April 9 can't come soon enough. Need I say anything else?
Monday, March 26, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
March = Greek Month.
So, I'm a liar. Have I been keeping this updated? No. It's all due to self-deception and trickery. Hopefully I'll be able to outsmart myself in the future and push out posts like that old lady in the shoe did babies. Or...something. Onward.
I've spent the last week and a half in a Greek-induced stupor. I went to see 300 last Friday, which was fantastic. Seriously, if you haven't seen it yet you're doing yourself a disfavor. Drop the money to see it in a theater. It's worth it. The visuals are gorgeous, and between that and the thundering sounds of battle you just can't beat a massive screen and surround sound.
As if things couldn't get any better, God Of War II dropped on Tuesday, and I picked up a copy Wednesday to continue the saga of the pasty Spartan. Kratos was really pissed, lots of things died, and things generally did not fare well for the denizens of Olympus. Rarely do I play a game and stare in disbelief as on-screen actions shatter the boundaries of coolness. Did I say shatter? I meant destroy, dismember and crush between doors. Anyone who played the original will definitely remember how quickly, and on what a grand scale things started off. I think it's safe to say that GoW2 topped this with the opening battle between Kratos and the colossus of Rhodes. Take my word that it's an extremely epic beginning, and the rest of the game holds up extremely well after such an offering. I was extremely impressed with GoW2, and overall I think it even tops the first outing.
The solid combat system of the original returns here with some small tweaks and more polish. First off, players can now map a second weapon to R2 and switch at will between it and the blades. It was definitely a nod to Devil May Cry 3, even it only allows players to switch between two weapons at a time(DMC3 keeps all your weapons in the available cycle). It was a welcome addition to gameplay, but I still found myself always going back to the blades, just as I did in the original. Still, there are three weapons to pick up throughout the game, doubling the arsenal available in GoW. Even so, I still felt that I could get away with some mashing at certain points in the game. You can at certain points in any game, but anyone who has played titles such as DMC3 and Ninja Gaiden will understand that the combat here isn't quite as deep. Don't get me wrong, though. It's extremely good, takes skill, is fun, and feels great. I just wish I couldn't horizontal, horizontal, vertical my way to victory so often(a basic string that you have the entire game). Also, there are more attack animations this time around. While the same move will still function the same, it might display a different animation in killing two different enemies. The context-sensitive finishing moves have returned in full force, and definitely top anything present in the original.
The presentation is again through the roof. It puts that of most games to absolute shame. DMC3 may have a deeper combat system(which I prefer), but even with its extremely cool cutscenes, more in-depth story(than the rest of the DMC series, I mean), and dark locales, the presentation of the GoW series crushes it like a harpy under a Spartan sandal. I'm not saying I like GoW more overall, but enough can't be said for its presentation. Picking a favorite series would warrant another post entirely. It's something I just might consider, though it's been long enough since I picked up a DMC title that going back to one would be necessary first.
GoW2's story is fantastic, and you always feel like you're working towards your ultimate goal. I'm not going to delve into things here because I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't played the game yet. The story tells another chapter, but the story is not finished yet. It was satisfying, but in the same way killing and sex is for Kratos. You get plenty, but you still want more.
Boss battles. They deserve their own paragraph to emphasize how incredibly well done they were. The original GoW only featured three boss fights, and while they were all great, it was something I really wanted more of. SCEA really listened to fans and added more this time around. A lot more. The game really feels strung together by boss fights, whereas in the first game they felt like a rare occurrence. Knowing I was in for more this time, I did have the nagging worry that they wouldn't be as well done as they previously were. Thankfully this worry was completely thrown aside as I played. Many of the boss fights are smaller, while bigger boss fights still numbered more than they did in the first. Whether bigger or smaller in scale, pretty much every single one was noteworthy. When I say smaller, though, don't take it as meaning they aren't as good as the larger fights. What I mean is that they simply aren't as big or as long as, say, the colossus battle. Or some others, considering how huge the colossus is. I'm going to leave it at that since boss fights are something players definitely don't need spoiled.
All in all, GoW2 is an incredible game, and a more-than-worthy follow-up to the original. It's definitely going to be a contender for GOTY, though considering the titles lined up for the year I'm fully looking forward to something else impressing me even more.
I've spent the last week and a half in a Greek-induced stupor. I went to see 300 last Friday, which was fantastic. Seriously, if you haven't seen it yet you're doing yourself a disfavor. Drop the money to see it in a theater. It's worth it. The visuals are gorgeous, and between that and the thundering sounds of battle you just can't beat a massive screen and surround sound.
As if things couldn't get any better, God Of War II dropped on Tuesday, and I picked up a copy Wednesday to continue the saga of the pasty Spartan. Kratos was really pissed, lots of things died, and things generally did not fare well for the denizens of Olympus. Rarely do I play a game and stare in disbelief as on-screen actions shatter the boundaries of coolness. Did I say shatter? I meant destroy, dismember and crush between doors. Anyone who played the original will definitely remember how quickly, and on what a grand scale things started off. I think it's safe to say that GoW2 topped this with the opening battle between Kratos and the colossus of Rhodes. Take my word that it's an extremely epic beginning, and the rest of the game holds up extremely well after such an offering. I was extremely impressed with GoW2, and overall I think it even tops the first outing.
The solid combat system of the original returns here with some small tweaks and more polish. First off, players can now map a second weapon to R2 and switch at will between it and the blades. It was definitely a nod to Devil May Cry 3, even it only allows players to switch between two weapons at a time(DMC3 keeps all your weapons in the available cycle). It was a welcome addition to gameplay, but I still found myself always going back to the blades, just as I did in the original. Still, there are three weapons to pick up throughout the game, doubling the arsenal available in GoW. Even so, I still felt that I could get away with some mashing at certain points in the game. You can at certain points in any game, but anyone who has played titles such as DMC3 and Ninja Gaiden will understand that the combat here isn't quite as deep. Don't get me wrong, though. It's extremely good, takes skill, is fun, and feels great. I just wish I couldn't horizontal, horizontal, vertical my way to victory so often(a basic string that you have the entire game). Also, there are more attack animations this time around. While the same move will still function the same, it might display a different animation in killing two different enemies. The context-sensitive finishing moves have returned in full force, and definitely top anything present in the original.
The presentation is again through the roof. It puts that of most games to absolute shame. DMC3 may have a deeper combat system(which I prefer), but even with its extremely cool cutscenes, more in-depth story(than the rest of the DMC series, I mean), and dark locales, the presentation of the GoW series crushes it like a harpy under a Spartan sandal. I'm not saying I like GoW more overall, but enough can't be said for its presentation. Picking a favorite series would warrant another post entirely. It's something I just might consider, though it's been long enough since I picked up a DMC title that going back to one would be necessary first.
GoW2's story is fantastic, and you always feel like you're working towards your ultimate goal. I'm not going to delve into things here because I don't want to ruin it for anyone who hasn't played the game yet. The story tells another chapter, but the story is not finished yet. It was satisfying, but in the same way killing and sex is for Kratos. You get plenty, but you still want more.
Boss battles. They deserve their own paragraph to emphasize how incredibly well done they were. The original GoW only featured three boss fights, and while they were all great, it was something I really wanted more of. SCEA really listened to fans and added more this time around. A lot more. The game really feels strung together by boss fights, whereas in the first game they felt like a rare occurrence. Knowing I was in for more this time, I did have the nagging worry that they wouldn't be as well done as they previously were. Thankfully this worry was completely thrown aside as I played. Many of the boss fights are smaller, while bigger boss fights still numbered more than they did in the first. Whether bigger or smaller in scale, pretty much every single one was noteworthy. When I say smaller, though, don't take it as meaning they aren't as good as the larger fights. What I mean is that they simply aren't as big or as long as, say, the colossus battle. Or some others, considering how huge the colossus is. I'm going to leave it at that since boss fights are something players definitely don't need spoiled.
All in all, GoW2 is an incredible game, and a more-than-worthy follow-up to the original. It's definitely going to be a contender for GOTY, though considering the titles lined up for the year I'm fully looking forward to something else impressing me even more.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Could This Year Get Any Better?
So, I'm slightly behind on posting. I apologize for that,(I'm sure you were all broken up) as I honestly want to keep my blog updated. There sure isn't a shortage of post topics this year, even with us currently in the typical gaming season 'drought,' which hasn't exactly hit this year. While new releases that I actually want to play are generally sparse throughout the first quarter each year, I'm glad to say I don't even have the cash for everything I'd like to get my hands on. Realistically, I'd also like to point out that at this point I don't really need new releases. I want them, yes, but the list of last-gen games I still want to play is rather large.
If anyone has actually checked my sidebar they would've noticed that I picked up a copy of Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance for the Gamecube. My GC library isn't exactly huge, but it's composed of some of my favorite games. Even so, my GC sees a lot of use, and I needed something new to play. With that in mind I set out in search of something fresh. After considering my options it came down to either FE or Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. When I got the chance to stop in at EB a few days later they didn't have PM, but they did have a new copy of FE for just $15, so my decision was easy.
Since then FE:PoR has taken up quite a bit of my time. In just under two weeks I've put in around 24 hours, which isn't bad considering it isn't the only game I've been playing. Also, those familiar with the FE system will know that when one of your party members dies in battle, that's it. Phoenix Down? Yeah, right. Not here. Therefore, I've had to restart numerous battles, and the time spent doing that isn't included in my above playtime. I thought I might get frustrated with this system, but I've honestly been all right with it so far. Permanent death really causes you to think out your moves more, and it makes winning a battle that much more satisfying.
Also, FE is built on a system that requires no grinding at all. The game is based on chapters, each one containing one fight(or four, in one amazingly long chapter). Once you finish that fight you move onto the next chapter. There isn't even an option for you to grind. Now, that does take away the chance that you'll ever be over-leveled and able to pound your opponent into pulp, but I've strangely all right with that. This system gives each battle great significance in terms of gameplay and story. Every chapter features story segments both before and after a fight, so the player always has something to look forward to. The sheer amount of dialogue included in these segments is quite impressive. Voice acting would've been nice, but it's easy to see why they stuck with text. With all that said, here's to hoping that the difficulty doesn't ramp to a frustrating level in the last eight(of 28) chapters. I don't consider myself to be very good at SRPGs,(my experience with them is extremely limited) so I was geeked to see the easy difficulty option.
So, what does that have to do with this year, you ask? Well....not a whole lot, actually. So long as the rest of the FE experience goes well I'm going to pick up the sequel when it drops this summer. The Wii doesn't exactly have a great summer line-up yet, either, and that could be a huge saving grace.
This brings me to the original cause for my post. Atlus USA recently announced the acquisition of the publishing rights for Vanillaware's Odin Sphere, a sort of spiritual successor to Princess Crown. Don't worry, I hadn't heard of it until now, either. It did grace the Sega Saturn, after all. Why am I extremely excited, then?
That's why. It easily contains some of the most stunning 2D art I've ever seen included in any game, and in combination with some beautiful music I'm pretty much sold, even though knowledge of the gameplay is fairly limited, though it looks cool enough You can check out the trailer here.
I made sure to post the pictures first, as the YouTube'd trailer doesn't do the art proper justice. Atlus is really pushing this one, and I couldn't be happier. They already have the english site opened, and anyone familiar with Atlus knows they don't do that until their games are fairly close to release. Slated with a late spring release for both Japan and the US, it won't be all that long until I get my hands on it, then promptly drool all over my Dualshock. Hopefully this post gets the word out to someone who wasn't familiar with the game before, as titles like this really need all the support they can get. So many people are quick to shrug off 2D titles because....well, they're idiots, and I don't want to see Atlus stop localizing projects like these.
Now I'm looking forward to both Odin Sphere and Fire Emblem: Goddess Of Dawn, two games I wasn't even considering at the time of my games of '07 post. Really, how many more games can I handle? The DS is going to rape as well, as the announcement for the follow-up to Osu! Tatakae! Ouedan was just made last week. While I expect '07 DS announcements in the coming months, I wasn't exactly expecting to suddenly be looking forward to two more console titles so soon.
