areas the further in to the game you are.
http://i.imgur.com/ZZ7Jhxz.png
Characters:
Since there are so many characters, I will only include a few of the main characters, in no particular order.
http://i.imgur.com/REVfot2.pngPrince Freyjadour: Prince of Falena, although men can't inherit the throne. Loves his family and is very close to his little sister. Main character.
http://i.imgur.com/34ja26Y.pngLyon: the Prince's bodyguard, very dedicated and loyal and always does her best to protect the Prince no matter what.
http://i.imgur.com/XVvtzEX.pngGeorg: A warrior from another country who knows the Prince's father and has accepted a job as a Queen's Knight.
http://i.imgur.com/JJPVfbK.pngKyle: A Queen's Knight and womanizer. He's a good fighter and magic user and has a lighthearted attitude.
http://i.imgur.com/1ZmOC2K.pngMiakis: The Princess's bodyguard, she loves to tease her and has quite a silly attitude.
http://i.imgur.com/NvZm6Wk.pngLogg: A man from Raftfleet. He's not the brightest but he's there in a pinch. Gets himself in to trouble a lot.
http://i.imgur.com/iclUwsp.pngLun: Logg's daughter, she's always up to shenanigans with her pop. She has a go-to and loud attitude.
http://i.imgur.com/SYwt57X.pngKisara: Logg's wife and Lun's mother, she does her best to keep them in check. The brains of the family.
http://i.imgur.com/AnjQhbZ.pngRaja: The wise leader of Raftfleet, she cares very much about her people.
http://i.imgur.com/nBueqkX.jpgLucretia: Your strategist, a brilliant woman who's mind knows no limit.
http://i.imgur.com/Zc3IRUJ.pngZweig: A self-serving man interested in the ruins of the ancient Sindar Civilization.
http://i.imgur.com/r3XBJEF.pngLorelai: A young woman with a cold attitude who is interested in the ancient Sindar Ruins.
http://i.imgur.com/sm0t7VE.pngZerase: A mysterious and unfriendly woman with an interest in Runes.
http://i.imgur.com/AeLR4qw.pngViki: A ditzy magician who can teleport things when she sneezes.
http://i.imgur.com/0NrJTwQ.pngLuserina: A kind young woman who tries to keep her family in check.
Overall:
I adore this game and always have. It's an adventure from beginning to end and you really feel the world changing and the time passing. The characters are interesting and there are some beautifully touching moments. The story is well told and engaging. The gameplay is overall fun with a few negative spots here and there. The War Battles can be fun or stressful, but they certainly get your attention. Overall I love it for it's characters, story, and beautiful world. It always kept me interested and engaged, it has some of my favourite characters ever, and it's fun to play. However, this game is extremely stressful when it comes to recruiting characters as it's much more sensitive than previous entries. Things are also expensive, the War Battles are more engaging, and the formation adds a strategy element to fights. For those reasons, I wouldn't recommend this one to newcomers of the series.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/cYII0g6.jpg
Pumpkin
08-17-2015, 04:32 PM
Doodle God (PS Vita)
http://i.imgur.com/tLCuxiI.jpg
Doodle God is a puzzle game released originally as a mobile game, but the version I got is for the PS Vita. Doodle God starts with 4 basic elements from which he created everything, like volcano's and stuff. But then Doodle God wondered what would happen if he started mixing elements.
http://i.imgur.com/5CZKZfl.jpg
In this game, you mix elements together to make new elements. You start out with the four basic elements of Fire, Earth, Air, and Water. From there you will mix elements until you have made all of the available ones. In this version, there are 228 elements and 25 categories.
http://i.imgur.com/MgguUgs.png
Do note that this is a silly game and not everything is actually an element. You start out with basic elements until you start making things like houses and books and TVs. There are four "episodes" to play through. The first, called "Beginning" simply has you trying to make 100 elements from the original 4. The second is called "Technology" where you will create a lot of technology, as the name implies. From there the game splits the world in two. Unfortunately you cannot decide which order to play them, but episode 3 is "Modern Age", a world without magic but more technology, and episode 4 is "World of Magic" where you will make more mystical things. The game is complete once you've finished all 4 episodes and created all 228 elements.
http://i.imgur.com/k9l1nB7.png
Some elements will not become available until you've completed a certain chapter, so don't be afraid to retry things. Every minute and a half or so, you can click on the lightbulb to get tips. The game is played simply by touching or clicking on an element and then touching or clicking on a second element to see if they'll make something. You can also check a log of previously made elements, although it's long to sort through as you get further in.
http://i.imgur.com/0ZD552M.png
Overall I really enjoyed this game, although it is incredibly short. I'm also not too good at puzzle games so I needed a lot of hints by the end of it. My complaints would be that it's a bit frustrating that you can re-create elements, making things a bit harder to sort, and that my fingers get tired using the touch screen. While clicking does work, it's a good bit slower. Other than that, this game was a lot of fun, and it had a good sense of humour to it as well. I liked discovering things and making new "elements" even if some of them didn't really make sense. It's pretty affordable and could be a good game for road trips or the like.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/HdtzHXD.png
Pumpkin
08-19-2015, 08:56 PM
Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (Nintendo DS)
http://i.imgur.com/rRNedbK.png
Story:
Dragon Quest IV is a game about several heroes who all end up banding together to defeat an evil. At the beginning of the game, the player is prompted to chose a gender and name, which will represent the "main" hero of the story. But shortly after being introduced to the main character, the player is then taken through different chapters following different characters, before they eventually return to the hero and band together the other "Chosen" characters that they saw previously. Each character has their own motivations, such as wanting to avenge someone or even just trying to grow their business. They eventually unite under a common goal.
http://i.imgur.com/nlgevpu.jpg
Gameplay:
As I mentioned, DQIV is separated in to chapters. The first chapters follow different characters, who will all start out at low levels and need to be built up. The battles are random and take place in a similar fashion to other DQ games I have played. The battles are in first person, and at the beginning of the turns, the player will choose commands for the character to do, such as "Heal" or "Attack" or "Item". Characters have different roles they fulfill in battle, with some being adept at healing magic, or attack magic, or just good physical fighters, or a combination of all of those.
http://i.imgur.com/6F5ZjEW.jpg
Time does pass in game as you wonder around the world map and some dialogue or story or other things will be dependent on if it's day time or night time. It should also be noted that this is an older RPG and as such there aren't many scenes and it's not always clear what the goal is or how to achieve it without talking and exploring on your own. This can be a good thing for those who don't like "hand-holding", or a bad thing for those more accustomed to a lot of newer RPG' where goals and solutions are made much more clear. The game is also on the more difficult side (for me) because it isn't the most generous with funds and requires a good bit of grinding.
http://i.imgur.com/8IodZo0.jpg
World:
The world is pretty big and fun to explore. You'll go around the world map and enter town, talk to people, explore buildings. The camera can be rotated to find hidden entrances, chests, or people. There are some diverse locations, as well as some locations that are very similar. There are towns as well as dungeons, where enemies can be encountered. Some parts of the world will be blocked off until a certain event has been completed.
http://i.imgur.com/n79dIaG.jpg
Characters:
In order of favourite to least favourite:
http://i.imgur.com/A4hOkRu.pngTaloon: A weapon's merchant who works hard to open his own store one day.
http://i.imgur.com/pFNk2R6.pngMeena: The more grounded and younger sister of Maya, she is a fortune teller. Her father died under mysterious circumstances.
http://i.imgur.com/Jjs1gyR.pngAlena: A tomboy princess who wants to travel the world and often causes trouble for her father.
http://i.imgur.com/9DzHp3E.pngRagnar: An honourable Knight who is going to explore the case of the missing children.
http://i.imgur.com/AXNpYqu.jpgHero/Main Character: An avatar for the player. MC grew up in a small, sheltered town until they were thrust in to an adventure.
http://i.imgur.com/5Sgebne.pngMaya: A dancer and older sister of Meena. She's flirty and more careless. Her father died under mysterious circumstances.
http://i.imgur.com/2S4NtiE.pngKiryl: A priest that travels with Alena and has feelings for her.
http://i.imgur.com/SCP30QI.pngBorya: A magician and tutor to Alena. He promised her late mother he would take care of her.
Overall:
This game has the typical Dragon Quest humour, which I quite liked. The story being told through several people was also interesting, and I really liked Taloon, Meena, and Alena. However, while I didn't dislike any characters, some of them were rather forgettable. I'm also a person who prefers more scenes and dialogue explaining where I need to go and I often got lost in this game. It's also on the more difficult side. But the gameplay is fun enough and the world was good and there were no bad characters. It did kind of lack a certain charm to it that I really loved in DQV though and was largely on the forgettable side, unfortunately.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i.imgur.com/r2Zj9E9.jpg
Colonel Angus
08-20-2015, 04:13 AM
Pumpkin, have you played DQVIII yet?
Pumpkin
08-20-2015, 05:34 AM
Yeah, I didn't get far either time. Not my deal :)
Pumpkin
08-22-2015, 04:39 AM
Ys: Memories of Celceta (PS Vita)
http://i.imgur.com/cdOjDlL.jpg
Story:
This game is a remake of Ys: IV. It follows our Ys hero, Adol, who has lost all of his memories. He stumbled in to town one day and is found by a man named Duren, who agrees to accompany him and help out the adventurous young boy. It doesn't take long before Adol gets himself involved in dangerous missions, and he's offered a job mapping out the forest. The forest is considered quite dangerous and no one who enters comes back out. Adol, being the adventurer that he is, accepts this mission. He might even find some lost memories along the way.
http://i.imgur.com/M4pSpRR.png
Gameplay:
In this game, you will gain six playable characters. You can switch between them at any time by pressing the circle button. Characters have different attack types, slash, smash, and pierce. By touching the enemy on your screen, you can see what that enemy is weak to. Each character also has a special ability that only they can do, such as open locked treasure chests. You will control one character at a time in a party of three. You can rearrange your party on the main menu as well.
http://i.imgur.com/kStmxwq.jpg
You attack with the square button, dodge with the X, and guard with triangle. Guarding or dodging at the exact right time will have added benefits. You can use skills by holding the R button +the circle button and a directional button to select which skill. Using skills uses a certain amount of SP. To regain SP, do not attack for a moment until your character glows, and then attack. By using skills, you will build up your Extra meter, which can unleash a special attack with L.
http://i.imgur.com/JnxGAQ1.jpg
You can save at any time and use monuments to teleport to same coloured monuments. There are also sidequests you can undertake, item refining, buying and selling, and a number of other things as the game progresses. There are also artifacts which will allow the characters to do special things like shrink, breathe underwater, or talk to certain creatures.
http://i.imgur.com/JhocD3l.jpg
World:
The world takes place in Celceta, as you grow your map and explore the deepest parts of the forest. There are a good variety of areas, although you can sometimes get lost near the beginning. There is a lot to explore and you'll find a lot of interesting places as you go along.
http://i.imgur.com/dOueEu8.jpg
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite):
http://i.imgur.com/rbXNMtb.pngKarna: A young warrior, she has a kind spirit and encourages others to follow their passions. She uses throwing knives and has a pierce type attack.
http://i.imgur.com/FVtxwPR.pngFrieda: A mysterious woman who is very flirty and knowledgeable. She tries uses a halberd type of weapon and has a slash attack.
http://i.imgur.com/z358w8Y.pngCalilica: A young girl who doesn't like to be treated like a child, and is very intelligent. Uses a hammer and has a smash type attack.
http://i.imgur.com/QJFmAwN.pngAdol: Our hero, a young man who loves adventure and lost his memory. He uses a sword and has a slash type attack.
http://i.imgur.com/rLxDmeK.pngOzma: A serious young man who watches and takes care of the sacred beasts. He uses a spear and has a pierce type attack.
http://i.imgur.com/B2cTNHe.pngDuren: An information dealer who helps out Adol so he doesn't get in to too much trouble. He uses fists and has a smash type attack.
Overall:
I had a lot of fun with this game. Even in the beginning it offers you some amusing choices to conversations. There was not a single character I disliked and the story really kept me interested from beginning to end. I loved getting to new places and exploring new lands. I liked the sidequests, and the battles were fun and easy to get in to. It is on the shorter side for a game of it's type, but overall I don't have too many complaints. It was a lot of fun!
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/6AElBVe.jpg
I always wanted to try the Ys series but somehow never got to it. Which game is a good place to start? Ideally I would like to start with part 1, but I don't even know the platform it's on :(
Vermachtnis
08-22-2015, 07:13 AM
I always wanted to try the Ys series but somehow never got to it. Which game is a good place to start? Ideally I would like to start with part 1, but I don't even know the platform it's on :(
Steam has I+II, Oath in Felghana (III), Ark of Nepishtim (VI) and Origin.
PSP also has I+II and Nepishtim. And SEVEN.
I started with Origin. But I missed a lot of references that I picked up when I played I+II. It didn't hurt the story at all, I just had a lot of "OH!" moments later in the series. They're mostly episodic though. It wasn't really until Ark that they started having any continuity. So you can play I+II, Felghana, and Origin in any order. SEVEN picks up right after Ark. And Memories of Felghana is kind of a stand alone since he has amnesia, but chronologically it takes place before Felghana.
Pumpkin
08-22-2015, 07:20 PM
I've only played VI, Seven, and now this one. I tried Origin on the PSP but it was a bit too difficult for me. But you can get Origin on the PSP and I actually have a second copy if you're interested.
I actually left my PSP with my brother, so the only PSP games I can play now are via PSN, on the Vita.
Thanks for the tips, both of you, anyway :D I'll give this series a try when I have the time!
Bolivar
08-22-2015, 08:11 PM
I've been leaning towards getting Celceta for a while, I definitely will now that it's got the Pumpkin stamp of approval!
Pumpkin
09-04-2015, 05:35 AM
Suikoden (PlayStation)
http://i.imgur.com/vzAAFRL.png
Story:
Suikoden follows the story of a young boy who is the son of the great General Teo who is renowned throughout the Empire. Soon, this young boy (default name of Tir) will follow in his father's footsteps. Life is good. His father loves him, his attendants are good people, his best friend Ted is with him. But this is an RPG and things go south when Teo is sent away on a mission. Suddenly, Tir finds himself in danger and is being pursued by an evil witch who wants something he has.
http://i.imgur.com/rwhEA4m.jpg
Tir finds himself outcast from his home, now a wanted man. He meets some new people and learns that they're a part of the rebel army, the "Liberation Army", unhappy with how the Empire is run. Tir eventually joins together with the Liberation Army, fighting the good fight against the increasingly corrupt Empire and returning it to what it once was.
http://i.imgur.com/4qvxwPS.jpg
Gameplay:
This game is similar to a lot of RPG's, especially the later Suikoden games, although it's a bit rougher around the edges. You can have up to 6 characters in battle at a time and at the beginning of each turn, you'll select an action to do such as "Attack, Defend, Item" etc. A rune can be equipped on characters to allow them to use special attacks or magic. Something of note is that each character has an attack range, S, M, or L. S range characters, which is the short range, can only attack from the front line. M range, or medium range, can attack from both the front and back line. L, or long range, can attack from both the front and back, and can also attack an enemy's back row.
http://i.imgur.com/JDElnXC.png
One goal of this game is to recruit 108 Stars of Destiny, special people to join your army. Some join automatically while others will need you to fulfill certain conditions. On top of regular battles, there are also war battles and duels. War battles operate as a sort of rock-papper-scissors match, with Charge beating Arrow, Arrow beating Magic, and Magic beating Charge. Duels also work as a sort of one-on-one rock-papper-scissors match with Attack beating Defend, Defend beating Desperate Attack, and Desperate Attack beating Attack. There are also a variety of mini-games that can be played depending on which characters you have recruited.
http://i.imgur.com/dqUTayu.gif
World:
This has an explorable map that opens up the further you progress in the game. You can travel by foot and by boat and can also recruit a character who will teleport you directly to areas you've been before. You also get your own castle which grows as you gain more followers. There are towns, a world map, and dungeons. Overall there were some interesting areas and some good variety.
http://i.imgur.com/T5xD2AS.jpg
Characters:
(There are a lot of characters, so I'll only be mentioning a few non-missable characters:
http://i.imgur.com/jvuWyGu.pngTir: Hero of the story, a young man and son of the great General Teo. Becomes the leader of the Liberation Army.
http://i.imgur.com/l0XBru7.pngGremio: The young Tir's attendant, he is very effeminate and very dedicated to Tir, acting almost as a mother figure.
http://i.imgur.com/kW53k2A.pngCleo: Works for Teo and watches over Tir, she's very wise and not afraid to stick up for what she thinks is best.
http://i.imgur.com/D7C7m2d.pngPahn: Works for Teo, he is very dedicated to Teo and wants to do his best for him.
http://i.imgur.com/drpBC5e.pngMathiu: Your strategist, he hates war and fighting but has come out of retirement for what he believes is the greater good.
http://i.imgur.com/vQm3r6J.pngViktor: A loud fellow who is part of the budding Liberation Army. He is very resourceful.
http://i.imgur.com/CPyLxKK.pngFlik: A young man with a short temper and some trust issues.
http://i.imgur.com/eF6LoQD.pngLuc: Attendant to the Seer Leknaat, he likes to play tricks on people and has a bad attitude.
http://i.imgur.com/MjROJFx.pngFutch: A young apprentice Dragon Knight who has a dragon named Black.
http://i.imgur.com/l1AdMNR.pngKirkis: An elf who doesn't hate humans and dwarfs but instead believes they should all work together for a better future.
http://i.imgur.com/mhDHIp6.pngLepant: A successful merchant and powerful man.
http://i.imgur.com/CvS3MwG.pngEileen: Lepant's wife whom he cares about more than anything.
Overall:
Overall I find this game to be incredibly charming. Do be warned that it's very rough around the edges, the graphics aren't so great, and even the grammar and spelling is sometimes off. The gameplay hasn't been made as smooth as later entries either. But underneath all of that is a really engaging story, some beautifully touching moments, and some great and memorable characters. The game is pretty short for an RPG, so if you're interested in seeing the start of an excellent RPG series, I'd certainly recommend it. It's also very affordable both as a hard copy and as a PSN download. I had a lot of fun and I love the story. Great game.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/wDrXjPJ.jpg
Pumpkin
09-04-2015, 05:20 PM
*SPECIAL EDITION*
Six Months of Video Games: tl;dr version
It has been almost six months since I started this thread, so I will be doing a few things. The first is spoilering the list on the first page so it doesn't get too long, and the newer games after this will be below the spoiler. The second is I will be listing each game in short in order of favourite to least favourite with a short list of pros and cons! Do note that the pros and cons are subjective, so what I consider good or bad, others may disagree with. It's also fun to go back and see if my opinions have changed.
LOVED IT games:
1. Tales of Hearts R (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3536271&viewfull=1#post3536271)
Genre: RPG
Platform: PS Vita
General info: Kor meets a cute girl named Kohaku who is being pursued by an evil witch. While trying to save her, Kohaku's heart shatters in to several fragments and scatters around the world. Time to mend a broken heart
Pros: Excellent gameplay, great characters, engaging story, good sense of humour
Cons: Uhh... the characters could have better outfits
2. Suikoden V (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3560123&viewfull=1#post3560123)
Genre: RPG
Platform: PlayStation 2
General info: Our young prince living in the Queendom of Falena is caught in the middle of a political power struggle when his sister is married off. Also the magical Rune his mother possesses is driving her a little crazy. Oh and he has to gather 108 people to stop the bad guys
Pros: Excellent story, great characters, fun gameplay, beautiful world, great moments
Cons: Long, absurdly difficult character recruitment, slow to get started
3. Tokyo School Life (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3560008&viewfull=1#post3560008)
Genre: Visual novel
Platform: Steam
General info: Main Character gets to spend a few months in Japan, like he's always wanted. He starts to adjust to living with his three lady roommates. Which one will he have a fleeting romance with?
Pros: Sweet, great characters, good storyline, good amount of choices, very PG rated romance
Cons: Very short, two endings not the greatest, a bit cheesy
4. Lord of Magna: Maiden Heaven (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3558075#post3558075)
Genre: RPG
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
General info: Luchs runs an Inn that has never had any guests ever. But that all changes one day when he meets some magical kickass girls with some odd hair colours and some strange monsters start appearing
Pros: Adorable, charming, fun gameplay, good characters, sweet dating sim
Cons: Short, no exploration
5. Tears to Tiara 2 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3528832#post3528832)
Genre: Strategy RPG
Platform: PlayStation 3
General info: A young previously noble man runs in to a young woman who claims to be the Goddess Ashtarte. Together they lead a rebellion against the evil and corruptly religious empire. Based on the Punic Wars.
Pros: Engaging story, excellent characters, large cast of character, fun battle system
Cons: Very difficult even on easy mode, no exploration
6. Ys: Memories of Celceta (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3560944#post3560944)
Genre: Action RPG
Platform: PS Vita
General info: Adol has lost his memories! Oh well, at least he just got a job exploring and mapping the super dangerous forest. Maybe he'll even get some memories back along the way
Pros: Fun gameplay, great characters, great world, good story
Cons: Short, gameplay can get repetitive, long dungeons
7. Suikoden (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3562715&viewfull=1#post3562715)
Genre: RPG
Platform: PlayStation
General info: Tir, the son of the great General Teo, suddenly finds himself pursued by an evil witch and exiled from his home. Oh well, might as well join the local rebellion, gather 108 people, and overthrow the Empire
Pros: Fun, good characters, great story, touching moments
Cons: Less polished, bad grammar and spelling, terrible inventory space
8. Style Savvy: Trendsetters (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3521049&viewfull=1#post3521049)
Genre: Simulation
Platform: Nintendo 3DS
General info: You run your own fashion boutique, sell costumers clothes, and participate in fashion shows
Pros: Fun, bright, lots of customization, lots of freedom
Cons: Repetitive, small shop inventory
9. Scribblenauts Unlimited (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3547030&viewfull=1#post3547030)
Genre: Puzzle
Platform: Steam
General info: Maxwell has a magic notebook that allows the things he writes to come to life. He sadly used this power to prank an old man who then turned his sister to stone. He needs to go around doing good deeds and collecting starites to save her
Pros: very fun, flexible, great worlds and environments
Cons: Some levels were difficult, my computer kept freezing up (not a fault with the game but it did make it annoying for me to play)
10. Atelier Shallie (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3523047&viewfull=1#post3523047)
Genre: RPG
Platform: PlayStation 3
General info: The world is facing a drought and you get to play as one of two alchemists named Shallie as they synthesis items and try to save people from the drought
Pros: No more time limit, replayability, engaging synthesis system, large battle parties
Cons: Not enough character specialization, environments are a bit too dark, short
LIKED IT A LOT games
11. Suikoden IV (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3557594&viewfull=1#post3557594)
Genre: RPG
Platform: PlayStation 2
General info: Our hero is exiled from his home, cursed with a magical Rune that slowly kills him, and now has to gather 108 people to stop the destruction of the Island Nations
Pros: Great story, some good characters, fun gameplay, fun minigames
Cons: Only 4 characters in a party, long travel stretches, less memorable than the otehr games in the series
12. Kitty Powers Matchmaker (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3529720&viewfull=1#post3529720)
Genre: Dating sim
Platform: Steam
General info: You match people up and then play a series of date minigames to see if the couple can stick and get married and have 8 babies.
Pros: Funny, fun, getting to match people up, a lot of freedom
Cons: Can get hard, can also get repetitive after a while
13. Arcana Heart 3: Love Max!!!!! (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3534028&viewfull=1#post3534028)
Genre: 2D Fighting game
Platform: PlayStation 3
General info: Some crazy girl is going to destroy the world. Or Japan, a.k.a., the world. It's up to random high school girls, dog ninjas, and young women with supernatural powers to save the day by beating each other up.
Pros: Funny, large cast of playable female characters, fun battle system
Cons: A bit much story for a fighting game, fanservicey
14. Atelier Rorona Plus (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3535424&viewfull=1#post3535424)
Genre: RPG
Platform: PlayStation 3
General info: Rorona's alchemy master Astrid is a lazy bugger and they've been threatened to have their Atelier shut down. Rorona has a few years to gain the approval of the townspeople and complete all of her royalty issued jobs so she can save the Atelier
Pros: Bright environments, fun gameplay, manageable time limit
Cons: Not the strongest characters, having to pay party members, some unclear things
15. fault milestone one (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3537104&viewfull=1#post3537104)
Genre: Visual novel
Platform: Steam
General info: Some magical girls end up in a place largely sans magic and they meet a strange girl named Rune who has adopted the name of a psychotic little girl who terrorized the town and then died
Pros: Very engaging storyline, charming, suspenseful
Cons: Lack of choices, only one part (others parts not released yet)
16. Hyperdimension Neptunia PP (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3531594&viewfull=1#post3531594)
Genre: Simulation/Rhythm
Platform: PS Vita
General info: The ladies of Hyperdimension Neptunia have decided to become idols. It's your job to manage them, get them to practice, and even socialize with them. You then get to adjust the camera and props during their on stage performances
Pros: Funny, laid back, easy to play
Cons: Fanservicey, More like a minigame than a full game
17. Persona 4 Golden (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3553736&viewfull=1#post3553736)
Genre: RPG/Simulation
Platform: PS Vita
General info: Life is hard moving to a new town. You have to make friends, maybe get a girlfriend, keep up with your studies. Also you and your friends have to go in to the TV and fight your shadow self in order to unlock your Persona which you use to save people from brutal murders
Pros: Funny, good story, good characters, a lot of freedom
Cons: Some low points, could drag on
18. Doodle God (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3560391&viewfull=1#post3560391)
Genre: Puzzle
Platform: PS Vita
General info: Doodle God created air and water and like... volcanoes and stuff by using the four basic elements. But he started to wonder what would happen if he started mixing the elements together
Pros: Addictive, fun, laid back, hints given if needed, silly
Cons: Sore fingers, weird combinations, misleading title
LIKED IT games
19. Tales of Graces f (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3542838&viewfull=1#post3542838)
Genre: RPG
Platform: PlayStation 3
General info: A young noble boy named Asbel and his brother make friends with a Prince, an ill girl, and an amnesiac girl. Asbel doesn't like to listen though and gets himself and his friends in some serious danger. Fast forward several years later to when no one is the same and some people have gone a little crazy
Pros: Strong cast of characters, interesting story, great world, lots of fun things to do, outfit changes
Cons: Less fun battle system, not as charming as most games in the series
20. Atelier Ayesha (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3526869&viewfull=1#post3526869)
Genre: RPG
Platform: PlayStation 3
General info: Ayesha is a young apothecary who's sister was spirited away. When she sees her for a brief instance one day, she is led to believe her sister is still out there. In order to get her back, she'll need to use Alchemy
Pros: Interesting story, good characters, nice environments
Cons: Time limit, synthesis less interesting
21. The Guided Fate Paradox (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3532409&viewfull=1#post3532409)
Genre: Dungeon-crawler RPG
Platform: PlayStation 3
General info: A teenager named Renya becomes God through a mall lottery (as one does) and has to grant the wishes of everyone from mermaids to zombies.
Pros: Interesting story, funny, fun gameplay, good characters
Cons: Lack of freedom, quite difficult
22. Dead or Alive 5 Last Round (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3543570&viewfull=1#post3543570)
Genre: Fighting game
Platform: PlayStation 3
General info: Ninjas and stuff fight against evil ninja clones, and regular plebs who are super skilled at martial arts fight it out in a tournament
Pros: Lots of characters, fun battle system,pretty good story for a fighting game, outfit changes
Cons: Over the top fanservice, some really bad characters, way too much DLC
23. The Simpsons Road Rage (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3556665#post3556665)
Genre: Driving game
Platform: PlayStation 2
General info: Mr. Burns has started a dangerous bus transportation service, so it's up to Springfield to raise money by instead providing an equally (if not more so) dangerous taxi service
Pros: A lot of fun, funny, good character and vehicle choices
Cons: Repetitive, awful load times
24. Persona 3 Portable (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3537747&viewfull=1#post3537747)
Genre: RPG/Simulation
Platform: PSP
General info: It's always odd moving to a new dorm. You have to socialize, make friends, build relationships, maybe start dating someone. And also you need to defeat shadow monsters while calling forth your inner personas during a hidden dark hour. Comes in boy and girl flavours
Pros: Gender select, good characters, lots of dialogue choices, good customization
Cons: Worst dungeon ever, repetitive gameplay, dark environments
25. Long Live the Queen (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3529594&viewfull=1#post3529594)
Genre: Visual Novel
Platform: Steam
General info: You are a Princess who needs to study and behave herself in public. You also need to avoid being assassinated (or try to be assassinated in as many ways as possible for medals)
Pros: Lots of freedom, outfit changes, funny death medals
Cons: Repetitive, less than engaging story
IT WAS OKAY games
26. Fading Hearts (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3534933&viewfull=1#post3534933)
Genre: Visual novel/RPG
Platform: Steam
General info: Ryou has a crush on his best friend who may or may not be in an abusive relationship, your other friend has a crush on you despite you turning her down, and also there's a magical girl that lives in the forest and you can fight monsters if you want to
Pros: Choose your own genre, story can vary greatly, good character
Cons: Repetitive, long spells with little advancement
27. The King of Fighters XIII (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3554698&viewfull=1#post3554698)
Genre: 2D fighting game
Platform: PlayStation 3
General info: So some bad people are doing bad things and teams of fighters from other games show up to beat each other up and possibly stop the bad things
Pros: Good characters, characters from different games, team fights, interactions
Cons: Hard fighting system, not super interesting story, not many characters I liked
28. Dragon Quest IV (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3560675&viewfull=1#post3560675)
Genre: RPG
Platform: Nintendo DS
General info: You are a hero. But everything isn't always about you and we also get to explore the stories of some other people and what they have going on, like a tomboy princess, a chubby merchant with a moustache, and a "dancer", until you eventually band together to defeat evil
Pros: Good characters, funny, good story
Cons: Forgettable, lacks charm, not always clear on where to go or what to do
MEH games
29. Virtua Fighter 4 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3538805&viewfull=1#post3538805)
Genre: Fighting game
Platform: PlayStation 2
General info: You fight people
Pros: Getting to customize your own A.I., some fun characters
Cons: Practically no story, not much character development, kind of bland gameplay
30. Cherry Tree High Comedy Club (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3533056&viewfull=1#post3533056)
Genre: Simulation
Platform: Steam
General info: Your main gal wants to start a comedy club, but first she needs to convince at least three more people to join. Better have some topics of conversation ready!
Pros: Funny, interesting characters
Cons: Short time limit, repetitive, a bit boring
31. Hyperdevotion Noire (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3540602&viewfull=1#post3540602)
Genre: Strategy RPG
Platform: PS Vita
General info: Something bad has happened and Noire needs to assemble the troops and fight Startegy RPG style to return Lastation to it's previous glory
Pros: Funny, good characters, lots of female characters, a cute sim section, easy to get in to gameplay
Cons: Way over the top fanservice, questionable sexual assault scenes, repetitive
32. BlazBlue: ChronoPhantasma (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3550953&viewfull=1#post3550953)
GenreL 2D fighting game
Platform: PlayStation 3
General info: There's some bad guys trying to do some bad stuff and some good guys trying to stop them. People fight
Pros: Teach Me Miss Litchi is great, some good characters
Cons: Story hard to follow, not super fun to play, writing comes off sounding kind of amateurish
DIDN'T LIKE IT games
33. Futurama (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3541750&viewfull=1#post3541750)
Genre: 3D platform
Platform: PlayStation 2
General info: Mom has taken over the world and it's time to get the heck out of there. But not before traveling the sewers and other such things
Pros: Funny, loyal to the characters
Cons: Difficult, bad camera, kind of boring
UNRATED games
Umineko No Naku Koro Ni (Episodes 1-4) (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3559621&viewfull=1#post3559621)
Genre: Visual novel
Platform: PC
General info: A family reunion turns in to a series of murders. Who is the culprit? Is someone else on the island? Does magic exist? Let's find out
Pros: Large cast of characters, helpful hints and tips, not needing to solve the mysteries on your own
Cons: Writing style, very long, hard to follow
Pumpkin
09-07-2015, 04:56 PM
AquaPazza: Aquaplus Dream Match (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/oNGRLdo.jpg
AquaPazza is a 2D fighting game staring characters from various other Aquaplus games, such as Tears to Tiara, To Heart, and Utawarerumono. A high school girl is trying to cook herself up a magical love potion, but things go awry when suddenly it causes people from all different worlds to appear. She also realizes she can put people under her control, so she takes advantage of the situation by doing just that and trying to become ruler of this new hybrid world.
http://i.imgur.com/WfidHrB.jpg
In this game, you'll pick two characters for the fights: A fighter and a partner. Your fighter will be the character you use and each have a variety of moves at their disposal. Your partner can be summoned by pressing either the X button, or summoned to use a second move by pressing the X plus either the front or back arrow. Different partner characters have different skills as far as their support, and they cannot be called again until their gauge fills back up.
http://i.imgur.com/jbhYu2h.png
You'll have a Power Gauge at the bottom of the screen which allows for more powerful moves to be executed. You can fill it up to 5 in regular mode, or up to 3 in simple mode. Characters also have "emotions" which can be raised and lowered in a variety of ways and will affect how well they fight. Like most fighting games, you can change the difficulty, number of required rounds, and time limit for the fights.
http://i.imgur.com/U4agxT5.jpg
There are a few modes to choose from. The regular story mode which explores the main story of the game, "Another Story" follows a second story and you can only use characters with whom you have completed the original story with. There are also online battles you can take part in. In VS mode you can play against friends or the computer if you are alone and friendless like me. There's a practice mode, a score attack mode where the battles get increasingly difficult, and a gallery mode in which you can view movies and images and the like.
http://i.imgur.com/1SYVnGW.jpg
Characters:
Ordered from favourite to least favourite and separated by fighters and partners.
Fighters:
http://i.imgur.com/4K7Dh1L.pngMulti from To Heart
http://i.imgur.com/vSbCdiG.pngSasara from To Heart
http://i.imgur.com/xg9Bptz.pngKonomi from To Heart
http://i.imgur.com/VHu9r32.pngChizuru from Kizuato
http://i.imgur.com/N89xoIe.pngMorgan from Tears to Tiara
http://i.imgur.com/NVSjuwK.pngKarulau from Utawarerumono
http://i.imgur.com/KsgqtDw.pngRiannon from Tears to Tiara
http://i.imgur.com/sBaFkNz.pngManaka from To Heart
http://i.imgur.com/nP6vfsA.pngTouka from Utawarerumono
http://i.imgur.com/lMyAub6.pngHakuowlo from Utawarerumono
http://i.imgur.com/oJr4XfV.pngArawn from Tears to Tiara
http://i.imgur.com/pjhYo6d.pngTamaki from To Heart
http://i.imgur.com/ydh5Na9.pngOboro from Utawarerumono
Partners:
http://i.imgur.com/p9W7m3I.pngLlyr from Tears to Tiara
http://i.imgur.com/8dzhoXB.pngRathty from Tears to Tiara
http://i.imgur.com/SCgSFRB.pngUlthury from Utawarerumono
http://i.imgur.com/M6LLVbV.pngSerika from To Heart
http://i.imgur.com/6Ke1jAo.pngYuma from To Heart
http://i.imgur.com/7Sao71G.pngCamyu from Utawarerumono
http://i.imgur.com/NYshHt7.pngOctavia from Tears to Tiara
http://i.imgur.com/p77ccz0.pngMa-Ryan from To Heart
http://i.imgur.com/Hgx8VuD.pngSatsuki from Routes
http://i.imgur.com/ohOtCkB.pngMizuki from Comic Party
http://i.imgur.com/cOk7R4p.pngYu from Comic Party
http://i.imgur.com/oeXDr0F.pngYuki from White Album
http://i.imgur.com/oN7clNN.pngRita from White Album
Overall I had a lot of fun with the game. It has a large playable cast, and a lot of female characters, which I like. The story was pretty great. They kind of tacked one on there, but instead of trying to pretend they didn't, they just had fun with the whole thing and I was laughing pretty hard at a lot of it. The gameplay was also pretty fun. It did get a bit repetitive and there wasn't too much to do with the game though. Also my favourite characters were all partner characters and I wish I could have used them as fighters. This game also might be great for fans of the series featured here, and some of that was probably lost on me because I've never played those games.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/fJCXMO8.jpg
Pumpkin
09-11-2015, 05:46 PM
GUEST REVIEW
(If you would like to do a guest review, please feel free to contact me. Reviews are posted on two separate forums)
Test Drive Unlimited 2 (PlayStation 3) by sharkythesharkdogg
http://i.imgur.com/l0qsldK.png
What is Test Drive Unlimited 2 about?
Illegal street racing, and how insanely lucrative it can be. You go from a scrub to a wealthy socialite with a ludicrous amount of expendable income in a matter of days! All from street racing. (Brah.) You start with some cheaper cars, SUVs, and cheaper classics. You then proceed to take that money and spend it on more super cars, hyper cars, super bikes, rare classics, etc. to earn even more money. Which you then spend on opulent housing and "garage mahals" to enshrine all of your immaculately cared for and pampered 4 wheel ego boosters.
http://i.imgur.com/hpwbOFD.jpg
What are some features of the game you think people should know about?
You have the ability to create your own custom avatar. Race, sex, appearance, clothing. It's limited compared to other games, but it's there. (Fun fact: There is no footwear available for female avatars in this game that aren't heels. High heels are known the world over for being the best shoe to wear during performance driving.)
Your cars can also be customized to a degree. This largely consists of generic paint, graphic, wheel, and performance options. None of it is particularly in depth.
http://i.imgur.com/vnyivJL.jpg
This customization idea is even taken into your virtual homes where you can buy things like new furniture, paint, flooring, and a few other items to customize the house.
There is a decent online component. There are casinos available online where you can attempt to make more money quickly. Also while online you can race against other drivers, bet money on that racing, join community challenge races, join clubs, and other group type events. The clubs are where you form online groups with your online buddies. Virtual tribalism. Mount Akina Speed Stars 4 lyf!
http://i.imgur.com/VkffPvB.jpg
What is the world of TDU2 like?
You start on the island of Ibiza, and eventually gain access to the island of Oahu. I'm no expert on the road layouts or aesthetics of each island in real life, but it seems like this is an area where the developers spent a lot of time. The islands are beautiful, have fairly realistic looking layouts and road systems, and are really quite expansive. There is a lot of time you can lose by simply hopping in a vehicle and driving around enjoying yourself.
http://i.imgur.com/8d4ayTz.jpg
What were your favourite things about the game?
How expansive the islands are. They have weather systems, day and night time, expansive paved and dirt roads, and varied areas. For the most part, the cars are pretty cool. There are only around 170 cars, but that seems plenty to me. There's good attention to detail, and the way they drive and handle seems like a fair blend of realism and arcadeness. You can also choose to change how realistic vs. how aracde-like the driving is by selecting from different options in the settings. For example, I want no driving aids like traction control, and more realistic handling physics. It makes it more fun for me when I do something well, because I know it was me. Other people might simply want to jump in and nail the gas pedal. It's not about a realistic driving simulator. It's about tearing ass around a virtual island, and having carefree fun. They can have that be selecting from some options I did not. It's good flexibility.
Once again, for the amount of vehicles available, there's some good variety. Classic VW Beetle to Ariel Atom to Ford Mustang to Pagani Zonda.
http://i.imgur.com/Vvn3zos.jpg
Some of the classic cars become unlockable by exploring the island and finding wrecks, so that's fun and encourages your to enjoy yourself driving around.
That exploring leads to you finding really beautiful off-road trails, or hidden race tracks, and some other goodies.
There are 2 or 3 radio stations to listen to if you don't want car noise all the time.
What were your least favourite things about the game?
All of the customization options felt fairly useless to me. Even the houses themselves felt fairly useless. You have a customized character that you never see, unless you walk into your home or a few other buildings. The thing is, you rarely walk into buildings. It's a driving game. I only walk into buildings to change how my character looks, or perhaps my car. I don't care about character looks. Other than some performance mods, I don't care about car looks a whole lot either because it's a bit limited. So the only time I really see my character is for a few seconds when I'm in my garage selecting a car or a few seconds at the community center when I'm entering into race challenges.
Some of the rewards you get for beating challenges or exploring come in the form of unlocked items to customize your character with. New clothes, glasses, haircuts, whatever. Since I don't care about that, it made the rewards for beating certain challenges feel less important to me. At least Pumpkin enjoyed the customizing, so I'd just work on unlocking stuff for her.
http://i.imgur.com/VzWUpDm.jpg
I wish there were an option for more realistic car damage. The cars are the classic invincible bricks. They can look pretty beat up, but considering I just hit a tree at 175mph, they should be in multiple parts. On fire. Spread out over half a mile.
They spent a lot of time making the islands look realistic, but once you're in it, it can feel a little dead. There is no pedestrian traffic, and no wildlife. It's probably a limit of what games could do at the time. I'd like to see a more lively, active environment.
http://i.imgur.com/LyYkqQF.jpg
The radio stations have funny commercials and a few other things, but they're fairly limited. Like I said, there's only 2 or 3, and they don't have a large amount of songs. More attention needs to be put into the radio stations. GTA knows how to do it.
I wish there were a few more motorcycles, and I wish that you didn't actually have to buy certain cars before you can download them. Like all modern games, there is "pay-to-play" content. Now that the game is no longer being updated or expanded on, just make it free and let people enjoy themselves until you stop supporting the servers.
Would you recommend the game?
If you like driving games and you like open world games, go for it. It's still a lot of fun, even with some of it's short comings.
Pumpkin's Comments:
The world really was very expansive and I enjoyed explore it a lot. Sadly, it did feel kind of dead and it could have used a lot more life to it, which would have made it a good deal better. I did like the customizing and was happy there were a lot of clothing options, but there weren't many options for hair styles, which was disappointing. There were also some excellent looking houses and a few cars I liked. There was a good variety of cars, but most of them didn't appeal to me personally.
http://i.imgur.com/KrTOz8s.jpg
Pumpkin's Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/zT5bS3C.jpg
sharkythesharkdogg
09-11-2015, 09:49 PM
http://i.imgur.com/VzWUpDm.jpg
Jessica considered her racesuit and helmet for a moment. After all, she expected to hit estimated speeds of 250mph......but no....not tonight. Tonight she wanted to feel sexy while she raced, and that meant Gucci sunglasses, a deep v blouse, and stilettos. After all, she planned to get a few drinks at the club before the race.
Pumpkin
09-17-2015, 05:49 PM
Doki Doki Universe (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/ZMvU6A1.jpg
Doki Doki Universe is the story of a robot named QT-3 who needs to learn about humanity. He has his guide, Alien Jeff, and his balloon companion, Balloon. He also has a special little girl he hopes to find again one day. So QT-3 will explore different planets of the galaxy to learn more about humanity. Things like dreams, bullying, discrimination, love, acceptance, and a whole bunch more.
http://i.imgur.com/jDhE5ff.png
The main aspect of the game is traveling from planet to planet solving problems and talking to people. Or... creatures. Some of them will have specific requests for you, like helping start a robot vs demons club or finding colourful ice cream for them. Some of them may want a hug or want you to dance with them. As you explore the worlds and interact with characters, you'll receive treasures. Some of these are "summonables" which are basically gifts of other such things to give to the characters. You can greet characters by bowing, waving, or blowing kisses. You can also pick characters up and fling them, levitate, and rumble the world, causing a small earth quake. Be careful though, because not all characters like these things. Each character will also have a "like" and "dislike" section which can be discovered, and some characters will give you presents when they either love you or hate you.
http://i.imgur.com/UmWIJA9.jpg
You'll also get customization items to bring back to the Home world. These range from trees and houses to other odds and ends depending on what theme you'd like to fit in. When you complete a world you also get it's background to change your Home world to as well. You can also unlock new avatars and flying space steeds. You can make QT-3 anything from a cat robot to a lumberjack robot, and your steed can be a flying pig or a cup of hot cocoa. Whatever floats your boat! You'll also receive messages from characters in the game, and you can take personality tests at little asteroids throughout space. These are usually 3-5 questions that give an assessment. Dr.Therapist will compile a personality profile for you to view, which grows the more tests you take.
http://i.imgur.com/cphpFpt.jpg
One thing to mention is that you won't be getting the complete game for the cost from the PlayStation Network. You'll get maybe about half of the personality quizzes and maybe two-thirds of the worlds. The rest can be downloaded at a fairly reasonable cost, but it is something that should be noted so you're not disappointed when you can't finish the game without further purchases. With that being said, the base game itself isn't very expensive, costing around $15 USD.
http://i.imgur.com/2lIx0s0.jpg
Overall:
I really enjoyed Doki Doki Universe. It's cute, it's sweet, and it's very laid-back to play. It's not big on action and drama if that's what you're looking for, but it will make you think about things and has it's touching moments. Overall it's just silly fun and good as a pick up and play type of game. You can also play on your Vita if you have it purchased on your PS3 (or PS4), which is a neat touch. I don't like the DLC parts though, as I would much rather have just bought the whole game and I still haven't gotten around to buying everything yet. But it was a fun game, if not a bit repetitive and awkward with the controls. Overall I had a lot of fun.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/nT4Rlph.jpg
Colonel Angus
09-18-2015, 03:30 AM
That's terrible that they make you buy everything else separate.
sharkythesharkdogg
09-18-2015, 04:35 PM
It's the design of the game.
It's annoying sometimes, but from watching, I think it works for this game. The gameplay doesn't really change that much, so even if you like it, you might get tired of it after a bit.
By having the game in sections, you don't have to commit to all the DLC unless you really enjoy it and want to play more. I'm pretty sure the initial $15 is a complete game unless I'm totally not remembering correctly.
As for how much everything costs once you unlock it all, I'm not sure. :shrug:
Pumpkin
09-18-2015, 04:37 PM
It about doubles the price with all of the DLC. $30 still isn't bad for a game but I don't like having multiple downloads and all of that
Pumpkin
09-22-2015, 08:20 PM
Illusion of Gaia (Super Nintendo)
http://i.imgur.com/DV7nZca.jpg
Story:
Illusion of Gaia is about a young man named Will. Will finds he can enter a mysterious dark space and meets a strange being. He is told that a comet is heading for the planet, which is, you know, not cool. So Will heads out on an adventure through various different areas with his traveling buddies and they collect artifacts and stuff. There are usually individual stories at each area you visit as well.
http://i.imgur.com/g6s3ZiP.jpg
Gameplay:
This is an action role-playing game. You control Will (and occasionally his transformations) and hit monsters and stuff with your sword. You also gain skills as the game progresses, and transforming also opens up some new skills. Will is also a talented musician and you'll gain some songs as the game progresses as well. You can set items to use, but there's a limit to how many there are and how many you can carry, so be careful. Will also has the amazing power of sort of moving things with his mind a little bit.
http://i.imgur.com/WG2K51K.png
Will gets more powerful by defeating all of the enemies on the map. When all enemies are defeated, he will get a stat bonus, such as additional health. Each enemy also drops a little red orb, and collecting 100 of these leads to an additional life. You can also do the red jewel collecting sidequest if you want to, but the game is overall very linear.
World:
The world is based on a lot of real world locations, and they easily give that away with places like "China's Great Wall". But there is a lot of diversity in the areas, and you get to go through sky palaces, forests, caves, underground areas, water areas, etc.
http://i.imgur.com/SbWBEVQ.png
Characters:
Will and his transformations are the only playable characters, but he is joined by his friends, all of whom have their own individual side stories. He has his childhood friends, his Princess friend, her pig, and even a girl who can transform herself in to a dandelion. However, Will will be mostly alone for dungeons.
http://i.imgur.com/42qQsrU.jpg
Overall:
Well this game is a classic and I certainly found it very charming. The characters had a lot of heart and the story made you feel very small inside of a grand adventure, which I think is a positive thing. The world was also very diverse, so it didn't get boring. With that being said, the game was much too hard for me, which made playing through it a chore. Normally I am a bit sad when games are on the shorter side, but in this case it was a blessing. There are also some language issues, mistakes here and there, and sometimes the wrong person is shown to be talking in the wrong situation. Overall, if you can handle the difficulty of the older era games, this is a very touching adventure.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i.imgur.com/5YruH9E.png
Colonel Angus
09-24-2015, 04:57 AM
Does the hero use Will power to defeat his foes?
Pumpkin
10-02-2015, 04:30 AM
Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (Nintendo 3DS)
http://i.imgur.com/oZwDC4t.png
Animal Crossing Happy Home Designer is an Animal Crossing Game in which you design homes. They titled it well, as you can see. It works with the amiibo stuff, so if you want extra houses to decorate and a few extra character features, you'll need the cards as well as the reader, which costs an extra $20. Or you could buy the game bundled with it for an extra $10. If you don't want to spend the extra money, like me, the game works fine without it and there are still plenty of houses to decorate.
http://i.imgur.com/XHA3Nzv.jpg
At the start of the game you get to make your own avatar and name him or her. You do have a uniform when working for Nook's Homes, but you can choose your own pants, shoes, and accessories to personalize it. At first you will be given certain customers during the tutorial mode, but the game opens up from there and you can begin to design the outsides of the homes, pick the home locations, and design various facilities as well.
http://i.imgur.com/kcwSP7S.jpg
Once the tutorial section is over, you will go outside and pick a customer. A few people will have little thought bubbles over their heads giving you an idea of what they might want. You can go around checking a few different thought bubbles before settling on a customer. You start by choosing between two different customers but as the game progresses, you'll have a wider selection. The available customers also change every game day, but they will become available again and aren't lost forever if you don't choose them.
http://i.imgur.com/ML2KoJ9.png
Once a customer is chosen, you get to choose where to place their house, and you also get to change the season around their house. Houses don't actually take up room on the map so you can place numerous houses on the same spot if you want to. I'm not sure how that happens, I suppose it's house designer magic. The customers will then give you a theme as well as a few items they want incorporated in to their homes. You can decorate the outside of the homes as well as the insides, and you can choose which furniture goes where, wallpaper, flooring, trees, roofing, home design, etc.
http://i.imgur.com/VCnb5NM.png
You'll also gain new items which fit the theme the customer wants. So you can be sure you'll have the tools you need. The items will also remain in your catalog for further use in other designs. The customers are easy to keep happy so long as you remain on theme. You can also use Play Coins to purchase additional design features such as window designs, colour swaps, and custom designs. While you can change the exterior of a home to make it much larger, the inside will always remain the same size.
http://i.imgur.com/jq8aru4.png
In addition to homes, you can also design for certain facilities, such as a restaurant, office, hospital, school, hotel, and a few others. Some of these will have multiple rooms to design and Isabel, the lady giving you your facility jobs, will give you a checklist for each room. The checklist is usually very easy to accommodate and allows for a lot of freedom. You can visit these facilities (and your clients for personal homes) any time you wish and you can take pictures. When in the facilities, you can even switch which roles the townsfolk have, such as making one of them a teacher or a doctor or whatever you want. They are randomized each visit though.
http://i.imgur.com/XoipRFC.jpg
After you finish a design, your work day ends and you can go around talking to people and visiting places before writing your report for the day, which saves your game. You can then move on to the next day or quit playing and come back later. There is no personal home in this or anything else of the sort, the game mostly just revolves around the design aspect.
http://i.imgur.com/FATSyVB.jpg
Overall I enjoyed the game a lot. I've always loved interior design so having a video game which allows me to do that is a huge plus in my book. There are a few downsides. The game does get repetitive pretty quickly other than the facilities, which quickly became my favourite part of the game. My main complaint is that the houses are just very small, and I would have liked to be able to design bigger homes with several rooms, rather than trying to fit everything I wanted in to a smaller room. Other than that there was a good variety in the available themes, the facilities were quite fun, and the game was very enjoyable if it's the sort of thing you enjoy. If interior design is not your thing, this game most definitely will not be for you. But for someone like me it was great.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/ufNjIZD.jpg
Formalhaut
10-02-2015, 11:05 AM
So... it seems like a slightly watered down version of the Sims 3 Build Mode?
Pumpkin
10-02-2015, 03:46 PM
I guess so? It really didn't even make me think of the Sims, it's just a cute little interior design game
Pumpkin
10-08-2015, 04:46 PM
Suikoden II (PlayStation)
http://i.imgur.com/W0oQB9i.jpg
Story:
Suikoden II is the second Suikoden game and the fourth in the timeline. It follows the story of three friends, Riou, Jowy, and Nanami, during a time of war. Riou and Jowy were a part of the Highland Youth Brigade who were about to finally be sent home when Highland and the City-States were finally signing a peace treaty. Before they can go home though, most of the Youth Brigade is murdered by Highland in an attempt to place blame on the City-State and start another war. After picking up Riou's sister, Nanami, the three are forced to leave their homeland and seek help in the City-States. Soon, Riou becomes the leader of an army, gathers the 108 Stars of Destiny, and leads the fight against monstrous Luca Blight of Highland in hopes of returning the peace.
http://i.imgur.com/Dxvd2Zd.png
Gameplay:
Suikoden II plays much like the other games in the series. It has a very large cast of playable characters and, as such, up to six characters can be brought in to battle. Make sure to pay attention to their weapon range, which will determine where and who they can attack. A character with short range can attack only from the front row, a character with mid range can attack from the front or back, and a character with long range can attack from the back as well as attack the enemy's back row. Every turn, you can choose options such as Run, Attack, Item, Rune (this game's version of magic), combo, or other such commands. After all actions have been selected, each character and enemy will act according to their speed and actions.
http://i.imgur.com/oNgeSNp.png
There are also war type battles which act kind of as a board game. You move your units one square on each turn and they can engage the enemy. There are different unit types with different strengths and weaknesses. There are also duels, which act as a rock-paper-scissors match. Attack beats Defend, Defend beats Wild Attack, and Wild Attack beats Attack. You can try to gauge what your enemy's next action will be based on what they say.
http://i.imgur.com/a55dJ37.jpg
Aside from fighting, there are a few other things the player can do. You can reruit Stars of Destiny (people) who will open up shop at your headquarters, or give access to certain mini-games like a cooking contest and a dice game, fishing game, etc. Your castle will also get bigger depending on how many people you have recruited and more stuff will become available to you.
http://i.imgur.com/uCDADUY.jpg
World:
Unlike some RPG's, Suikoden does not take place on a global scale, but rather is limited to a few countries. This doesn't mean there isn't a lot to explore and there are a great deal of locations and areas with their own unique flavours and stories to them. The game also opens up more as you go on and some areas will be closed off until you progress the story.
http://i.imgur.com/075QoXx.jpg
Characters:
Since Suikoden has such a large cast, I will only be including certain story important characters. In no particular order.
http://i.imgur.com/kMcJBqa.pngRiou: The main character, a young man who was branded a traitor when he watched his homeland start a war. He gathers an army to fight back.
http://i.imgur.com/qRz564a.pngNanami: The her's older adopted sister, she's very bossy and loud but very caring and kind.
http://i.imgur.com/3lGCEYe.pngJowy: The hero's best friend since childhood. He comes from a more privileged family but they disown him after he is branded a traitor.
http://i.imgur.com/GO91Zan.pngShu: An arrogant but brilliant young man who agrees to become the army's tactician.
http://i.imgur.com/mAAphpp.pngApple: A tactician's apprentice, she is an old acquaintance of Shu and is willing to do what it takes to bring the army success.
http://i.imgur.com/6eOkbFl.pngTeresa: Acting mayor of Greenhill who is loved by her people and would do anything for them.
http://i.imgur.com/47ehKOz.pngViktor: A large, loud, but very kind man who leads a group of Mercenaries.
http://i.imgur.com/tTNORZa.pngFlik: Part of the Mercenary's, he still works with Viktor after the last war and helps out the hero's army in this war.
http://i.imgur.com/swBikSt.pngGengen: A young kobold warrior who fights with Viktor's mercenaries.
http://i.imgur.com/Kx8asK5.pngFreed Y: A dutiful man who is very loyal to his homeland and to the hero's cause.
http://i.imgur.com/KfiA7b7.pngTsai: This quiet man creates and maintains the fire spears.
http://i.imgur.com/fvLfZp7.pngEilie: A traveling knife thrower who develops a crush on the young hero of the game.
http://i.imgur.com/oZWw4lN.pngRina: Eilie and Bolgan's older sister who is very flirtatious. She is also a fortune teller.
http://i.imgur.com/JUKaIo6.pngBolgan: A young man who travels with Eilie and Rina, whom they consider a brother. Very childlike and kind.
http://i.imgur.com/afRNn3X.pngCamus: Captain of the Red Knights of Matilda, a charming and intelligent man and good friend to Miklotov.
http://i.imgur.com/LCa86iN.pngCaptain of the Blue Knights of Matilda, he is very passionate and speaks up for what he believes in.
http://i.imgur.com/YQFkawP.pngFitcher is a man who often deals with foreign relations. He acts like a fool but is actually very smart.
Overall:
Suikoden II is a gem of a game for an RPG fan. It's finally available now on the PlayStation Network for a reasonable price, but I bought my copy at a story for a higher cost. I don't regret it as it has given me a lot of fun playthroughs. The story is excellent, touchy, and very engaging. The gameplay is fun and it has a lot of excellent mini-games. There are a lot of really great characters, some nice areas to explore, and overall it's just a very good game. The story really is the best thing about it and it's handled very well. I would definitely recommend this to a fan of the genre and I look forward to many more playthroughs.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/7evxV09.jpg
Colonel Angus
10-09-2015, 12:13 AM
Seems interesting. I never played that series.
Pumpkin
10-19-2015, 05:59 PM
Mass Effect 2 (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/TrCDIC9.jpg
Story:
Mass Effect 2 is the continuation of the first Mass Effect. I did not play the first Mass Effect and if you do the same I would recommend looking up some general info and reading the information they give you. You will create your own hero named Shepard who dies at the beginning of the game. Shepard is then rescued by a group called Cerberus, a group often considered a terrorist organization, who request your aid with their mission. The game takes place in the future and is set in space. As Shepard investigates the disappearance of human colonies around the galaxy, s/he will learn more about the Reapers and a certain alien race called the Collectors who are being used by the Reapers. Shepard will have to assemble a team and try to find a way to stop the Collectors on their home turf.
http://i.imgur.com/DAP45Z3.jpg
Gameplay:
Mass Effect 2 is an action-role playing game that to me has a lot of aspects of a shooter. During most missions, you'll be shooting your way through things using the R1 button, with L1 to zoom in, X to take cover, holding X to run, and a few other things. You'll have a few different weapons to choose from to help you tackle a variety of situations and enemies. You can change your and your allies weapons at certain spots as well as on your ship. While you don't have direct control of your allies, you can ask them to use certain powers, certain weapons, and position them in certain places. You can bring up to two allies with you on a mission. You can also use different powers and things depending on what character class you chose.
http://i.imgur.com/0h1iLWj.jpg
You'll have a number of dialogue options throughout the game that may give you points towards the Renegade/Paragon system. This will affect available choices later on in the game as well as certain outcomes. This game does have long-term affects depending on your choices which can also affect what happens if you port your game to Mass Effect 3. You can level up your characters and assign points, do character loyalty missions which will grant them a second outfit, talk to your crew, raise fish, decorate your quarters, and a few other things. You can also accept sidequests by talking to people at different areas.
http://i.imgur.com/vnOCmDx.png
World:
This game has multiple worlds as you will be exploring a lot of the Milky Way galaxy. There are certain planets you can land on and explore and do things like shopping and talking. A lot of planets will just have you scanning the planets for minerals and launching probes in order to upgrade your ship and weapons and powers. Occasionally while exploring a planet you will find an anomaly which will allow you to land on the planet for a mission of sorts. You can explore further in to different star systems, as well as buy star charts that allow you to explore new places. The game also gives you a lot of details about important areas as well as individual planets that you visit.
http://i.imgur.com/CZ6GCt3.jpg
Characters:
(Not all characters may be playable and some not mentioned here may be playable in your game. Ordered from favourite to least favourite):
http://i.imgur.com/YIjry97.pngKasumi: A master thief and DLC character who wants help retrieving something important to her. She uses heavy pistols and submachine guns.
http://i.imgur.com/cApbGG1.pngTali'Zorah: A mechanic genius who is very loyal to her people. She has to prove that loyalty during her mission. She uses heavy pistols and shotguns.
http://i.imgur.com/ibVfABw.pngGarrus: Going under a code name, Garrus stops criminals by... killing them. As you do. His loyalty mission involves getting revenge on a murderer. He uses sniper and assault rifles and has a good voice.
http://i.imgur.com/rAsCU4G.pngSamara: Samara is a justicar who follows a strict moral code and has very powerful abilities. She needs help with one particular criminal. She uses submachine guns and assault rifles.
http://i.imgur.com/z4JwxnW.pngJacob: An experienced and idealistic fighter who wants to make a difference. He uses heavy pistols and shotguns.
http://i.imgur.com/CAVkPTB.pngLegion: A bunch of Geth put together in a body. Does the robot dance if you watch him long enough. Uses assault rifles and sniper rifles.
http://i.imgur.com/7N8SZG1.pngMordin: A doctor and scientist and professor, he speaks very quickly and is overall friendly. Uses submachine guns and heavy pistols.
http://i.imgur.com/haMVsB6.pngJack: A notorious criminal with very powerful biotic abilities and some serious personal issues. She uses heavy pistols and shotguns.
http://i.imgur.com/0MzeD62.pngMiranda: A member of Cerberus, she is very cold and down to business although as she opens up you learn more about how she became the way she is. Uses submachine guns and heavy pistols.
http://i.imgur.com/zkCkxaO.pngThane: An renown and skilled assassin who has personal family issues to face. He uses sniper rifles and submachine guns.
http://i.imgur.com/oKUuDwp.pngGrunt: A tube grown Krogan, he is violent and aggressive in nature. His loyalty mission involves helping him channel that violence. He uses shotguns and assault rifles.
Overall:
I wasn't really sure what to think of this game when I first got it. I'm not too fond of shooters and while I like some sci-fi, it's not my genre of choice. Not many characters interested me either. But I took a chance and I am glad I did. The characters grew on me and most had a surprising depth to their story. I liked making my own character and choosing how things happened. I like that you can replay the game and have things go very differently. While the morality system seems good in theory, I didn't like how you basically had to choose all one way or another in order to see the benefits, and I would have rather been able to choose between different stances for different situations. This kind of took away some of the freedom of the dialogue choices. The gameplay overall I did not like as it was too much shooter-like for my personal tastes and it took a while to get used to. I got the hang of it (and I'm glad there was a difficulty setting) but I still didn't get used to everything I could have done because I was overwhelmed. The missions were also fairly linear, the story was oddly paced, and scanning planets was pretty boring. Really what made this game good for me was the characters and the story and the openness of a lot of it. Also how your choices actually have an impact on how things play out was a really great thing and I think more games should do that.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/biwLldv.jpg
Psychotic
10-19-2015, 06:57 PM
Yeah I agree on the morality thing, ALL RENEGADE or ALL PARAGON is stupid and restricts the freedom it purports to give players.
Pumpkin
11-03-2015, 05:55 PM
Fallout: New Vegas (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/ZkRFNhR.jpg
Some notes before I start: I have not yet completed the game because there is just so much to do and I will continue to play it, but I have played a good chunk of time. I just won't be able to comment on endings or other things because I haven't seen it!
Second note is a content warning. This game contains a lot of violence and gore and disturbing scenes like torture, substance abuse, foul language, sexual content, slavery, among others. If any of these things bother you then be aware because they are prominently featured in the game.
Story:
In Fallout: New Vegas, you play a courier of your making who was delivering a package (as couriers do) and then was shot. Luckily for you, a doctor from a nearby, quaint little town saved your life and sets you up to go on your way. From there the game is very open. You can start hunting down the person who shot you for revenge, you can join up with a number of groups and gangs, you can accept quests of all different sorts, pick up companions, or just go about your merry way while exploring the absurdly large map as you make your way to the New Vegas strip. Also, the game is set in a post-nuclear apocalyptic wasteland.
http://i.imgur.com/jfly0AW.jpg
Gameplay:
Fallout: New Vegas is an open world action role-playing game. You have a lot of freedom as to when you go where, although they'll sometimes put a few beef gates in your way. You choose which missions you want to do, how you want to do them, who you wants to talk to and when, and just generally are able to go around and take things at your own pace. The game does have several difficulty settings as well depending on your play style. You'll run across a number of weapons, usually guns of some sort, although you can also feel free to punch things or hit them with a baseball bat. The game also has a system called "V.A.T.S." which will pause time while you select a target and an area to shoot them. It does take some buildup time in between using it, so you can't just use it over and over again, although it doesn't usually take too long.
http://i.imgur.com/PqB0vTp.jpg
As you level up, you'll get to distribute skill points (which I will discuss more in the Character section), as well as pick perks of all different kinds. It's hard to explain everything gameplay wise because the game is massive and easily tailors to different fighting styles. I watched my boyfriend play before I tried it and despite both of us putting many hours in to the game, I did not see a lot of repeat. Even in missions we both took, our selections and skills would change the experience. There are a ton of missions to do from exploring dangerous places, assassinating people, interrogating prisoners, or helping addicts recover. You'll be faced with a lot of decisions in the game which will largely help shape your experience.
http://i.imgur.com/pWeUf4O.jpg
World:
As mentioned, the world is massive, sporting over 100 locations (close to 200, I think), and is largely explored at your own pace. It is, however, rather drab looking, although I suppose it makes sense considering it takes place a few hundred years after a nuclear war. There is a lot to explore though and while some of it is rather uninteresting and/or dull, there's also a good many places to visit and a lot of history to explore if you take the time or care to do so.
http://i.imgur.com/VXYG8fl.jpg
Characters:
So I'm not going to go over all the characters, but I'll just give some general info. You make your own character and there is a lot of customization you can o to their face. Hair options are sadly a bit lacking, but you know. You also get to customize a characters attributes, traits, and skills. You can make someone dumb as a rock, or make them a genius. You can make someone quick, sneaky, or slow and powerful. You can have your character specialize in a certain type of weapon if you want to. You can give them a lot of science skills to help them around the world. There are so many options as far as making your character unique. I personally made my hero a smooth talker with a lot of charisma since I was more interested in the story than in the fighting.
http://i.imgur.com/anUfmey.jpg
You can also pick up some companions as you progress the game if you play your cards right. They'll accompany you and help you out in a fight. You can bring one human companion and one none human companion with you at a time, although I believe you can befriend more than one and you'll just have to go pick them up again to switch them. I personally recruited a dog who needed a new brain and a lesbian who punches things really hard. Be aware that your characters have their own personalities, and bringing one in to an area they hate is only going to result in some trouble that you may not want.
http://i.imgur.com/syDGKz8.png
There are also groups of people you can join throughout the game depending on who you want as allies and enemies. There are a few major groups and some smaller ones. This will affect the missions and options you have available to you as well.
Overall:
I tried this game because how open and free it is has always appealed to me, although I was always a bit turned off by the world and combat. I would say that generally sums up my opinion. I liked the world in the sense of how big it is and how much you can explore. I also like the history and detail certain areas have. However, some areas were quite boring and the aesthetics of the world do not appeal to me personally. The gameplay in terms of battles for me is just in the way of the parts I do like, although I am glad there is a difficulty setting so I don't have to worry about it too much. Others will probably find it a more fun part of the game. I very much enjoyed the customization and being able to make a character my way. The amount of dialogue options is excellent, and I'm very happy with the different types of missions available. Overall it is a very enjoyable game, good quality as far as story and detail (although kind of glitchy, unfortunately), and a lot of fun to play. I would definitely recommend it.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/LZJJ875.jpg
Psychotic
11-03-2015, 07:09 PM
I'm not surprised you and Veronica were bros!
Pumpkin
11-03-2015, 07:13 PM
xD Why's that?
Psychotic
11-03-2015, 07:20 PM
She's just this cool and funny lady who likes to punch things repeatedly. I sort of imagine you doing the same, like, "Oh, here comes the mailman! POW!" bonus points if you have a working Power Fist!
sharkythesharkdogg
11-03-2015, 07:46 PM
Actually it was more like this scenario:
~pumpkin hums her way along the desert landscape, oblivious to the perils that lay around the corner, when suddenly she hears, "For the Brotherhood!" and the scene turns to a slow-mo shot of Veronica punching the head off of some feral ghoul.
...."Oh, well, thanks Veronica, I didn't see-" Only to be cut off by another slow-mo shot of Rex tearing into some poor raider. ~
It wasn't like she wouldn't/couldn't fight, but those two would just fan out and look for trouble. She'd be in a vault or something, and they'd be completely on the other side of the place tearing things up. I had Boone for my exploring and he was a little more laid back. He'd just pick things off from far away.
Pumpkin
11-03-2015, 07:49 PM
It's true. At least on easy mode (not sure about harder modes) those two were ridiculously on top of their game. I usually had no idea anything was going on until there was suddenly a slow mo of Veronica punching out a robot or something.
Rex did have a tendency to wander off when I needed him though :/
Psychotic
11-03-2015, 08:09 PM
Did you give her a dress?
Pumpkin
11-03-2015, 08:21 PM
I did!
Pumpkin
11-10-2015, 04:16 PM
Super Mario Bros 3 (Super Nintendo)
http://i.imgur.com/Fwvu0Tz.jpg
The version of the game I played was in Super Mario All-Stars for the Super Nintendo. Being a huge video game fan, I had never actually played much Mario. A level here or there, nothing much. I'm actually not very good at platformers, and while I like the odd one (Ape Escape), it's overall not my genre. Thankfully my boyfriend was there to help me along. And by help me, I mean complete all of the levels while I repeatedly died. Thank goodness for two-player mode!
http://i.imgur.com/oq12WxR.png
Super Mario Bros 3 is about Mario and his brother Luigi embarking on a journey to rescue Princess Toadstool back when she was still named Princess Toadstool, and also the kings of the different kingdoms, from Bowser and co.. The Toads are in it as well. That about it for the story.
http://i.imgur.com/3jB1Uot.png
The gameplay is something everyone knows. You control Mario (or Luigi) and stomp on enemies, dodge other enemies, go down pipes, jump on to moving platforms, get stuff thrown at you, and eat the occasional mushroom to get bigger. You also wonder what the heck is going on with these kingdoms. In this game you will also get a leaf once in a while that will give Mario a racoon tail which will help him kind of fly/hover. Makes jumping much easier.
http://i.imgur.com/l6xTN2u.jpg
There are, I believe, seven different worlds to visit. Each world has a number of levels in it which must be completed before advancing to the next. There are also shortcuts sometimes so you won't have to complete every level. On the map you will occasionally run in to the hammer bros who through hammers at you. While playing 2-player, when one player dies, those levels must be completed again (if you need to pass them to get to the next levels). Once you reach certain points, you will head up on a ship, battle a boss, and change the king back to his former self before moving on to the next world.
http://i.imgur.com/81dyVSp.jpg
Overall, as I expected, this game isn't really my type of game. There's nothing wrong with it and I can see why Mario is so popular, but it was infuriatingly and depressingly hard for me. I just was not any good at it. The level designs are usually really great to look at, the world is very colourful, and the challenges can be pretty fun, especially if you're a fan of platformers. The music is also very good. It's much more fun to play 2-player I think, and it's fun to go back to a time when 2-player meant that both players were in the same room. I did not complete the game however, because after getting more than halfway, our save data was just gone. It was very sad and frustrating. I plan to play some of the others in the Super Mario All-Stars collection, but not until I get over the loss of my first game.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i.imgur.com/YAoSCrh.png
sharkythesharkdogg
11-10-2015, 05:27 PM
Mario 3 is a classic and I really enjoy it, but I am not very good at it.
There's also the time that I had just beaten the word 4 or 5 boss that I had been struggling with for about a half hour, when the power in the house blinked off and on.
So that reminded be of the old days too. Back to the beginning of the whole world.
Colonel Angus
11-11-2015, 03:20 AM
8 WORLDS, PUMPKIN!
Grass Land
Desert Land
Water Land
Giant Land
Sky Land
Ice Land
Pipe Land
Dark Land
I'd advise you to try Lost Levels last. You don't know hard until you play that. :monster:
You should check out Wario Land 2 and 3, Pumpkin. They're a different kind of platformer and you cannot die in either.
Scotty_ffgamer
11-11-2015, 07:22 AM
Now I really want to play ape escape. Haven't played any of those in years.
