Eyes on Final Fantasy Forums - Blogs - Rez09

Favorite Game Characters: Shadow

Rez09 — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 18:40:58 GMT

When I sat down to replay FFVI this year, I expected something new, as I decided to play through what was, essentially, a text / difficulty hack of the game, but the only thing I really came away with was the thing I least expected: a new a favorite character.

Shadow (Final Fantasy VI)

So, what changed here? Well, let's start with what didn't change: Shadow is a lot of fun to play with, and he's been tied for my favorite in-battle character for quite a long time. He can steal, Throw hits hard and allows him to exploit elemental weaknesses others cannot, he is largely unaffected by rows, he has the earliest access to Blink and Vanish, and Interceptor is probably the most awesome unique passive in the series (kind of amusing with Cover too). Sure, he doesn't have the reliable damage Sabin or Edgar bring, nor does he have the party saving potential Celes has, but what he does do, he does well, and I've come to appreciate that, especially in natural magic games.

But, while that is all good and well, I've been at that point with Shadow for quite some time and it's never been enough for him to bump Celes out of my top spot for the game. So, where'd the change come in? Turns out, the change came in my appreciation for his story elements, or, perhaps I should say, a combination of his story elements and the idea I see behind them. And I'll just go ahead and say that anything beyond here may freely contain spoilers, so if you haven't played the game, well, you've been informed.

One of the most enjoyable experiences I've had while replaying old FF games in recent years has been reevaluation -- reevaluation of characters, mechanics, concepts, and whatever else I notice, really. While playing through the game this time I had two particular goals in mind, other than enjoying the experience: to find my favorite scene in the game, and to appreciate elements I may have overlooked in the past. In a way I was fairly fortunate in the first goal, as I had a general idea of what scene I was looking for (even if I didn't end up settling on it): Terra and Leo's scene on the boat. I was even more fortunate in the second, because that scene set me up for something I admire far more.

The conversation itself is quite simple, but there's a fair amount of depth and statement to the ideas presented, particularly that standing by and allowing something terrible to happen is, in itself, a terrible thing as well, and I've always quite liked their talk, short though it may be. Shadow makes a contribution at the end that I've always kind of liked as well, but never gave any real consideration to until this playthrough:

I always looked at the comment as the obvious, 'don't be like me' that it is, but never much more. And yet, playing the game again, and paying attention to Shadow's dreams and ultimate end, I realized the comment actually holds a lot more weight than I had ever noticed before. Like, a lot more. It's a dangerously cautionary bit of advice about perseverance and not giving way to the trials life throws at you, something the character himself fails to embody. But before I get to that, I want to share another idea:

There are a lot themes in this game, both overall and per character, but one common to many of the characters is moving on and not letting the past define you. Cyan loses his family, Setzer loses Daryl, Locke loses Rachael, Celes believes she has lost everyone, and even Terra is facing forward in the world and moving on after what the Empire has done to her. These are defining moments for each of the characters, and each of them moves on -- except for one. Shadow never truly comes to terms with his past, with Baram's death, and what his inaction on that day lead to. Not even a new life and daughter are enough for him to forgive himself.

When I began to consider this, I realized that when Shadow tells Terra he has killed his emotions, he isn't just saying something 'badass', his statement comes from his heart and he is admitting something truly terrifying about his character: he, alone in the cast, has given up. He's still running from his past and has chosen to abandon everything and bury his emotions instead of coming to terms with himself. Even Cyan, who is similarly haunted by a nightmare deep inside that eats away at him, finds redemption and the hope of moving on -- Shadow finds nothing. He's abandoned the possibility. He's so eaten alive by the rotten core of what he's done, whether truly terrible or not, that he's effectively jammed. He can no longer progress as a person, and that is the true death of a human.

What really gets me about it, though, is that I can relate to the idea. Everyone has those moments in their past they hate themselves for, those things they look back on and wince on the inside over. But most people get past it and ultimately move on. Shadow is a testament to those who can not. And it's touching to think that he's the only one who doesn't survive the game, because as everything else and everyone else is willing and able to move on to the new world, he alone cannot. It is this expression of that simple, dark reality of the human condition that wins Shadow over for me.

If I could start again,
A million miles away,
I would keep myself,
I would find a way.

Awesome Games You Should Know About: RosenkreuzStilette

Rez09 — Fri, 11 Mar 2016 19:10:30 GMT

Sometimes I realize the amusing state of the Mega Man franchise, where the company doesn't particularly care about it, but fans and other developers (or the original dev) still do. It has created a franchise where fans are making better unofficial releases than Capcom is official ones, and, I have to say, I'm pretty okay with that. In fact, I'm so okay with it that I want to share one of these fan games with all of you today:

ROSENKREUZSTILETTE

Released back in 2007, RKS isn't actually a Mega Man fan game per se, so much as a title that draws so much from Capcom's series mechanically that it cannot realistically be mistaken for anything else. Classic Mega Man staples such as the slide and charge buster are present, new weapons are earned from defeating bosses, items 1-3 are present, and even 'Beat' is unlockable if you can find a hidden item in one of the stages. Additionally, upon completing the game the player is given a password that unlocks one of the bosses as a playable character (with her own storyline), who plays like Zero from the MMX series, complete with a saber, dashing, and wall jumping. It adds a great mesh of old and new styles to the game and increases replayability in a way few of the Capcom titles have.

Inspiration for the game isn't limited exclusively to the Mega Man franchise however (though the largest amount of it is), and the game does pull in ideas from other places, most obviously the Castlevania series, with several stages, especially later on, really pulling in that Gothic feel, and several famous MM bosses being redesigned to fit that aesthetic more. There's also a good chance some famous faces from the CV franchise make an appearance as well.

And while general inspiration from other titles does tend to stop here, references to other series do not -- in fact, it seems clear the developers had a lot of fun making this game, and their love for classic gaming in general is shown in numerous other places throughout the title. One of the weapons, for instance, are Bomberman bombs, complete with chain reactions; there are random Mario coins in one of the levels, and a pathway across the top of the screen; and every single stage has a unique game over screen that references the bygone era of gaming, often quite humorously. It's the little things like this that add so much enjoyment to the game if you grew up in an era when they were relevant.

Of course, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention what most people seem to notice the most about this game -- its almost entirely female cast. Though there are a few male characters to be found in the game, the main character, her 'beat' replacement Lilli, the 8 magi, and the final boss (who I absolutely adore, by the by) are all female. It's ultimately not that important in the grand scheme of things, but it does add a unique quirk to the game not many others lay claim to, and it is a thing I know some people will appreciate.

Changing gears and speaking specifically to the game's difficulty, as I know that can be an offputting point to people new to the Mega Man series, RKS leans a little on the harder side of things, but I'd ultimately put it middle of the road for a MM title. Several of the stages offer a decent challenge, but most of the difficulty will come from bosses themselves, and tackling them with the appropriate weapon makes most of the fights trivial. It'll provide a good challenge to new players, but nothing impossible.

Probably more than anything else when recommending this game to people, I think it should be known that the title doesn't offer, outside of its unique story (which there is a translation patch for) and female cast, anything extremely NEW to the Mega Man formula. More than anything else, I feel this game is a love letter to the classic franchise and gaming, a happy recollection of all the best things the developer remembers. To some, this might make the title too samey or too referential -- some might even find it boring because of this. And I have no counter argument for that; the game is what it is, a fresh coat of paint on an old concept. But it is a fine coat of paint, and if you can look past that, or if you are new to this kind of game in general and want a good diving in point, I still feel this is a fantastic title and, absolutely, an

:party:Awesome Game You Should Know About:party:

Favorite Game Characters: Aisha

Rez09 — Wed, 09 Mar 2016 17:03:25 GMT

Pumpkin's Character Appreciation posts reminded me of the old 'Favorite Game Character' thread, which was a lot of fun, so I figured I'd follow in her footsteps. So . . . glory to the olden times and good ideas! Let's kick this off with probably the newest person I could put on this list:

Aisha (Romancing SaGa)

In a way it is hard to pick a favorite character from the original Romancing SaGa, as the majority of the game's events that could be considered developmental aren't character specific and even each person's ultimate morality is up to the player to decide. This should, in theory, leave character preference entirely up to visual design (Sif actually wins that one for me) and what the player learns from each character's unique introduction sequences.

