This rather
large update is on my next couple of games and a change to my reviews. I’ve
finally had an opportunity to make some progress (you’d think that school being
out would give me more free time),
and this is what I’ve been doing for the blog.

First of
all, I just started Rogue Galaxy, an action-RPG by Level 5 that’s been on my
list to play ever since it came out. Released at the end of the PS2’s life
cycle after Squares epic Final Fantasy XII, Rogue Galaxy remains one of the
little black box’s RPG classics. In a system known for having a large amount of
fantastic RPGs, Rogue Galaxy manages to stand out in a crowded market- it’s
arguably Level 5’s best game to date. It’s easily one of the best looking games I’ve seen. Level 5 proved
with games like Dark Cloud 2 and Dragon Quest VIII that they were masters of cell-shading,
and Rogue Galaxy may end up being their ultimate visual achievement (at least
until Ni no Kuni graces us with its presence). Gameplay-wise, while it’s
impossible to judge seeing as I’m only an hour into the game, but Rogue Galaxy
is a sci-fi action RPG in a similar vein to the Star Ocean games, and features
a lot of the item and weapon synthesis elements from the Dark Cloud games (or
at least the game’s menu bears a striking resemblance to Dark Cloud 2’s and has
similar statistics). What I have played left me with a favorable first
impression, and I’m excited to continue.