Pumpkin
11-13-2015, 07:55 PM
Final Fantasy IX (PlayStation)
http://i.imgur.com/EfjZH48.png
Story:
Final Fantasy IX is a fantastical adventure of a monkey tailed thief, Zidane, as he kidnaps the willingly kidnapped Princess Garnet. You see, Princess Garnet is concerned about her mother's recent behavior since a very sexy and feminine looking man started coming around, and suddenly the Queen has decided to wage war on the continent. Zidane and Garnet also meet some other colourful characters such as a knight with a stick up his rear, a Black Mage kid, and some weird chef creature who eats a lot.
http://i.imgur.com/k60Ntwr.jpg
Before long, the story takes our heroes away from the war torn Mist Continent to other, largely unexplored continents in order to seek solutions. They all learn more about themselves along the way and learn that the events that have been happening are much more involved than they had previously thought.
http://i.imgur.com/m4qtqZO.gif
Gameplay:
This game is a turn based RPG, similar to many of the old school Final Fantasy games. Your characters stand in a row facing the enemies, and they each have bars under their names that slowly fill up as they await their turn. Once the bar is full, an action can be selected depending on the character. Some characters can steal, while others can use magic, for example. Once battles end, you can receive items, experience, money, and points towards skills. In Final Fantasy IX, skills are dependent on equipment. A skill can be used while the equipment is on the character, but if it isn't learned, it won't be available once equipment is switched out. Each skill has a certain number of points it needs in order to be mastered, after which it can be used at any time, even if the piece of equipment is no longer equipped on the character.
http://i.imgur.com/8ERvoP7.png
Aside from fighting, there are a number of other things characters can do. You can shop, explore towns, see events regarding what your party members are doing while you explore towns, play cards, synthesize items, or get your Chocobo to dig up treasure for you. The game is overall pretty well paced to allow you to take a breather and complete sidequests or go exploring when you need a break from the main storyline.
http://i.imgur.com/FYZydTs.png
World:
The world of Final Fantasy IX is vast and will open up and expand across the four game discs. There are four continents in total to explore, although the later continents are sparsely populated. Previous towns will sometimes grow and adapt with the changing storyline though, and there are a good number of hidden locations for you to find. You'll even get to explore some very interesting areas later in the game. You'll also receive a number of vehicles to help your exploration as time goes on. There are towns, dungeons, and a world map to explore.
http://i.imgur.com/2b4Gsoj.jpg
Characters:
(ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/LNX1oyw.jpgVivi: A young black mage, still naive to the world. He recently lost his grandfather and gets swept up in the adventure when he sneaks in to see a play. He is still fraid of his magic, but he means well and wants to help. Uses offensive magic
http://i.imgur.com/hcsS7Lo.pngQuina: From the odd Qu Clan, Quina is still naive to the ways of the world as well, and is sent with the party to try cuisines from all of the world. S/he likes to eat and cares about his/her friends in his/her own special way. Can eat enemies to learn their abilities
http://i.imgur.com/wUQI7sq.jpgSteiner: A knight with a stick up his butt sent to retrieve the Princess from the dastardly thieves, he's stuck learning that things aren't as black and white as he thought. Uses a sword and can sometimes use sword magic
http://i.imgur.com/LbhJ8ss.jpgZidane: Our protagonist, a master thief who isn't afraid to speak his mind or hit on the ladies. Under his flirtatious exterior, Zidane cares about his friends and always keeps a smile on his face in order to encourage them and keep them going. Can steal from enemies
http://i.imgur.com/NIkaQQf.jpgFreya: A dragon knight who left her home in search of her lost lover. She is dedicated and strong and not afraid to do what she needs to. She can use a special jump command to escape damage as well as deal damage when she descends
http://i.imgur.com/jvobBC7.jpgGarnet: A naive young Princess who wants to stop her mother from her warmongering actions. She needs to learn to tone down her royal town and blend in with the common folk as she travels around. She can cast healing magic and summon creatures to help her
http://i.imgur.com/X6XeJ0k.jpgEiko: A young summoner who thought she was the last of her kind. She has a crush on Zidane and isn't afraid to make it really obvious. A headstrong young girl with great respect for her ancestry. Like Garnet, she can use healing magic and summon creatures to help her
http://i.imgur.com/yt4mAIn.jpgAmarant: A surely and mysterious man who has a grudge against Zidane for making him a wanted man. He is very selfish and doesn't much care for teamwork. He can use many monk techniques in battle
Overall:
As I am sure some of you know, Final Fantasy IX is my favourite game of all time. Everytime I play it, I get swept up in to the magical adventure, still just as excited to see what happens next, to learn more about our heroes. The world is vast and fun to explore, the music is beautiful, the story is enthralling and entertaining, and the characters make me care about them and their journey more than most games can. This game is always there to comfort me during the rough times, to sweep me up in to the fantasy, and to make me excited and happy. With all of that being said, the game has its faults. The gameplay is extremely slow and the trance system, which allows your characters to become stronger and access new commands, is very poorly set up and usually ends up wasted. The graphics can also look very rough sometimes. But for me, no other game has matched the beauty and magic of this game, and I wouldn't be nearly as in to RPG's, or video games in general, if not for Final Fantasy IX.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/Tr8rK1C.jpg
Colonel Angus
11-14-2015, 02:04 AM
IX was great. Going to have to play it again when I have time. Quina was my favorite character. :quina:
Pumpkin
11-17-2015, 02:58 PM
Tales of Zestiria (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/VytyNdn.jpg
Story:
In this game, you play a young man named Sorey who is very enthusiastic about exploring ruins and studying history. He and his close companion, Mikleo, live in a protected place called Elysia. Elysia is inhabited by Seraphim, kind of spirit people, who cannot be seen by the average human. On day though, their peaceful life is interrupted when they find a human girl in the nearby ruins. Shortly after, a hellion (someone or something corrupted by malevolence) arrives and kills one of the villagers. Sorey, upset by what happened and curious to see the human world since he himself is a human, leaves the village with Mikleo for the world below.
http://i.imgur.com/hyv2O1S.png
Before long, Sorey finds himself in a position to purify malevolence and to help save the continent which is currently infested with hellions and about to go to war. He will also have to face the Lord of Calamity and his minions.
http://i.imgur.com/eO0GwQ5.jpg
Gameplay:
This game play much like a lot of other Tales games. Four characters will be in battle at a time, and you will take control of one of them. You attack by pressing O and can use arts (skills and magic) by pressing X along with different directions on your analogue stick. Actions use TP, which is replenished during and after battle. You can replenish it by guarding or doing other such, non-offensive actions. Without TP, your character cannot attack. You can also issue basic commands like "go all out" or "focus attack" by using the right analogue stick. A menu can be pulled up using triangle and square will block. You can also "armatize" by pressing L1, which will merge two of your characters to make one, much stronger character of a certain element. By pressing R2 and O during a combo, if you have enough BG points, you can perform special moves.
http://i.imgur.com/bZ945Kb.jpg
Arts can be learned via titles, so make sure to check your titles often for when they're maxed out. Equipment in this game will come with certain auto skills that range from improving stats to preventing ailments. There are 50 in total. You can combine this for different effects like stacking, or lining them up Bingo style, for added bonuses. Equipment that is the same can also be fused to make new support skills and strengthen the weapon or equipment.
http://i.imgur.com/hjeS2xO.jpg
There are a number of sidequests in this game to complete, and you can speak to your partner outside of battle to get some ideas or get their thoughts on happenings. You can rest at the Inns for skits, and you'll gain a lot of accessories to decorate your character appearances. Characters also have support skills outside of battle that have them doing things like cooking or finding money. You can search for creatures called Normin to give you skills on your equipment. Once you have Lord of the Land, you can have them grant you supports as well.
World:
The world of Tales of Zestiria is the most open I have seen in a Tales game so far and is rather massive. Luckily they allow you quick travel to other areas you've visited. It does come at a fee though, but especially later on it won't matter too much. There are a lot of really interesting and pretty areas and a large variance. There's a lot to explore. Dungeons, however, often look very similar and are quite linear.
http://i.imgur.com/X6v9Ad0.jpg
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/AOoNXk4.jpgLailah: Known as thelady of the lake, Lailah becomes Sorey's 'Prime Lord' and helps him to purify hellions. She is a fire seraph who jokes around a lot and makes a lot of bad puns, but she is also very sweet and caring. Having been around for a long time, she is also very wise, but prefers for Sorey and the others to find their own answers rather than just giving it to them.
http://i.imgur.com/ywmfXdU.jpgRose: A young woman who travels with a merchant group called the 'Sparrowfeathers'. She has a very laid back and playful disposition, but she isn't afraid to do what she needs to and can always make the hard decisions.
http://i.imgur.com/FnEXpcI.jpgSorey: The protagonist of our adventure, Sorey loves old ruins and history, but is a bit naive aside from that. He has a very pure heart and believes in helping others. He has a great respect for people in general and wants to make the world a better place.
http://i.imgur.com/Kr7Yx7V.jpgEdna: An earth seraph, Edna has a strong distaste for humans and a very snarky attitude. She loves to troll people and make fun at their expense. She is a very intelligent woman and she hopes to one day be able to save her brother, who has been very strongly corrupted by malevolence.
http://i.imgur.com/qQGvUCU.jpgMikleo: A water seraph who grew up with Sorey. He's a bit more serious although still naive, which sometimes can make him a bit of a butt monkey to Edna. He's usually a critical thinker and does everything he can to support Sorey in his journey.
http://i.imgur.com/VTI6iFR.pngZaveid: A wind seraph who likes to hit on the ladies and is an old acquaintance to Edna's brother. He kills hellions instead of purifying them and causes the group some trouble. He does have some deeper feelings though and can set aside his pride when he needs to.
http://i.imgur.com/4gT8KQi.jpgAlisha: A young knight who wants to do everything she can to help her country in a peaceful manner. She does her best to resolve conflicts peacefully and is trying desperately to prevent a war. Kind-hearted and always open to learning.
http://i.imgur.com/aptUGn6.jpgDezel: A wind seraph, Dezel is more of a lone wolf who will only work with others if it helps him further his own goals. He knows a ridiculous amount of trivia and facts about the world around him and seems to have a soft spot for dogs.
Overall:
Overall I quite enjoyed Tales of Zestiria. I loved the characters and there isn't one I didn't like and the story was very interesting. The gameplay was fun and not too complicated and I liked the armatization and the discovery points and being able to talk to my traveling companion. The world was beautiful and the characetrs were endearing to me. There were a few issues though. The writing could get cheesy at time, but my biggest gripe is that they aren't very clear on what's happening all of the time. I'm not sure why this is, but I'll often be lost in the conversations and won't have realized a critical piece of information until a good while later. The dungeons could also be really repetitive and boring. Overall though it was a very good game, I will definitely play it again, but there have certainly been better Tales games. Still, would recommend to a Tales fan and has a lot of great qualities.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/Us1KIHM.jpg
I heard this is also on Steam. Is this a good starting point?
Pumpkin
11-17-2015, 03:20 PM
P. sure it is on Steam. It could be a good starting point, yeah. It's not the best the series has to offer, I'd say low middle of the road, but it's still a good game. Gameplay wise it's probably a really good starting point because, to me anyway, it's easier to get the hang of than, say, Xillia or Vesperia. I'd say if you start with this one, go in with the mentality of a starter Tales game as most of the others have stronger writing. I think the cast of characters is very strong in this one though, but that's pretty subjective and I know a lot of people disagree~
Pumpkin
11-24-2015, 06:52 PM
Eternal Sonata (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/vUqNefF.jpg
I had previously played the Xbox 360 version of this game, and this was my first time playing the PlayStation 3 version. There are a number of differences. The PS3 version is notably more difficult, there are palette swap outfits for a few characters, two additional playable characters, certain things are moved around, certain bonus features are added. There are also altered scenes, including the ending.
Story:
Eternal Sonata is the story of Frederic Chopin on his deathbed. He finds himself in a whole new, fantastical world. In this world, an evil Count Waltz is selling a dangerous powder to his subjects. A powder shown to have some very serious and very bad side effects. On top of that, it's offered much cheaper than the alternatives, forcing a lot of people in to a bad position. Frederic accompanies some new found allies as they try to figure out what's going on and how to stop it. During the journey, he will also need to determine if this is just a dying dream, or if this world is real.
http://i.imgur.com/3Ohu5KS.png
Gameplay:
Eternal Sonata is a role-playing game. You will have 3 characters in a battle party at a time, and they will each get a turn (as will the enemies). On their turn, there are numerous actions that can be performed, such as attacking, using special attacks, or items. In this game, each turn has a time limit and the turn ends once the time limit is over. The battle system will also very slightly change as the story progresses. In the beginning, the time does not begin to count down until the character moves or takes action, but as the game progresses, time will begin to count down immediately as the turn begins. Certain other features also become available, such as echoes, which increase with each successful strike.
http://i.imgur.com/jTWaQH7.png
This game has a light/dark system in battle. The special attack being executed will depend on if the character is in a light area or a dark area. Light areas can include the field during the daytime, or under lights on a dark ship, for example. Dark areas can include places like shaded areas, or just in the field during night time. Certain enemies will also have areas surrounding them which will affect the light/dark system. Some monsters will even transform depending on if they're in the light or the dark. This makes positioning crucial if you want to use certain skills, like a healing skill, for example. As the game progresses, you will also be able to change which special attack is used by holding down the special attack button and releasing it when the desired skill is shown.
http://i.imgur.com/Nbahl2u.jpg
World:
The world is fairly linear to explore, but is actually quite beautiful. You'll have a wide range of areas, such as rolling fields, snowy mountains, caverns, lava-filled caverns, cemeteries, and many others. There's a lot to explore and see, and there are a decent amount of towns in between to shop and socialize. You can even perform musical scores with people you meet throughout your travels. Overall it is very impressive and one of my favourite video game worlds.
http://i.imgur.com/fHboaOH.png
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/TJZe8Bd.pngViola: A goat farmer and archer who always travels with her squirrel-like buddy, Arco. She's a very strong-willed woman and she likes to tease her friends.
http://i.imgur.com/Xp2kfpc.pngMarch: Twin sister of Salsa and one of the protectors of Agogo Forest. She's very soft spoken and kind.
http://i.imgur.com/KQWrOb1.jpgPolka: A terminally ill young girl who can use magic, she's treated as an outcast by most people, although she only wants to help and spread joy.
http://i.imgur.com/d3ErAus.jpgClaves: Working with the resistance group, Andantino, she is the right-hand man of the group's leader.
http://i.imgur.com/Sbw44tu.jpgFalsetto: Also working with Andantino, she isn't afraid to speak her mind and she takes her job very seriously.
http://i.imgur.com/td7YYBv.jpgJazz: Leader of Andantino, he wants to do what's best for the people.
http://i.imgur.com/0QtNqbS.jpgSerenade: Princess of Forte and fiancee to Prince Crescendo.
http://i.imgur.com/Jp80sQn.jpgFrederic: Frederic Chopin, the composer, who finds himself in this other world and can't determine if it's real or just a dying dream.
http://i.imgur.com/56eBxL1.jpgAllegretto: A street boy with some spunk who takes care of some of the other street urchins.
http://i.imgur.com/wYnrz0O.jpgBeat: A young street boy and friend of Allegretto, he has a passion for photography.
http://i.imgur.com/T24fAPe.pngCrescendo:Prince of Baroque who must make some difficult decisions for his country.
http://i.imgur.com/LKb9Xiu.jpgSalsa: March's sister, very spunky and loud and not afraid to make her opinion known. She also likes hats.
Overall:
I really enjoy Eternal Sonata. It's charming, it has a lovable cast (to me), it has fun, interesting, and engaging gameplay. The world is beautiful, and so is the music. The game has a certain charm to it that I really respond to and it never fails to put a smile on my face. With that being said, don't expect award winning writing; the plot has more holes than swiss cheese, although it's part of it's goofy, lighthearted charm in my opinion. The PS3 version did clear up a few things and improve on this, although it's hard for me to tell exactly how much it was an improvement and how much I was just used to the story from previous playthroughs. There are also some nice periods where the game takes a small break to teach you about Chopin while some nice music plays through the background. I would recommend it for RPG fans who likes some cheesy charm, and I'll definitely continue to play it in the future.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/eDCk6VR.jpg
fat_moogle
11-24-2015, 08:43 PM
Eternal Sonata was fun :D I enjoyed the battle elements of the light & dark. I can't remember much about the games story as a whole, though xD what I do remember though is that Polka could pack a punch with an umbrella xD
lol, we played the All Star version of Mario 3 around the same time xD Great minds <3 And I feel for you on the save situation. Had the same thing happen to me with Chrono Trigger.
What did you think of the sun stage?
Pumpkin
11-25-2015, 03:21 AM
Not much, honestly. A few levels stood out here and there but most of them were just frustrating to me
I hear ya. I'm not all that good at 2D platformers, myself (much better at 3D platformers), but I'm still proud of the fact I managed to beat the first Super Mario Brothers. Mainly out of dumb luck and stocking up on mushrooms into the last level. Smurfing Hammer Brothers.
Pumpkin
12-10-2015, 04:37 AM
Tales of Vesperia (Xbox 360)
http://i.imgur.com/uWXDLOl.jpg
Story:
Tales of Vesperia follows the story of Yuri Lowell, a young man from the poor part of town, as he begins a journey to recover a stolen Blastia, and ends up saving the world. As happens in RPG's. This Blastia is a device being used to properly regulate the water in the Lower Quarter (the poor quarter), and when it ends up being stolen, dirty water floods the neighbourhood. Yuri can't just let this go, and he and his pipe-weilding dog friend vow to hunt down the thief.
http://i.imgur.com/8JddRko.png
He meets some rather eccentric companions on the way, and soon comes to learn that not all is right with the world. Politicians are torturing their citizens and not paying for their crimes, some of the guilds are acting sketchy, and some dragon-riding person is going around destroying the Blastia that people use to help their everyday lives. Yuri learns that the world is a lot more complicated than he thought, and while his friend Flynn is trying to change things from the inside as a respectable knight, Yuri has to take matters in to his own hands and takes care of what the law can't touch.
Gameplay:
Tales of Vesperia will feel familiar to Tales of fans. Four characters are present for battle, and you will control one of them. An item later on will allow you to switch mid-battle which character you're using. The B button is regular attacks and the A button unleashes Arte attacks that use up TP. TP can be restored using items, by attacking, or having some restored after battle. As you progress you will be able to make your artes even more powerful and perform special skills. You can set your character to manual, where you will take full control, semi-auto, where you select the action and the game positions you correctly, or auto, at which point you can set the controller down and read a book.
http://i.imgur.com/E87ONH7.jpg
Outside of battle, you can synthesize special items, synthesize regular items and equipment, cook and find recipes, and engage in a number of side-quests, RPG style. Characters can also get titles as well as different outfits to choose from. You also get to view skits between your characters.
http://i.imgur.com/RZU80cv.jpg
World:
Tales of Vesperia has a gorgeous world, in my opinion. It is very bright and vibrant and has some very memorable locations. While it starts off fairly linear, you do get to explore freely later in the game. It has a good variety of areas, ranging from forest to desert to ice level. The locations are all also very colourful, and even the darker areas never feel drab.
http://i.imgur.com/lB8jqaq.jpg
Characters:
(ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/saG0wgg.pngEstelle: A noble woman that Yuri runs in to in the castle. She's naive to a fault, but loving and caring to all things. She has great healing powers and can't help but help those in need.
http://i.imgur.com/4q5mBTM.pngA mysterious woman with questionable intentions. Judith is who she is and has a lot of confidence about it. She speaks her mind and fight for what she believes in.
http://i.imgur.com/zfwPu6p.pngRepede: Yuri's dog companion, he has a haughty attitude and likes to troll some of the crew. Very loyal and hard-working for a dog.
http://i.imgur.com/t3rSQyp.pngFlynn: Yuri's BFF Forever, Flynn takes the righteous path. Having joined the knights, he works to correct the system from within.
http://i.imgur.com/prfGves.pngYuri: A vigilante who originally was just trying to get a stolen Blastia back for his friends. He takes matters in to his own hands and can't stand to see the corruption everywhere.
http://i.imgur.com/dTvhH53.pngKarol: A spunky but somewhat cowardly young boy who's been in a lot of guilds. He tends to flee from danger but he eventually grows a backbone and founds a guild with Yuri and Judith (and Repede).
http://i.imgur.com/qoUtBCt.pngRaven: A weird man who tends to come and go as he pleases, usually causing trouble along the way. There's definitely more than meets the eye here, though.
http://i.imgur.com/zDA8YHg.pngRita: Genius mage and Blastia researcher, there is nothing she is more passionate about. Not afraid to voice her displeasure, but a bit less willing to provide positive feedback.
Overall:
Overall I really enjoyed this game. The story was fun and engaging, even after the part where the plot takes a weird turn, and it kept me interested. The gameplay was a bit easier to get the hang of the second time around, but it isn't the most intuitive system. The world is probably my favourite Tales of world, I think it's very stunning. The characters were strong, as usual, and all got a lot of good development. I think it was a really strong cast overall. The cooking was a lot of fun as well. The downside is I find it rather middle of the road for me personally. The characters, world, and story are all great, but somehow they don't stand out to me in the face of the series. Still though, I would highly recommend it to both Tales fans and RPG fans in general.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/46uvy4V.jpg
Zeldy
12-12-2015, 01:52 AM
Verdict:
LOVED IT
no way, Tales of Vesperia! Such an amazing game - I imagine you've played Symphonia aswell? which did you prefer?
Pumpkin
12-12-2015, 01:54 AM
I have indeed! I much prefer Symphonia tbh, it's tied for my favourite Tales game ever and is like number 5 favourite game. How about you?
Zeldy
12-12-2015, 02:11 AM
I have indeed! I much prefer Symphonia tbh, it's tied for my favourite Tales game ever and is like number 5 favourite game. How about you?
I think I need to play symphonia again as all I can remember is Vesperia, in particular Estelle saying sorry all the time.
Oh, I'm sorry? I can't feel anything.. I'm sorry...
I loved them both, such beautiful games.
Pumpkin
12-19-2015, 11:51 PM
Conception II: Children of the Seven Stars (PS Vita)
http://i.imgur.com/EmNzfjk.jpg
Story:
This game takes place in a world where monsters attack humans and teens and young adults with the "mark of the Star God" are called upon to defeat them and defend human kind. It follows a theme of sevens, the dungeons being named after the seven deadly sins, and you have seven main heroines in the game. Our hero, Wake (default name) receives the mark one day, but we also find out he's something special. Called "God's Gift", Wake exhibits far more ether energy than the average person and as such he can enter the labyrinths, the home of these monsters, along with a small team. With this power, Wake, the heroines, the Star Children, and everyone else working on this, are dispatched to eliminate these monsters at the source.
http://i.imgur.com/j2UcxPu.jpg
Gameplay:
The main game is comprised of two main elements: The story and the dungeons. You will watch some story, complete a dungeon, watch more story, complete a dungeon, and the cycle repeats. During the story section you basically just watch and read, occasionally chiming in with a dialogue selection. The dungeons take up most of the game as they are rather lengthy and time consuming. In dungeons, you'll take one heroine and up to nine star children with you, those nine divided in to three teams of three. Your hero and heroine will make a fourth team. In battle, you will control one team at a time and place them around an enemy. Each enemy has a certain weak spot and attacking from that spot will result in more damage. You can also use skills, form giant robot things, use items, and other such battle commands. Labyrinths are divided by floor and you can exit a floor and resume from that floor, or proceed to the next one. Enemies are visible and of different colours depending on their strength relative to your party. If the enemy is weaker than you, you will walk right through them while still receiving money and experience and such.
http://i.imgur.com/xGcttd5.jpg
Another important aspect to the game is bonding with the heroines. You are given three "hearts" to spend in order to have scenes with the girls, where you will usually have a dialogue choice which will affect their mood and relationship with you. You can only advance their relationship so far before needing to continue the main story in order to get more of their individual stories. You can still interact with them to improve their mood though and can also give them gifts and accessories. You will gain more hearts to spend by resting, going to the labyrinth, or by going through the story. Improving their mood and relationships will result in stronger Star Children. Star Children are units you will use in battle, and you can have several dozen in backup waiting. Star Children are made by classmating (hand holding ritual) with a heroine. Depending on her mood and stats, you will choose a job for the Star Child(ren), such as Cleric, Gunner, Thief, etc. A Star Child will have a level cap, and cannot progress beyond that level. The weaker you and your heroines are, the weaker the Star Child will be and the lower their level cap. Once they reach it, you can retire them to improve your city in a variety of ways and replace them with another Star Child. So make sure to pay attention to their level caps so you aren't carrying a level 12 Star Child in to a level 30 dungeon. Occasionally a special child will be born who can reach level 99.
http://i.imgur.com/G2BS1ns.jpg
There are a few other minor aspects to the game such as shopping, accepting quests, sending retired Star Children to find treasure, seeing events with characters, and a few other such things. The game also has an auto-battle mode and a fast forward battle mode for when you get tired of playing and want to watch TV or something. Because those dungeons are long.
World:
The world isn't really explorable. When in the city, you will simply select a location from the menu and an action. The main exploration is in the randomized labyrinths where you will spend most of the game. They each have a theme and a certain decor, and you can find treasures and such things in them, as well as many enemies. They can be revisited after completion and continued from the most recent floor.
http://i.imgur.com/45DzneQ.png
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/0pOYqrJ.jpgTorri: Torri was raised in a lab and as such has very poor social skills. She means well and really wants to make friends, but she tends to take things too literally and says some awkward things. Her dream is to fly.
http://i.imgur.com/FYEds0J.jpgChloe: Chloe is the not much older than her students teacher. She's a genius who has already written books and had a ton of accomplishments before her time. Well loved by most but suffering the wrath of her superior, she works hard to try and balance everything thrown at her.
http://i.imgur.com/tJhF2Ik.pngEllie: An odd girl who knows the hero from a long time ago. She's usually well put together but she has a very stressful and secretive home life.
http://i.imgur.com/9p8ZUkm.jpgNarika: Shy to a fault, but wanting to improve on her self confidence. She practices making speeches and eventually gains confidence through less than ideal means.
http://i.imgur.com/AwfrPiK.jpgWake: "God's Gift" with the special amounts of ether and basically a huge source of hope for humanity. A pretty alright guy depending on how you decide to play him.
http://i.imgur.com/V0eO3Qy.jpgFuuko: A girl who enters the academy at the same time as Wake and has an obvious crush on him. She suffered some sort of trauma when she was younger which interferes with a few aspects of her life. She also gets possessed by a friendly ghost sometimes.
http://i.imgur.com/1s82DNd.pngFeene: Beautiful and popular with no knowledge of any of this, Feene inspires others around her to love her. She's also in to photography and has some people she misses back home.
http://i.imgur.com/dYz5xfg.pngSerina: Tiny girl with an attitude who is afraid to show her positive feelings. Feels inferior to her successful, tall, beautiful sister and drinks a lot of milk to try and grow bigger.
Overall:
I enjoyed this game. It was far from perfect but I really liked the characters, there wasn't even one I disliked, which is a huge plus for me. With that being said, the characters all essentially fill out a certain trope and don't really deviate from it. This doesn't bother me, but others may be bothered by it. The story was good and interesting. The pacing was pretty off though with their being way too much gameplay for me. Luckily for the fast forward and auto-battle because the dungeons get really tiring really fast. The gameplay itself is fun enough though and easy to get in the swing of. My biggest issue would have to be the fanservice. Women's boobs jiggle like they're made of jello and there are more than enough uncomfortably pervy scenes. Even the Star Children concept is kind of ick, although on the brightside, the Star Children themselves are adorable and fun and I love watching them run around the dungeons in their little outfits. So I would say it's a fun game although nothing spectacular.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/3GDNKw6.png
Mirage
12-24-2015, 07:28 PM
Have you ever reviewed a game you didn't like?
Pumpkin
12-24-2015, 07:29 PM
Yeah, Futurama
Mirage
12-26-2015, 12:53 AM
there was a futurgama?
Pumpkin
12-26-2015, 01:47 AM
Indeed. And it was not very good
sharkythesharkdogg
12-26-2015, 01:19 PM
It was better than a lot of licensed property games. It was very average game play though.
It had a lot of cute references to the show, and the cell-shaded art style worked well for recreating the show's art style.
Pumpkin
12-31-2015, 06:22 AM
Omega Quintet (PlayStation 4)
http://i.imgur.com/GVeVHoI.jpg
Story:
The world is covered in darkness. Humanity is on it's last legs. Strange monsters are taking over the world. People are dying. What can humanity do? Who can save them? Idol girls of course! There exist special teenage girls in the world called "Verse Maidens" who can sing away the "Blare" and hit monsters with giant hammers, all while wearing cute outfits. It does get deeper and more serious as the story goes on, but it's about as silly and lighthearted as it sounds.
http://i.imgur.com/cq8iYyk.jpg
Gameplay:
There are a few aspects to the game. The main one is battles. There will be a lot of them. You get five playable characters, all available in battle at once, and your support main character. The main character acts as support in battle and can be paired up with one of the other five to defend or attack for you. The battles are turn based and have a range of actions you can select, such as attack or skill or item. More options will unlock as you progress, including a harmonics mode where you can chain together several skills to make more powerful skills, and a live concert mode where you will receive requests for actions to perform in battle.
http://i.imgur.com/JXN7lJi.jpg
Weapons and various types of equipment can be crafted and given to any of the main five characters. Skills are unlocked in a type of skill tree using points accumulated in battle. You can also get more costumes for the heroines. Costumes do take damage though, so you'll need to repair them as you fight. You can also strengthen them to take less damage. There is a training center which is good for getting rare items and levels. You will receive many (MANY) requests from townspeople as well. And finally, there are character scenes to watch by exploring your HQ, and you can also make idol-tastic music videos. There is also a relationship meter which will affect your ending.
http://i.imgur.com/AAEiEk3.jpg
World:
The main part of the world is your HQ, which will allow you to interact with the heroines, make music videos, train, accept story quests, and craft items. You can also visit the city, although you will only get a list of people to talk to, some with quests. The rest of the world is various dungeons you will explore as the game progresses. Some areas will be locked until you proceed with the story, or until you unlock special skills by completing requests.
http://i.imgur.com/Rld8JSP.png
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite):
http://i.imgur.com/Zg3Irky.pngNene: An amateur verse maiden who doesn't quite enjoy her job. Although she likes guns. A lot. She seems meek and shy at first, but she's actually a rather concerning individual.
http://i.imgur.com/smVfJMD.pngAria: She has been a verse maiden for a long time, but sadly an incident happened that left her with what seems to be some brain damage. She has a hard time showing emotions, making it difficult to tell when she's joking or being serious, and speaks very slowly.
http://i.imgur.com/uf2mXWJ.pngOtoha: A brand new verse maiden and lover of all things verse maiden. She is naive and has a bad habit of screwing up. But she doesn't give up and is a really good person.
http://i.imgur.com/sxc4GXx.pngKanadeko: Athletic, active, and fun-loving, Kanadeko can find the brightside in everything she does. She also goes full force towards her goals and doesn't really care for stopping and thinking things through.
http://i.imgur.com/IuokWJ7.pngTakt: Takt, ironically lacking in tact, is a long time friend of Otoha and manages the girls as their, well manager. He also provides support in battle.
http://i.imgur.com/ivyBZfn.pngKyouka: A serious and powerful verse maiden who has made it her life's mission to stop the Blare and protect citizens. She can be a stick in the mud but she means well and she works hard.
http://i.imgur.com/spTeek7.pngMomoka: A verse maiden who is much older than she looks and has a longer career than most ever manage. It is, however, time she retires since she's in her 40's and has been fighting monsters since she was a teen. She is harsh and vulgar but deep down she cares
Overall:
I quite enjoyed Omega Quintet. But then again, I like girly fun dressup turn based games, so it was right up my alley! I had a lot of fun with it, the gameplay was really fun (which is good because there was a lot of it) and I also liked the story. I actually liked it less towards the end because it took a bit of a darker direction, which I wasn't really expecting from this game. The characters were good, although I wouldn't say they were great. The same thing with the story. As far as recommending it, I would recommend it to fans of the Hyperdimension style of games. If you like those games, you will like this one. If you haven't tried any, I would recommend Fairy Fencer F as I find that to be of higher quality, but there's really nothing wrong with this one if it's your style of game. The negatives would be some rather cringe worthy scenes, dialogue wise and fanservice wise, and the fanservicey outfit tears that bothered me. Although I was happy as can be with all of the different outfits, accessories, and hairstyle options. Overall, while it was far from perfect, it was a really fun game, I really enjoyed it, and I would play it again.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/FGXwVRK.jpg
Vermachtnis
01-01-2016, 07:45 PM
This has been recommended to me by a couple of people, but I just never got into the whole idol thing. And there is no way that girl is 40. She looks younger than some of your party members.
Pumpkin
01-01-2016, 07:54 PM
Yeah she looks about 12 and tries to pass as such occasionally.
Formalhaut
01-01-2016, 08:01 PM
Yeah she looks about 12 and tries to pass as such occasionally.
Yeah, that's kinda freaky.
Pumpkin
01-01-2016, 08:09 PM
She does it to get out of responsibilities. "I can't do the thing, you couldn't ask that of a kid" and such. It's basically a joke. While I don't agree with them making a 40 year old woman look 12, I can actually appreciate the fact that there is a 40 year old woman. RPG's seem to hate the idea of having anyone over 25, except for the occasional "battle hardened veteran" who happens to be like... 32. Let alone having women in their 40's. So while it wasn't done in the best way, it's a start, I think :monster:
Pumpkin
01-07-2016, 06:02 PM
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (Nintendo DS)
http://i.imgur.com/omPf4aB.png
In Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, you play as newbie defense lawyer Phoenix Wright as he attempts to save his clients from the "Guilty" verdict and prove their innocence. You'll usually have a helper of some sort with you to give you help and tips and add to the general shenanigans of the trials as well. There are a total of five cases to complete and they represent the five episodes of the game.
http://i.imgur.com/gqRWWkF.jpg
The game has two major parts to it: The trails and the investigations. At the beginning of each episode you will discover your case. meet your client, and learn of the crime. From there you will either go to a trial or an investigation, and there is plenty of both to complete in each case.
http://i.imgur.com/6gqw7of.jpg
During a trial, you will hear a witness testimony. From there you must cross-examine the witness to find any contradictions in their testimony. You can press them for further details, or you can present evidence that points out a contradiction. Don't just present anything for no reason though, you'll be given strikes for each thing you do wrong. When your five exclamation points are gone, you could be putting your clients freedom on the line. During trials you will also be prompted with questions and you'll have to select the correct answer or risk getting more strikes.
http://i.imgur.com/pR0iXWp.png
During the investigative phases, you will go to different areas, examining crime scenes and locations, talking to different people and asking them questions pertaining to the trial, and sometimes present to them a piece of evidence in order to further their willingness to talk to you. This is also the main way you'll be gathering evidence for the trail. You will switch between investigations and trails many times throughout each episode.
http://i.imgur.com/n2cNmiQ.jpg
Overall I can't say I was completely enamoured with the game. The cases tended to get drug out way too long and I overall disliked the investigative sections. The game had more plot holes than swiss cheese, and while obviously the game couldn't be exactly like real lawyering, it seemed so far removed that it broke the immersion for me. Stealing things that were just accepted as evidence without a second thought, having to prove an innocence rather than a guilt, a grossly incompetent judge. If I didn't know any better I would have thought I was the prosecution from the way the trials take place. Other than Detective Gumshoe around the 4th case, none of the characters really grabbed me or made me care about them, although they did get better by the end of it. Also I turned off the music early on because the sound effects annoyed me at first, but when I turned them back on later, the music made a huge difference as far as atmosphere. The game did have some good points, like the music. The cases were sometimes interesting and it was neat how things would tie together in the end. Overall I would say the game got better by the end, although sadly most of it just felt like a chore. With that being said, it did improve enough towards the end that I will at some point give the second game a chance. Don't let my opinion dissuade you though, the game is hugely popular and has it's good points. It just personally wasn't the most engaging or fun thing for me personally.
Verdict:
MEH
http://i.imgur.com/MWf3W9u.jpg
Karifean
01-07-2016, 06:54 PM
Ah yes, a classic. Too bad you didn't enjoy it much, I consider it a pretty fun game. I like how it utterly flip-flops between comedically silly and pretty serious, like THE FREAKING PARROT right in the middle of a totally serious trial. I suppose it helps that I took a liking to most of the characters. Judge is hilarious.