But that's only in theory. Because all characters can experience most of the events, all can be considered equally developmental to everyone, and although these events are shared, some characters do still have unique elements when viewing them; Aisha is one of these people. In fact, not only is she one of the few with unique story elements past her introduction, she is also the only one where I feel a sense of growth within the character and some attachment to because of these unique elements.

She begins the game as a carefree girl on the plains who is kidnapped by slave traders, but by the end she has (SPOILER)lost her family, found out she isn't human, and actually forsakes guaranteed safety from the coming war between the gods to fight for her friends. It's a question given no real time in the game, but it's a tough decision when considered from the perspective of Aisha herself, and it gives her prayer at Nisa's altar a weight no one else shares; when you are granted the Earth Sword to go forth and fight Saruin, only Aisha, one of Nisa's chosen people, really feels like it was intended for her. It's a small part of a much larger game, but it works so well that I can't help but appreciate it.

Probably the thing I like the most, however, aren't even the events in the Earth Cave themselves, but the way they interact with all of the other quests in the game. Unlike with other characters, all the good choices the player makes actually tend to make sense when played from her perspective, as every good deed and selfless act along the path actually fit to shape Aisha from the airy girl on the plains to the woman she has to become, logically, to give up guaranteed salvation from the end of the world to fight for people she cares about. It provides that sense of growth every other character lacks.

Of course, all of that may only be my reception of things and it may be that none of it was the intended message of the developer; perhaps the Aisha at the end of the story is the same Aisha that rode out on the horse at the start of the game, but that isn't what I choose to believe. The Aisha I know isn't the hapless victim on horse, but Dame of the Knights Dominion, Cleric of Amut, Paladin of Nisa, Chosen of Elore, defender of her friends and the slayer of evil gods, and for all of that she is my pick for favorite Romancing SaGa character.

Days of PokePast - The Wonderful Art of Pokemon Generation 1

Rez09 — Tue, 02 Jun 2015 17:55:55 GMT

The Wonderful Art of Pokemon Generation 1

I love Pokemon Gen 1. I loved it when it came stateside in '98, and I love it still now, nearly two decades later. It is a strange, almost experimental feeling set of titles, defined by many odd quirks, bugs, and choices the developers ironed out in subsequent generations, and because of this, it, more so than any other generation in the series, has a distinct flavor all its own. No more visibly is this demonstrated than in the art of the original two sets of titles (Red/Green, then Red/Blue) in the generation, where many of the designs so familiar to us today are in their infancy, lacking either artistic quality control or refinement, or, in a few cases, even slightly shifting in form for later entries. Rediscovering this old artwork as I replayed the Gen 1 titles, especially when I checked out the art from the original games we didn't get over here, became an unexpected joy, as I've been so used to the quality of artwork from Gold and Silver onward that I almost forgot there was sometimes such a large difference between the titles.

So, with that said, I figured I'd share some of my favorite art, both good and bad, from the first generation alongside their current designs, starting with my favorite Gen 1 starter:

Squirtle - Pokemon Yellow

So, let me start off by saying that Pokemon Green and Blue both had much worse looking Squirtles and it might have been more amusing to look at those, but I don't even remotely care, because Pokemon Yellow's Squirtle may, in fact, be THE most huggable thing in the history of ever. And I love it.

Venusaur - Pokemon Green

Oh God, it's been squished! D:

Pidgey and Pidgeot - Pokemon Blue

This is actually the example of shifting design I've always remembered, as Pidgey originally looked a lot more like a real bird before Pokemon Yellow shifted it towards the design we have now, not that we are remotely worse off for the choice, especially since it kept us away from that Pidgeot design. X_X

Ekans - Pokemon Green

The day will come when that Pokemon Green art ceases to amuse me.

I dread that day.

Nidoqueen - Pokemon Green AND Blue

Now this was an interesting one when I looked at it, because there is a substantial improvement between the Green and Blue Nidoqueen artwork, to the odd point that Gen 1 has both my favorite AND least favorite Nidoqueen artwork. Go Pokemon Blue. ^_^ /

Wigglytuff - Pokemon Green

Loooooooooool, the eyes.
THE.
EEYEEEEESSSS.

Modern Wigglytuff is also noticeably huggable.

Golbat - Pokemon Blue

Wow, that's . . . quite a difference, actually. I don't know if Golbat has ever had a noticeable tongue in any other artwork, but one would hope not after looking at this.

The Ghastly family - Pokemon Green AND Blue

I love that Ghastly looks like the spraycan effect from MS Paint with eyes drawn on. I mean, it works better for the idea of a gaseous Pokemon that the later design, but that doesn't change how amusing it looks. I'm rather glad Gamefreak decided against that look by the time Yellow rolled around. That original Gengar art is something else too, and the Blue artwork there isn't any better. Haunter fared pretty well though, and Blue has my favorite artwork for the 'mon in the series.
: D

Hitmonlee - Pokemon Blue

Pokemon Blue has some of my favorite Hitmonlee artwork. Go, Pokemon Blue! ^_^ /

Koffing - Pokemon Blue

Why are you upside down? D:

Also, unrelated to Gen 1 art and all, but is there a happier Pokemon than Koffing? Look at that face.
: D

Chansey - Pokemon Green

Something about that Chansey disturbs me. D :

Kangaskhan - Pokemon Blue

I actually REALLY like this art. : )

Mr. Mime - Pokemon Green AND Blue

Mr. Mime may be my single least favorite design in the franchise, so it isn't much of a surprise that I found his art in Green and Blue absolutely awful. Mostly because it is.

Omanyte - Pokemon Blue

That Omanyte is THE boss, and it knows it.

Moltres - Pokemon Blue

So, I've always thought Moltres was far and away the worst looking of the Kanto bird trio, but wow . . . that looks awful. I think early gen 1 just had terrible luck with birds in general.

Dragonite - Pokemon Green

. . . And dragons. Man, Dragonite, you've come a long way. Be proud. Be proud. :salute:

Mew - Pokemon Green

O.O
I don't know what happened to its head. D :

Anyway, that's what I've got. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you again when I do . . . something else. :D

Days of PokePast - Top and Bottom Pokemon of Gen 1

Rez09 — Sun, 31 May 2015 15:59:13 GMT

Heyyyy, I found my way back to the blog section again finally, and DAMN did I fail my original goal! I even forgot everything I had intended to say about the Gen 1 games after I finished Yellow again. Man, I'm so awesome. >: D

That said though, I've always felt bad that I stated my intention to do something in this space and then simply ignored it right afterwards, especially since I did play through Pokemon Yellow again specifically for better perspective on the first generation. A++ effort right there.

Fortunately, I did make a list of things I noticed while playing the game again, so I still have a bit to say about the games outside of how old they are and that having to change pokemon boxes manually is a terrible thing. Probably the most interesting notes to me were the little blips like, 'Whoooo, Zubat!' (100% NOT a sarcastic comment), 'Hell yeah I bought that Magikarp!' (because we all did it), and 'Day of Ghastly is near' (there is an inside joke here <.<). Turns out, to the great shock of anyone else who started with Gen 1 I'm sure, that I am particularly fond of most of the original 151 Pokemon. So I figured, "Hey, I could make a top ten list of my favorite Gen 1 Pokemon. I mean, it's been done to death, but why the hell not?"

Because then I saw I got a damn Lickitung, that's why not! >: |

WHY ARE YOU A THING?!

And thus, in the swells of over-entitled fat guy anger and the fiery depths of Mount Doom, a new (this is a relative term) idea was forged, and I decided to split my top ten list in half: a top and bottom five Pokemon of Gen 1. Which I will now subject you to.

You are welcome.

Top Pokemon
(In no particular order)

5) Hitmonlee

I'm not going to lie, fighting Pokemon have it rough in Gen 1, what with Psychic Pokes running rampant with no real check and the lack of solid high power stab attacks. But I've never cared about that, even as a kid where winning was always the most important thing and everyone had at least three Mewtwos, I was still rocking my Hitmonlee. I love the simple kickboxer look he's rocking, especially the taped up legs, and he's stated well for a fighting Pokemon, with respectable speed and great physical attack, not to mention having High Jump Kick in his back pocket. It also probably helped matters that I definitely preferred Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan as a kid. ;)

4) Aerodactyl

It's a dinosaur.
I was 11.
Best Pokemon ever.

3) Weezing

This pick is almost cheating for two reasons:

1) I hated this thing as a kid

2) I still don't like it in Gen 1

That said, since the introduction of levitate in Gen 3 and psychic Pokemon being pushed to the side with the introduction of Dark and Steel types in Gen 2, Weezing has pretty solidly become one of my favorite Pokemon from the original games, packing excellent physical bulk and resistances alongside a surprisingly useful movepool and respectable special attack stat. The visual design is a bit iffy, I admit, but I still like it well enough. It's also one of the best partners I ever brought into Pokestar Studios, because no one expects the Weezing ninja.

No one.

(God I miss Pokestar Studios)

2) Tauros

Kings come and kings go, but one things remains the same, and that is my love for this Pokemon. Due to odd mechanical choices in the original Pokemon generations, Tauros was an absolute BEAST and had the ability to tear holes through virtually anything thrown against him, and he was always one of my big targets once I hit the Safari Zone. I've always loved the simple bull design he's rocking, and it lends itself well to the image I have of his Body Slam being more like a satisfying headlong rush into things. Good stuff.

Tauros is also fairly interesting in that he neither gained (like Lee) nor lost (like Cloyster) anything from the Gen 2 special split, but still ended up substantially worse in those titles and has never really climbed back up to where he used to be. He's even received a few surprising boons in Sheer Force and Intimidate without finding much new attention, but so is the way of Pokemon I suppose. He's still one of my favorites in the series though, and a Pokemon I am always happy to find.

1) Haunter

I can safely say without reservation that Haunter is my favorite Pokemon in the franchise. When I first saw one of these in Lavender Town, with its grin and floating hands, I knew I needed one based on design alone. Then after catching one I learned it not only looked awesome, but was also completely amazing in battle as well, with a phenomenal stat spread, move pool, and unique typing (that got it killed by Mewtwo in one hit like so many other things I loved in Gen I ;_; ). Even better, the Haunter family line has remained strong through each generation, so while many of my favorite Pokemon end up clearly outclassed as the series progresses, this one never has.

Really, about the only downside to Haunter that whole trade-evolution stipulation, but that's basically a non-issue now with Internet trading, and I never really minded it much before that anyway, seeing that I don't actually like Gengar as much.

Let me tell you though, that girl in Snowpoint has a hell of a sense of humor.

Bottom Five
(Possibly in some kind of order)

5) Raticate

In a way I kind of want to give Raticate a break, because, in all fairness, the family isn't designed to be especially good or useful, and the whole 'endeavor -> quick attack' combo on a level 1 Rattata is hilarious when it actually works, but honestly I just . . . can't. I can't. Raticate looks terrible, even all these years later, and it has an absolutely abysmal move pool to use with its poor stats. I mean, you CAN do damage with the thing, assuming a lucky suckerpunch or swordsdanced Facade with Guts active, but really, it just isn't enough for me to even remotely like this 'mon.

4) Lickitung

The situation here is basically the same as Raticate above, only Gen 1 also gave me Clefairy, Wigglytuff, and Chansey in the 'odd pink things' category to pick from, whereas Raticate was rather on its own. This means that I not only dislike the design, stat spread, and movepool Lickitung is rocking, but I also have three other superior designs to compare it against, all of which are (usually) easier to obtain (a bizarre trait shared with Farfetch'd, actually. :/). I'm sure someone has found some entertainment with this 'mon, but I really haven't. I can't even get a good laugh out of how silly the thing looks. >.<

3) Geodude

Fortunately, we have a bit of departure from form here, because I actually don't think Geodude is a bad Pokemon; a bit specialized, to be sure, but not bad. I don't even have anything in particular against its design -- it's a punching rock that gets mad when people trip over it, and people even throw these things at each other in snowball fights.

BAM, GEODUDE!

Seems legit to me. So, why is it on this list then? What is there not to like? Actually, my only problem with Geodude is how well I feel other Generations have done with what is basically the exact same 'mon. I never want a Geodude in my party because I'd rather have an Aron or Roggenrola, and it really offers me nothing that I don't feel has been done better in every other incarnation. This is almost a unique situation in the series for me too, because I cannot think of another example where this is true. This isn't a simple case of better options appearing down the road, like with Pidgey and Starly for instance, but more like the better options so totally eclipse the previous offering that there is nothing of particular value or novelty to be had in it any more. I'll still rock a Geodude (hue) from time to time, but it will never end up in my end game teams due to these other options.

2) Mr. Mime

So, let me tell you about clowns. I like clowns, though I find them a bit loud for my tastes. But that isn't relevant here, because Mr. Mime is a mime, not a clown, which is actually a quite different thing. I just wanted you all to know that I like clowns. Also that I dislike Mr. Mime.

As for why I dislike Mr. Mime, well, it's basically a visual thing here, because I actually think Gamefreak did some interesting things with the 'mon in the series. I really hate the stringy limb look this thing has going on, and the inflated hands that go with it, not to mention the face bothers me a lot. I dunno, I'm just not a fan of this thing's look at all, and nothing about it has ever really 'wow'ed me into using for anything to get past that. It does have decent stats though, and a decent enough movepool, so I suppose it can run with offensive or utility sets if the player wants for some fun variety, but, eh, overall nothing exists to salvage this one for me. Mime certainly isn't a Pokemon I won't use (though few are), but it is easily one I won't pickup on my own and is an easy fit onto this list.

1) Kakuna / Metapod

I love when I catch a Pokemon and all it knows is harden. That's my favorite. I don't know what it is, but even when I evolve into these things so I have an attack I don't like then. Even though they only last a few levels and offset their slightly lower attack values with much better defense, I still don't like them. It must be some kind of strange psychological thing, just knowing that something better is coming but that I have to wait. This I disapprove of. >: | At least you know what cocoon you are getting with these things though, unlike the Wurmple ones that I manage to dislike even more.

Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Thanks for reading and I hope to see you next time when I cover . . . something else from these notes. ^_^ /

Days of PokePast - An Introduction

Rez09 — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 07:12:12 GMT

You know, I always see this blog button at the top of the site and have that odd urge to do something with it. Unfortunately, I am also constantly gripped by the general inability to come up with anything interesting to write about, since, as it turns out, I'm a pretty damn boring guy, something maybe a bit less than facilitative.

But you know what's not boring?
POKEMANZ!

At least, assuming you enjoy the games to any extent that is, otherwise they are, I imagine, quite mind numbingly dull. Either way, with the release of Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby a bit over a month away, and my general love of the series, I figured it might be fun to go over some of the opinions and memories of the series I hold thus far and share them with you all.

As an accompaniment to this, I'm planning to replay one of each gen's main games as I go along, perhaps making them into LPs for the forums as well. It's something I've never tried, so, at the very least, it would be an interesting new experience. It might also help with the fairly thick nostalgia lenses I may need to crack with regards to earlier entries.

Anyway, that's my plan, here's hoping that I can stick with it!