Vanillaware is also partially responsible for Grimgrimoire, an upcoming sidescrolling RPG/RTS they co-developed with Nippon Ichi. The gameplay looks crazy, and the art is amazing. I don't feel like uploading any more pictures, so you can just head over to the site and check it out. Here's to hoping someone decides to localize it. Because, you know, there isn't going to be anything to play this year.
If anyone has actually checked my sidebar they would've noticed that I picked up a copy of Fire Emblem: Path Of Radiance for the Gamecube. My GC library isn't exactly huge, but it's composed of some of my favorite games. Even so, my GC sees a lot of use, and I needed something new to play. With that in mind I set out in search of something fresh. After considering my options it came down to either FE or Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. When I got the chance to stop in at EB a few days later they didn't have PM, but they did have a new copy of FE for just $15, so my decision was easy.
Since then FE:PoR has taken up quite a bit of my time. In just under two weeks I've put in around 24 hours, which isn't bad considering it isn't the only game I've been playing. Also, those familiar with the FE system will know that when one of your party members dies in battle, that's it. Phoenix Down? Yeah, right. Not here. Therefore, I've had to restart numerous battles, and the time spent doing that isn't included in my above playtime. I thought I might get frustrated with this system, but I've honestly been all right with it so far. Permanent death really causes you to think out your moves more, and it makes winning a battle that much more satisfying.
Also, FE is built on a system that requires no grinding at all. The game is based on chapters, each one containing one fight(or four, in one amazingly long chapter). Once you finish that fight you move onto the next chapter. There isn't even an option for you to grind. Now, that does take away the chance that you'll ever be over-leveled and able to pound your opponent into pulp, but I've strangely all right with that. This system gives each battle great significance in terms of gameplay and story. Every chapter features story segments both before and after a fight, so the player always has something to look forward to. The sheer amount of dialogue included in these segments is quite impressive. Voice acting would've been nice, but it's easy to see why they stuck with text. With all that said, here's to hoping that the difficulty doesn't ramp to a frustrating level in the last eight(of 28) chapters. I don't consider myself to be very good at SRPGs,(my experience with them is extremely limited) so I was geeked to see the easy difficulty option.
So, what does that have to do with this year, you ask? Well....not a whole lot, actually. So long as the rest of the FE experience goes well I'm going to pick up the sequel when it drops this summer. The Wii doesn't exactly have a great summer line-up yet, either, and that could be a huge saving grace.
This brings me to the original cause for my post. Atlus USA recently announced the acquisition of the publishing rights for Vanillaware's Odin Sphere, a sort of spiritual successor to Princess Crown. Don't worry, I hadn't heard of it until now, either. It did grace the Sega Saturn, after all. Why am I extremely excited, then?
That's why. It easily contains some of the most stunning 2D art I've ever seen included in any game, and in combination with some beautiful music I'm pretty much sold, even though knowledge of the gameplay is fairly limited, though it looks cool enough You can check out the trailer here.
I made sure to post the pictures first, as the YouTube'd trailer doesn't do the art proper justice. Atlus is really pushing this one, and I couldn't be happier. They already have the english site opened, and anyone familiar with Atlus knows they don't do that until their games are fairly close to release. Slated with a late spring release for both Japan and the US, it won't be all that long until I get my hands on it, then promptly drool all over my Dualshock. Hopefully this post gets the word out to someone who wasn't familiar with the game before, as titles like this really need all the support they can get. So many people are quick to shrug off 2D titles because....well, they're idiots, and I don't want to see Atlus stop localizing projects like these.
Now I'm looking forward to both Odin Sphere and Fire Emblem: Goddess Of Dawn, two games I wasn't even considering at the time of my games of '07 post. Really, how many more games can I handle? The DS is going to rape as well, as the announcement for the follow-up to Osu! Tatakae! Ouedan was just made last week. While I expect '07 DS announcements in the coming months, I wasn't exactly expecting to suddenly be looking forward to two more console titles so soon.
Vanillaware is also partially responsible for Grimgrimoire, an upcoming sidescrolling RPG/RTS they co-developed with Nippon Ichi. The gameplay looks crazy, and the art is amazing. I don't feel like uploading any more pictures, so you can just head over to the site and check it out. Here's to hoping someone decides to localize it. Because, you know, there isn't going to be anything to play this year.
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