It's good to see I'm not the only person on Earth who just doesn't get the hype. Gumshoe is pretty adorbs, tho
Pumpkin
01-07-2016, 07:01 PM
I threw paper at my boyfriend when he said the blue badger was stupid I was like "DETECTIVE GUMSHOE WORKED HARD ON THAT YOU HORRIBLE PERSON"
Well, he did, but he is kind of an idiot. Which is why we love him.
The only thing that really drives me bonkers with the first game is how they buildup that past trial with the Feys mother in level 2, and then when they show it in level 4. With the way it was described and the way it was shown it may as well be two completely different cases. You had two guys and a kid in an elevator, you needed a spirit medium to figure out who killed who!?
Also, so many of those objections would so not hold up, but it's a Japanese game with obvious anime inspiration and a girl who takes the body of her dead sister and nobody ever notices, so I can let that slide. >.> Justice for All does a better job of shortening the trials so they don't feel as long as they did in the first one. Though I personally never been all that crazy with the investigation scenes. My favorite parts is when you're at court.
For me the court parts were the only tolerable ones :p
Formalhaut
01-07-2016, 07:52 PM
I will agree that the court segments are the best of Phoenix Wright, but the investigation parts get more streamlined and less... aggravating, I guess, as the series progresses.
Probably the worst episode for investigating is 'Turnabout Samurai'. That case really didn't require three separate investigative segments. 'Rise from the Ashes' is also worth mentioning for being so damn long, but at least some parts of the investigation were noteworthy.
But it also had the worst character ever. I hated Ems Skye so muuuch
Karifean
01-07-2016, 08:23 PM
Eh, she's alright. I liked that she was actually integral to the story of the case and unlike Maya you actually end up talking to HER as well to get information.
Formalhaut
01-08-2016, 02:03 AM
I rather enjoyed Ema Skye, actually. I liked that she really took an interest in the sciences and was willing to be helpful in a more practical fashion at times. She proved an interesting counter-point to Maya's companionship, which dealt much more with spiritual affairs. I honestly wouldn't have minded her appearing more. (she does appear in the fourth game, but that's enough of the spoiling).
She reminded me of Maya too much at times, which I guess was the point, but still.
Yeah, that's what bothered me. She was a replacement goldfish for Maya whom I'd grown attached to. Plus, she was pretty mean-spirited in my experience. She seemed to tease Phoenix much more than Maya, and in a seemingly much more deliberate way than her. Definitely not a fan.
Pumpkin
01-22-2016, 05:05 PM
Civilization Revolution (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/jJ6K31P.jpg
Civilization revolution is a game in which you build a civilization from the ground up. I have played none of the PC or other Civilization games, so I cannot compare between them.
When you start a new game, you will chose a leader and a country. There's a wide range of historical figures to select from such as Napoleon, Ghandi, Catherine the Great, and many others. This will also decide which nation you're playing as, and each nation invokes certain bonuses as the game progresses.
http://i.imgur.com/dumc9tr.jpg
You start with one village which will grow depending on what you choose to build. You can make units such as warriors or settlers. In each town you can also create buildings like libraries, markets, Churches, and many other things depending on your choices in game. Each thing you build will take a certain number of turns based on how many resources you have. It's important to consider food and resources in your area when you have your settlers build a new location.
You'll also have technologies to research every certain amounts of turns, which will influence the things you can build. If your towns are near to each other you can also spend gold to build roads between them which will speed up travel. Gold can also be used to speed up the process of building your units, buildings, and wonders. You can move your units around the map depending on how many spots they can move per turn, and you can engage other nations or barbarian forts in combat, as well as discover new locations.
http://i.imgur.com/GFIpdpX.jpg
There are four main ways to win the game. The first is by taking over every other nation in the campaign. I believe there are 4-5 nations total in each campaign. Another way is to achieve a cultural victory, where you need to build and obtain 20 wonders and/or great people and then build the United Nations. You can also win by being the first to send something in to space, or by obtaining 20 000 gold.
You can also choose your difficulty in your single player games, allowing for different levels of challenges. There's also a multiplayer and online feature as well. You can also select scenarios which will influence how the game is played, such as speeding the game up, making other nations more hostile, and other such things depending on how you like to play.
http://i.imgur.com/vKWBmP7.png
Overall it was a fun game. It's pretty short to play through one campaign but luckily there's a lot of replayability in how you complete your game and which nation you play as well. You also unlock gifts and trophies to collect. I had fun with the game and I plan to play it again. It can sometimes be a bit unclear in the beginning as they don't necessarily explain things well, but other than that I don't have many complaints. While it was fun, it isn't something I'd play over and over again without a break in between.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i.imgur.com/wT75L8f.jpg
Pumpkin
01-25-2016, 04:09 PM
Until Dawn (PlayStation 4)
http://i.imgur.com/FXFOcOV.jpg
Story:
Until Dawn is a survivor horror game about friends staying in a cabin up in the mountains of Vancouver. One year prior to the main game, most of the group played a mean prank on a girl named Hannah, who ran out in to the cold wintery night, followed by her concerned sister. The two go missing. One year later, their brother invites his friends back up the mountain. They agree, hoping to support their friend after losing his sisters. Things take a turn for the worst though when creepy and violent things start happening. It's then up to the player to try and keep all 8 characters alive until dawn, when rescue will arrive for them.
http://i.imgur.com/CWD9cd3.jpg
The game's story will change depending on what happens in game. If certain characters die, you'll miss some parts of the story. It will also change based on decisions you make. Some decisions are minor and only affect some dialogue whereas other choices may lead to a characters death somewhere later in the story. I would recommend going in blind the first time to really emphasize the choices since you won't know which ones will have wide reaching effects. As the game likes to remind you, this is called the butterfly effect.
http://i.imgur.com/PSYqCFM.jpg
The game takes place during one night and over 10 chapters. Each chapter lasts probably between a half an hour and an hour and a half, depending. You'll control different characters at different time as the game progresses and get to watch their own individual stories. I wouldn't write off any characters too soon as some of them will surprise you with how they behave when the chips are down. There are also 3 mysteries to solve in this game via clues that you find.
http://i.imgur.com/DKBUgB4.png
Gameplay:
This game isn't the most involving gameplay wise, but you still need to pay attention. Most of the time you will be walking your character around dark places and looking for clues. Clues will help complete three of the background stories of the game and help you to better understand what's going on. You'll find totems that will give you a few second video showing what could possibly happen in the game, in the hopes of guiding you to correct decisions. Different coloured totems mean different things such as death of your character, a different character, a decision that should be made, etc. You'll also have to make many decisions in the game by selecting between two different options which can and will affect the story. Some will operate on a timer. Choosing to do nothing when there is a timer is also an option.
http://i.imgur.com/Wc7e431.jpg
For the more involved parts of the game, you'll need to aim your controller and hit things within a target within a time limit. You'll also need to do quick time events where you press a button that appears on screen before time runs out. Sometimes you'll need to hold your controller very very still. Failing to do these things in the time limit might be beneficial, might do nothing, or might lead to a character dying. You also have the option to play the game with motion controls (moving your controller) or with just regular controls (using the joysticks).
http://i.imgur.com/NjTybQQ.jpg
World:
The game takes place on a creepy mountain at night. You'll explore a cabin, the woods, the mountains, the mines, and a few other dangerous and creepy locations. Everything is pretty dark most of the time. Typical horror stuff.
http://i.imgur.com/LxqCoXp.jpg
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/C2kZBmM.pngJessica: Jess is the new girlfriend of Mike and ex-best friend of Emily. She puts a lot of emphasis on her looks, she makes a lot of sex jokes, and she enjoys joking around and having a fun time.
http://i.imgur.com/Co4rklR.pngMike: Mike is the ex-boyfriend of Emily and current boyfriend of Jess. He acts pretty tough and confident and has a good sense of humour, although he can be mean spirited a lot of the time.
http://i.imgur.com/sah84ZQ.pngSam: Friend to all, she's very caring and tries her best to keep everyone happy. Can be pretty serious and has a good head on her shoulders.
http://i.imgur.com/q6SQV28.pngAshley: Has a crush on Chris. A bit more meek and quiet than a lot of her friends, she's more of a follower than a leader. She's also generally kind and curious.
http://i.imgur.com/PGcjV9Z.pngMatt: Emily's new boyfriend. A people pleaser, he's a pretty nice guy although he can get a bit jealous. Tends to fall in to the background.
http://i.imgur.com/SOf2ujs.pngChris: Has a crush on Ashley but isn't able to act on it. He tries to stay calm in rough situations with mixed results. The "nerd" of the group.
http://i.imgur.com/mMyS7vO.pngEmily: Mike's ex-girlfriend and Matt's new girlfriend. She acts over-confident and is generally pretty smart but can be very bitchy and demanding.
http://i.imgur.com/9y8bQBu.pngJosh: Brother of Hannah and Beth, the girls who went missing. He has some unresolved issues, although he tries to act like everything is fine.
Overall:
I quite enjoyed this game, although I enjoyed watching it more than playing it. I get scared incredibly easy and playing it was bordering on too much for me. But I have watched my boyfriend and a let's play of it as well, so I saw a few different outcomes and possibilities. I like how the characters will change based on your choices, although it makes it hard to do a write-up of them that way. The story is good, it's basically like playing a long horror movie. There were a few issues with the story and the way certain scenes were presented, but overall it was really good. The gameplay was fine. The stay still could be brutal sometimes though, as sometimes moving a millimeter would cause the game to act as if you just started dancing with the thing. The characters were pretty great, seeing them change based on your actions, seeing all the stuff they go through. That part was excellent. The butterfly effect aspect is slightly oversold as the story will essentially be the same except with a few different scenes and more or less characters. Overall it was great although incredibly scary (for me) and I still am not fully over being scared after playing/watching this game several times.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/HBS6sx5.jpg
Psychotic
01-26-2016, 08:08 AM
YEAH FUCK EMILY! I feel sorry for Josh, it was actually a really interesting portrayal of mental illness. The section with him near the end got fucking dark.
Pumpkin
01-26-2016, 11:34 AM
I agree that he was an interesting character with some interesting story but at the end of the day it's hard for me to be like YAY JOSH when he did everything he did to his friends :P. The funniest part was that 2 of his main 3 targets were minimally if not uninvolved in the whole prank thing (Chris was passed out and Sam was against it), so that was kind of silly. Meanwhile Mike and Jess who were a huge part weren't really a huge part of his revenge scheme. It was weird.
But yeah he certainly had some very interesting bits
Psychotic
01-26-2016, 12:53 PM
Oh yeah sure I totally agree his plan was a dick move! With all the medical history of mental illness though I did feel a bit sorry for him in the way that I just couldn't for someone like Emily who is a straight up bitch. Like, his plan clearly wasn't the work of a rational well adjusted individual and he was clearly experiencing some sort of breakdown as the game went on. But then his overall personality was a bit annoying anyway (when he seemed at his most healthy) so fair dues, can't say I yay Josh either!
Pumpkin
01-26-2016, 12:57 PM
I agree, Emily was... something special. But gosh could she think on her feet sometimes. I would have been dead as a doornail and she was there making torches and shniz
I like how Mike basically turns into Nathan Drake by the end of the game xD Also curious, regarding Mike I kept his fingers, but my girlfriend was freaking out when that timer was going on, because the game makes you think something is coming after you. The machete kept breaking, but I kept using it, and eventually his fingers came out, rather than ... off. Obviously my girlfriend would have cut them off, and I've watched 3 playthroughs up to, and past that point, and they all cut Mike's fingers off. Anyone else experience the story with his fingers still attached? I found it odd that I'm the only one I know who let the poor guy keep his fingers lol
Good review. I'm glad you ended up enjoying it after-all, even if it was mostly vicariously.
Formalhaut
01-26-2016, 05:59 PM
Many interactive stories tend to overplay the butterfly effect element. I suppose there's a limitation on just how many things you can encode, but still. Heavy Rain was a fantastic game that again didn't quite live up to that mark.
Pumpkin
01-26-2016, 07:27 PM
Good way to avoid the fingers thing is to avoid the trap altogether ;D
/helpful
Pumpkin
02-02-2016, 04:11 AM
Mortal Kombat (Super Nintendo)
http://i.imgur.com/w3SXvVH.jpg
Mortal Kombat is a klassic fighting game where you pick one of seven fighters and then... beat up other fighters. The series is known for its over the top and gratuitous violence, blood, and gore, and this is the game where it all began. I will say that the version I was playing was rather tame, especially after playing some of the later entries in the series.
http://i.imgur.com/nUmuBBf.jpg
The game is pretty straightforward. Y and B buttons punch and X and A buttons kick. Arrow buttons let you move, duck and jump. You can do those things while kicking and punching for added effect. The shoulder buttons are your guard. Performing certain button pushes in certain orders with certain characters will pull off different moves. Upon defeating an opponent, performing correct button presses will result in a special ending animation where you kill the loser by performing a fatality.
http://i.imgur.com/98jy2oA.jpg
The menu is simple. You fight or you adjust your options, like difficulty or button presses. If you select tournament, a friend can press start on their controller and the two of you can battle it out. If just you, you will progress up the line of fighters, defeating them all including your mirror self. Then you will have three rounds where you have to defeat two opponents, one right after the other, without a break or regaining your health. Afterwards you fight the two ending bosses.
http://i.imgur.com/t7DdEXv.png
Characters:
(In no particular order)
http://i.imgur.com/Fkr2t4S.pngJohhny Cage: He wears shorts and shades. A movie star
http://i.imgur.com/lFQPwcS.pngKano: A bad guy with a weird eye
http://i.imgur.com/pkcVuD8.pngSub-Zero: A blue ninja with ice powers
http://i.imgur.com/TdMvWve.pngSonya: The one girl you can play
http://i.imgur.com/xqjAo4e.pngRayden: Thunder God
http://i.imgur.com/ekfaX6E.pngLiu Kang: Shirtless fighter
http://i.imgur.com/9lDMqcn.pngScorpion: Yellow ninja who has a skull face
Overall this was a fun game because it was exciting to play a piece of fighting game history. It's obviously an older, stiffer game, but it was still a lot of fun and it still holds up a fair amount today. I had actually never played the original, so it was nice to see the series at its basic roots. It's very simple, very stiff, and you'd probably have more fun playing X, but if you want to have some retro nostalgia fun with a fighting game, Mortal Komat is an excellent choice.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
The visuals don't age well because they used real people, and MKII is better in every way, but for an starting point it was a pretty solid entry. Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Johnny Cage, Sonya, and Raiden are my favorites.
Have either you or sharky trigger the secret Reptile fight?
Vermachtnis
02-02-2016, 06:55 AM
Looking at this, I don't think I've ever played the first one.
Pumpkin
02-02-2016, 11:28 AM
We have not triggered the secret reptile fight! Well, not yesterday anyway, I'm sure sharky has probably done it at some point
You have to be pretty good at the game, so yeah. I could never do it.
Pumpkin
02-04-2016, 02:17 AM
Battle Arena Toshinden (PlayStation)
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/0001_1.jpg
Battle Arena Toshinden is a fighting game that was pretty innovative for its time. It was touted as having brought fighting games in to true 3-D due to it's awesome sidestepping and fighting in a 3D environment. Characters also fight with weapons similar to in Soul Calibur, but before Soul Calibur.
http://i.imgur.com/p86W3Gz.png
Like most fighting games, you press buttons to attack your opponents. You can also hold the back arrow to guard or press the shoulder buttons to sidestep. Or side flip, or cartwheel, or spin. Moving around in this game is almost too easy and you'll easily find yourself further or closer than you intended to be. You can also run at your opponents and knock them off the screen with attacks, or be knocked off if you're unlucky. Beware that the edge of the arenas are quite slippery and you can easily find yourself falling off.
http://i.imgur.com/PSIcKPj.jpg
The story is incredibly generic. Fighters gather to fight... for stuff.... and things. Many have reasons. This reasons are not overtly explained and you probably have to look for them. Likewise the ending is just as generic, although you do get to see a special move by your chosen character. In this "story" mode, which is basically just 1P mode, you have to fight every character in the game, followed by Gaia, the boss character. As in most fighting games, you can set the difficulty and round count, etc. It's rather short and doesn't take long to playthrough. There's also a 2 player mode, obviously, and an option to just fight the computer. There are also a few unlockable characters.
http://i.imgur.com/iUOWLIQ.jpg
Characters:
(In no particular order)
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/eiji.pngEiji: From Japan, uses a Byakko Katana
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/kayin.pngKayin: From Scotland, uses Excalibur
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/sofia.pngSofia: From Russia, uses a whip
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/rungo.pngRungo: From United States, uses a large club
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/fo.pngFo: From China, uses iron claws
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/mondo.pngMondo: From Japan, uses a Seiryu Spear
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/duke.pngDuke: From France, uses a large two-handed sword
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/ellis.pngEllis: From Japan, uses twin dirks
Overall this game is clearly older and not up to today's standards, or even the games that came out a few years after it. With that being said, it was very fun. It controlled almost comically, the voice acting was cheesy and awful and amazing all at the same time, the characters look rough, and the backgrounds are horrendous. But the game is incredibly fun and charming and it was a lot of fun to play another piece of fighting game history. The game is incredibly cheap (around $1 US on Amazon) and I would highly recommend it if you want some lighthearted and mindless fun and entertainment if you enjoy fighting games.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/0002_1.jpg
I loved the first Toh Shin Den game, except I played the original Saturn release. And it was very pretty. And a few years later, I bought the third one on the PS1 and it was atrociously ugly, and played like garbage. I have no idea what happened in that time, but the only bonus was there was like 30 characters, but most of them were duplicates or triplicates, so not really even that worth it. Still have a soft spot for the original though. That, Virtua Fighter 2, and Soul Blade got me into 3D fighting games. Funny how the Soul series was the only one to keep it going for me. And now even they are a joke :( I'm sad now lol
Edit: Just realized that I spell the name of this game differently than its actual release name. And yet for some reason it's so ingrained in my head, I actually googled it to verify my spelling (which is apparently common for some reason) and found an old post on this forum where it was brought up last time and I spelled it that way lol I dunno, maybe the anime was spelled that way (which I watched, sadly more than once), or perhaps I had a bootleg copy or something. Oh well, just a curiosity
krissy
02-10-2016, 05:54 AM
that was my first psx game
super great
i cant beat everyone at it i think though
edit: yeah do not play the toshinden 3
Pumpkin
02-12-2016, 05:21 PM
CLANNAD (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/WQ8JmU3.jpg
CLANNAD is a visual novel, meaning it is basically a... text that you read and that has pictures. Like a... novel that is visual. This particular one is very choice intensive and you will find yourself making a number of dialogue choices in a number of different situations. Depending on those choices, you will open up new scenes and endings. This game has many endings and, for each "good ending" you complete with a character, you'll receive a light orb. You need to obtain a certain amount of light orbs and complete certain character routes to obtain the "After Story" section of the novel, which I will cover later.
http://i.imgur.com/Fb7DulU.png
CLANNAD is about a teenage boy named Tomoya who feels disenfranchised with his life. Having an unhappy home environment, Tomoya stays out late and wakes up late, making him tardy for school. He generally wastes his time while in school, sleeping or skipping class, and only goes the minimum amount he needs to to not get kicked out. He and his friend Sunohara are known as the delinquents of these school and waste their lives away. One April day, however, Tomoya meets a girl at the bottom of the hill leading up to the school. This is where our adventure begins as Tomoya makes decisions that will affect the rest of his life. The rest of the story varies widely depending on which route you are pursuing. There is also a somewhat separate section called the "Illusionary World" that you will see sometimes as you progress.
http://i.imgur.com/0L0PARn.png
There are many different character routes and many different dialogues depending on what you choose to do when. It's very open and it makes it so that pretty much every playthrough is different in some way. There are a number of romantic options for Tomoya to pursue, as well as a few non-romantic storylines to learn more about certain characters. You'll amass a list of terms you can look up, some music you can listen to from the main menu, and several CG images you can look at as well. the game is really quite indepth and I have just completed all routes clocking in at 63 hours. The game also keeps track of your progress so you can go back, replay, switch things around, and skip previously read text if you just want to get to the new stuff.
http://i.imgur.com/qdm2Fwu.png
The After Story is quite extensive in its own and follows the story of Tomoya and Nagisa's life after the previous CLANNAD story. It follows them as they complete high school, move in together, go off in to the work force, and have a child together. The After Story also wraps up a few other character arcs. You'll need to play through it at least 3 times in order to get the "True Ending" by amassing more Light Orbs. It is essential to get as many light orbs as you can if you want to see the True Ending. I would recommend a walkthrough for this game if you intend to see everything it has to offer.
http://i.imgur.com/VEavezs.png
Characters:
(In order of favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/Tq7SJbw.pngYukine: A sweet girl who hangs out in the old reference room and tends to societies deliquants. She is very upbeat and positive and gives everyone the benefit of a doubt.
http://i.imgur.com/7KfXWxv.pngFuko: A tiny girl handing out starfish carvings to get people to her sister's wedding. She is weirdly arrogant and zones out a lot.
http://i.imgur.com/YYtte28.pngMei: Sunohara's younger sister. Very level headed but can roll with the punches and tell some jokes with the best of them.
http://i.imgur.com/XOK13sm.pngSanae: Nagisa's mother. Very gentle and caring, although kind of a cry baby. Also not good at innovating bread flavours.
http://i.imgur.com/MTx2ah0.pngRyou: A shy girl and the class president of Tomoya's class. She is either very good or very bad at fortune-telling, depending on how you look at it.
http://i.imgur.com/t0uQrhC.pngTomoya: Our protagonist. A deliquant with a good sense of humour who is generally very upfront about his thoughts and feelings.
http://i.imgur.com/giwmYDE.pngAkio: Nagisa's father. Very goofy and brings a smile to people's faces. A good father overall and a good husband. Kind of a creepy though.
http://i.imgur.com/isBolpc.pngNagisa: A very shy girl who motivates herself to school with promises of food. She's somewhat seekly but has a strong constitution.
http://i.imgur.com/NZgj9Pa.pngSunohara: Tomoya's friend and fellow deliquent. Difficult to rank because he can be a jerk or the voice of reason depending on your route. Always good for a laugh, though.
http://i.imgur.com/7Y8qRIn.pngKoumura: An old teacher at the school, he cares deeply about the students and wants to see them succeed.
http://i.imgur.com/d8DRMpY.pngKappei: An odd young man who likes to prove his masculinity. He's rather blunt and a bit offbeat.
http://i.imgur.com/pOGo2HZ.pngTomoyo: A girl with a bad reputation of fighting from her old school, she's tryng to turn things around and make her way on to the school council.
http://i.imgur.com/0YE1x2t.pngKotomi: A somewhat childish but very intelligent girl with some odd habits.
http://i.imgur.com/NeB397P.pngMisae: Sunohara's dorm mother, she's level-headed and works hard to deal with her rambunctious dorm students.
http://i.imgur.com/PK8kJHQ.pngIbuki: Fuko's sister and former art school teacher, she also taught Nagisa.
http://i.imgur.com/ACzlkfs.pngKyou: Ryou's twin sister. Much more lively and aggressive and not afraid to push (sometimes violently) for what she wants.
http://i.imgur.com/JWiLyme.pngNaoyuki: Tomoya's father. The two of them do not get along very well, and he is shown to be somewhat naive.
http://i.imgur.com/XcToTho.pngYoshino: A man with a secret past who does physical labour around town. He has a kind heart and is known for saying some very inspirational things at odd times.
Overall I really enjoyed this visual novel. The degree to which I enjoyed it varied pretty widely from route to route though, so I am glad I got to try them all and see everything it had to offer. The art was a bit off-putting at first, but in the end I didn't notice it much anymore. The story was pretty solid and there was a large cast of characters. I don't think I disliked any of the characters, really, so it was pretty strong. There were a lot of very touching and/or very emotional moments and there were some tears sometimes. I enjoyed the concept of how making one different decision could impact your life in such a meaningful way. I enjoyed it and will probably play it again in the future.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/6wNLHjg.png
sharkythesharkdogg
02-12-2016, 06:21 PM
"Why don't you have feelings for my wife? She not good enough for you?!"
I may try this someday. Though the art does look quite off putting :/
Pumpkin
02-12-2016, 06:25 PM
Yeah, you get used to it after a bit though
Karifean
02-12-2016, 06:42 PM
Yay, my first visual novel. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for participating in the bookclub, too. Rereading this gem as a group was a lot of fun. I have my own wall of text to write about it, but I'll leave that for my own blog.
Akio best dad.
Formalhaut
02-12-2016, 06:51 PM
Looks interesting but that art style leaves something to be desired.
http://i.imgur.com/WQ8JmU3.jpg
"MOISTURIZE ME"
Pumpkin
02-12-2016, 07:03 PM
Aw I think that's a cute picture, actually :(
Karifean
02-12-2016, 07:12 PM
*shrug* You get used to it.
Art style doesn't bother me. It looks familiar, actually. I know I never played the game before, but I've seen that art style somewhere.
Pumpkin
02-21-2016, 12:41 AM
Life is Strange (PlayStation 4)
http://i.imgur.com/i1ezXL8.jpg
Note: This game contains foul language, drug use, sexual content, violent scenes, murder, and many other graphic subject matter. If any of those things make you very uncomfortable, I would not recommend the game.
Story:
Life is Strange is an episodic story about a teenager named Max Caulfield, who has returned to her home town in order to study at a prestigious academy under a photography legend. Her life takes a strange turn one day when she sees a girl being shot in the school bathroom and learns that she can actually rewind time. She quickly uses these newfound powers to save the girl and snoop through everybody's stuff.
http://i.imgur.com/G9FL2k7.jpg
Before long, Max learns that the girl she saved was actually her best friend Chloe from before she moved five years ago. Chloe has changed since Max left, becoming much more jaded with her life. On top of that, a student at the academy, and very close friend of Chloe's, Rachel, has gone missing. During the next week, Max and Chloe try to solve the mysteries surrounding the small town of Arcadia Bay, learn what happened to Rachel, and oh yeah, Max is having visions of a tornado wiping out the town too. Can her rewind powers help her save the day?
http://i.imgur.com/ACD7gFx.jpg
Gameplay:
Life is Strange is very much like an interactive story or movie. Mostly you will be walking Max around Arcadia Bay, examining her surroundings and listening to her thoughts on the things she sees and the things that happen. There will often be long stretches of story during which time, and during conversations, you will be prompted to make a choice. Max is also a photographer and you can take multiple pictures of specific things during the tale. You can check your journal, text messages, character profiles, pictures, and a few other odds and ends from the menu.
http://i.imgur.com/U9pKh4V.png
The main stand out feature is Max's ability to rewind time. Made a conversation choice you didn't like? Chances are you can rewind it. In fact, the game will give you a symbol when you gain new, pertinent information and you can rewind to use it. The game will also show a little butterfly icon to show you very important decisions that have been made along the way. Max can only rewind to a short while before and leaving an area will generally prevent you from rewinding to before you left. Some crucial moments cannot be undone though, so don't rely on this mechanic too much!
http://i.imgur.com/ayElsV2.jpg
World:
This game takes place in the small town of Arcadia Bay. You will be at set areas at set time and can't wander to other locations, but you're generally free to explore the places you're in a decent amount, finding clues, talking to people, and whatnot. Some locations you will see often are the school, the dorm, Chloe's house, and a small diner. There are a few other places as well to help keep things a bit fresh.
http://i.imgur.com/LiiopQM.jpg
Characters:
(In no particular order)
http://i.imgur.com/JaHEwCK.jpgMax: The main hero of our story, a girl who loves photography and can also rewind time suddenly.
http://i.imgur.com/8ebvZab.pngChloe: Max's friend, a troubled teen who feels disenfranchised with the world since her dad died and Max moved away.
http://i.imgur.com/R4nwNtl.jpgWarren: A nice young man who is very in to science and also very in to Max.
http://i.imgur.com/GDQgi4I.pngVictoria: The school bitch, she often feels the need to compete with Max's art and put down others around her.
http://i.imgur.com/0TljwOm.jpgNathan: An obviously troubled young man, Nathan is the person caught shooting the girl in the bathroom. Problem is that his family owns the academy.
http://i.imgur.com/RDcQVm0.jpgMr. Jefferson: The esteemed photographer and reason many of the students are attending Blackwell Academy, including Max.
http://i.imgur.com/xH7tXS9.jpgKate: A young religious girl who is often bullied and ridiculed by her peers, leading her to be quite depressed.
http://i.imgur.com/E2LkUt7.jpgDavid: Chloe's step-father or "step-douche" as she puts it, a former military man who often bullies students and takes surveillance way too far.
http://i.imgur.com/YcevyT8.pngJoyce: Chloe's mother. She works hard for her family since the death of her husband but isn't always aware of the issues with her new husband.
http://i.imgur.com/FKUDayO.pngRachel: Chloe's very close friend (possibly lover?) who has gone missing.
Overall:
While the game is episodic, you can now purchase the whole thing together for about $20 USD. It's rather short and I guess if I wanted to make this overall section short, I would say it was good, but I'm glad it was $20. It actually gets considerably better towards the end, and there were some very emotional moments that packed quite a punch. While I didn't like many of the characters, with the exception of Kate, some of them did grow on me by the end of it. Certain sections of the game were unclear, the slang was annoying as were many of the characters in my opinion, and some times you could/couldn't rewind were odd. But the art style was quite interesting, and so was the story. I seem to be playing a lot of butterfly effect stories lately so that fit right in. I'd say it was worth the time and the money, I will probably replay it at some point, but it has some very obvious faults as well.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/AfojxtT.jpg
Pumpkin
02-24-2016, 04:29 PM
It's time for another
*SPECIAL EDITION*
Six more months of video games - tl;dr version
It's been another six months and close to a year since the thread started. I won't be finishing up any games before the end of February so I went ahead and made the next six months. It'll be interesting to see how my opinions may/may not have changed since I played the games. So I will be ranking the games from favourite to least favourite of the past six months and giving a general overview. Remember that this is very subjective so my pros/cons may be completely different from yours.
LOVED IT games
1. Final Fantasy IX (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3571080&viewfull=1#post3571080)
Genre: RPG
System: PlayStation
General Info: You play a thief with a monkey tail who kidnaps a Princess and is joined by an odd, ragtag group of individuals who need to stop the bad guys and find out that got in to way more than they thought.
Pros: Great story, amazing characters, beautiful world, beautiful music, charming, Vivi
Cons: Gameplay is slow, trance system is awful
2. Suikoden II (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3566857&viewfull=1#post3566857)
Genre: RPG
System: PlayStation
General Info: You play as a young boy named Riou who has been betrayed and cast aside by his home land and now fights to stop the absurdly evil Luca Blight while gathering an army of 108 Stars of Destiny.
Pros: Lots of characters, great central cast, amazing story, great locations, fun gameplay
Cons: Long, sometimes difficult, war battles were not the greatest
3. Until Dawn (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3587577&viewfull=1#post3587577)
Genre: Horror/Adventure
System: PlayStation 4
General Info: A bunch of teenagers spend the night at a cabin in the woods and try to survive Until Dawn, depending on your actions and reflexes.
Pros: Many choices, scary, great characters, good development
Cons: 2scary4me, some charactes don't get enough time
4. Tales of Vesperia (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3575402&viewfull=1#post3575402)
Genre: RPG
System: Xbox 360
General Info: Yuri takes on the role of a vigilante as he chases down a thief and ends up in the middle of a corrupt situation, while his friend Flynn tries to change things from the inside.
Pros: Good characters, beautiful world, great story, good moments
Cons: Gameplay a bit complex, weird story direction
LIKED IT A LOT games
5. Fallout: New Vegas (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3569893#post3569893)
Genre: Action RPG
System: PlayStation 3
general Info: You play the courier in a post-apocolyptic wasteland who was shot and almost killed until a friendly neighbourhood doctor came and rescued you. Now it is time to take revenge! Or just wander around the Mojave Desert helping people or messing up their days.
Pros: Customization, tons of freedom, good companions, great dialogue choices, accommodates many different play styles
Cons: Drab as all heck world, shooter aspects, kind of dull story
6. Tales of Zestiria (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3571549&viewfull=1#post3571549)
Genre: RPG
System: PlayStation 3
General Info: Our hero embarks on an adventure with the mystical spirits that most people can't see, in order to help cleanse the world of darkness and bring peace to the land.
Pros: Good cast of characters, interesting story, great world, lots to explore, touching moments
Cons: Not as well told as could be, not the greatest gameplay
7. Mass Effect 2 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3568283&viewfull=1#post3568283)
NOTE: This game has LIKED IT in the review, but in retrospect, I have bumped it up to here.
Genre: Action RPG/Third-person shooter
System: PlayStation 3
General Info: You play Commander Shepherd who is working with an agency called Cerberus and plans to do some things to stop some bad alien type things and you assemble an elite squad of allies.
Pros: Good characters, interesting story, lots to do, fun exploration, real consequences to actions, customization
Cons: Morality system not done well, too much shooter, mining planets was dull
8. Eternal Sonata (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3572469&viewfull=1#post3572469)
Genre: RPG
System: PlayStation 3
General Info: Frederic Chopin has a dying dream about a whole other world that may or may not be real. In this dream world, your ragtag group tries to stop the evil Count Waltz.
Pros: Great world, good characters, large cast, fun gameplay
Cons: Weird story
9. CLANNAD (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3594660&viewfull=1#post3594660)
Genre: Visual Novel
System: Steam
General Info: You play as Tomoya, a young delinquent man in high school and your choices will affect his friendships and relationships, while collecting Light Orbs to affect your endings.
Pros: Lots of choices, lots of characters, good story, touching moments
Cons: Art style, some stories not as good
10. Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3566093&viewfull=1#post3566093)
Genre: Simulation
System: 3DS
General Info: In this game, you work for Nook's Homes and help design the homes of various clients, as well as designing certain public buildings.
Pros: Designing homes, lots of selection, lots of available customers, building designs
Cons: Repetitive, short, tiny homes, nothing outside of designing
11. Battle Arena Toshinden (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3591662#post3591662)
Genre: 3D Fighting game
General Info: I have no idea, people fight.
Pros: Fun, silly, decent gameplay
Cons: Terrible graphics, some gameplay quirks
LIKED IT games
12. Doki Doki Universe (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3564338&viewfull=1#post3564338)
Genre: Adventure
System: PlayStation 3
General Info: You play the robot, QT3, as he searches for a little girl around all different planets. In the meantime, he gets to learn about humanity and emotions and help the residents of the planets he visits.
Pros: Sweet, personality tests, fun, good characters, nice environments
Cons: Too much DLC, small planets, gross planets
13. Aquapazza (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3563139&viewfull=1#post3563139)
Genre: 2D Fighting game
System: PlayStation 3
General Info: A girl has made an evil love potion that has brought warriors from different realms together(?) to fight her off, save the day, and return home.
Pros: Goofy story, bright environments, largely female cast, lots of different fighting styles
Cons: Simple, not the easiest combat system, support characters instead of playable
14. Omega Quintet (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3581499&viewfull=1#post3581499)
Genre: RPG
System: PlayStation 4
General Info: The world is being attacked by horrible monsters and humanity is on its last legs. Who can save them? Pop stars, of course.
Pros: Good characters, outfit changes, bright environments, fun gameplay
Cons: Fanservicey, not great story, too much pop star
15. Life is Strange (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3596591&viewfull=1#post3596591)
Genre: Adventure
System: PlayStation 4
General Info: A girl named Max discovers she can rewind time right as her friend gets hot in the bathroom. Using these newfound powers, her and her friend try to investigate the mysterious happenings around Arcadia Bay.
Pros: Some good moments, great ending, photography, easy to play
Cons: Bad slang, meh characters, some meh parts of the story
16. Test Drive Unlimited 2 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3563686&viewfull=1#post3563686)
Genre: Driving
System: PlayStation 3
General Info: Tired of being a broke valet? Street race! Suddenly you're rolling in cash and can afford the nicest houses and cars available on the islands.
Pros: Large world, pretty areas, two massive locations, some nice cars
Cons: Limited car selection, limited radio, not many good customization options
17. Conception II (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3579125&viewfull=1#post3579125)
Genre: RPG
System: PS Vita
General Info: You play as a special young man with special magical abilities that allow you and your companions to enter the lair's of the dangerous monsters that threaten humanity. You also get to look for a girlfriend on your off time.
Pros: Good cast of characters, interesting story, adorable star children, job class system
Cons: Repetitive, bland world, trope-ish, way too fanservicey
18. Mortal Kombat (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3590777&viewfull=1#post3590777)
Genre: 2D Fighting game
System: SNES
General Info: Take some fighters and try to save earthrealm, probably.
Pros: Classic, pretty fun, decent gameplay
Cons: A bit still, not many ladies
IT WAS OKAY games
19. Illusion of Gaia (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3564992#post3564992)
Genre: Action RPG
System: SNES
General Info: Our young hero is told he needs to set off on an adventure to many clones of real Earth locations in order to save the world from the coming evil.
Pros: Charming, nice areas, good cast of characters, classic feel
Cons: Hard, very hard, super hard, only one playable character, hard
20. Super Mario Bros. 3 (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3570552&viewfull=1#post3570552)
Genre: Platformer
System: SNES
General Info: You play as an odd stereotypical Italian plumber who leaves a path of murder and destruction in his quest to rescue the Princess from an evil turtle thing.
Pros: Fun, bright environments, lost of variety in the worlds
Cons: Hard, not good at platforming, frustrating
21. Civilization Revolution (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3586835#post3586835)
Genre: Turn-based strategy
System: PlayStation 3
General Info: You take control of some of history's greatest leader and build an empire from the ground up and try to achieve victory through many different means such as war ir science.
Pros: Fun, easy to play, bright environments
Cons: Short, repetitive
MEH games
22. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney (http://home.eyesonff.com/showthread.php/162058-Pumpkin-s-Video-Game-Diary!?p=3583475&viewfull=1#post3583475)
Genre: Adventure/Visual Novel
System: Nintendo DS
General Info: Newbie defense lawyer Phoenix Wright deals with his friendly rival Miles Edgeworth in a number of murder cases. You need to investigate and defend your client effectively in court.
Pros: Funny, interesting stories and plot-twists
Cons: Drags on, investigations were unfun, meh characters
Pumpkin
03-02-2016, 09:45 PM
Bloody Roar 3 (PlayStation 2)
http://i.imgur.com/iPPewF9.jpg
Bloody Roar 3 is about Beastmen, human who can turn in to beasts, having a mysterious mark appear on their bodies which grants them power, but will supposedly also kill them.Each fighter has a reason for fighting, generally involving the sign and how to stop or abuse its power. Like many fighting games, the plot is not super important or even that fleshed out.
http://i.imgur.com/TxsbESz.jpg
This game is a 3D fighting game. What makes this one unique is that each character can transform in to a beat version of themselves. Some can turn in to wolves or lizards or bugs or bunnies. This is obviously a very fantastical element, but the game actually handles it quite well and it doesn't feel gimmicky. There's also an element of strategy to it; your beast bar will fill and then begin to deplete once you have transformed. While transformed you will also heal some health. Do you save your transformation for when you need the health? For when your opponent transforms? Do you just go all out? Do you wait for it to fill completely before transforming? This allows for many different approaches and a bit more strategic thinking than a lot of fighting games offer.
http://i.imgur.com/4IK9fSD.jpg
The game has a few modes, such as a 9 stage arcade mode, a survival mode, a 2 player VS, and of course, options. There aren't many other modes aside from that. In the options you can change things such as difficulty, round time, and number of matches. The default layout is Square for punch, X for kick, O to transform and Triangle to throw. These buttons can do other things as well depending on your sequence of button presses. There is also no command list available in game, making it a bit of trial and error figuring each character out. Each character also has 3 outfits available, which will also change the appearance of their beast form, and there are two unlockable characters as well.
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/VnABKl0.pngAlice, The Rabbit: Alice leaves her job as a nurse to help Yugo who has gone off somewhere.
http://i.imgur.com/zBPWN7P.pngUriko, The Half Beast: After having horrific experiments performed on her and being saved, Uriko now feels pretty bored with her life.
http://i.imgur.com/4T5hlQF.pngJenny, The Bat: A super model and spy, she tries to uncover the secrets of her new mark.
http://i.imgur.com/wSOAZC4.pngShina, The Leopard: A powerful mercenary and soldier sent to investigate the mark.
http://i.imgur.com/7A5seUh.pngLong, The Tiger: Noticing the mark on the daughter of his master and close friend, he goes off in search of a way to save her.
http://i.imgur.com/iFIU6iW.pngBakuryu, The Mole: After being afforded a nice life thanks to Yugo, he enters the tournament to prove how much he has grown.
http://i.imgur.com/fpwachM.pngGado, The Lion: An advocate of peace between the humans and beastmen.
http://i.imgur.com/pUzw5t5.pngYugo, The Wolf: Another advocate of peace between humans and beastmen, he is searching for a way to cure the mark and keep people from dying.
http://i.imgur.com/Y1r5wit.pngShenlong, The Tiger: He is a clone of Long and has gone out in search of his own identity.
http://i.imgur.com/tNMeNEu.pngStun, The Insect: Experimented on by Busuzima, he struggles with existing as he is.
http://i.imgur.com/3bkPh7M.pngXion, The Unborn: Extremely OP villain of this game who killed his sister and wants a lot of power.
http://i.imgur.com/01BAuVJ.pngKohryu, The Iron Mole: A character unlockable by beating arcade mode, a robot based kind of on the sort of dead person he used to be.
http://i.imgur.com/wlSXM4u.pngBusuzima, The Chameleon: A mad scientist who wants to test the extent of his powers.
http://i.imgur.com/J6E7W5F.pngUranus, The Chimera: A character unlockable by beating the game without having to continue, a feat I was unable to accomplish. She is at the bottom only because I could never use her.
Overall this is an excellent fighting game. The game is fun and I like the added beast mode part of it. As I said, it doesn't feel gimmicky as I expected, but instead it serves as a way to make the game more complex and add a bit more strategy to it. The characters are mostly fun to use and I was happy to find that all of the female characters matched up with my style of playing and my preference for fast, acrobatic characters. The game is kind of minimalistic though, the story is kind of unclear, and my biggest complaint is that, even on the easiest mode, the game is just too darn hard. But overall a very good fighting game and I quite like it.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/d9wiWx4.png
Pumpkin
03-04-2016, 04:47 PM
Threads of Fate (PlayStation)
http://i.imgur.com/cKJEpUV.gif
Note: While I am familiar with the basics of Rue's storyline, I have only played and completed Mint's storyline and so my review will focus mostly on my experiences with her.
Threads of Fate is an action RPG where you can choose between two protagonists and each of their stories. While the general story is the same, the details can be very different as each focuses more on their own goals and personality. Rue's storyline is more serious while Mint's is more lighthearted, although both get their heavy moments. While a lot of the game is different, there are some nearly identical scenes as well and the overarching plot progresses much the same way.
http://i.imgur.com/7KZaOPX.png
Rue is a mysterious young boy who lives with a woman named Claire, whom he cares for deeply. One day, Claire is killed. Angered and saddened over her death, Rue searches for the powerful Valen's relic, a device he is told will grant him the power to restore Claire to life. Mint is a young, spoiled Princess in line for the throne. One day, her sister informs her that the throne will be passed to her, Maya, instead of Mint, due to the council fearing Mint's incompetence. Mint leaves the castle and travels around, searching for Valen's relic, thought to be the most powerful of all relics, so she can defeat her sister and take over the world.
http://i.imgur.com/RvdV7w0.png
This game is an action RPG, so monsters appear and are fought on dungeon maps. With Mint, you can attack and use magic. There are many different kinds of magic, unlocked during certain story events. Each magic also has certain sub-types to it, such as spread or more powerful shots, and these are generally unlocked by finding secret treasure chests. These will grant different ways to use the magic, as well as how much MP is used. You can also jump in this game. There are no levels in Threads of Fate, instead you will gain HP by being attacked and gain MP by using your magic. Enemies sometimes drop HP and MP bottles for you. In the event you are KO'd, you can use coins to restore you to health, depending on the type of coin, and resume where you are instead of starting back in town. Money is gained by defeating monsters and selling monster tokens (gained automatically) as well as selling certain barter items. You can also purchase defense and power upgrades along with a few other things.
http://i.imgur.com/jIgwamB.png
There is no world map per se. Instead, your base of operations is in a small port town where you rest, shop, and talk with villagers. As the story progresses, you will be able to unlock new dungeons and areas that can be accessed at the town gate. There, you will select a location and be brought to the area. You can also revisit old areas this way to grind or just see if you missed anything. The game also has a different ending for each character and a True Ending if you complete both storylines.
http://i.imgur.com/AZ2J7e2.png
Overall I found this game to be very charming. Mint was great and I enjoyed watching her. The story was very amusing and had me chuckling quite a few times. I purposely neglected to add a character section, as I feel the characters are best left as a surprise. I was impressed with the amount of development even the villains get, and the relationships to the heroes felt much more personal and investing than a lot of games manage. They are not faceless villains, but real people with their own stories. As the game progresses, there's also much more storyline scenes and less gameplay, something that personally doesn't bother me but may be irritating for those who want to focus on gameplay. It's also relatively short. My biggest gripe with the game though is the amount of platforming. I am not good at platforming and I generally don't enjoy it and it made the game quite a challenge. I got stuck on more than a few occasions. Regardless though, I would recommend it to fans of the genre. It's short but sweet, fun, and amusing. The character designs are adorable and I love Mint's design and over the top personality. I'm glad I played it.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/z5IMmP5.jpg
Pumpkin
03-14-2016, 04:15 PM
Dengeki Bunko: Fighting Climax (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/k4YwYi6.jpg
Dengeki Bunk: Fighting Climax is a 2D fighting game by Sega which stars many manga/anime, and sometimes other video game characters. The story is about an evil being defeating and taking the "data" from other characters and using them to fight whichever fighter you choose. This evil being, Zetsumu, believes that dreams (aspiration dreams not sleepy dreams) are evil, as pursuing your dream deprives others of theirs. The player character must fight their way to him and realize that dreams are beautiful things~
http://i.imgur.com/9OrM5Zg.jpg
This game is a 2D fighter that also features support characters. Each support character has two attacks they can perform, one by pressing X, and one by pressing the forward arrow and X. These attacks range from defense to attack to special attack, depending on the support character you chose. Your fighter character can perform a weak attack with square, a medium attack with triangle, and a strong attack with O. These can be combined together with arrows and other buttons to perform more moves depending on the character. There are also some special bars that can be used for special attacks and a few other such features. There is also a Dream Duel story mode where you face your character off against specific opponents in the order of your choosing.
http://i.imgur.com/SIkxu26.jpg
Aside from story mode, this game has many staple fighting game modes such as time attack and survival, as well as a versus mode, and an online match mode. You can also customize a player card and, with your winning points from playing the game, you can unlock features such as colour swaps for characters, and voices. You can also view some manga artwork and a few other such things. There are two unlockable characters (plus two support characters), one by beating story mode and one by beating story mode while winning the majority of fights with specials. These two cannot be used in Story Modes.
http://i.imgur.com/f4E9QLF.jpg
Characters:
(Because of the large number, I will not be posting support characters. I will also ONLY be posting the characters from my favourite to least favourite based on gameplay since I have not seen/read/played most of the characters anime/manga/video games and can't comment on their personalities or stories too much.)
http://i.imgur.com/drpXqkp.pngTomoka: From Ro-Kyu-Bu!
http://i.imgur.com/sqAezFS.pngKirino: From Oreimo
http://i.imgur.com/cWhb0cm.pngRentaro: From Black Bullet
http://i.imgur.com/tiPpAVE.pngMikoto: From A Certain Magical Index
http://i.imgur.com/45qkITs.pngShizuo: From Durarara!!
http://i.imgur.com/7OfLA2O.pngYukine: From Strike the Blood
http://i.imgur.com/LDSAyCn.pngSelvaria: From Valkyria Chronicles
http://i.imgur.com/uDhksz2.pngTaiga: From Toradora!
http://i.imgur.com/jRyAGro.pngAkira: From Virtua Fighter
http://i.imgur.com/9oZsQ2S.pngShana: From Shakugan no Shana
http://i.imgur.com/lysV0Kj.pngMiyuki: From The Irregular at magic High School
http://i.imgur.com/efwez2S.pngKirito: From Sword Art Online
http://i.imgur.com/RHiBHvH.pngAsuna: From Sword Art Online
http://i.imgur.com/PBNGBrV.pngKuroyukihime: From Accel World
Overall this was a fun game to play and I don't regret buying it, but I have other 2D fighters, such as Aquapazza, that are along the same vein and do what this game does, only better. The story is super generic, literally staying the same except for different dialogue with the chosen characters, which makes it less exciting to play through with everyone. There also aren't as many backgrounds as I would like and most are forgettable. This game is probably much better for fans of these characters, but for someone like me who only knows a few of them, a lot of the impact is lost. Tomoka, however, is the best part of this game, is super fun to use and adorable, and has made me want to look in to Ro-Kyu-Bu! There are some fun attacks though and the game is pretty fun to pick up once in a while, and I like the colour swaps. I just find it a bit lacking, personally.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
Karifean
03-14-2016, 05:50 PM
What a lineup.
Pumpkin
04-08-2016, 05:05 AM
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/feC0Lo1.jpg
Note: This game takes place roughly around the same time (shortly after, I think?) as The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky trilogy. If you have not played those games, such as myself, you may miss out on a few references here and there. However, the game still stands on its own and you don't need to have played the Trails in the Sky to understand this game and enjoy it. A direct sequel to Trails of Cold Steel will be coming out this fall.
Story:
This game takes place in the Erebonian Empire, a country still divided by a caste system: nobles and commoners. However, since the orbal revolution 50 years ago (akin to the industrial revolution of this universe), things are beginning to change. Some commoners are beginning to occupy more prominent positions than the nobles. This is leading to some strife within Erebonia between those who demand change, those who want to preserve tradition, and those who want to remain neutral.
http://i.imgur.com/mTbm5kg.jpg
The story follows Rean and his classmates at Thor's Military Academy. He and his eight classmates were specially chosen to be a part of the new Class VII, which doesn't separate students by caste, but instead brings them together in the spirit of teamwork and learning more about the state of Erebonia. As the story progresses, these new students get some eye opening experiences regarding their country, their family, and the inner workings of the system which is struggling with the changing times.
http://i.imgur.com/s3PRetg.jpg
Gameplay:
Trails of Cold Steel is a rather traditional turn-based RPG. You control a maximum of four characters at a time in your party and you can issue commands such as Attack or Item. Turns are based both on speed of the character as well as previous actions. Manipulating the turn order is an important part of the game as certain turns will grant bonuses such as health restoration. Characters each have a range and a move which decides how they can attack, and they can also be moved during their turn to avoid enemy attacks or to cluster together for buffs. A big part of battles is linking characters together which allows them to support each other in a variety of ways depending on their link level, such as a support attack or automatic (and free) healing.
http://i.imgur.com/ifa6Ts9.jpg
Characters can also use artes (magic) and crafts. Crafts are generally obtained by level and are unique to each character. They cost CP to use, which can be restored by attacking and being attacked. Each character also gets an S. Craft at certain points in the story which uses 100-200 CP and serves as a very powerful move. Artes are equipped using quartz. Quartz can be found or traded for sepith, which is obtained in battle. Any character can equip any quartz, which allow the casting of spells or the use of support skills such as increased attack or move. Each character also has a "master quartz" which levels up and grants the use of certain artes and support skills. These can be equipped on any character, allowing for a lot of customization.
http://i.imgur.com/wQs6vY5.jpg
Aside from battle, there are a few other things to do in the game. There are mini-games such as a card game, fishing, getting to know the villagers, cooking, collecting books, and a few other things. Another major aspect to the game is bonding with your teammates. On free days, you will be given a certain number of bonding points which can be spent with a number of people should they have an event. This lets you get to know the characters as well as increasing their link points. In addition, you will be graded every in game month for the amount of mandatory quests, side quests, and hidden sidequests you do. Rewards are given out for each rank achieved when being graded.
http://i.imgur.com/g2LhMS5.jpg
World:
Trails of Cold Steel takes place in many towns and cities in Erebonia. Exploration is very linear though, both on maps and in progression. Each month you will have time in Trista, the town of Thor's Military Academy. This lets you get to know each of the villagers and watch their individual stories unfold as the game progresses. In addition, each month there is a "field study" that brings you to another location in the empire. This lasts a few in game days and there is a very good variety of locations ranging from small merchant towns, massive cities, and nomadic villages. However, once you leave an area you will no longer be able to return.
http://i.imgur.com/jToC5ux.jpg
Characters:
(Not all important characters will be listed, just some central ones. Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/unG3688.pngTowa: Student Council President Towa is known for working extraordinarily hard. She not only manages her student council duties, but she also helps out the faculty and Class VII when she's needed.
http://i.imgur.com/9qwzM5f.pngLaura: A noble and daughter to a well respected swordsman, Laura also fights with a large sword and takes her swordsmanship training very seriously. She is very direct and honest and always willing to improve herself whenever possible.
http://i.imgur.com/ItkX4nN.pngGaius: While not technically a foreigner, Gaius is from the nomadic village of Nord where they have a slightly different worship system and do not obey the caste system. He is very easy going and easy to get along with, and he is passionate about art.
http://i.imgur.com/JHKknJP.pngSara: Instructor to Class VII, she drinks a lot and is seemingly pretty lazy, as well as being an overall subpar instructor. However, she is a very powerful fighter and is very good at knowing what's going on and when.
http://i.imgur.com/xBlN2qp.pngElliot: A kind young man with a passion for music. He's very skilled at what he does, although he's generally more of a follower.
http://i.imgur.com/XVzFyHO.pngAlisa: Alisa is what you would call an upper-class commoner. She's very kind and caring to those around her, although she has a bit of a short fuse around Rean, mostly because she has feelings for him. Likes to help people.
http://i.imgur.com/7WQ2h1D.pngJusis: Son of Duke Albarea, one of the highest ranking nobles in the country, Jusis pretty much walks, talks, and dresses the part of a young noble. He enjoys horse riding and fencing.
http://i.imgur.com/a5vbCVz.pngRean: The main protagonist, Rean is a bit unique in where he fits in to the caste system. He's a pretty nice guy although he tends to let his own well being go by the wayside in order to help others.
http://i.imgur.com/0bizdvf.pngEmma: A shy young woman who not only scores highest in her class, but also highest among the entire academy. She is very kind but also has a secret to hide, which you know because she is a terrible liar.
http://i.imgur.com/KBjulIn.pngFie: A skilled fighter witgh a mysterious past, Fie enjoys the important things in life like napping and eating and speaking in a monotone. Also growing flowers.
http://i.imgur.com/dmnqyFg.pngMachias: A commoner who is very strongly opposed to nobles on principle and believes people should hold positions in society based on merit and not blood. His father is a high up in the Reformist Faction which seeks to get rid of the caste system.
http://i.imgur.com/0kWlyW1.pngGeorge: An engineering genius at Thor's Academy, he helps the Roer Institute of Technology test and develop many of their new products, as well as assists Class VII with the technical side of things.
http://i.imgur.com/jwPwjQy.pngAngelica: Angelica enjoys two main things: her orbal bike (motorcycle) and women. She has a very casual and enjoyable approach to life.
http://i.imgur.com/3ZqkA9n.pngMillium: A mysterious girl who brings with her a mysterious contraption that she calls "Lammy". Very upbeat and hyperactive and terrible at keeping secrets. Which is a bad thing because she's technically a secret agent.
http://i.imgur.com/L0B01o6.pngCrow: Crow enjoys things like women, gambling, women, gambling, and not being fussed at for his shennaningans involving women and gambling. Also a skilled fighter.
Overall:
Trails of Cold Steel doesn't shake it up to much in terms of innovation, instead combining many elements from other RPG's. That's probably what grabbed me when I first started playing was how much I was reminded of other games I love. So while the game might not bring something new to the table, it does what it does VERY well. It takes some of the best things about traditional, turn-based RPG's and applies them in a way that makes this game an absolute joy. The gameplay is fun, the story is interesting, the characters and their relationships and interactions are great and plentiful, and I loved how so many of the NPC's had their own stories and adventures, such as one student training as a nun, or a child trying to help his parents get along. I loved how even though Class VII was central to the story, the story was bigger than them and there was stuff beyond the scope of their abilities. I could go on and on about the positives of this game but I'll add a few negatives. I would have preferred an ensemble cast instead of having Rean be at the center, and he comes off as a bit too perfect sometimes. There are some cringeworthy moments and some heavy handed storytelling, although it does interjects some more subtleties and humour in as well. While not a negative for me, some might be turned off by the incredibly slow pacing of this game. The deeper story doesn't really start until about halfway through and much is left blank until near the end. With that being said, I clocked about 75 hours total in the game so I can understand why they split it up. Finally, there was some uneven character development. Negatives aside, I absolutely loved this game and it has easily made its way to my top 5 games of all time. I cannot wait for part 2 in the fall.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/UJk65aF.jpg
Karifean
04-08-2016, 12:22 PM
Heh, this game almost sounds like a love letter to JRPG fans.
Pumpkin
04-16-2016, 02:31 PM
Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo Wii)
http://i.imgur.com/6JKko3g.png
Super Mario Galaxy starts with Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom enjoying a special event during which shooting stars fly through the sky in a brilliant display. Sadly, at this point, Bowser comes and ruins things because it's what he does, I guess. Not understanding that no means no and that kidnapping is not the way to a woman's heart, Bowser kidnaps Princess Peach. Please contain your shock at this plot twist, because there's more. Not only did Bowser kidnap the Princess, he also is trying to rule the universe. Like, all of it. With the help of the new Princess Rosalina and her space station, Mario will journey to find the Princess. Unfortunately, Bowser has also stolen the Grand Stars needed to operate the station, and it is up to Mario to get them back.
http://i.imgur.com/NdQfp75.jpg
In this game you will navigate through various 'galaxies' in order to retrieve stars and Grand Stars in order to power the station and go rescue Peach. On the station you will enter various 'rooms' such as the kitchen and bedroom that will lead to different starways. From here you will select from the galaxies available in this room, generally about 5 of them. Afterwards you will select an episode in the galaxy. The episodes affect the layout of the galaxy as well as where you can explore within it. Most episodes contain a star although some contain more. To unlock more galaxies you'll need to have unlocked a certain number of stars. Once you reach the boss galaxy and beat it, retrieving a Grand Star, another area of the station will be unlocked along with more galaxies.
http://i.imgur.com/FQUDNyw.jpg
This game is a platformer so there is a lot of jumping and spinning and timing involved. Mario moves with the Wii Nunchuck and the Wiimote pointer can be used to collect "star bits". That way, even if they're far off you can simply point the Wiimote at them to collect them. These can be used to gain lives as well as feed 'hungry lumas' who will give you rewards in exchange for them such as extra health, lives, or even extra galaxies. Coins restore life. Shaking the Wiimote will cause Mario to spin, which can be used to attack or extend a jump, as well as power stars and a few other things. Mario can also jump and butt-jump as well. In this game, Mario also gets a few 'transformations', such as Bee Mario, Boo Mario, Fire Mario, Ice Mario, Flying Mario, and... Springy Mario. Each of these has their own special abilities and skills.
http://i.imgur.com/06wV1wm.jpg
Gravity is a huge part of the game. You'll be upside down and sideways quite often. There are also stages that mark different gravities, such as up or down or sideways, and you'll have to adjust accordingly. Aside from the regular galaxies there are a few other things to do. Occasionally a special comet will appear above galaxies for an extra challenge, such as a time attack. Luigi will often need rescuing, and Peach will send you mail with extra lives for you. As the game progresses you will also unlock storybook chapters in which Rosalina tells the story of a young girl and her Luma friend looking for a family. The game ends when all of the Grand Stars needed to power the station have been retrieved and 60 stars total have been collected. You can collect more than that if you wish, there are 120ish stars I believe, but there is also the option to complete them after the final boss as well.
http://i.imgur.com/wldaa3Q.png
I enjoyed the game overall. Platformers are not really my genre of choice and I am quite bad at them. Thankfully this one was easier to get in to than the other Mario platformers I've played. They give you a mild learning curve instead of throwing you off the deep end, so when I did come to the more challenging levels, I was more prepared and therefore less frustrated and got more enjoyment out of them. There was also a good variety of levels and some really pretty and fun ones. Likewise there were some frustrating and ugly ones. That is subjective though so I am glad for the variety. I was also glad for the storybook feature as I am someone who enjoys more story than "jump on platforms to get the thing". It was nice to get some story breaks from the constant platforming. I also liked the art style of the storybook as well. The camera could be frustrating at times and the gravity was hard to get used to. My biggest complaint is probably that the later rooms took forever to get to, which could be annoying. Overall though it was a fun game, it was easy to get in to for someone like me with little platforming skills, it had good variety and some extra challenge for people who wanted it. I would very much recommend it for fans of platforming games and Mario, if they haven't already played it, as well as for those like me who don't have much skill and experience but want to try something new.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/qJvUV7a.jpg
Pumpkin
04-18-2016, 05:40 PM
Dragon Age: Origins (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/KMWtdvb.jpg
Note: There is some sexual content if that is something that bothers you. It is overall pretty mild, however.
Story:
Dragon Age: Origins starts with an origin story of your choosing for your customizable hero. The country of Ferelden is entering a period called "The Blight" in which demons from underground rise up and start killing people. These demons are led by a dragon called the Archdemon. A group of special soldiers called the Grey Wardens are tasked with defeating this Archdemon and ending the blight. As you can expect, you end up becoming one of these Grey Wardens and need to recruit the help of soldiers from around the country from different backgrounds by making them aware of the treaty that they must help during a blight and helping them have the means to do so.
http://i.imgur.com/kMMOJMh.jpg
How you go about helping the different peoples is largely up to you. You will also recruit allies during your mission with their own stories to explore. The game gives you a lot of options as far as dialogue choices and solutions to dilemmas that pop up. Your origin story will also affect the beginning of the game as well as how you're treated and viewed throughout the story.
http://i.imgur.com/MBUcmYN.png
Gameplay:
In this game you will take control of your chosen hero and be accompanied by up to three allies at a time. While you can only control one character at a time directly, each character gets a certain amount of Tactics slots in which you can assign them what to do in battle. You can also switch who you control with the L1 and R1 buttons at pretty much any time. At level up you will be given points to assign to stats to improve them how you see fit, as well as points to unlock skills to use in battle. You can use skills as well as some other features like healing items by bringing up the Radial Menu by pressing L2. You can also set skills to use with the Triangle, O, and Square Buttons. To attack you simply need to press X on your chosen target.
http://i.imgur.com/bsI3yWt.jpg
A large part of the game is dialogue choices and sidequests. Sidequests range from simple and short to long and complex and you're free to pursue this at your leisure. You can find a section on the menu which will keep you up to date on your quests and such. You can also view codex entries from this menu to get more immersed in the lore and history of the world if you so choose. Dialogue choices appear quite often and sometimes have negligible effects while other times will affect the game in a substantial way. It will also affect how your chosen companions come to view you if they're with you when you make these choices. You can also craft items, buy and sell equipment, give materials to your forces, give gifts to companions, and rest at camp to be rejuvenated and get to know your allies a bit more.
http://i.imgur.com/fazMNox.jpg
World:
The game takes place in Ferelden and has many areas to explore within the country, and more will open up depending on where you are in the story. Once you exit a map, you will usually be taken to the World Map, where you select a destination and your party will travel there. Occasionally you will be stopped en route for a fight or an event. Some larger towns will have a town map where you choose which section of the town to visit. Dungeons often have several maps as well to explore. There is a decent variety and a lot of locations to explore with a lot to do within them.
http://i.imgur.com/i0iOq17.jpg
Characters:
I won't mention every character here because many are not missable and I am not sure if I recruited them all. You'll gain more playable characters to use as the story progresses and depending on your choices. They have different personalities and stories and generally have their own sidequest as well. You can also romance some of them depending on whether you made a male or female character. You can speak with them when they're in your party or back at camp and you can also give them gifts to increase affection. Each also has a special gift you can find. A character may leave if they dislike you enough, I believe. You can select three of your allies to accompany you in to battle. They also will engage in conversations with each other as you explore.
http://i.imgur.com/GOaTD9E.jpg
Overall:
I enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins. I like that there are different origin stories and many different options and paths to take, which makes me excited to play again and see how differently things can go. I liked a lot of the characters and I loved how they would take to each other and seeing them bond. I particularly was a fan of Leliana, Dog, and Wynne. There was certainly a lot to do and I felt very involved with all of the decisions I had to make. There were some negatives though. The game was a bit confusing in some ways and it didn't do a good job of teaching me the ins and outs of how to play, which led to a lot of confusion. While some story sections were amazing, others were dull in my opinion and didn't get me excited to continue. The actual fights could also be kind of boring since I mostly just had to press X and kind of sit there and wait unless I wanted to be fancy and use a skill once in a while even if I didn't need it, just to break up the monotony. Overall though it was a fun game, it was very immersive, and I do plan to play it again. I look forward to playing Dragon Age II at some point.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/mbNMoeX.jpg
sharkythesharkdogg
04-18-2016, 05:50 PM
The dog, as in many games, is the best character.
I want a party made up of Dragon Age Dog, and Fallout Dogmeat, and some other dogs. Maybe Stryder Hiryu's cyberdog, and Poppy from Samurai Showdown. Maybe Angelo from FF8.
Madame Adequate
04-19-2016, 01:42 AM
REMOVE DOG remove take you are the shem idiot you are the shem smell, take a bath of dead shemlen
Best part about Dog is naming him Barkspawn
Formalhaut
04-19-2016, 01:59 AM
Heh, this game almost sounds like a love letter to JRPG fans.
Hey, that game actually looks pretty amazing. I might check it out Pumpkin! :D
sharkythesharkdogg
04-19-2016, 06:04 PM
Best part about Dog is naming him Barkspawn
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/66/8c/d7/668cd7ababb88d3f57d0f78b22e58017.gif
Pumpkin
04-23-2016, 03:46 PM
XCOM: Enemy Within (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/ok74pXh.png
Note: I have not completed the game so I will be unable to comment on anything beyond a certain point.
XCOM: Enemy Within is about an alien invasion and Earth taking a small, somewhat limited stand against the invading threat. What starts off as mild incidents escalates from there as the aliens become more aggressive and show themselves more. Your job as Commander is to lead your team on expeditions against these foes and to learn more about your enemy and how to stop them.
http://i.imgur.com/Bcpw4wR.jpg
This game is a mixture of strategy RPG and resource management. In the beginning, you can bring only a team of four to fight the alien foes, but as you progress you will gain the ability to bring up to six. Your characters can each bring items in to the battle depending on what you've researched, developed, and purchased. As your characters earn promotions by defeating enemies, they will gain specializations such as "Assault", "Support", "Sniper", and "Heavy" which will effect their play style, skills, and items. As they earn promotions you will also be able to send them down different paths depending on skills you pick for them.
http://i.imgur.com/l9Ql8rq.jpg
In battle you will control your characters by selecting their actions. Each has a certain distance they can move, and a certain "Dashing" distance. If a character dashes, it will use up the entirety of their turn, whereas just moving to a non-dashing location will allow the character to do other things as well. There are also skills to help circumvent these limitations. A character can attack when an enemy is in sight and an estimated hit chance will appear. Do not believe it because it lies. A character can also "Overwatch" which allows them to attack an enemy on the enemy's turn should they move within their line of sight. It is also beneficial to seek areas of cover for your characters. Other actions that can be taken depend on the character and their items, such as healing and using grenades. Characters will also need to reload as they take shots. When a character's HP reaches 0, he or she will most likely die. This game does have perma-death, so be sure to manage your characters appropriately and not rely on one specific team while neglecting others.
http://i.imgur.com/Ruo6Kes.jpg
The other part of the game is resource management. You will have a base in which you can do things such as... well, research, build buildings, award medals, manage your party, buy equipment, buy satellites to launch around the globe, sell unneeded items, etc. More options will open up as the game progresses and as you research more things, such as the ability to modify your soldiers. You'll also have to excavate and build new facilities, being careful of monthly costs vs income. You'll also scout for battles here and sometimes "The Council" will contact you with important missions, as well as a monthly grading depending on your actions. The game does have a difficulty setting for those like me who suck at these games or those unlike me who want a challenge. You can also customize soldiers to your liking, and medals will award certain bonuses to those who have earned them. You'll be given objectives to complete as well to help progress the game.
http://i.imgur.com/j48RJsR.jpg
Overall I did not enjoy this game. While I wouldn't say it was objectively bad, it was just too stressful for me personally with not enough pay-off. I didn't care about the story and there weren't enough personal stories for me to get invested in. I would have loved to be able to get to know my soldiers on a more personal level so their deaths and successes would be more meaningful. The environments, while nicely detailed, were mostly dark and repetitive, I found, and didn't really get me excited. The game itself lacked a lot of brightness, although it was pretty understandable within context. It was nice watching my team grow as they got promotions and since missions were challenging, it really felt like a victory when I guided my team safely to a win, and I like the near absolute freedom you have to manage things as you see fit. However, like I said, in the end the game was just too stressful for me and I wasn't having much fun. If it does sound like something you would like, I would recommend giving it a try, but it wasn't a game for me.
Verdict:
DIDN'T LIKE IT
http://i.imgur.com/EkX77VG.jpg
Soo, I haven't read all your entries but it seems you're into games with interesting characters. How did you end up playing X-COM?
Also, glad to see that I'm not the only one who disliked whatever slang Life is Strange is throwing into our face. :lol:
Pumpkin
04-24-2016, 09:16 PM
I am trying to expand my gaming horizons a bit and trying some games I normally wouldn't. I mean, I'm still playing JRPG's while I try some new stuff, but I figured I would try some new stuff as well and I might surprise myself with a game I enjoy that I otherwise wouldn't have played!
Pumpkin
04-25-2016, 08:19 PM
eden* - They were only two, on the planet (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/5MEyAG2.jpg
Note: Minor character spoilers in the character section.
Sometime in the future, a red star appears in the sky to signal the end of days. Soon, the world will end. Earth needs to come up with a solutions, so they engineer "super-humans", known as 'Felixes'. These felixes are smarter and live longer and with these advantages, they create great ships to bring humanity in to space. At the forefront of this research is a felix named Sion.
http://i.imgur.com/RcUfT8U.png
A young military man by the name of Ryou is assigned to the secret base that houses Sion, the most important being on the planet. Our story starts when the Earth Evacuation Project is nearing completion. Soon, the last humans will be brought out in to space, leaving the doomed planet Earth behind. Along with his coworker Lavie, Ryou learns more about Sion and her life at the base. He also meets a strange but happy maid named Elica and runs in to an old acquaintance from the past, Major Inaba, who will also now be serving as his superior.
http://i.imgur.com/ZlyaLNT.png
Ryou learns a lot about himself, his past, and how to look forward. He comes to terms with who he has become since he began his military career at a young age, and he learns more about the felixes such as Elica and Sion. As he and Sion grow closer, she entrusts him with her greatest wish of all: to be free.
http://i.imgur.com/wDmS3ev.png
eden* is a linear visual novel in which there are no decisions to be made. You simply follow along with the story. There are no split paths or multiple endings. You can change a few settings such as text font, and you can also save your progress at any time. A memories section also opens up upon completion for you to view all of the CG's that you viewed during the story. It is also on the short side, it took me only 8 hours to complete. It can easily be finished in a few days if you have the time and want a VN to read.
http://i.imgur.com/kr6WYsQ.png
Characters:
(In no particular order)
http://i.imgur.com/51ZqSs3.pngSion: The felix in charge of the Earth Evacuation Project. Very intelligent but rather anti-social.
http://i.imgur.com/i8RZwqh.pngRyou: The protagonist, a young, serious military man charged with protecting Sion.
http://i.imgur.com/UDWfG8J.pngLavie: A military woman who works with Ryou, what she lacks in brute strength, she makes up for in skill and cunning.
http://i.imgur.com/x1AHZAE.pngElica: A made in the service of Sion, she is very friendly and outgoing.
http://i.imgur.com/nrBJL1p.pngInaba: Major Inaba is in charge of the secret base where Ryou is assigned, at least on the Military side of things. A slacker who has a history with Ryou.
http://i.imgur.com/9pyfm74.pngNatsume: A young woman whom Ryou considers his sister, much of her story is a mystery.
http://i.imgur.com/ujGWiLW.pngMaya: A spunky young journalist who admires Sion more than anyone in the world.
Overall I enjoyed it. A few things bugged me, they used a lot of tired tropes such as "super young people with laundry list of accomplishments" and "totally 100 year old girl who looks like a young teenager", which I didn't really like. Some parts also felt a bit forced. But with those negatives aside, I found it to be a very sweet story. The first part was less up my alley but afterwards it did a really good job at mood setting, making things feel both sad and hopeful at the same time. The backgrounds were also stunning with an incredible amount of detail put in to them. Despite the cliche base some of the characters had, I liked most of them and most of the dialogue and development felt natural and believable. It isn't my favourite VN, but it was an enjoyable read, a sweet story, beautiful to look at, and well worth the 8 hours I spent on it. A great VN for a relaxed rainy day.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/sZUwlNH.png
Karifean
04-25-2016, 08:43 PM
Glad you liked it! I agree with pretty much everything you said, though I didn't mind the use of those tropes all that much seeing as how it's such a short story. More than anything I just found it enjoyable seeing these characters interact and grow over the course of the story, and while it's nothing groundbreaking or amazing, it's just... nice.
Pumpkin
04-28-2016, 03:31 PM
Emily is Away (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/RPtO6k0.png
Emily is Away is a short, free, nostalgia inducing game available on Steam. This game takes you back to 2002 and the following years when MSN Messenger and other similar messaging services were the thing to do. You choose a name for your character and a screenname as well as an icon every chapter and you chat with a girl named Emily. You can also check her profile and the profile of some made up friends, change your background and text colour to any obnoxious thin you want, and watch this short story unfold as you decide how to interact with this girl your character has a crush on.
http://i.imgur.com/cyjhMmt.png
Starting senior year of High School, you'll have a conversation every year throughout college. Sometimes conversation options will show up for you to select from. Then all you have to do is faux type on your keyboard and the game will auto-fill it in with your chosen response. Occasionally a decision will have an impact on the goings on in future chapters and you will be shown things like "You chose to___" and "Emily will remember that." Most chapters end with the titular Emily is away to indicate the conclusion.
http://i.imgur.com/OIxjhnE.png
This game is rather short with each chapter only taking maybe 10-20 minutes to complete, depending on your reading speed. With that being said, it really did manage to instill the feeling of nostalgia from my 12 year old self MSN Messengering people. It also has some cute touches like seeing your character delete and rephrase things to avoid embarrassment, which they actually use to great effect towards the end. While I wasn't super fond of Emily by the end of it who had grown a bit bitter and dramatic, the dialogue was actually pretty believable and fit rather well. Things felt awkward when they were supposed to and uncomfortable when they were supposed to, and the ending to this hour long game managed to have an emotional impact in regards to these two characters that we spent our time with. I wasn't expecting much from a short, free game, but I ended up pleasantly surprised.. It's nothing ground breaking or magical, but if nostalgic sentimentality is your thing, I would definitely recommend you check it out.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/l4FD4uT.png
Psychotic
05-01-2016, 11:23 PM
Oh, I saw a LP of this the other day! It's a really interesting experience. Firstly for the nostalgia of the bands and movies that make up the yearly icons which is great. But the main thing is the content itself which is really poignant. Like, the way it depicted a close friendship and crush slowly descends into something awkward and uncomfortable as you drift apart was right on the smurfing nose.
Emily herself is kind of meh but then that's not the point of her, I think she's meant to be a vehicle to view your own past with. It really got me thinking about a couple of girls I was head over heels for in my youth and we almost but didn't quite make it, and then how they just became strangers. It's sad, we talked for hours every day, they meant the world to me. Both still live within like half an hour of me but I still don't think I'd have anything to say to them if I saw them. It's odd and sad that we drift through people's lives like that. I know I'm being pretentious so forgive me but to me that's the message of Emily is Away.
Also fyi it's based on AIM rather than MSN. SORRY CAN'T ESCAPE FROM THE PEDANTIC POLICE
Pumpkin
05-02-2016, 12:55 AM
OKAY SORRY BASED ON AIM NOT MSN MESSENGER
I was just comparing it to that because that's what my own experience was and what it reminded me of. But it's based on AIM!
Also, I agree with your assessment. It reminded me of similar situations, actually. The ending especially was excellent as simple as it was. It got me right in the feels.
sharkythesharkdogg
05-02-2016, 01:12 PM
I used to hang out in Yahoo chat rooms back when Yahoo was actually a force on the internets. I do sometimes wonder what happened to the people I used to chat with on a regular basis. One of them became a pen pal (like actual, real letters through the mail! Crazy!). She was like a little sister, but between moving and going longer periods of time with no internet we eventually lost touch. It's a shame.
Pumpkin
05-02-2016, 06:06 PM
Grandia II (PlayStation 2)
http://i.imgur.com/34f2UTD.jpg
Story:
Long ago, Light and Darkness fought. Although it is said that Granas, God of Light defeated Valmar, God of Darkness, Valmar's Moon looms still in the sky, threatening the "Day of Darkness" when he will revive and the world will be plunged in to darkness. Ryudo, our hero, is hired to escort Elena, a songstress of the Church of Granas to perform a ritual at a nearby location. Unfortunately, things take a turn for the worse when Elena finds herself possessed by the Wings of Valmar. The wings take the form of a woman named Millenia who sometimes takes control of Elena's body. It is then Ryudo's job to take Elena to see the Pope in order to purge her of the darkness inside. On their journey they come to find that Elena isn't the only one struggling with this darkness and that perhaps Valmar's revival is close at hand.
http://i.imgur.com/mfUwU34.jpg
Gameplay:
Grandia II is an RPG with an interesting twist on the combat system. In battle, you will see a bar on the lower right hand side of the screen. It has three sections, 'Wait,' 'Command', and 'Act'. Depending on a few factors such as character speed and previous actions, characters and enemy icons will move along this bar. Once their icon reaches Command, a command can be input for the character, such as Item, Defend, Moves or Magic, and one of the two versions of attack which I will discuss further in. Depending on the characters Move or special attack/magic level, their icon will continue along the bar until it reaches 'Act' and the command will be executed. The higher their move or special attack/magic level for the particular special attack/magic used, the faster they will execute the command.
http://i.imgur.com/sUhJi8Q.jpg
Timing is critical in battles. There are two forms of attack: Combo and Critical. Combo deals more damage and is generally executed faster, while Critical has a chance of delaying or outright canceling an enemy action. If an enemy (or ally) is hit with a Critical attack when their icon is in-between the Command and Act bars, their action will be canceled. In order to properly time these things, the player must know their characters and enemies. They need to know the speed with which their characters move and attack, the positioning relative to the enemy, as well as how quickly or slowly the enemy actions execute. While you can simply go through battles by Comboing, you'll take a lot of unnecessary damage and, especially during boss fights, you'll have a much harder time. It also involves some strategy to knowing when to Combo and when to Critical. If a Combo will defeat an enemy, it might be better to use that instead of simply canceling the enemy move. It really makes you pay attention to how your characters act and when in order to use the system effectively.
http://i.imgur.com/cZXbKBi.jpg
There are a few things to build up in this game for your characters. After battles you will receive special coins. Some are used for special attacks and others for magic. Each character has special attacks that are unique to them. These can be learned at certain points in the story or by spending Special Coins. Each move can also be leveled up, gaining a star with each level until it reaches 5 stars and is maxed out. This also costs Special Coins and will reduce the amount of time needed to execute the move. Magic is leveled up through Mana Eggs that are obtained throughout the game. Unlike special attacks, magic is through the mana eggs which can be equipped on anyone. Leveling up the mana eggs uses magic coins which will allow for learning more magic spells depending on the egg, as well as leveling up the magic spells similarly to the special attacks. The eggs will retain their levels and spells no matter who has them equipped and they can be changed whenever the player wants. Finally, through skill books players can level up and add skills to players that provide beneficial effects such as strength or magic up. These use either special or magic coins depending on the particular skill.
http://i.imgur.com/JBQhtbD.jpg
World:
In this game you will be exploring towns and villages as well as dungeons. The world map will simply show you the destination which you will pick and go to. As the game progresses you will often be cut off from certain locations, although you may be able to explore them when you return. While dungeons start off mostly linear, they do get more complex as the game goes on and can be pretty confusing. Most towns have both an inn and a shop. While recovering can be done for free at any save point of Inn, choosing to rest at an inn will often provide additional scenes and dialogue for your characters.
http://i.imgur.com/2JTl3Y9.jpg
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/wavLIyH.jpgTio: An automata who struggles with the concept of being her own master and what it means to have a heart.
http://i.imgur.com/KVDcW0W.jpgRoan: A kind young man who likes to help others and always seeks to learn more.
http://i.imgur.com/wW2IHql.jpgMareg: A warrior in touch with nature who is seeking revenge on a man who brought destruction to his village.
http://i.imgur.com/qfBJHpB.jpgMillenia: The Wings of Valmar, she often possesses Elena. Very dramatic and has feelings for Ryudo.
http://i.imgur.com/zZEQ6Cv.jpgElena: A songstress of the Church of Granas, she is very religious and as such is troubled by the evil within her.
http://i.imgur.com/kTf1jM2.jpgRyudo: The main protagonist, a Geohound (mercenary of sorts), hired to keep Elena out of harm's way on her journey.
Overall:
I very much enjoyed Grandia II. The story was good and I enjoyed the theme of showing that not everything is black and white, that things can be both good and bad, or even neither. It's a theme I think should be explored more and that it was very well done in this case. The battle system was interesting and I did like it, and I also enjoyed having as much freedom to build up my characters my own way and at my own pace. Some of the special attack and spell effects looked pretty good. My favourite part was the character interactions and watching them grow together and form relationships. That would be the strongest point of the game in my opinion. The character section above was challenging because I actually really like all of the characters and they're all pretty close together in terms of who I like most and least. There were also some great scenes that touched my heart and made me think. There are some negatives though, as well. The dungeons could be frustrating, especially with the lack of a map. I hated the fact that there was no map. The sound effects could also be grating. The game also suffered from some random slowdown and could be a bit glitchy at times, although it was nothing that really affected the gameplay. Finally, some of the dialogue was cheesy and cringeworthy and could feel a bit forced. Overall though, the positives outweighed the negatives and I am very happy to have played this game. The story and characters were excellent and the battle system was fun. Would highly recommend to RPG fans.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/OJ6H6Rq.jpg
Karifean
05-02-2016, 07:19 PM
Sounds interesting. I do enjoy me some moral ambiguity. And that whole system with Combo and Critical sounds really nice! Was it a difficult game?
Pumpkin
05-02-2016, 07:23 PM
Not really. If you made sure to fight every enemy you came across and leveled your magics and special attacks appropriately it was a pretty good difficulty I'd say. I never needed to go back and grind but some bosses were still a challenge and you really had to pay attention to what you were doing.
Kalevala
05-03-2016, 02:56 AM
I remember watching an ex play Grandia II years ago and the voice acting being absolutely awful, but that could have been because of awkwardly written dialogue more so than the talents of the actors themselves.
I bought this game on a whim many years ago, and when I started playing it, it was just kinda "eh". But then I move on and things started getting really exciting, and overall it was one of the more surprisingly enjoyable games that I have ever played.
Also, Millenia is such a joy to watch. I remember her theatricals vividly to this day. She also had by far the best battle banter. "Deep fried goose" indeed.
Pumpkin
05-04-2016, 06:51 PM
To The Moon (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/RyaliAp.png
To The Moon is a short adventure game. You play as Dr. Eva Rosalene and Dr. Neil Watts, two professionals who's job it is to guide people to their dreams before they pass away. Their client this time is a man named John. His dying wish, to go to the moon. Using their magical future technology, Eva and Neil will travel back through his memories, trying to learn why he wants to go to the moon and altering those memories so that he will have motivated himself to achieve this dream.
http://i.imgur.com/kYksj8N.png
As you play the game you will travel back in time through John's memories. You will have a scale displayed which will show you where you are in his life. As you enter different memories, you will click around on objects and explore the environments in order to create memory links and return further in to the past. You'll of course also watch his memories unfold and learn more about him and his life. After obtaining five memory nodes in each memory, you'll be able to travel further back. This involves a small mini-game puzzle where you flip squares to uncover the memento.
http://i.imgur.com/dVz5YSq.png
That is the gist of the game. It is much more about the story than the gameplay, although it does switch things up for you once in a while by adding certain mini-games. There's whack-a-mole, horseback riding, throwing plants at zombies. These gameplay mechanics don't last long but do serve to spice things up once in a while. You'll also be able to read notes and view items that you've examined throughout the story as well. On top of learning about John and his life, you'll also learn more about Eva and Neil as well, and a sequel has been announced for late this year or early next year. This is a stand alone game, however, and you will get a full and complete story if you play this game.
http://i.imgur.com/t5sk4g1.png
Overall I really liked this game. It was sweet and touching and pulled at the heart strings. I was a bit worried John's life would be all magic and rainbows and, while that would still be enjoyable, I much more enjoyed that this game showed the ups and downs of his life. He didn't get everything he wanted, his life wasn't always magical, and sometimes it was downright tragic. But it was a very touching to experience John's memories, his successes and his mistakes, in an attempt to guide him to his dream of seeing the moon. This isn't action packed or heavy on the gameplay, it's more like playing an interactive movie or reading a good book, so if that type of thing is up your alley, I would highly recommend it. I very much enjoyed my time spent with To The Moon.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/Sw5lpSQ.png
Karifean
05-04-2016, 07:41 PM
Sounds like something worth buying.
throwing plants at zombies
Yep, sold.
Psychotic
05-04-2016, 07:42 PM
Oh yeah I love To The Moon, the twist is really fucking sad.
I had a blast playing To The Moon together with my wife. I wish more games put as much effort into their stories and characaters
Vermachtnis
05-04-2016, 08:25 PM
I heard "Everything's Alright" once and it made me want the game.
Pumpkin
05-09-2016, 03:51 PM
Tomb Raider (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/PH97Qj3.jpg
Note: There is a lot of blood and gore if that is something that bothers you.
Tomb Raider for the PS3 follows the adventures of Lara Croft before she was a dual pistol wielding, badass archeologist, to when she was a... single pistol wielding, slightly less badass archeologist. This is an origin story of sorts for the iconic character. On an expedition with a small team including her friend Sam and a famous senior archeologist, Lara and co. are searching for Himiko, an ancestor of Sam's and previous Sun Queen of the Island of Yamatai. Lara's instincts tell them to head in to the Dragon's Triangle, an area of strong storms, in order to find this Himiko. After some convincing, the crew agrees.
http://i.imgur.com/ZH5C1RQ.jpg
Fortunately Lara's instincts were correct. The Island of Yamatai and Himiko were indeed where she thought they were. Unfortunately the strong storms cause a crash landing on this island. This leads to the crew getting separated and trying to find a way to escape. There's more to the island than it seems, however, and escape might not be so easy. Lara Croft must face angry wolves, a crazy cult, and supernatural storms in order to get herself and her crew away from Yamatai.
http://i.imgur.com/NwqnLsC.jpg
Tomb Raider is an action-adventure game where you control Lara Croft and watch her go from scared and uncertain to determined and strong. This involves shooting enemies, rock climbing, crate burning, shooting more enemies, rope climbing, falling down stuff and barely surviving, shooting more enemies, enjoying some story, upgrading your stuff, and continuing to shoot enemies. You'll gain a variety of equipment on your adventure including a pickaxe, a pistol, a shotgun, a rifle, and a bow and arrow (my favourite). You'll get a few other things and you can upgrade your equipment as you find salvage and as the story progresses. You'll also gain skill points to give Lara some skills such as stabbing people with arrows or shooting them in the face. Also quick time events. Be ready for those.
http://i.imgur.com/Sqr4snm.jpg
The game progresses at a pretty even pace and slowly introduces to you new concepts and equipment to use so you don't easily feel overwhelmed. The game also auto-saves quite frequently so dying is not a huge problem as you can just restart and try again. These things may not be as good for the hardened fan, but if you're new to the series and the genre, this is a very good introduction game as it has a smooth learning curve and isn't very punishing, allowing new people to try it without getting frustrated. With that being said, your skills will definitely be tested in the later part of the game as you'll be faced with increasingly difficult puzzles and more challenging groups of foes. While the game is mostly linear, there are certain areas that allow for wider exploration and you'll often be able to fast travel to previous locations in order to collect new stuff with your upgraded equipment. There are a ton of collectables hidden all over the island for you to try and find, and these add some atmosphere and lore to the game.
http://i.imgur.com/5V49oSe.jpg
Overall I enjoyed Tomb Raider much more than I was expecting. It isn't really my genre of choice since I'm not very good at them and don't have the best reflexes or stealth skills to be successful. As I said though, this one is very beginner friendly and I never found myself frustrated or overwhelmed. It provided some freedom in terms of how I would upgrade my stuff and what weapons to use, but it also guided me along new gameplay mechanics at a pace I could keep up with. While some areas still challenged me and I died (a lot), I was able to quickly retry and improve, which was nice. I really enjoyed exploring the island and finding collectables. There was a good variety of different areas to explore and the story was pretty interesting. The characters interacted in a way that felt natural and believable, and Lara grew as a character in a subtle but substantial way that I appreciated. I will definitely try the new Tomb Raider when I get a chance and I had a lot of fun with this game, more than I thought I would.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/ePrkcks.jpg
sharkythesharkdogg
05-09-2016, 04:00 PM
Tomb Raider/Uncharted cross-over.
Make it happen, powers that be.
Pumpkin
05-17-2016, 05:49 PM
If My Heart Had Wings (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/TjVJvs5.jpg
Note: As should be evident if you know me at all, this is the all ages version of the game. If you want the adult version, I'm sure you can find it, but I personally will be unable to comment about the uncensored content.
This is a visual novel about high school kids who share a common goal: To soar high in the sky. Aoi, our male protagonist, has recently had a biking accident. Figuring it's time to remove himself from the old environment of his bicycling club days, he moves back to his childhood hometown. His mother, having a sense of humour, signs him up to be a dorm mother for an all girls dorm. Coincidentally, one of the dorm residents is a young woman in a wheelchair named Kotori that he met upon returning to town.
http://i.imgur.com/dzKeqiG.png
As Aoi is re-familiarizing himself with the town and his new school, he discovers a garage housing a glider and a mysterious and beautiful young woman. Turns out that this is the "Super-repeat student" Amane, who has purposely failed her classes so she can stay behind and complete the glider in order to accomplish her missing friend's goal of soaring above the clouds. The best chance to accomplish this goal? A special event called the 'Morning Glory', something seen in a photograph left behind by the soaring club of old. Aoi and his friends join Amane in trying to complete the glider and achieve their dreams of soaring above the clouds.
http://i.imgur.com/c2j1xOG.png
This visual novel has choices once in a while that will help determine which romantic route you pursue. There aren't actually very many choices, ranging from 4 to 6 total depending on the route, and most are quite obvious if you wan to pursue a particular story. It should be noted however that some routes need to be completed in order to unlock other routes. There is also a "bad" route if you fail to romance anyone, which is more just an abrupt ending if anything.
http://i.imgur.com/y3kcfCR.png
There are some translation issues, unfortunately, especially with the Ageha route. While most of the routes can be understood with only some issues here and there, the beginning of Ageha's route, the first third probably, is an absolute mess. With that being said, if you stick it out past that point, the translation mostly cleans up to the point of being understandable again. There's an auto option where the text will continue automatically, there's a skip option which will skip all previously read text for getting to the other routes faster, and there's also a gallery where you can view some scene images.
http://i.imgur.com/yfKmRIC.png
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/SRDFEiH.pngAgeha: Aoi's childhood friend, she is very playful, sociable and outgoing. Originally part of the robotics club, Ageha takes an interest in the machanical side of building a glider. Her story deals with letting people get close because she fears losing them.
http://i.imgur.com/b7iGMk8.pngAmane: Despite being afraid of heights, Amane works hard to build a glider that can soar above the clouds in order to see what her friend wanted her to see. While she is a genius, she lacks social awareness and comes off as naive and goofy most of the time.
http://i.imgur.com/HEbm1kv.pngAsa: the older twin sister of Yoru, Asa is an average girl in a superior family, making her struggle with inadequacy and failure issues. She's very sweet and sociable.
http://i.imgur.com/z4XjMtt.pngKotori: A young woman in a wheelchair who feels alienated by everyone so she tries to act smug and superior to save face. She finally lets her guard down when she stars working towards her dream to soar high in the sky.
http://i.imgur.com/uwn0LlI.pngAoi: A young man who returned to his childhood hometown after a bicycling accident. Takes on a lot of responsibilities as club member and dorm mother. He likes teasing people and is sometimes easily embarrassed.
http://i.imgur.com/vmJPQQt.pngYoru: The younger twin sister, a genius who hates wasting her time. She struggles to relate to people but is very attached to her sister. Her story involves trying to learn to let her guard down and experience life.
Overall I very much enjoyed this visual novel. It really kept me interested and I would often have to force myself to stop reading to go to bed or do something else. The visuals are stunning for a visual novel, the characters are likeable and have their own interesting stories, and there's a very strong cast of secondary characters as well that I really liked. The VN has a really nice sense of humour and very rarely takes itself too seriously. You'll also get to learn a lot about gliders. Like... a lot. If that's your deal. Probably my favourite part though was how each of the girls did not just revolve around the main character, but each had their own friendships and relationships with each other that had nothing to do with him. It was more of a story about this students with some romance thrown in more than it was a romance story with some other stuff thrown in. I obviously enjoyed some routes much more than others, but on the whole I thoroughly enjoyed it and I will definitely be reading again in the future.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i.imgur.com/MvZyqNk.png
Karifean
05-17-2016, 09:24 PM
Ooh well I'll definitely have to pick this one up now. A good galge is always fun to read. That group picture already has a nostalgic feel to it even though I haven't even read it yet =P
Too bad about the translation issues though. They always feel so unnecessary.
Pumpkin
05-20-2016, 06:27 PM
Time and Eternity (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/hQ1csZo.jpg
Story:
Time and Eternity is about a boy named Zack and a girl named Toki who are soon to be married. He's a perv, she's a pretty princess, all is well in the Kingdom of Kamza. Except not really because on their wedding day they find themselves under attack by assassins! If that wasn't odd enough, it turns out that Toki actually shares a body with another girl named Towa. Also she can control time to a certain extent.
http://i.imgur.com/s5Xe5nP.jpg
So after those bombshells, Toki goes back in time to six months before the wedding to try and stop the attack on her wedding. Unfortunately in the process, Zack ends up in the body of Toki's pet baby dragon, Drake. Then there's the matter of Towa who "takes over" Toki's body sometimes, and why they had hid this from Zack. Toki, Towa, and Zack (now in Drake's body), soon learn that saving their wedding may not be as easy as they had originally hoped.
http://i.imgur.com/fU20IHb.jpg
Gameplay:
In this game you take control of Toki and Towa (but only one at a time, more on that later). As you walk through the maps, a meter will fill beside your map. When it fills, you will enter a battle. In this game, there will often be multiple enemies in one battle, but only one will be fought at a time. There's an icon on the lower right hand side of the battle screen which will show how many enemies you face as well as enemy HP, SP, and Type (which determines weakness). Once one enemy is defeated, another will appear until they're all defeated and the battle ends. There are a few things to take in to account in battles. First you can attack long range with a rifle or close range with a knife. You select your distance by pressing the left analogue forward or backwards to get in position. From there you press O to attack. Attacking will build up your SP gauge (as will a few other things) and with SP you can cast spells and skills. Spells and skills are set to the Triangle, Square, and X buttons and the cost of each will be displayed (50 SP, for example). You'll want to make good use of your spells and skills if you don't want battles to take forever. You can also guard by pressing L1, and dodge by moving your left analogue stick to the side.
http://i.imgur.com/5cBwzyf.jpg
You'll need to pay attention in battles or you'll have a hard time. Each enemy has a specific attack pattern. Learning this pattern will teach you the right time to guard, dodge, attack, and cast spells without them being interrupted. Later on in the game, with some enemies, you'll need your timing to be near perfect if you don't want to have a hard time. There's also another key feature to this game. Upon level up, you'll switch between controlling Toki and Towa. While they are largely the same to control, they do have differences in their stats. Toki is better at long range combat and fire and earth spells, while Towa prefers close range combat and ice and lightning spells. They'll gain many of the same skills but also a lot of different ones. Skills and spells are learned by using "Gift Points" GP, which will teach them new spells and skills when they level up. They also require Toki and Towa to be at a specific level before they can be learned, but considering levels come more easily than GP, that usually won't be an issue. Note that earning GP earns it for BOTH girls and not just the one you're currently using. So they'll always have the same amount of GP to be used for both girls. It is not divided either, 20 GP is 20 for both. The same goes with equipment. Buying one weapon or piece of equipment means it can be equipped by BOTH girls. As the game goes on you'll also unlock time spells which you can use to rewind, speed up, or freeze time while in battle. There's also a different style of battle that you'll encounter but it only happens three times in the game so I won't cover it here.
http://i.imgur.com/aBYsMyu.jpg
A major part of this game is sidequests. These are usually fetch quests or go here to defeat X monster. Quests give a ton of GP compared to battles so it's definitely something you'll want to pursue. Quests are also generous with GP in that they'll reward you for almost every stage of the quest instead of just upon completion. Maps will be marked with icons to show where quests are available, where they can be completed, and so on. Heart events can also be found in different areas and at home, some of them which are specific to either Toki or Towa. Picking the right options will lead to an increase in affection for one girl or the other, which will come in to play later on. Levels are very easy to earn in this game, which is good for when you need the other girl for heart events and the like. Even monsters 20 levels behind you will still give out a decent amount of EXP.
http://i.imgur.com/J1iUo8s.jpg
World:
This game's world map is just dots over areas to select where you want to go. Pressing Square will show you all available areas as well as icons indicating if there are quests (minus the home city, you'll need to enter there to see if there are quests). You select where you want to go and it will bring you to a dungeon type area where you walk around, battle, collect treasure, etc. Kamza, the home city, has its own mini-map where you select dots on the map to travel to them and once again, pressing Square will show where there are quests or events. There are some variety in the maps although some are just slightly different versions of the same maps. The areas themselves however, are usually quite beautiful.
http://i.imgur.com/UGDiDHc.jpg
Characters:
(In no particular order)
http://i.imgur.com/ecTDHa1.pngToki: The Princess who is able to somewhat control time. She's very sweet and considerate, if not a bit naive.
http://i.imgur.com/HXcVtvw.pngTowa: The other soul inhabiting Toki's body, she's much more no-nonsense and introverted, but still very caring.
http://i.imgur.com/NkwM4So.pngZack/Drake: I'm using the picture of him in Drake form because otherwise he looks dumb. A huge pervert who hits on anything that has boobs, but he does care for Toki and Towa and wants to protect them.
http://i.imgur.com/HxXPb3h.pngEnda: Friend of Toki and Towa, she's a very odd but also upbeat and positive girl.
http://i.imgur.com/HiEYdQz.pngReijo: Reijo is super rich, you guys don't even know. She also sports a rather holier-than-thou attitude, but is still a good friend most of the time.
http://i.imgur.com/AE6ORjF.pngWedi: Another friend, wedi is also the wedding planner. She talks to spirits and can't walk 3 steps without falling on her face or off a cliff or something.
http://i.imgur.com/Coeczz1.pngRicardo: Makes terrible cakes and really wants Toki/Towa to marry him.
http://i.imgur.com/RUaL1xK.pngMakimona: A woman with about 100 odd jobs. Not so great with romance.
Overall:
This game is a bit hard to place. It has some really awesome things and some really terrible things, and I guess it balances out to kind of... average in a weird way. On the plus side, the game is gorgeous, and there are sidequests galore which helps you level up at a good pace with the main story. I enjoy the concept of two people sharing the same body and how that works out. The gameplay is pretty unique and, I'm not gonna lie, I actually found it a ton of fun. The story was alright and it actually threw a plot twist at me that I wasn't expecting. I also quite liked both Toki and Towa and I found the ending rather touching. The humour was hit or miss; some of it was clever and showed the game could poke fun at itself, while some of it was just cringeworthy or overdone. Zack, our leading man, was very annoying, and most of the side characters fell pretty flat, although they did get some development. The character gestures don't match the vocals and are all over the place, the dialogue usually felt pretty unnatural, there are a bunch of plot holes, the home music is the most ear grating thing in the world, and be prepared for panties shots thrown in your face at every opportunity. The game could also get very repetitive and it felt rather... small. While this certainly wasn't a great game, or even that good of a game, objectively I would call it pretty average. If you want to try out something new with some great visuals and a unique style of gameplay and you think you can deal with the negatives I listed, give it a shot. If not, you're not missing out on too much and it should just be skipped. In the end I did have fun with it though and I don't regret my time spent on it.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i.imgur.com/TSJKhBM.jpg
sharkythesharkdogg
05-23-2016, 06:08 PM
I don't think I'd ever bother to play through it, because it looked a bit repetitive, but it did have some unique or more creative gameplay bits here and there.
Pumpkin
05-24-2016, 07:23 PM
Little Big Planet (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/BqlC3xi.png
Little Big Planet is a cute little platforming game in which you control a small Sackboy (I call mine Lady Sackboy) around some mostly 2D levels to reach the end goal. While this is the basic premise of the game, there are a few other things to enjoy such as Sackboy customization, level creation, and online play. You'll also be able to collect stickers and materials to use in your level designs.
http://i.imgur.com/Tv8YnNC.jpg
The game starts out fairly easy with the first area being dedicated mostly to tutorials. There are a total of eight "areas" which each contain three levels, except for the last one which contains four. Each area also has its own little mini-story to tie the levels together, and generally the last one will tie in vaguely with the new area you'll explore. Each new area also provides new looks in the beginning to help your Sackboy fit in with the environment if you so choose. Completing levels also earns more cutomization options, as well as completing certain challenges within the levels. There is a difficulty spike at around the halfway point, but overall the game is not too challenging.
http://i.imgur.com/kXCo2xc.jpg
Levels also contain stickers and other such things for you to find, which adds to the overall replayablility. Your level score is also displayed at the end, so you can go back and try to beat your record if you so choose. On top of the typical running and jumping that is present in most platformers, Little Big Planet also uses a grabbing mechanic in which your Sackboy... well, grabs on to things. This is used to swing from one place to another, to hold on to something moving, or to pull or push things to move them. This adds a bit of puzzle mechanics to the game, especially when trying to push and pull things to get to hidden rewards. You can also move slightly in the backgrounds and foregrounds sometimes as well.
http://i.imgur.com/cn9GOMw.jpg
Another aspect of the gameplay is creating your own levels. You can use some base templates or make your own. The game then provides you with very detailed tutorials on how to make your levels, which you can then name and share if you so choose. You can also play online and play other people's levels once you finish Little Big Planet's short story mode. The level creation was not really my deal so I didn't do much and can't comment too much on the specifics.
http://i.imgur.com/wAN7YYq.jpg
Overall Little Big Planet was a cute and sweet little platformer. I had some trouble with the sudden difficulty spike, since I'm not so great with platformers, but I overall had fun with the game. It was cute, I liked the customization options, and being able to make your own levels is a neat little idea, even if I didn't personally enjoy it. The levels were pretty creative and fun and the game had a good lighthearted feel that I really liked. I didn't really like how short the story was though and I really didn't like that you needed up to 4 people playing with you to get all of the collectables. I'm not a social gamer so I didn't like being penalized for that with stuff I just couldn't get. So it was a fun game and I enjoyed my time with it, but it wasn't my favourite.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/littlebigplanet2_5.jpg
Karifean
05-24-2016, 07:45 PM
Ah it feels like it's been such a long time since I played these games... I liked LBP2 a lot more than LBP the first, but both of them were pretty fun.
Pumpkin
06-09-2016, 07:26 AM
Senran Kagura: Estival Versus (PlayStation 4)
http://i.imgur.com/sYOJvQI.jpg
*Note that this game has a large amount of sexual content and some foul language. Steer clear if these things bother you.
Story:
Senran Kagura: Estival Versus is a game about high school ninjas with large breasts that defy the laws of physics. Are you still there? Because there's more. The girls from the different ninja schools and groups have been gathered together in... I don't know, we'll call it an alternate dimension where time flows differently and they are reunited with past loved ones. The young shinobi are entered in to the Millenium Festival? What is it exactly? Well it takes a while to find out, but what they do know is it has something to do with sending the deceased who have regrets preventing them from passing on. They also know that a demon of sorts will attack their world soon. In the meantime, they need to destroy each others platforms in eight days in order to win the festival and gain the rank of kagura, a highly esteemed position.
http://i.imgur.com/3LXhmST.jpg?1
Gameplay:
Senran Kagura: Estival Versus is a beat-em up, in which you take control of one of our large-breasted ninjas and fight off other large-breasted ninjas. The game takes place over eight days with several stages, generally between five and eight, on each of those days. When first starting a stage or level, you'll need to use the story chosen character, but you can return at any time to repeat the level for better scores, to break unbroken platforms, or just replay the section of the story. When replaying the levels you're free to choose any available character. There are also a few side missions to do, and each character also gets their own unlockable personal story that contains five stages. These stories are unlocked by destroying platforms in the story stages.
http://i.imgur.com/YeeTdy9.jpg?1
There are a few gameplay mechanics for this beat-em up. You press square for a weak attack, triangle for a strong attack, O to dash/run/follow, X to jump. Combine these for added moves that unlock as your character levels up. Each character also gets three levels of special attacks that consume scrolls. L1+square is the weakest, using one scroll, L1+triangle is the middle, consuming two scrolls, and L1+O is the strongest, consuming five scrolls and only being unlocked when a character reaches level 12. In order to use the special moves, one must first "transform" in a Sailor Moon-esq transformation sequence. But, you know, with more boob. Transforming consumes one scroll and restores your life to full. Leveling up also restores your life to full and fills all of your scrolls. Scrolls are also obtained by defeating enemies, smashing breakable objects, attacking, and being attacked. You can guard with R1, perform combo moves with other teammates (if any), and enter a special high attack/low defense mode.
http://i.imgur.com/zRgl9Zi.jpg?1
Aside from the beat-em up action, there are a few other things to do. You can purchase outfits and accessories and customize your characters. You also unlock more stock as time goes on for further customization options. Once you've completed a characters personal story, you'll also unlock their hairstyle for free use on other characters. You can also play the lingerie lottery which... wins you more lingerie. About 120 sets, collect them all! You can also purchase music, movies, and images with in-game currency, and you can set a favourite character to do some menu voice over work. The game takes in to account clothes ripping in fights, which alters stats, or you can visit the options menu and turn it off, like I did. If you're on the opposite end of the spectrum, you can grope at the ladies and pose them for pictures!
http://i.imgur.com/IFSduBC.jpg?1
World:
This game actually has a wide-range of nice looking locations. It's a shame some of them are underutilized, and a lot of the same areas get reused. Areas are often highly explorable, hiding platforms away for you to find and destroy for unlockable stories. You can wall climb and jump, a necessity to get some of these platforms, and many areas have a lot of detail in them. As an added... uh, bonus, certain levels contain special zones that, if you defeat a character in it, will show you a special ending where the defeated lady flies out of her clothing and in to some compromising and suggestible pose.
http://i.imgur.com/FDXVJc6.jpg?1
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite. Note that 4 characters are not included because they are either unlockable or not involved with the story, so I didn't get as much time with them.)
http://i.imgur.com/u1qvunG.jpgHibari: Part of the Hanzo group, Hibari is very sweet and light-hearted. She fights mostly with her own body and can grow to many times her size before stomping on foes.
http://i.imgur.com/2TN9apl.jpgYumi: Leader of the Gessen shinobi, she is very reserved and quiet, but also a very serious leader. Attacks with fans and ice.
http://i.imgur.com/kEJ74CT.jpgMurakumo: A member of Gessen, she attacks with a sword and hatchet. She wears a mask, which gives her confidence, but when she loses the mask she has trouble functioning.
http://i.imgur.com/CJiR5GR.jpgAsuka: Leader of the Hanzo academy group, she has a big heart and refuses to set it aside. She duel-wields blades and is a speedy hitter.
http://i.imgur.com/gBIAdTm.jpgYomi: A member of the Crimson Squad who attacks with a giant sword. Hates everything rich, or anything she views as an unnecessary luxury.
http://i.imgur.com/3cWHQxF.jpgHanabi: One of the three shrine maidens helping run the festival. Attacks with a giant hammer and explodes when she thinks too hard.
http://i.imgur.com/5D3AEun.jpgHomura: Leader of the Crimson Squad, she wields six blades at a time. Hot headed but very passionate.
http://i.imgur.com/oGCuvvP.jpgRyona: A member of Hebijo academy, she fights like a figure skater and uses two guns. A huge masochist.
http://i.imgur.com/cIOup3s.jpgYagyu: A member of Hanzo academy, Yagyu attacks with a parasol and can summon a squid. She has strong feelings for Hibari.
http://i.imgur.com/SbuMj6q.jpgIkaruga: A member of the Hanzo academy shinobi, Ikagura is from the upper class. She has a a strong sense of honour. She also plays BC Mask, a superhero that she performs as for children's plays.
http://i.imgur.com/vEZA0CX.jpgMurasaki: A shut-in member of Hebijo who is rather shy and scares easily. Sister to Imu.
http://i.imgur.com/RnI4DPp.jpgMinori: A member of Gessen, she is very happy-go-lucky. Loves sweets.
http://i.imgur.com/PAW83kZ.jpgHikage: A member of the Crimson Squad, Hikage is very snake like. She claims to have no emotions.
http://i.imgur.com/VEFIpkf.jpgShiki: A member of Gessen, she speaks like a "valley-girl" and enjoys blogging. Uses a double sided scythe as her weapon.
http://i.imgur.com/20EiOFI.jpgImu: A member of Hebijo, she has strong feelings for Miyabi. Older sister to Murasaki.
http://i.imgur.com/sGTu02H.jpgHaruka: A member of the Crimson Squad, she attacks with a weird floating robot. Enjoys tormenting others, is very smug, and also makes very questionable "medicines".
http://i.imgur.com/yUdZD9p.jpgRenka: One of the three shrine maidens helping run the festival. She's a very blunt and straightforward person and hates all things girly.
http://i.imgur.com/IQ13a31.jpgMiyabi: Leader of the Hebijo Academy group, she is very serious and fights for evil. Feels insecure about her age, for some reason.
http://i.imgur.com/tAN8jGj.jpgKafuru: One of the three shrine maidens helping with the festival. Hates people talking down to her, has quite a potty-mouth, and attacks with two water guns and a dolphin.
http://i.imgur.com/kfeQnFy.jpgYozakura: A member of Gessen who punches things... really hard. Has a bit of a temper on her and likes things to be neat and tidy.
http://i.imgur.com/7QkxGCk.jpgRyobi: A member of Hebijo, she attacks with a large gun. She misses her deceased older sister and is a huge sadist.
http://i.imgur.com/b6kNIrN.jpgMirai: A member of Crimson Squad, she attacks with an umbrella/tommy gun contraptions. Feels insecure about herself and lashes out.
http://i.imgur.com/lbANNDr.jpgKatsuragi: A high spirited young woman from Hanzo academy. She attacks by kicking. Loves boobs. Very molesty.
Overall:
I didn't want to like this game. I hate the boobs everywhere and the sheer amount of ridiculousness that happens with them when a character moves slightly. I hate the blatant and overt fanservice, the over-sexualization of characters, some of whom are supposed to be quite young. The success finishes being rewarding you with nakedness. That stuff bothers me. But it is a game with an all female cast and dress up, and a reviewer I trust said it was fun, so I said I'll try it. And despite my skepticism, I actually really liked this game. It was incredibly fun. It plays smoothly, there's a wide variety of characters for different styles, the dress up is pretty great. The story is absurd but later on when it gets serious, it can actually be really touching and well told. While the game is incredibly absurd with the fanservice, it can laugh at itself and I found myself very amused by a lot of the personal stories and how fun they were. It also has much more variety in levels and much more stuff to do than I had anticipated. If you're a fan of beat-em ups and shameless fanservice, I do recommend this game. If you like dress-up and female characters, as I do, but don't like fanservice... well, it's your call. You can turn off clothes tearing and put them in more modest outfits, but the fanservice is a pretty inescapable part of it. It looks great, it plays well, and most importantly, it's fun. The game is just so much fun to play. And so, in spite of myself, I ended up really liking it despite all of its issues.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/bHOMXEg.jpg?1
Vermachtnis
06-09-2016, 03:27 PM
You might want to try the two on the 3DS, they're a tad more serious. They only have the girls from Hanzo and the Crimson Squad though. The characters, for one reason or another, are the main reason you're there.
Yeah, i don't think I'd ever be comfortable trying this ^^;
(Amusingly enough, Jonathan in my avatar seems to be enjoying himself)
Pumpkin
06-09-2016, 04:22 PM
You might want to try the two on the 3DS, they're a tad more serious. They only have the girls from Hanzo and the Crimson Squad though. The characters, for one reason or another, are the main reason you're there.
I do actually plan to try more of the games! It's a shame they'll be missing some of my favourite characters though, but oh well
Tomb Raider for the PS3 follows the adventures of Lara Croft before she was a dual pistol wielding, badass archeologist, to when she was a... single pistol wielding, slightly less badass archeologist.
That's so accurate it hurts.
And now that you played the first one, you already played the second. Just imagine this, but with more fighting, and more painfully tedious puzzles. Though to be fair painfully tedious puzzles is what Tomb Raider is all about, so I can't even be mad.
Formalhaut
06-15-2016, 01:37 PM
Yeah, about Tomb Raider Reboot:
Far too much gore. I'm already sensitive towards any of characters dying. Add in a fairly realistic metal pole impaling Lara through the neck, or a tree branch impaling Lara through the abdomen... yeah, no, no no no no.
I watched Mr. Carny play the game, and he failed the very first QTE and died. I feel like the time limit was too short on some of those, he failed them quite a few times. And the combat, goodness so much fighting. The final section of the game is basically a massive melee that lasts forever. Not very tomb raider. The original games had only a bit of combat with stunning tomb design, but tombs are relegated to 'optional' status. Fighting is very much at the fore, and I really didn't like that.
And I'm with Fynn about the ninja boob game; I'd feel uncomfortable just playing this game in case someone walks in.
Pumpkin
06-16-2016, 05:24 AM
Saints Row: The Third (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/BxuzPO8.jpg
Note: This game contains a lot of swearing, sexual content, and some blood, gore and of course, large amounts of violence.
Saints Row: The Third is about a gang called the 3rd Street Saints. They now have their own media empire including a clothing brand and energy drink and have a movie in the works. At the beginning of the game, in a bank robbery gone wrong, the Saints have one of their own seemingly killed and end up in the city of Steelport. There, they'll have to contend with a group of gangs organized together under the banner of "The Syndicate", as well as the military itself when Steelport decides to get tough on crime.
http://i.imgur.com/02vYntz.jpg
Saints Row 3 is a lot like the previous GTA games I've played, but with a lot more of a sense of humour about itself. The dialogue is usually pretty funny and there's just a ton of silly, ridiculous stuff going on. There were zombies at one point, I don't know. It is largely open world, you have Steelport to explore at your leisure. There are the main story missions to do, split in to 3 different acts. The first is linear and serves as a tutorial to the game, and the others are more open, offering more missions to do in the order you want.
http://i.imgur.com/6K73sBl.jpg
Besides story missions there are also activities scattered about and more get unlocked as you progress. These include destroying stuff with tanks, going through a sort of shooting gauntlet for a demented game show, committing insurance fraud by ragdolling yourself in to things, and a few others. You can also take on assassinations and vehicle thefts, as well as just some general challenges like traveling a certain distance, doing stunt jumps, finding collectables, etc. Your custom made character does level up by earning reputation points. You also earn cash which can be used for guns, properties, and upgrades to your characters and gang.
http://i.imgur.com/d1DrncH.jpg
The game does have a decent amount of customization. You get to make your own character, male or female, and there are several clothing stores scattered about ranging from normal to comical. You'll also get to customize your homies, your weapons, and your vehicles. You'll unlock more as the game progresses and as you level up. You'll also get calls when in the city to complete mini-challenges like surviving for a certain period of time or taking out x amount of enemies. And of course you can steal cars, put on some tunes, and run over innocent pedestrians. You will have law enforcement and other gangs to contend with though.
http://i.imgur.com/MlvFtwU.png
There is also a co-op mode if you aren't a friendless loser like me and a few other modes to explore as well as some DLC levels if you wants some more gameplay. I did not get in to any of that stuff though so I will be unable to comment.
Overall I had fun with this game. It was a bit vulgar for my tastes in some parts, especially the opening, but I did like that it had a sense of humour about how over the top and ridiculous it was. There was some good voice acting and some genuinely funny scenes. I loved getting to make my own character and that I got to make a lady character especially. There was a good variety of clothes, cars, and weapons, and I enjoyed a few of the activities like the Tank Mayhem. There was also some good music. On the down side, the world felt kind of small and I would have liked more buildings to go in to to explore. I also would have liked more gang and crib customization. There were also a few glitchy spots here and there but nothing game breaking. I also ran out of stuff to do by the end and just found myself finishing up the story with no breaks in-between. But I did have a lot of fun, I do plan to replay it in the future, and I would like to try the fourth installment!
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/0ll9031.jpg
I want to play these at some point just for the humor alone.
"Anyone shot need a lawyer?"
Pumpkin
06-20-2016, 05:28 AM
Atelier Sophie: The Alchemist of the Mysterious Book (PlayStation 4)
http://i.imgur.com/UGkyci0.jpg
Story:
Atelier Sophie is about a young alchemist named Sophie (shocking, I know), who discovers a mysterious talking book one day. Why does the book talk? It doesn't know, it lost all of its memories. Don't worry though, Sophie is on the case! With the help of her friends and her new talking book, named Plachta, Sophie begins to learn more about alchemy and how to restore Plachta's memories. Plachta also tells of a special alchemy cauldron that allows anyone to use any kind of alchemy, something that might help the developing Sophie to become a great alchemist like her grandmother.
http://i.imgur.com/KDtfTMl.jpg?1
Gameplay:
Atelier Sophie shares a lot of similarities to the two previous Atelier trilogies. The game focuses largely on crafting items, battling RPG style, and gathering ingredients. Unlike most games in the previous two trilogies however, Atelier Sophie does not have any time constraints. Instead the player is free to play at their own pace. There is a date system in place, but it is to indicate monster spawning, ingredient spawning, character events, and other such things. The character will be given goals to complete, which usually involves restoring Plachta's memories by discovering certain alchemy recipes.
http://i.imgur.com/5LGKKGi.jpg?1
Synthesizing is a big part of the game. This time, Sophie learns alchemy recipes by completing certain conditions. These range from fighting certain enemies, or exploring certain areas, to synthesizing specific recipes or completing certain character requests. You will be given a book to view which will indicate how one can obtain an alchemy recipe. More recipe clues unlock the more you do. Once you get the idea for the recipe, you will be able to synthesize the item. To do so, you select the appropriate ingredients and mix them in a pot. This game has a puzzle like aspect to it, where you try to raise certain attributes by the placement of your ingredients. You'll also obtain different cauldrons which grant different bonuses. The game will generally progress to the next level once you've found a specially marked recipe.
http://i.imgur.com/jQMNt53.jpg?1
Battles take place in turn-based RPG style. Characters get their turns to act and can do things such as use skills, attack, or use items. In this game, everyone can use items, but other than Sophie, there are only certain types of items each character can use. Some can use healing items while others can use attack items. These are synthesized. You can also synthesize weapons, accessories, and equipment. Items will need to be "equipped" on your characters before they can be used, and only 5 can be equipped per character. In battle, you'll be able to switch between defensive and offensive modes, which will allow characters to block attacks or use follow up attacks. There is a gauge that fills up as actions are taken, and high gauges allow for more character supports. Four characters can be brought in battle, although all are available to you after recruitment when adventuring and can be switched outside of battle at any time.
http://i.imgur.com/X1QJf7x.jpg?1
A few others things can be done outside of synthesizing items and battling, you can also explore, gather materials for your synthesis, accept and complete requesys for money, socialize and explore the town, build character relationships and give gifts, do character requests, and customize Plachta once she obtains a new body by deciding her outfit and stats.
http://i.imgur.com/iTuNBRD.jpg?1
World:
There is only one town in this game but it has multiple areas to visit and many shops and characters to talk to. Outside of that, you'll travel the world map via a series of dots from one location to the next, sometimes picking up perks or fighting battles along the way, until you arrive at your selected destination. Then you will be brought to the area where you can gather and fight monsters. Some areas have multiple maps to explore. There is a good variety of locations but the map is not very large.
http://i.imgur.com/4q5pUp1.jpg?1
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/YcCM1bF.pngCorneria: A.K.A. Cory, she can replicate any synthesized item for you. She is trying to find out more about her past. Shrinks when she works too hard.
http://i.imgur.com/JmldJfb.pngSophie:A kind-hearted young alchemist who wants to use alchemy to bring joy to others.
http://i.imgur.com/eeeAYVf.pngJulio: A traveling swordsman who wants to learn more about alchemy. Has a strong sense of duty.
http://i.imgur.com/TarOzsN.pngPlachta: A talking book that forgot most of her past. Sophie helps her to regain her memories and get another body.
http://i.imgur.com/pXLHcWH.pngLeon: A top class clothier, she is very passionate about what she does.
http://i.imgur.com/7wY3LxO.pngFritz: A former mercenary, he is now a doll maker. He loves dolls with an unnatural passion and puts on puppet shows.
http://i.imgur.com/5lEambn.pngHarol: Technically a clock-maker but doesn't have much of a passion for it. Pretty melancholic.
http://i.imgur.com/QgnJyRj.pngMonika: Sophie's friend, she's a good singer and takes everything she does very seriously.
http://i.imgur.com/XID3JA2.pngOskar: Sophie's friend, he can talk to plants and often skips out on work.
Overall:
I did quite enjoy Atelier Sophie. It had a good story that really kept me invested, and it reinvented the wheel enough to keep things fresh. The battles felt a bit like a step back at first, and they are pretty simple, but they're still pretty fun. There were a lot of nice locations and I liked the new synthesis method as well as the new way to find recipes. I was very pleased with there not being a time limit again as it let me explore more freely and experience the game more without the stress of a deadline looming over me. Pure story was probably one of the most interesting to me personally out of all of the Atelier games I've played. However, it isn't the most story heavy game and a lot of the character stories are entirely optional. The cast was pretty alright, nothing bad but nothing special. The world looked really good but did feel a bit small. I would have liked more towns and a wider area to explore. I was super happy with being able to change outfits, even though it was pretty minor. The biggest complaint I have about the game though is how short it is. If you just focus on the story it is incredibly short but if you're like me and try to do most of what's available... it's still kind of on the short side. Half of my play time was doing completely optional stuff and purposely stretching it out, and I didn't like knowing for most of the time I played that I could have ended the game whenever I wanted. But overall a strong game and I would also recommend to people who've wanted to try a recent Atelier game but aren't sure where to start.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/NxShWe8.jpg
Pumpkin
06-24-2016, 08:55 PM
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (PlayStation Vita)
http://i.imgur.com/gIjhwYP.jpg
Note that this game is a sequel to 9 Hours 9 Persons 9 Doors, and as such contains spoilers. This review will also contain minor spoils. Avoid both if you plan to play 999 first and I encourage you to at least get caught up with the story of 999 before playing this game.
Zero Escape: Virtue's Last Reward (which I will now simply refer to as VLR for convenience sake) is the second game in the Zero Escape trilogy. Nine people have been abducted and are forced to play a nonary game. This game has a specific set of rules which, if broken, will result in the player(s) getting penalized. What does that mean? Death. Each player has a watch stuck to their wrist. It tells them how many BP points (more on that later) they have, how long until important doors open, and, most importantly, will kill them should they break any rules. The game seems to be orchestrated by a mysterious figure known only as 'Zero', who is apparently one of the nine players. Who is it? I guess you'll have to play the game and find out!
http://i.imgur.com/4VkJTdm.jpg
The goal of the game is to reach 9 BP points. If someone has 9 BP points, they can open the number 9 door and escape to freedom. However, only people with 9 BP or above may exit and the door will only remain open for 9 seconds. How does one gain 9 BP? By playing the Ambidex Game! There are two groupings of people, solos and pairs, which changes after each round of the ambidex game. These people need to pair up to enter special doors. In these doors awaits some puzzle solving in order to open a safe. Opening the safe allows them to leave the room as well as collect special cards that allow them to play this ambidex game. During the ambidex game, players must choose to either 'betray' or 'ally' with the solo or pair they teamed up with. Depending on the vote, they will either gain or lose points. If they get 9 points they can leave. If their points drop below zero they die. No pressure, right?
http://i.imgur.com/CgsJHAk.jpg
The game has two main sections, novel and escape. During the novel sections, you will mostly be reading along with the story, visual novel style, with choices to be made here and there to affect said story. During the escape sections, you will engage in different forms of puzzle solving in order to unlock a safe, get a key to leave the room, and gain ambidex cards to play the ambidex game. If you go above and beyond in your puzzle solving, you can also unlock 'secret' files, which give a bit more insight in to the story. In each escape section will default to 'Hard' difficulty, but can change it to 'Easy' at any time if you need the extra help from your teammates. This will affect which type of secret file you can unlock though.
http://i.imgur.com/53m2mZX.jpg
Not to worry if you can't complete a level on Hard right away, this game provides a handy flow chart of the story. From this flow chart, you can travel back to any previously visited section of the game, try the puzzles again, and make different choices for different outcomes. This can be done at pretty much any time, so when you want more of the story, you won't have to start all over or keep many different save files. You can also view items and files, and the game provides a memo pad for you to keep track of important information if you need to.
http://i.imgur.com/KzfYthj.jpg
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/GQOq4oH.pngLuna: A kind, soft spoken woman who seems to have some experience in the medical field.
http://i.imgur.com/3q7iWyr.pngQuark: A happy and positive young boy.
http://i.imgur.com/ijDrjLc.pngSigma: The player character, Sigma has a weird tic about cats, counts a lot, and hits on women at inconvenient times.
http://i.imgur.com/xgp6GK7.pngPhi: A mysterious young woman and the first to be paired up with Sigma. Seems to be keeping secrets.
http://i.imgur.com/JGXwzDS.pngK: A man stuck in some weird suit, he claims to have amnesia and can't remember who he is.
http://i.imgur.com/NgxOuvi.pngAlice: A woman with superb mathematical skills who has some family issues she needs resolved.
http://i.imgur.com/jLwem4b.pngTenmyouji: An older and somewhat gruff man.
http://i.imgur.com/orzIr28.pngClover: A rather odd bird who participated in the previous two nonery games.
http://i.imgur.com/cPd8tQB.pngDio: An arrogant and loudmouthed man who always seems to look out for number one.
Overall:
I tried 999 twice and both times I didn't get very far. I just didn't like it. I'm terrible at mysteries and puzzle games. But for whatever reason, I decided I would go ahead and give this one a try. And it really surpassed my expectations. The puzzles were much more approachable and the game was presented in a way that made it easy and engaging for me to follow. I really wanted to see what would happen next, to understand what was going on. There's some really well done foreshadowing thrown in there and the story is told in such an excellent way at certain points. It flows extremely well and I enjoyed how they used player input as a story telling device. I liked the visuals and Luna has quickly made her way to one of my favourite video game characters and really gave me something extra to be excited about and care about. Some of the puzzles were still a bit frustrating for me, but overall it wasn't too hard. With that being said, aside from Luna I didn't particularly like most of the characters (although I didn't dislike most of them either) and the very ending sections kind of fell flat for me instead of becoming a big "wow" conclusion as I would have liked. That is just personal opinion though and it may have all held more weight if I'd played 999 rather than reading the gist of it to get caught up. Overall though I would recommend to puzzle, visual novel, and mystery fans if you want to give it a try. It's very approachable and tells a story in a really great way.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/gRHYbv5.jpg
Karifean
06-25-2016, 12:07 AM
Such a good game. I really loved the whole theme of 'ally or betray' and with the technical improvements over 999 it was quite the joy to read. Its only major flaw is the lack of a satisfying conclusion, and it looks like that's about to get rectified in five days =)
I strongly recommend Root Double if you're looking for something similar, by the way. It has a stronger cast of characters though there's no one quite as pure and kind-hearted as Luna =P
Pumpkin
06-27-2016, 06:23 PM
Flower (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/yDyhbW8.jpg
Flower is a short and rather unique gaming experience in which you control the wind and a flower petal. The game has six levels plus a credits level. You start at the "main menu", which is a windowsill looking out over a city. As the game progresses there will be flowers beginning to bloom along the windowsill, and selecting one will bring you to that level. You start with one and more unlock as you finish the previous one. The scenery through the window will also change to reflect your progress.
http://i.imgur.com/xQkxDVD.jpg
Once in a level, you control the wind and the starting flower petal by moving your controller. you can turn and increase or decrease your elevation. Simply hold down a button, pretty much any button, in order to speed up. You'll go around collecting petals from other flowers. Doing so will activate little mini-scenes and checkpoints, generally by brightening up the environment and allowing you access further in to the level. Different flowers also generally represent different things or have different effects, such as illumination, an elevation boost, or simply by marking the path towards your destination. They also each have their own distinctive tone when passing through them, which adds to the music of the level.
http://i.imgur.com/kkxCCxP.jpg
The levels do follow a narrative as the player slowly approaches a big city. While the game begins already quite bright and cheerful, day soon turns to night, and an open field of grass and flowers becomes a city full of protruding metal contraptions. I don't want to spoil the progression too much as it is best to experience it, but slightly different gameplay is added as you go on, with former impassible barriers becoming one more thing to bring light and beauty to.
http://i.imgur.com/wMPK5yp.jpg
While short, I did rather enjoy my time with Flower. It's a game you can easily play in an evening and for me personally it's a great mood booster. At one point it evokes a mood of fear and helplessness for me, but then it's followed up by bringing hope and happiness. It makes me feel like things can be overcome after a rough patch. While it started out a bit "oh this is pretty", it's really in the second half that, for me, it started resonating much more. Because the game only has a loose narrative, no dialogue, and mostly conveys its story through visuals and music, I would say a lot of it is up to interpretation and the experience probably varies from individual to individual. The controls were a bit annoying to me as I'm not a motion control type of person, and it certainly isn't a heavy, action packed, or deeply involved game. But if you're looking for a neat little experience with some great visuals and have a few hours to spare, I would definitely give it a try!
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/ze4uifb.jpg
Pumpkin
07-10-2016, 05:04 AM
Monster Loves You (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/m6izyEg.jpg
Monster loves you is a short little adventure game in which you play as a... monster. Born from the vat, your little monsterling will grow to a child, an adolescent, an adult, and possibly become an elder. Or maybe he or she will just dissolve back in to the vat, depending on your choices.
http://i.imgur.com/UuqNKls.png
This game is mostly a read, make a decision type of deal. In each stage, you'll be given a set number of days until you advance to the next stage. Then you'll pick a little bubble which will lead you to a short text adventure of sorts. You won't really know what it is until after you've decided and you won't get to do them all before moving on to the next stage. You will be given prompts and ways to respond to whatever the event is. Depending on what you decide, you'll gain or lose some points in your stats.
http://i.imgur.com/WcIjdUG.png
There are a few stats to improve such as kindness, bravery, ferocity, cleverness, and a few others. These influence the kind of monster you have and what will happen to them at the end of their lifespan. In adulthood and beyond you can also gain reputation points, and throughout the game you can also gain another special stat depending on your events and choices. If you achieve Elder status, you'll also be able to influence monster/human relations and will get points for that as well. You'll also get accomplishments for different endings.
http://i.imgur.com/3Dro7SJ.png
This game is rather short and is good to pick up here and there when you want to spend a little bit of time on a more lighthearted game. It's also pretty approachable for children if you have kids that you think might enjoy it. There is some replay value in trying different things and getting different accomplishments. Some of the possible events will also change from playthrough to playthrough.
http://i.imgur.com/JWxbdSf.png
I enjoyed this game. The only issue I encountered was that I couldn't open this game directly on the Steam library menu and instead had to go through local files. I don't know if it was an installation problem or what, but it did prevent my progress from being updated through Steam, although I still have the save file and everything. Other than that it was cute and fun and worth the short time spent with it, and it's good for just spending a few relaxing minutes with. It is on the short side and rather simplified, so don't get this looking for something deep and complex. In the end I did have fun with it, but it was nothing amazing.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/0p2z14s.png
Pumpkin
07-11-2016, 08:59 PM
HuniePop (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/RV3CDZd.jpg
*Note, this game contains a lot of uhh... adult content. Let's leave it at that.
So in my quest to expand my gaming repertoire, I decided to play a full-on dating game. I enjoy playing matchmaker in G rated games because romance is cute, but I've never actually had an interest in the more adult ones. So why not, I said, and gave this game a try!
HuniePop is a dating sim/puzzle game in which you play as a dude or a lady and try to pick up chicks. Your characters is apparently pretty hopeless in the romance department though, but not to worry, the scantily clad love fairy is here to help you!
http://i.imgur.com/7e4Cy7f.png
In this game, there are 8 women initially available for romancing and an additional four are unlockable. The game is split in to four periods of the day: Morning, afternoon, evening, and night. The time will only progress once you move from one girl to the next, making conversation and the like. Different girls have different schedules. As you talk to them, you can get to know them by asking questions like where they work, what their hobbies are, how old they are, etc. They'll also ask the questions back to you occasionally to see if you've been paying attention. They'll also ask you some personal questions, and answering to their liking will earn you more "Hunie", which is used to upgrade your stats for the puzzle aspect of the game.
http://i.imgur.com/bN38hZt.png
Aside from talking to them, you can also give them gifts. Ones they'll like are marked with stars and hearts, and giving them gifts can reward you with new hairstyles for them. They have a hunger meter which will deplete the longer you talk to them, and you'll need to feed them to keep their attention. I can't speak for all women, but this is pretty accurate for myself, honestly. Or you can go talk to some other ladies and return later to talk to her some more. You can also give them alcohol at night which makes them more open to affection but I never did that so I can't comment too much.
http://i.imgur.com/tX7Z9xE.png
You can also ask the girls on dates. After each successful date, the girls will gain a heart (up to 5), which will award you more hunie and monie. Depending on the time of day you ask them out, you'll go one one of three different dates, which will give you another outfit for them. After the first few dates they will send you uh... increasingly erotic pictures. After four successful dates, asking the girl out at night will result in an overnight visit, IF YA KNOW WHAT I MEAN!! (I mean sex time). There is some nudity, mostly of the upper region, but you won't actually be watching the deed or anything like that.
http://i.imgur.com/gllkopy.png
The dates are a kind of Candy Crush-esq type mini-game. There are different tokens that represent different stats (romance, talent, etc), and each girl has a specific stat she likes the most and dislikes the most. These can be leveled up with your hunie stuff. There are also three special kinds of tokens that have extra purposes, such as allowing the use of a gift on a date for benefits, or restoring turns. There will also be broken heart icons which are to be avoided at all cost. The date is won if you fill up the point bar before running out of turns. Winning the date also awards you with cash (I wish) for buying more gifts and stuff.
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/kkgmI3I.pngBeli: A yoga instructor, she's a somewhat spiritual person and feels slightly insecure about herself. Very kind.
http://i.imgur.com/9njjShw.pngKyanna: A single mother and hairdresser, she's not afraid to stand up for herself but wants a bit more stability in her life.
http://i.imgur.com/cA5u0mB.pngLola: A flight attendant, she's pretty confident and likes to live life to the fullest. She's also very passionate about sports, especially tennis.
http://i.imgur.com/UniwkjS.pngTiffany: A college student, she's very sweet and open-minded, but she doesn't get along well with her family.
http://i.imgur.com/wQww7DE.pngAiko: A college professor who doesn't take her job too seriously, but instead prefers activities like napping, gambling, and sleeping. Very direct.
http://i.imgur.com/Du1mlou.pngKyu: Your special helper fairy, she's very crude and brass and swears a lot. Not shy in the slightest.
http://i.imgur.com/5H0sASK.pngJessie: A heavy drinking, flirtatious porn actress who isn't shy about the flirting.
http://i.imgur.com/TEKPWMv.pngNikki: An antisocial shut-in who works at a cafe, but spends most of her time brooding. Likes video games.
http://i.imgur.com/Evnxj5H.pngAudrey: Audrey is a uh... loud person who enjoys insulting others, drugs, and feeling superior to you and everyone else.
Overall the game was more fun than I expected. I'm pretty sure you can romance however many of the women you want on one save file without consequence, but Pumpkin don't roll that way so I dunno. The characters definitely fit in to some stereotype cliches, but I was surprised at how natural some of the conversations felt. I was also impressed that the game had a diverse cast of romance options and allowed you to play as a girl. With that being said, some of the text was not changed properly to suit the female character, but overall it was changed appropriately. The dating game was pretty fun. Beli was awesome. So um, I guess if you enjoy this type of game, it might be worth a check out. It does get a bit repetitive, but I had fun with it. It was pretty alright.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i.imgur.com/8JjbzSW.png
Pumpkin
07-18-2016, 04:20 PM
Fire Emblem Fates: Birthright (Nintendo 3DS)
http://i.imgur.com/PCsDpvn.png
Story:
Fire Emblem Fates splits in to three possible paths depending on who you decide to side with. Your Avatar character (default name of Corrin, male or female), has grown up in the Kingdom of Nohr. However, as it turns out, they are originally from the rival Kingdom of Hoshido. In the Birthright path, Corrin decides to side with the more peaceful nation of Hoshido, their birth family, after seeing some of the dark things Nohr is capable of. The rest of the game centers around trying to defeat King Garon of Nohr in order to bring peace between the two nations.
http://i.imgur.com/Nl7Mxyk.png
Gameplay:
This game is a strategy/tactical RPG. It is divided in to chapters, and you'll gain more units as you progress. Each map has a certain amount of these units/characters that can be deployed, and some have mandatory characters that need to be used. In Birthright you can also scout for challenges in order to do some extra grinding on maps you've previously completed. Different maps have different win conditions, such as 'defeat the boss' or 'route the enemy'. Some maps will also give you items, or additional characters if you fulfill the requirements. The game also has several difficulty settings, including Classic or Casual which decides whether characters defeated in battle die or not, and a new Phoenix mode that revives characters in battle on the next turn.
http://i.imgur.com/bfFqucd.jpg
Different unit types have different strengths and weaknesses. Before confirming an engagement between your unit and an enemy, an estimate of how the battle will go down will be displayed for you to make your decision. As your characters gain levels, they can also change classes or 'evolve' in to a higher class with the right items. In battles, you can pair two units together, and they will sometimes completely negate a hit for their ally. Or you can simply have two units next to each other for a support attack. Both will raise compatibility between certain characters. More on that in a bit. The battles are divided in to player and enemy turns, and character units can be used in any order during the player turn. Once they have acted though, they cannot be used again until the next turn, unless you use certain support abilities. Outside of battles, you can also equip upgraded weapons on them once their weapon compatibility increases from use.
http://i.imgur.com/nCyFIc5.jpg
Aside from battles, there are a few other things that can be done. You're given a castle and as the game progresses you can add and upgrade buildings and shops. This includes a few fun things like the lottery, battle coliseum, cooking, and a hot spring. As your characters fight together, they will gain affinity and will sometimes unlock support conversations which can be viewed outside of battle. Their support ranks will increase, and some characters can even get married and have kids, which can then be recruited in to your army thanks to time shenanigans. You can also visit other people's castles, and do castle invasions if you want to.
http://i.imgur.com/eBNcFia.png
World:
There is a world map but you won't really be exploring it. You'll simply choose or be given a destination and then do battle on the smaller area maps. You do get to freely walk around your castle though and customize it to your liking by rearranging buildings and changing the theme and music. There is good variety in the battle maps to keep things interesting.
http://i.imgur.com/bZirqVO.jpg
Characters:
(I will only be listing some of the important characters, not all of them, and in no particular order).
http://i.imgur.com/xwcXuFf.pngCorrin: Male version also available, Corrin is the protagonist/customizable player character. Born in Hoshido and raised in Nohr, s/he must decide who to fight with. Very soft-hearted and caring.
http://i.imgur.com/e71GbqH.jpgRyoma: Eldest brother of the Hoshido family. Very stern and upfront, but also takes care of others.
http://i.imgur.com/eebIruS.jpgHinoka: Eldest sister of the Hoshido family, she's very open and caring but also takes things rather seriously.
http://i.imgur.com/iXfSEqX.pngTakumi: Youngest brother of the Hoshido family, he has a strong distrust for Nohrians including the Corrin at first.
http://i.imgur.com/ctwXG6J.pngSakura: Youngest of the Hoshido family, she's very shy and introverted, but cares very much about her siblings.
http://i.imgur.com/NeYkzgU.pngAzura: A somewhat mysterious woman who can sing a very powerful song.
Verdict:
Birthright took a while to get in to. It didn't give me the same excitement as Awakening did. But I very much appreciated the Phoenix mode as I'm terrible at strategy games and difficulty was my chief complaint with Awakening. However, about 2/3 of the way in, I really got in to it and could barely put it down. I'm not sure why it took so long, it might be because Fates is intended to be experienced via all three storylines, so it takes a while to get to know everyone and the whole situation. The ending sections were superb. I also loved the matchmaking, as expected, and enjoyed being able to customize my own castle. The cooking was fun. Some of the characters were blatant expys, which I guess is the point, but I would have liked more unique characters as well. The story was pretty good, I liked having to make such an important decision, and with grinding I put in nearly 60 hours, meaning this is a full game in and of itself. It is a bit bummer I have to pay more to get the other side of the story, but as I mentioned, this game can stand on its own if it needs to.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/Y4jacmM.png
Pumpkin
07-22-2016, 10:57 PM
Undertale (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/PxkXUTQ.jpg
*Note that it's hard to explain some of this game without spoiling anything, although I'll try my best, so if you prefer to enter games blind, I recommend skipping this review (until after you've played, of course ;p).
Also note that I have only completed the pacifist route and have done none of the other routes, so I will be unable to comment on them.
Long ago, humans and monsters lived together. Eventually there was a war, and the humans sealed the monsters underground, where they are now trapped. Our protagonist, having ventured up the mountain of no return, falls in to the underworld and the land of monsters. This is where our tale begins. Controlling the human character, you will venture though the land of monsters, looking for a way to return home. The impression you leave on their world will be determined by your actions.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/hqdefault.jpg
This game has two major aspects, which is puzzle solving and battles. As you make your way through the underworld, you'll be faced with a large number of puzzles to solve, so brush up on those skills. Outside of battles you'll also be able to talk to NPC's, shop, and take on a few mini quests here and there. Save points restore your health as well and they can be seen as shiny star looking things on the map.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/tumblr_inline_o7nc9gE8cX1rdt1s0_500.png
In battles, there are a number of things you can do. You can fight enemies, which will reward you with EXP, levels, and money. The aim when choosing to fight is to click at the exact right time when your "line" hits the center. It'll make more sense if you see it. Depending on your success, you will do damage. The other option is to "act". By doing this you can check info on your opponent and engage in numerous actions depending on the foe, such as talking, hugging, joking, etc. The goal of the act is to get the enemy's name tag highlighted in the colour of your choosing, which will indicate that you can go to the mercy option and 'spare' the enemy. This will usually reward you with money, but you will get no experience. When the enemy attacks you, whether selecting fight or act, it will play out as a sort of bullet-hell mini-game where you usually have to dodge projectiles. There are a few other battle elements, such as special coloured attacks, that will be explained as you go along. You can also use items in battle and try to flee from the mercy option.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/hm8u6q2cdpaoakol4bva.jpg
As you go along, there will be various location changes, such as 'Ruins' and 'Waterfall', that change up the scenery, opponents, and NPC's. You'll meet some characters along the way who may help you on your journey and even give you their phone number if you feel like calling them up for a chat. There's also some excellent music to be experienced in many of the locations that you find. Backtracking to view more events or go visit previously visited areas also becomes more accessible as you continue with some quicker transportation options.
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/NapstablookFirstEncounter.png
Overall I would say this game is a slow burn. It was quirky and fun at first but things didn't really pick up for me until towards the end when the story really starts to unravel. The story itself is incredibly creative and touching, and it's told in a very charming and delightful way. I also quite like the sense of humour Undertale displays, and I like quite a few of the characters that you run in to. I appreciate the presence of choice available in the game as well, making it feel like your actions actually mean something and you aren't just walking along a scripted path. It makes you think more about your actions. On the downside, I wasn't a fan of the graphics, although I appreciate it was a small team that did the project. I also had a very hard time with the gameplay because I am not good at bullet hell style games. This led to a relatively short game being stretch out over a long period of time as I kept dying and getting discouraged. Overall though, I would definitely say it was a unique and enjoyable experience and I would recommend it if it seems like your thing.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r619/achila123451/tumblr_o2sbqma8ZG1urt3fbo1_500.jpg
Pumpkin
07-26-2016, 09:44 PM
Planetarian ~the reverie of a little planet~ (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/xgQ6d03.jpg
Planetarian is a short visual novel about an unnamed Junker living in a post-apocolyptic world after a great war. Toxic Rain continues to fall without end, and all that awaits the few human survivors is struggle against the elements, lack of resources, and the dangerous mechs that lay in wait for anyone who crosses their path. But our protagonist soon finds companionship at the Planetarian in a destroyed city.
http://i.imgur.com/ZsHOxQk.png
The Planetarian is where he meets Hoshino Yumemi, a robot whose job it is to serve the guest at the stargazing establishment. She takes great joy and pleasure in introducing everyone to the starry sky via a projection machine named Miss Jena. As it turns out, Yumemi activates for one week every year, and has been doing so for the past 30 years despite everything that's happened in the outside world. Seemingly oblivious to the real reason why she isn't getting any customers, she and the Junker begin to bond as he helps her fix Miss Jena so she can show him the starry sky that he's never seen.
http://i.imgur.com/47p8tCq.png
This is a short visual novel with no choices. You will simply be reading what is presented on the screen and scrolling at your leisure. You can also change the font for better reading, and of course save and load when you want to. The game also gives you a chapter index on the save/load screen so you can quickly return to the beginning of any previously read section. Upon completing the VN, you can also view the CG and music galleries from the title screen menu.
http://i.imgur.com/TFQLWab.png
Overall I enjoyed this little VN. It was very short, but I enjoyed the quirkiness of it and I think they told the story of Yumemi the robot in a somewhat fresh way. Instead of making her entirely human as we see in many stories, you are still made aware of the fact that she is a robot and only capable of so much. This doesn't take away from her character at all, but I feel it rather adds to it as you begin to care for her for exactly who she is. The music, while nothing to write home about, did fit the setting a lot. It wasn't the prettiest visually, although that's kind of the point, and certain moments were certainly impactful because of it when they introduced more colour in to the world. It managed to be very touching for such a short story and if you like VN's and have a few hours, I would very much recommend it.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/kuX9Yyt.png
Pumpkin
07-31-2016, 01:02 AM
Tales of Xillia 2 (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/OjHXKhE.jpg
Warning: This game and the review both assume you've played the first game and so both the game and the review will be packed full of spoilers for Tales of Xillia. If you haven't played the first Tales of Xillia and don't like spoilers, I'd advise you to play that one before undertaking the second one.
Story:
Following the conclusion of Tales of Xillia, Rieze Maxia and Elympios are in the delicate position of trying to learn to live together. A young Elympion man, named Ludger, is about to begin a job as a cook after failing yet another test to enter the flourishing Spirius company in which his brother works. After meeting a strange little girl by the name of Elle, Ludger ends up in the middle of a terrorist attack, where he finds out that his brother has more going on than he thought.
http://i.imgur.com/uZgPpYt.jpg
Thanks to the experience, Ludger is recruited in to Spirius as a special agent. His job? To destroy "fractured dimensions", alternate realities that shouldn't exist. With the help of the original Tales of Xillia cast, Ludger must find out more about his job at Spirius, the fractured dimensions, his brother, and the lost little girl named Elle.
Gameplay:
This game plays very similarly to Tales of Xillia and many of the more recent Tales games. You bring up to 4 characters with you in to battle of which you control one. You attack by pressing X, which charges your TP. TP allows your characters to use artes (this game's version of magic), by pressing the O button along with pointing the analogue stick in a certain direction. As you progress, you'll be able to assign artes to other commands, allowing you to use more abilities in battle. By pressing a directional pad, you can link with another party member, which allows for linked attacks when your link bar fills. You can also use items in battles, defend with Square, and set a variety of skills outside of battle on to your character which grant a variety of benefits in battle and out. Allium Orbs are used to learn new skills and artes as well, and they can easily be equipped and unequipped from any character you choose whenever you want. As you accumulate points by having it equipped, you will be alerted when a character learns something new or upgrades an arte.
http://i.imgur.com/e4fGRwm.jpg
Unlike in the first Xillia game, Ludger will be mandatory in your party throughout the whole game and your other characters can only be swapped in towns. Aside from the game being divided in to chapters, the supporting cast also gets their own side stories for you to explore if you wish. During most main and story missions, you'll have mandatory party members to accompany you. Also by linking Ludger with certain people, and choosing certain dialogue options, his relationship with them will increase which grants items and skills. Aside from that, you'll also have a mountain of debt to pay off (yay), be able to accept requests for money and rewards, and find 100 lost cats and dispatch them on item seeking missions.
http://i.imgur.com/W4GDKUs.jpg
World:
In Xillia 2, you'll be revisiting the areas present in the first game. You'll explore Rieze Maxia, which has many diverse areas, and Elympios, which looks mostly the same. You'll also gain access to a few new areas, although there aren't very many. So if you liked the world of Xillia, you'll like this one just fine. You'll also be exploring fractured dimensions, which are a one time only deal, but they allow you to view the world in a different way. As usual there are treasures scattered about, giving you something to search for as you explore the areas (not to mention finding kitties).
http://i.imgur.com/PyZtpQD.jpg
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite):
http://i.imgur.com/zI6D7Lc.jpgElize: Starting to overcome her shyness, Elize is now in school and making friends. She's doing better in her life overall, but still struggles with knowing how to make difficult decisions.
http://i.imgur.com/rzPzkSM.jpgLeia: Leia has since moved on from nursing and is trying to make a name for herself in journalism. Still as spunky as ever, but she has a lot to learn when it comes to how to do her new job.
http://i.imgur.com/lFbgxKa.pngRollo: Rollo is a fat cat belonging to Ludger's family. He helps find items and other cats.
http://i.imgur.com/JM7k50N.jpgRowan: He now has responsibilities as the Prime Minister of Rieze Maxia and is an integral part of the peace talks between Rieze Maxia and Elympios.
http://i.imgur.com/4NhqHbm.jpgGaius: Still as serious as ever, Gaius now occupies the position of King of Rieze Maxia. He can't get a hang of the whole technology business though.
http://i.imgur.com/CZNKKdD.jpgJude: Since the end of the last game, Jude has been hard at work researching how to get humans and spirits to coexist in peace.
http://i.imgur.com/sLQCp9y.jpgLudger: Our mostly silent protagonist, his first day on the job is wrought with difficulties and he finds his life forever changed.
http://i.imgur.com/WAFJTLb.jpgMilla: Went on to become the new Maxwell, Lord of Spirits. But is this really the Milla we know?
http://i.imgur.com/7pY222l.jpgAlvin: Trying to clean up his life, Alvin is attempting to make a name for himself as a salesman.
http://i.imgur.com/42YT5Yr.jpgElle: A young girl who got lost after her father was attacked. Promised to go to the land of Canaan, which is said to be able to grant any wish.
http://i.imgur.com/pswMzCn.jpgMuzet: Trying to relinquish her previously evil ways, Muzet still struggles to fit in among the humans.
Overall:
So did you play Tales of Xillia and think, "Man, this would be so much better with millions of dollars of debt and an annoying kid?" No, I'm joking, but seriously, I quite liked Xillia 2. I wasn't as impressed with it as when I first played it, but it was a solid game that held my interest the entire way through. I really liked having the character specific stories, although I wish they had more variety in who accompanies these characters in their stories. The kitty dispatch was adorable and useful, and it was nice to see the cast again after what they'd been through. I liked all of the characters and the game did a good job, as most Tales game do, of allowing each to have their development and turn in the spotlight. On the other hand, having so much focus on Ludger and Elle felt rather odd and out of place, and the way they added details to the original story makes me wonder if they just expanded on the lore, or if they changed too much. The original Xillia is definitely the better game, now that I've had a chance to play both twice, but this one is worth your time if you liked the first one and want to catch up with everyone again.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/P1swzvt.jpg
Pumpkin
08-04-2016, 06:10 AM
Ar Tonelico Qoga: Knell of Ar Ciel (PlayStation 3)
http://i.imgur.com/RUhZan0.jpg
Note: I have only received the "Normal" ending of the game, which excludes an entire chapter. As such, I will be unable to comment on the final parts of the game until I go back some time in the future and complete the True Ending.
Double Note: There is a lot of sexual content and foul language. Be warned if that's an issue for you.
Triple Note: Ar Tonelico Qoga is the third game in the Ar Tonelico trilogy. You don't have to have played the first two to play this one, but you will miss some details, so do your research or play the others first.
Story:
The game begins with our protagonist, Aoto, when he stumbles upon a Revytail (magical song girl), named Saki, being chased by the big bad army. A man who had vowed to protect her lays dying as he asks Aoto to protect her, and Aoto, being an RPG hero, agrees immediately. This leads to a whole mess of situations when he and his friends meet a second Revytail named Finnel and somehow manage to get sucked in to the middle of a conflict between what essentially amounts to a human faction and a Revytail faction. How it turns out is up to you.
http://i.imgur.com/nX7HWQQ.jpg
Gameplay:
Ar Tonelico Qoga is an RPG. You gain up to six characters throughout the game, three of which are used as your primary battle characters, and the other three are kind of backups. While your three main fighters will always be present in battle (unless story events dictate otherwise), you can only control one at a time. You can switch this from the main and battle menus at any time. You can only have one backup Revytail character in your party, however, and who you choose will decide the rhythm, music, and possible support abilities during the fight. It's also your job to protect them from harm in battle. They also have other forms, so to speak, to add some more variety.
http://i.imgur.com/7xGaq90.jpg
In battle you press Square to attack, and the goal is to attack with the rhythm of the music (which will be displayed for you). Doing so will raise your Revytail's Burst gauge, which will allow for added abilities such as raising attack or defense, or increasing the amount of healing your Revytail gives out. These support abilities can be set to your liking. When you attack on beat enough, you'll be able to Purge your Revytail (which involves stripping them, for some reason), by pressing one of the assigned shoulder buttons and shaking your controller. You can unleash a Revytail attack with the X button, which will do more damage depending on their Purge level and Burst gauge. You can also open the battle menu with Triangle and do special attacks when available by pressing Square plus a directional button.
http://i.imgur.com/kVJKSJB.jpg
Outside of battle you can craft items, customize your heroines to a limited degree, shop, and go in to your heroine's "soulspace", which is a very intimate system wherein you dive in to their subconscious in order to form a stronger bond with them. This will allow for higher Purge levels, but costs DP (Dive Points), which are obtained in battle. You can also find conversation topics around towns, or by doing certain things in battle, which gives you additional conversations to view.
http://i.imgur.com/rcw2MDL.jpg
World:
The Ar Tonelico Qoga world manages to be both big and small. There's not a huge amount of areas or towns to visit and the towns are pretty small overall and offer much of the same stuff. Some of the dungeons, however, stretch on for good chunks of time and have very convoluted pathways and routes to sort yourself through. You'll also be doing a lot of back and forth. While there's a decent amount of variety, you'll be seeing a lot of the same stuff. One the bright side, the game offers you a bar that changes colour depending on how likely you are to get in to a fight, and depletes after each. Meaning that while you're navigating some of the complicated maps, you can rest assured that eventually you won't have to do battle anymore. If you want to restore the bar? Just leave the area and come back!
http://i.imgur.com/A1dLurB.jpg?1
Characters:
(I will not be listing all characters because of spoilers. No particular order)
http://i.imgur.com/BwUBCyO.jpgAoto: Our protagonist who has dedicated himself to protecting the maidens he just met five minutes ago.
http://i.imgur.com/5VxJaMQ.jpgSaki: A Revytail. Very shy and soft spoken. Also she can turn people in to cakes.
http://i.imgur.com/77ufLWs.jpgTatsumi: Aoto's friend who tries to take the more logical approach to situations.
http://i.imgur.com/U3gPHMG.jpgFinnel: A Revytail who has a strong interest in Tatsumi. Very clumsy and quick to upset.
http://i.imgur.com/NpelaM6.jpgHikari Gojo: A reliable doctor of Revytology, he has friends in all of the right/wrong places.
Overall:
Ar Tonelico Qoga isn't really... a good game. But it isn't a bad game either. The writing is amateur, some of the voice acting is awful, and the amount of uncomfortably sexual scenes is just cringe worthy (especially when paired with the bad voice acting). The areas get repetitive, the gameplay isn't great, and the characters are all rather cliche. The story is alright. But despite all of these faults, the game is still quirky in a charming way. It's like that puppy who may not be the cutest, but watching him fall over his own paws is still kind of aww worthy. The battle system is interesting and I like how the music and rhythm change depending on the character you use. The crafting system is nifty, as is finding the talk topics. There are some visually very nice looking areas and, while I don't love any of the characters, I didn't dislike them either. I also liked that the story took a "both of these sides kind of suck but some of the people don't" approach to things instead of having a clearly good and clearly evil side. So if you can look past its faults and want to try a quirky, rather average RPG, then it's worth checking out.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i.imgur.com/bNnRNxr.jpg
Vermachtnis
08-05-2016, 12:00 AM
I got that game because I loved the first two, but it was kinda eh. I never finished it.
Pumpkin
08-09-2016, 09:19 PM
Always Sometimes Monsters (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/e5LbBfI.jpg
Note that this game deals with a lot of more adult themes.
This game is sort of a life simulator of sorts. When the game starts, you will choose who to "have a drink with" and offer a book deal to, and the character you choose will be your character for the rest of the game. The girl I picked drank brandy, so I named her Brandy, because I'm clever like that. After you select your character, you will be choosing a romantic interest from a second set of characters. Same sex pairings are also available and some dialogue and things will actually change to reflect your relationship.
http://i.imgur.com/3CPsSnp.png
Fast forward a year and things aren't going so great for you. That book deal is kind of falling through, you're late on your rent, you don't have much going on, and, worst of all, your lover left you. They left you! And to top it off, they sent you an invitation to their wedding in a month. Now it's up to you to find a way across the country within that month in order to see your lover again and maybe even try to win them back.
http://i.imgur.com/rijwWIS.png
That's essentially the story of the game, although it's split up in to smaller chunks of story. Like when you change towns, you'll generally have new, specific objectives that you can approach in a variety of ways. The main underlying objective is generally to get money or a ride to the next city or town. How you do that is generally up to you. Do you get in to some shenanigans or maybe illegal activity to get more money, or do you work at the temp agency jobs for a small salary? Do you pawn precious items, or keep them like you promised? These decisions, and there are a lot of them, shape the narrative of your personal story.
http://i.imgur.com/IETADFh.png
Your character also needs to eat and sleep, eating costs money and sleeping might unless you choose to sleep outside in certain cases. A lot of the jobs you work also serve as long, repetitive mini-games that probably feel as dull as some of these jobs would in real life. Things like planting seeds, making tofu burgers and steaks, etc. There are also some video games within the game (or knock-off versions anyway) that you can play when you want a change of pace.
http://i.imgur.com/Ns9tZvc.png
Overall, it was an okay game, but it fell short in a lot of ways. I like much of the freedom you get in how you approach things, and how some things do genuinely change based on character, romantic interests, and choices, making the game a very different experience from one person to the next. Which is great! However, it's also rather depressing playing a character who struggles every step of the way for a goal that you might not even care about, because there's no option to move on from your ex and build your life back up like a healthy person. So instead you lead your character down a destructive path while dealing with others who have drug addictions, marriage issues, gambling debts, and other such issues that just kind of make it a heavy experience. While it's not a bad thing, the story can sometimes get in to extreme and silly dilemmas that don't make you think but instead just feel depressing and annoying. It's got some cute features like the creators appearing in the game, some funny moments, and some of it does feel very genuine and real. But the mini-games get dull, the story is depressing, and it doesn't feel like there's enough pay off for putting up with all of the flaws. If it sounds interesting, it's pretty cheap so it's worth a try, but in my opinion it fell short of what it could have been.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i.imgur.com/0rvgccF.png
Pumpkin
08-12-2016, 05:10 AM
Heavy Rain (PS3)
http://i.imgur.com/8E2scLK.jpg
Heavy Rain is an adventure game/interactive movie centered around a mystery. You play as four separate characters as they attempt to unravel the mystery of the Origami Killer. This murderer is known for abducting children and leaving them to drown in the... heavy rain. During the story, another little boy is kidnapped, and you must rush to find clues, complete trials, and find the boy in the few days you have left before it's too late.
http://i.imgur.com/0QiS35N.jpg
Being an adventure/interactive movie game, Heavy Rain is very narrative driven. You'll put yourself in the shoes of the different characters throughout the chapters, walk around, interact with things, and go through many a quick time event. You walk by holding down R2, and you'll get prompts as you go along to move your left analogue stick in any number of directions, or to press a specific button, hold a button (or several) or to mash a button. These can also be required during quick time events, so make sure to familiarize yourself with the gameplay. You can also switch to motion controls if you prefer. It can feel a bit awkward at first, but the game does give you ample opportunity to learn in low-stress situations.
http://i.imgur.com/R3r9GsY.jpg
Note that your actions do have an impact on the story. Some characters can die if you make wrong decisions or fail quick time events. This will impact some chapters and some of the overall narrative of the story, as well as if you rescue the little boy or not. The four characters are: Ethan Mars, depressed dad, Norman Jayden, a profiler from the FBI with some high tech gadgets, Madison Paige, a woman who gets wrapped up in the case for some reason that you find out later, and Scott Shelby, a private detective also on the case. You'll encounter other side characters as well during the story, but you won't really have direct control in the same way as the main four.
http://i.imgur.com/3Bcubbv.jpg
Overall it was a pretty alright game. I liked what it tried and the mystery kept me guessing. I also felt the pressure of my decisions and the time I took with them and it would certainly get my heart rate up. The setting was neat, and I enjoyed having my actions mean something. With that said, there were a lot of faults. The voice acting was usually pretty terrible, and the result of button inputs was not always clear, leading to making some decisions I didn't want. The characters were generally pretty one dimensional with the exception of Norman, I found, and they decided that Madison was usually best in her underwear or in other sexually compromising situations. It was a short game and I think an interesting play, it also had some feels moments and a good mystery. If you have some time to spare for something on the lighter gameplay, more storytelling side of things, I'd give it a try. It was alright, not a waste of my time, but definitely nothing great.
Verdict:
IT WAS OKAY
http://i.imgur.com/3Y0uS9E.jpg
Pumpkin
08-16-2016, 04:16 AM
Bravely Second (Nintendo 3DS)
http://i.imgur.com/ptdT09h.jpg
Note: Both this game and this review contain heavy spoilers for Bravely Default. If you have not yet played Bravely Default, avoid both until you have!
Story:
Bravely Second picks up not too long after the end of the first game. It starts in the heat of the action with a new threat, called Kaiser Oblivion, kidnaps Agnes. A new hero by the name of Yew must band together with his friends in order to rescue her. On his way, he meets with some familiar faces, such as Edea and Tiz, and also meets another strange girl claiming to be from the moon. As the story progresses, you'll meet some old friends/enemies, and be asked to solve some moral dilemmas for them. You'll also meet some new friends and enemies, including the bad guys who are trying to help Kaiser Oblivion in his nefarious plans. It's up to Yew (and you) to save Agnes, stop the Kaiser, and show your friends and enemies that there's more than one way to happiness.
http://i.imgur.com/yERFPQf.jpg
Gameplay:
Bravely Second plays very similar to Bravely Default with a few tweaks. The Brave/Default system returns, in which you can save up moves or spend them for several actions in a row. Job classes old and new make an appearance, although this time you'll have to make some touch moral choices to decide which ones to get when. It does play in typical turn-based RPG fashion, with you and your enemies taking turns in battle, depending on your Brave Points, and of course different jobs have different skills, equipment, strengths, and weaknesses and can be changed any time outside of battle. As the jobs level up, they'll obtain new skills and abilities, and you can equip a secondary job command as well as use support commands from other jobs for more customizable parties.
http://i.imgur.com/k9pB0Wc.jpg
One of the main new features, is the One More Time system in battle. If you complete the fight in one turn or less, by pressing L1 you can immediately go in to another fight, retaining the same HP, MP, and BP. You can continue this trend for as long as you complete the battle is one turn or less, and once you no longer can, or you choose not to, you'll be awarded extra exp, jp, and pg depending on the number of fights you completed. This makes grinding a much quicker and smoother process. You can also assign quick commands for auto-battles, turn battles off or raise the encounter rate, and a few new shortcuts have been added.
http://i.imgur.com/FopqQwW.jpg
In addition, there's a new mini-game where you make stuffed toys for points, which can be used to improve your equipment for higher efficiency, and traded in for pg (money). There's also rebuilding as in the first game, which also includes another mini-game of sorts where you defend the space you're rebuilding.
http://i.imgur.com/2cKdhdy.jpg
World:
The world is divided in to three main parts: Dungeons, towns, and overworld map. In dungeons you will battle monsters and traverse mazish locations, generally ending them with a boss fight. Towns are where you shop and socialize and rest after that dungeoning. And the overworld map is where you travel between these locations, also fight fights, and generally explore. Bravely Second retains the same gorgeous art style, and you'll be exploring old and new locations alike. Your destination will be marked on the overworld map with a yellow exclamation point, and sidequests will be marked with a blue exclamation point.
http://i.imgur.com/540LMpG.jpg
Characters:
(In no particular order)
http://i.imgur.com/G8yptx0.jpgYew: A young man and one of the three cavaliers of the Crystal Orthodoxy, he is naive in many ways, but generally wants to do good and holds steadfast in his conviction to rescue Agnes.
http://i.imgur.com/2HZJ0PW.jpgEdea: Making a return from Bravely Default, Edea has grown both in rank and in wisdom. She's become more of a leader, although she's still a big eater and has somewhat of a short temper.
http://i.imgur.com/QXqfSFI.jpgMagnolia: A French speaking girl who claims to be from the moon, she has a special mission to defeat strange creatures known as Ba'al.
http://i.imgur.com/xIvEglG.jpgTiz: Back from the brink of death with terrible hair, Tiz has become much more confident while retaining his caring side.
Overall:
I enjoyed Bravely Second much more than the first game, so much so that I'm considering giving BD a second chance. The storytelling is excellent and ties in well with both the world and gameplay, and I found it to be much more subtle and less heavy handed than the first. I liked the new characters much more than I expected to and really grew to care for them throughout the journey. There were some great new job classes as well, and the game was made much more accessible with the new grinding system and an easy mode that was actually easy. There are difficulty settings for those who want more of a challenge, but I was glad to enjoy what this game had to offer at a pace I could keep up with without feeling overwhelmed. The locations are gorgeous as usual, and I found it to be improved in almost every way. The main negative for me is that it's easy to get burned out, which is similar to the first game, and I once again don't enjoy the nearly forcing me to be social in a game I don't care to be social in. With that being said, if you were a fan of the first, definitely give this one a try.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/92jB8fw.jpg
Pumpkin
08-19-2016, 04:51 AM
Tomoyo After ~It's a Wonderful Life~ (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/xI70Ao2.jpg
Tomoyo After is a visual novel and sequel to CLANNAD. This story takes place if Tomoya pursued a relationship with Tomoyo, and follows their life starting shortly after that ending. You can play this before CLANNAD, I suppose, but you'll not understand many of the references. This VN does have choices for you to make along the way, which can lead to several endings. There is a "Best" ending if you make the right choices. There is also a completely optional side game called Dungeons & Takafumis, which is a small and rather cute little strategy game if you want to give that a whirl.
http://i.imgur.com/JbVg7Vm.png
Newly working Tomoya is having a great relationship with his new girlfriend. She stays over, cooks and cleans for him, they tease each other and laugh and frolic as the young couples do. Unfortunately, Tomoyo's younger brother likes to show up unannounced and catch them in embarrassing moments while making himself perfectly at home. And oh yeah, a girl also shows up who demands ice cream and likes to make terrible jokes and also hang around like she owns the place. But wait, that's not all! Turns out that Tomoyo and her brother have some family drama when a little girl is brought to the house who is an illegitimate child of their father!
http://i.imgur.com/Zb13JaN.png
Yes, this does sound like a soap opera, but luckily is told better. Tomoya and Tomoyo agree to watch this little tyke, named Tomo because of course she is, to help prevent family drama after Tomoyo's brother, Takafumi, took drastic measures to keep the family from falling apart. Raising a child is a big responsibility though, and soon they have to make decisions about what's best for her. The story also deals with the personal stories of some of the side characters as well.
http://i.imgur.com/U7J5mfs.png
Characters:
(Ordered from favourite to least favourite)
http://i.imgur.com/yAYVUBW.pngTakafumi: Tomoyo's younger brother. He's goofy but kind and very open towards those he cares for. Big in to computers and the creator of Dunegons & Takafumis.
http://i.imgur.com/ApJIu43.pngTomo: A friendly little girl who was abandoned by her mother and brought to live with Tomoyo and Tomoya.
http://i.imgur.com/yHbsdSk.pngTomoyo: Tomoya's love, she's a very headstrong and determined person, but also very caring and much softer this time around.
http://i.imgur.com/QAairSq.pngTomoya: Our protagonist, a man who accomplishes anything he sets his mind to, but is also very goofy and not very serious until he needs to be.
http://i.imgur.com/HB5nS04.pngKanako: An old friend of Takafumi's, she's very bossy and loud and also really loves ice cream.
Overall I enjoyed this visual novel. I didn't like it as much as I did CLANNAD or some other VN's, but it was definitely worth my time. It had many feels and, although I jokingly said it sounds like a soap opera, it's very well told and has a good sense of humour about itself as well, which I really enjoyed. It made me laugh out loud a few times, so I had a lot of fun with it. Dungeons & Takafumis is also quite fun. It's definitely not to the standard of an actual Strategy RPG, but for a side game in a visual novel, it's very well done and worth checking out if you think it might be your deal. While it had its faults, it was a nice, touching story with a mostly likeable cast of characters and I enjoyed my time spent reading it.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/4v6C4wf.png
Karifean
08-19-2016, 11:33 AM
Ah man, Tomoyo After. I really love this game. I guess it helped that Tomoyo was already my favorite CLANNAD heroine, but geez the story of this game hit me hard. Even harder than After Story. A must-read for people who liked CLANNAD, as far as I'm concerned.
Pumpkin
08-20-2016, 07:59 PM
The Sad Story of Emmeline Burns (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/Sn13tRo.png
This is a short visual novel offered for free on Steam. Our young protagonist, Toma, has never felt like her own person. Ever since her name was "stolen" from her by her aunt in naming her cousin, Toma has felt rather cheated in life. Named after her grandfather, Thomas, she wonders what her life would be like if she'd had the beautiful name given to her cousin instead. Because of this insecurity, she tends to shut herself off from others and prefers the company of graves in the cemetery to most real people. Aside from her best friend Hattie.
http://i.imgur.com/cpQhzKs.png
While skipping school one day, Toma meets a mysterious girl by the name of Emmeline Burns, who tells her the sad story of how she and her family all died on the same day many many years ago. She also shares the story of herself and a young woman named Cornelia. The two were in love during a time where it was even less appropriate and accepted than it is now. They don't let this stand in their way, however, and pursue their romance as best as they can before the tragic incident that ended Emmeline's short life.
http://i.imgur.com/VYsOPtP.png
Hearing the story, Toma realizes that life is short and that, no matter her name, she is her own person. Her own person with a history of people with many lives and stories that have shaped her to be the person she is. With her newfound courage, Emmeline might just take the first step in telling Hattie how she really feels.
http://i.imgur.com/VdJmnmD.png
As I mentioned, this is a very short visual novel. I got through it in a bit over an hour. Because of that, the story doesn't go as long or as in depth as I think it could have, but it is very nice quality for a free game. The art, while not perfect, suits the setting and is still pleasing to look at. The story is very good and touching, with a nice cast of characters, and could become something great if fleshed out properly. I would love to see that in the future and would happily pay the money to read it if it should happen. There's good use of language and setting as well. It was a cute romance story, a very nice short read, and it's free so you have nothing to lose if it sounds interesting and you want to try it.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/2E4tzIT.png
Pumpkin
08-24-2016, 05:26 PM
Message Quest (Steam)
http://i.imgur.com/xxmG9oG.jpg
Message Quest is a short adventure/puzzle game available for reasonably cheap on Steam. In it, you play an outside force trying to help a lazy young man named Feste. Feste, you see, is one of the people who's job it is to travel across worlds and deliver "The Call", calling heroes to action to save the day. Feste, however, is extremely lazy and incompetent, but he's the only one left to do the job. That's where you come in!
http://i.imgur.com/b9jHaM9.png
Your job is to help Feste accomplish his task. This includes dragging him where he needs to be, solving puzzles, doing battle, or a few other odds and ends. Most of the gameplay is puzzle driven. You'll put pieces together with increasing difficulty, find hidden objects, bridge dimensional rifts via puzzle solving, etc. If you want some small puzzles to help get your brain working, these is the game for you!
http://i.imgur.com/AY9DCcK.png
Aside from puzzles, you also have dialogue choices. Interestingly, you can select dialogue for BOTH sides of the conversation, which makes discussions very easy to lead towards the tone you want and most enjoy. In some cases, you'll have to select every question and respond to it, but overall there's some good variance in what you can do.
http://i.imgur.com/XremNEK.png
The last aspect is the battles. There aren't many in the game, but you'll be given four battle options to choose from and a description is present on each so you know what you're doing. Some require cool off periods, or give buffs, etc. It's actually fairly challenging in that you don't just mash the same command to win most of the time, and things like buffs are very helpful.
http://i.imgur.com/3AG37xd.png
Overall I enjoyed this game. It was funny and quirky, the stained glass-esq art is very nice to look at, and there's some good sounds and music in there. It was fun to play and easy to pick up or stop as needed and didn't require much time either. It's good if you want something to play here and there with some puzzles and a more lighthearted nature. It's nothing great, but it's good for what it is.
Verdict:
LIKED IT
http://i.imgur.com/yj0U05x.png
Pumpkin
08-28-2016, 02:11 AM
The Walking Dead: Season 1 (PlayStation 4)
http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/zz318/sharkythesharkdogg/twd2_zpsos7ckhtm.jpg
The Walking Dead is an interactive adventure game in which you take control of a man named Lee. When our story begins, Lee is in the back of a cop car making idle chitchat with the police officer, when suddenly all hell breaks loose, because zombies. As he's running from the awful situation in front of him, he meets a young girl named Clementine, whose parents were away when the incident happened.
http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/zz318/sharkythesharkdogg/twd6_zpsjxbjg1wa.jpg
Lee and Clementine travel together, trying to find her parents, or even just a safe place in this new, unsafe world. On their travels they'll meet and say goodbye to many people, some of which is dependent on your actions. In essence, this is a story about a man trying to take care of a young girl in a horrific situation.
http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/zz318/sharkythesharkdogg/gyamYyVOetQ_zpsccmrhz5v.jpg
Being an interactive game, most of the gameplay comes in the form of choices you have to make. Some choices have a time limit, which varies, and saying nothing is also an option in most situations. How you respond to things and the decisions you make will have some effect on the narrative. Sometimes it will only be a change in dialogue, and other times it will determine your companions. It will also shape people's impressions of you.
http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/zz318/sharkythesharkdogg/twd5_zpsnjrjbe3n.jpg
Aside from dialogue options, you'll also move around, examine things, use things on other things, shoot things, or other such actions. Most of this is done by pointing and pressing a button, although occasionally you'll need to mash a button, or hold a button. Like dialogue choices, many of these events are on a timer, so make sure you're paying attention for any quick time events. This is a largely narrative game, don' expect high action because the periods of action are pretty minimal. This game spans five episodes and supposedly will have an impact on Season 2 (although I haven't checked it out yet). You may also get the 400 Days DLC, which adds a few small side stories to playthrough as well.
http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/zz318/sharkythesharkdogg/twd4_zpso6cvxqkk.jpg
Overall I really liked this game, much more than I was expecting to. I won't list characters as to not spoil anything, but I found them to usually be fairly well written and believable. The moral choices were great and it really had you explore some of the things that might happen in a disaster scenario and the difficult choices that might need to be made. It was really touching and at time heartbreaking, and I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. It was a game I didn't want to put down, and I'm excited to try season 2. I really wasn't expecting to like it too much seeing as how I don't like the show, but it was actually really excellent, and if these interactive adventures are your cup of tea, I would highly recommend it.
Verdict:
LOVED IT
http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/zz318/sharkythesharkdogg/twd1_zpsd3kgibuf.jpg
Psychotic
08-28-2016, 07:16 PM
Glad you enjoyed it, I sometimes like to think you're the Lee to my Clementine, Pumpkin! :zombie:
Pumpkin
08-29-2016, 06:03 PM
Muramasa Rebirth (PS Vita)
http://i.imgur.com/3wIXG3W.jpg
Muramasa Rebirth takes place during the Edo period in Japan and follows two separate stories. One is the story of Momohime, who has her body snatched by a vengeful rōnin. The other story follows Kisuke, an amnesiac hero. Central to the plot are "Demon Blades", Samurai blades that lust for blood and force their wielders to go on killing sprees before driving them insane.
http://i.imgur.com/HyOLuG0.jpg?1
You can play through both stories simultaneously or in whatever order you choose. When starting up the game, you get to choose difficulty and story, so you can rotate between the two stories if you wish, or play one after the other, or whatever order you prefer. There are two difficulty settings, and completing the game on the harder setting will unlock an even harder difficulty (not that I would know firsthand).
http://i.imgur.com/j9VZMyZ.jpg
In this game, you'll control your protagonist through different maps, fighting off enemies like Samurai, Ninjas, demons, and the occasional evil pheasant. Exclamation marks will appear when a battle initiates. Pressing Square will attack, X will jump, Start will open the menu. In battle, you can also guard by holding the Square, and deflect projectiles by pressing Square at the right moment. You can also use the arrows in conjunction with Square for additional attacks, and holding and then releasing Square will allow you to use another attack that is effective for breaking Samurai blades. Pressing O will unleash special blade skills. Pressing the down arrow will use an item.
http://i.imgur.com/0oIvPVp.jpg?1
As you deflect, guard, and use your blade skills, their "HP" will deplete until they "break". When your blade is broken, you're much more susceptible to damage. Pressing Triangle will switch to another blade. You can have up to three blade equipped at a time, along with one accessory. Different blades play slightly differently and have different skills. As your other blades are sheathed, they will restore themselves slowly to be used again. Collecting souls by defeating enemies, or finding them in the environments when outside of battle, will also help to restore them.
http://i.imgur.com/bk41bpH.jpg
Outside of battle, you can also cook items to be used for healing in battle and out. There's a fullness gauge and more food cannot be consumed until the bar has depleted. There are also items you can buy that do additional things. You can also buy maps and recipes from vendors, eat at restaurants to restore health, and rest at hot springs. There are also challenge caves with a recommended level to tackle if you choose. You can also forge blades using souls and other points you gain from using restorative items. These are on a "tree" like system, so the stronger ones cannot be forged until you have enough points, have forged the blades before them, and sometimes have unlocked story event blades. You'll be given a large map, as well as smaller maps, and the game will always point you in the right direction to progress the story. Treasures will also be indicated on the map, and barriers will be up that cannot be crossed until certain bosses are defeated.
http://i.imgur.com/gQqwm6J.jpg
Overall I did really like this game, more than I expected to. As you can tell from the write up, it's a very gameplay heavy game, and the story is more of a background. Speaking of backgrounds, this game is absolutely gorgeous. Some areas are repetitive, but you probably won't even care because almost every scene is a work of art. The game itself is a bit slow and repetitive, but picking it up to play for a half and hour to an hour at a time is both engaging and relaxing. It's also not incredibly long, especially if you only do one story. So if you're looking for a beautiful, gameplay focused experience to pick up and play in short bursts, this game is definitely worth it. It manages to be simple and complex in pretty much every aspect, and I very much enjoyed my time with it.
Verdict:
LIKED IT A LOT
http://i.imgur.com/WeArRCt.jpg
That IS a prett game! :O Reminds me of Odin Sphere!
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