Pokemon... Black and White 2?

Didn't see that one coming. 0_0 I think everyone was hoping that the next Pokemon game would be something along the lines of a Pokemon Gray. You know, something like Crystal, Emerald, and Platinum Version, which basically combined their prior duo of games and added new content.

I don't think anybody expected direct sequels. Direct sequels, and for the DS instead of the 3DS.

Still, I've got to admit, those legendaries look pretty cool.

Pokemon fans, don't write these off yet. It may not be what we expected, but who knows? This could be really awesome. Black and White were noteworthy for adding several enhancements to the classic Pokemon formula, so perhaps Black 2 and White 2 will do the same.

That reminds me. I still need to play Black Version...

Peter's 2011 Gaming Awards

Hello, and welcome to Peter’s (extremely belated) 2011 Awards! Now, I’ve been meaning to get around to this for some time. Instead of making awards for games that came out in 2011, I’m talking about games that I played in 2011. I might make this an annual thing if I’m still doing this next year.

Anyways, here we go!

Best Game I Played In 2011: Final Fantasy X (PS2)

I played a lot of great games last year, there’s no denying. And among those great games, I played the majority of the Final Fantasy series. Still, Final Fantasy X proved itself to be my favorite of the series, and I really can’t say why. Was it the imaginative art style and gorgeous visuals? Was it the epic story and well-developed characters? Was it the excellent combat system and open-ended character development? It certainly wasn’t the voice acting… but for whatever reason, I beat this game in a record (for me) two weeks, with forty or so hours sunk into it. I just didn’t want to stop playing, and that for me is the mark of an amazing game.

The Last Story Coming To The US

From Operation Rainfall:

Reggie Confirms The Last Story for US!!!!!!!!

Revealed in Nintendo Direct at around the 10m30s mark.

Out this year, and Nintendo has partnered with XSEED to make this possible.

 From me:

OH MY GOD IS THIS THE EMOTION YOU CALL JOY???

Seriously, though. This is the most recent game my Mistwalker, directed by Hironobu Sakaguchi, creator of Final Fantasy. Between this and Xenoblade, I'll have to give serious thought to buying a Wii.

EDIT: So, yeah. I might actually be picking these games up at launch, finances permitting. I'm excited for these games, and you should be too! They're the type of high-quality games the JRPG needs right now. I have a feeling that these might help this ailing genre by pushing them forward.

Quick Update

So, it's been a while since I did an update detailing my future plans. Here goes.

1- Final Fantasy! So I finished Final Fantasy XIII-2. I know my review may have seemed unduly harsh, which wasn't my intention, but I will stand by my thoughts on the game. In truth, XIII-2 just seems like a 'filler' game to me. It's something they made in reaction to XIII's criticism, rather than a game they wanted to make, and I think that really hurt the game. Still, the game is very fun, and if you're looking for a good JRPG on a modern console, you can't go wrong with this one.

2- Xenoblade! I probably won't be getting to Xenoblade Chronicles as I had originally planned. It's a shame, because that game looks awesome and you should totally support it, but I don't have access to a Wii on a regular enough basis to invest in an eighty-hour epic RPG. Xenoblade Chronicles looks to be an excellent game, and I will hopefully play it some time in the future.

3- Ni no Kuni delayed! Level 5 and Studio Ghibli's gorgeous looking PS3 RPG has been delayed, from Q1 2012 to Winter 2012. While I'm dissapointed that I don't get to play this wonderful game soon, it seems that they are using the extra time to give the game a superb localization, on par with Ghibli's other work. Definetly looking forward to this one.

4- Game shopping! So, this weekend I get to go to my local game shops (CD exchange, Gaming Warehouse, and of course, Gamestop) and see what I can find. I'll edit this post with what I get when I have the chance, but I'm looking to play the original .hack games if I can.

5- Radiant Historia! I find that I only really have time to play one game during the school year now, and since I was intent on beating XIII-2, Atlus' excellent old-school RPG kind of got put on the back burner. No longer, and Radiant Historia will be the subject of my next review. Spoiler alert: It's fantastic, and if you own a DS, go buy it, now. They're reprinting it soon, so it'll be affordable.

6- Writing! So, the 'one piece a week or so' strategy for this blog is definetly a lot easier on me, and I think it's actually helped the blog produce more quality pieces. At the very least, it's better than clogging up the blog with new posts every day. So, I've got a couple other articles in mind, including a belated 'awards show' for every game I played in 2011, as well as an explanation of my own reviewing style.

I think that about covers it. :) Until next time, dear reader!

Edit: Got three new games while shopping today! No, couldn't find .hack, I'm going to have to go a-hunting some other time. In the meantime...

Rogue Galaxy (PS2)
Resonance of Fate (PS3)
Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions (PSP)

My Review: Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3)

My Review: Final Fantasy XIII-2 (PS3)

I’ve mentioned this many times before, but it bears explaining again. Final Fantasy XIII was a game that received a very mixed reception among series fans, and for good reason; it removed many traditional Final Fantasy elements in favor of a more streamlined approach. I personally enjoyed the game very much. The visuals and music were top-notch, the battle system was excellent, and for the most part I thought the story and characters were quite nice. It’s far from the best Final Fantasy game I’ve played, but it was a good game in its own right. Square Enix heard the outcry among some fans concerning XIII’s linear gameplay, however, and with Final Fantasy XIII-2, a direct sequel similar to 2003’s X-2, it seems Square intends to win back some of these fans by creating a more open experience, returning some more traditional RPG elements. Does it succeed in improving upon its predecessor?

STORY

Final Fantasy XIII-2 picks up three years after the end of XIII, and stars Serah, Lightning’s younger sister who spent most of the last game needing to be saved by Lightning and Snow. After the fall of Cocoon, