Sunday, October 26, 2014

Devil May Cry 2 HD (PS3)

I played all the Devil May Cry games in order because I had nothing better to do one month.  I am not usually one for games like this, I don't have the muscles for twitch movements and the like.  This was a very difficult series for me to get into but I made it through this game.

Devil May Cry is a series of games about a half-human/half-demon character by the name of Dante.  The story is honestly well written in all the other games but in this one, it is easily forgotten.  In fact, I don't remember much about this game at all.  I know it has all the over-the-top action that the series is known for and Dante is supposed to be a badass above all other badasses.

The gameplay of this was less than stellar, namely the difficulty.  I'm not huge on difficult games but this one compared to 1 and 3 is just a huge step backwards.  The game is really easy no matter what you do.  Now I don't see that as a terribly bad thing but many people will.  The combat works and the platforming and puzzles are bland, again this game was so forgettable I don't even remember anything about it at all.

I think to sum things up, if I can't remember much about this game.  It must not be a very good game in the first place.  My friends told me not to play this game because it tarnishes the series as a whole and I really feel it does.  I have only completed the first three games and did not want to move on in the series.  I'm sure there will be somebody that sticks up for this game but I honestly can't think of anything that redeems this game.

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (NDS)

As the second Dragon Quest game I ever played, this was a good way to get acquainted with the series.  Having played other titles now, I can say that though they don't change the formula that much there is something about the series that is so endearing. Sure there are games with better graphics, battle mechanics, and stories but this series has so much going for it.

The game oozes nostalgic tones of RPGs in the NES/SNES days.  You can only save in certain places, random encounters, and very straightforward progression.  What sets this game apart is the story.  I feel that by splitting each section of the game across the various heroes that you meet is a great way to build the story.  You gain a connection to each character and their struggles.  The story does end quite well and I have to say it was intense to say the least.

If you have never played a traditional turn based RPG, this is a great place to start.  Battles are as simple or complex as you want them to be.  I never had a difficult time with just attacking everything, except with bosses.  Some players don't like this and feel that it makes the enemies all out to be cannon fodder.  I like this way better as I hate losing to small fry enemies.  The bosses should be the challenge but it falls to a matter of taste.

There isn't much else to say about this game.  If you want a classical RPG adventure full of dragons, magic, and random encounters.  This is the game for you.  Sure it doesn't have all the modern RPG staples but it is still a fun ride.  The story is well worth the time and some of the characters will stick with you.

Sunday, October 12, 2014

Persona 4 Arena (PS3)

Coming off my initial playthrough of Persona 4 Golden, I purchased this game.  I thought it would be a good idea.  I love Blazblue and this seemed very similar.  I was only slightly disappointed by this game but not for the reason that I was thinking.

To begin, this is a fighting game that takes place after the events of Persona 4.  The premise being that the main character from Persona 4, in this case named Yu, has returned to Inaba for a vacation.  During this time, it appears the Midnight Channel from the previous game has returned and it is up to the Investigation Team to find out what is going on.

This story setup is not the problem.  The problem with this game is the story is incredibly slow and there is far too much text on the screen for a fighting game.  Now I don't mind Blazblue because usually there is a lot of fights.  In this game, it is the opposite.  During one story section, there is literally 40 minutes of talking and one fight.  The fights are fun but often are very easy.

I couldn't actually finish the story mode because there was just way too much text.  I feel disappointed in myself for this because I really wanted to like the story but I just could not get into it.  This was just so slow and really was not interesting.  I'm sure that I am the only one that feels this way but it is my opinion.

The fighting in this game is superb and fluid.  Every character is awesome and plays just as you would expect them too if you had played the RPG.  Even some characters from Persona 3 make an appearance and it just brings more for players of both.  It is great to finally be able to settle who would win a fight between Teddie and Aigis.

I must give a special nod to the music in this title.  Most of it is remixes from Persona 4 but it really makes you feel nostalgic if you played Persona 4 beforehand.  It really pumps me up and makes me want to play both titles whenever I hear it.

All in all, if you are a fan of Persona or Blazblue, you should buy this or the new enhanced version that recently was released.  They are solid games and worth it.  Although the story mode was incredibly slow to me and with little reward, it by no means should ruin the game for you.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

Metroid II: Return of Samus (GBC)

Looking back on my time with this game, it brings back fond memories of playing through this whole games in a span of two days on a very long road trip.  I still remember where most of the items are and I remember the excitement of meeting my first Zeta metroid.  I've always been a fan of the series and this was just a continuation of my love.

The story premise is simple.  After the events of the first game, Samus Aran must go hunt metroids on their home world.  The story is very simple and to the point.  This game is meant to instill a sense of adventure and solitude.  You feel as if you are the first human to ever visit this place just as it should be because you are the first to visit.  Or at least the first to survive.

See, the planet SR388 is a dangerous place full of enemies and metroids.  Just about everything in this game is trying to kill Samus and it is your job to survive.  Most of the enemies are simple and have very predictable patterns.  Metroids on the other hand are difficult.  There are four types and they will destroy you very easily if you are careless. Why fight these things then?  Well, you can't advance without killing them.  The whole point of the game is to eradicate all the metroids.

The only part of this game that is a huge hindrance is the fact that there is no map.  Just like the first title, unless you are keeping a map, there is nothing.  It is incredibly easy to get lost in this game.  It is also easy to miss things that you need to advance.  Unless you know where to go, get ready to wander.  This does bring a sense of realism but mostly it is just a limitation of the Gameboy.

This is a great game and really should be played by anybody that likes Metroid.  Sure there are lots of times you will get lost but it is worth playing.  The battles are fun and exciting.  This is a great game to play on the run.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Persona 4: The Golden (PSVita)

As my second foray into the world of Shin Megami Tensei and specifically the Persona series, I was excited.  Persona 3 left me wanting a little bit more and that is just what I got.  This is a great game and encompasses everything that I want from an RPG.  The battle system is solid, the story is absolutely wonderful, and the characters are all memorable in their own way.

Let's start off with the gameplay, this game is cross between a life-simulator and an RPG.  You can venture into the various dungeons with your friends or just try to live a normal life as a high school student in Japan.  Well as normal as you can get with the fact that you are the only people that can solve a murder mystery where people are dying from unknown ways and you somehow can go inside the TV.  The combat is solid and venturing through the dungeons is never dull.  Sure there can be some grinding when you are looking for a certain item or when you need to level up a Persona to get a skill you need but it is always fun.

The story in this game is my key appeal.  Everything is fleshed out and you never feel like something is just glossed over or forgotten.  Each part of the main story involves the aforementioned murder mystery but there is more to the game than just that. Through the social link system, you learn more about your party members, family, and people in the game world.  Not only are most of these interesting but they give you in game perks from new Persona's to party member skills.  You can do as much or as little as you want.  I never felt forced to do a social link.

I consider this game a must own if you own a Vita.  Even if you don't like the anime style or even want to listen to all the high school angst, the game is just too good not to suggest to anybody with any interest in RPGs.  The battle system is solid to the point of hindering no part of the game experience.  Even the story will keep you guessing as several times I was second guessing what was going to happen.  It is very rare that I care about characters in a game but this game made me care about all of them. I don't care if you played this on the PS2, buy this game on a Vita and enjoy it.  The added content is well worth it.

Saturday, September 6, 2014

ZHP: Unlosing Hero vs. Darkdeath Evilman (PSP)

This game kind of came out of nowhere.  Despite the strange name, it is a very solid title and definitely worth playing for any fan of RPGs.  The premise is good, the gameplay is better, and the story ties it all together.  Even though it can be challenging at times, it is well worth the effort.

Let's start with the story.  It is a very simple story about an unlikely hero saving the world from an ultimate evil.  Being a Nippon Ichi title, it has the brand of humor that you would expect from them.  There are some deep moments and it does get intense but it stays light and whimsical through out.  I don't think this game would work better if the story was too serious.  It needs to be light to keep it interesting.

This game is in the rogue-like style of other titles like Izuna: The Unemployed Ninja and Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.  You start each dungeon at level 1.  If you die, you lose everything.  Simple concept but this game has a slight twist.  Instead of losing all your levels in this game when you die, you store them.  The more levels you store, the stronger your base stats.  Not only does this make the game a little easier but it also adds some strategy to the game. There is also permanent stat boosts using the body modification section.  There is a lot to this game and it will keep a player busy for hours.

In dungeons, each of the main story dungeons has a gimmick.  Some may just be huge areas connected by a large desert land to a dungeon that lets you fall to the next floor just by walking off. The monsters are all unique but there is some palette swapping towards the end.  The player can equip items on the head, chest, left arm, right arm, and feet.  Each of these can be powered up more using the body modification and each one grants special abilities.  Some of these abilities are not helpful.  For instance, using a Prinny Hat grants the player the ability to explode in one hit when thrown.  If an enemy that can throw the player, reserved for the pig monster enemy, that is instant death.  The player has to be mindful of what they are equipping before they equip it.

I would highly suggest this game.  Not just because it is a hilarious game but because it is a solid title and definitely worth playing. The game can be challenging but the rewards are great.  If you like an even greater challenge there are challenge dungeons, one that has 100 floors you must conquer.  A great game that deserves to be played.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Fallout: New Vegas (PS3)

As a newcomer to the Fallout franchise with Fallout 3, I was so engrossed that I actually did just about everything in that game.  When this game came out, I couldn't wait to delve back into the world.  I have to say, I like Fallout 3 more than this one still but they are both great games.

First, I know everybody will say that the game is better on the PC.  Why did I play on the PS3, probably the worst version?  I played it on this because I wanted to.  I still had a great time despite all the flaws, so that just proves the game has a lot going for it.

The story of this game is kind of intriguing.  Definitely fit for a post apocalyptic setting.  My only gripe is that the main storyline lacks any sort of twists.  You pretty much know what is going to happen as it happens.  Even when you get to the actual Vegas part of New Vegas, you are not really surprised.  The story is great in the stuff that is not part of the main story.  All the little side stories that happen around the area are better than the main story which makes this all the more confusing.

The combat is the main draw.  In this game, they fixed the sights on the guns to actually go down the barrel when zoomed in.  This makes not using VATS all the time viable.  In fact, I rarely used VATS in this adventure.  I only ever used it for more precise grenades and difficult enemies.  I do not like some of the new enemies and miss some of the ones from Fallout 3.  All in all, the combat is great and definitely worth just playing this game just for it.

A major problem with this game is the stability.  Throughout the whole game and all the DLC chapters, there is always the fear of a crash.  You can mitigate this with disabling certain settings but I feel that doing this is playing the game as it wasn't intended to be played.  So I played with default settings and dealt with the crashes.  In all honesty, it only got bad in the last DLC chapter released.  There were times when I was getting 2 frames per second but only when certain enemies were on the screen and only in one area.  Everything else played decently well and did not hinder my enjoyment.

Sure playing Fallout games on non-PC platforms may not give you freedom of mods and textures and things like that.  I feel that games should be played as the developer intended.  These people put a lot of work into making what they did, what gives me the right to change what they did?  The game is fun despite the problems and I am grateful that I got a chance to play it.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Kirby Air Ride (GCN)

Now I get to remember all about my favorite kart racing game.  This game was one of the first games I ever played on my Gamecube and I still remember how many hours I spent in this game.  Going through every nook and cranny in City Trial.  Trying to do all the challenges in the normal racing sections.  Ignoring the top-down section completely until realizing that it is incredibly fun.

Kirby has always been one of my favorite characters in gaming.  The little guy is so simple and his games are usually as simple as he is.  This is game is no exception.  I actually prefer this to Mario Kart because Mario Kart is just too intense at times and the rubber band AI is just annoying.  This game is the polar opposite.  You are your own worst enemy.  The AI just serves as fodder.

The game is split into three sections, two of them I can't remember the names for but they are both normal racing modes.  The first one is just pick a kart and race through the tracks.  Racing in this game breaks down between figuring out the courses.  Each course has some kind of gimmick or some weird shortcuts.  It takes time to learn the best route through some but once you know it, it sticks with you.

The second section is the top-down racing part.  You are essentially a little kart on a tabletop course and you have to beat the rest of the racers to finish line.  I didn't play that much of this game type till much later but it does get hectic.  There are often course hazards and the items that you get are pretty fun.  A very simple mode that is good with friends.

The last section of the game is the biggest and buy far my favorite.  City Trial consists of a giant open map that players get to drive around and collect items or find new karts to ride.  The best part of this mode is finding that really good kart and just destroying the other players.  Each item you collect either helps or hinders your performance.  After a certain amount of time, you get to compete in a challenge at the end.  These can very from arena style fights to races to other challenges.  The kart you pick can help or really hurt your chances at these challenges.  For instance, if the challenge is to glide as far as you can and you are in a star that doesn't glide at all, you have no chance to win.  You don't know what the challenge is when you start, so it is very risk and reward centric.  Of course, if you get one of the two legendary kart, you pretty much can't lose.

This game came out at a weird time in the Gamecubes life and I wish it had been more popular.  I definitely think there should be a sequel.  City Trial all on it's own was just a huge blast to play.  Competing against others for good stars, finding the best items, or just blowing everything up.  It was so much fun to just wander around and have fun.

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Bioshock Infinite (PS3)

This game is an interesting case.  I enjoyed the first Bioshock greatly and was less than happy with Bioshock 2.  Going into this game, I knew what I was getting but I didn't realize just how in depth they thought about the history and setting.  They took the time to look back at the time the game is set in and draw upon that.  Despite not being able to go back in time, they captured it and made the world feel alive.

Every area in this game feels alive and vibrant.  No matter what you are doing, there is something there that makes the town feel lived in.  Sure sometimes the combat gets in the way and there is often so much going on you miss some of the interesting pieces of the city.  This just leads to having great replay value.  Every time you play it, you will see something new or notice something you have never noticed before.

The combat in this game is as fluid and there are multiple approaches to each confrontation.  You can try to be stealthy, you can try to just blast your way through.  You can usually be succesful.  Some of the vigors that you get are useful in certain situations and will definitely fit different play styles.  You are never pidgeon-holed into a certain way to complete something.  This is good for me cause well, I am terrible at stealth.

The story is great and definitely fits the whole universe.  I only wish I could have spent more time in this world.  The game is rather short and at times feels rushed.  The last section of the game is decent and definitely better than Bioshock 2, it just doesn't hit the major climax like Bioshock does.  Even the twist wasn't that great.  The game does get very heavy in the end and definitely leaves the player thinking what happened.  A great game and definitely worth playing.  I wasn't originally going to buy the game but couldn't resist.  I am glad I didn't it.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom (Wii)

Fighting games have a strange effect on me.  Sometimes I love them and other times they are a huge pain to get through.  This game was strangely in the middle.  I love the characters and the combat system but unlocking all the characters was a pain.

To begin, this was my first attempt at playing a non Street Fighter game in my life at the time.  Since this game, I have now branched out and played numerous other fighters.  This game is a good gateway into the fighting game genre.  The combo system is simple, each character has some simple combos for beginners and it helps ease them into longer more complicated combos.

Each of the characters to me was new and most of them I had never seen before.  I had fun with this game and it was a nice gateway into the other fighting games that I played after.  I learned how to do some very basic fighting game things like quarter circles or cancels.  This is a great game for anybody that wants to have some fun.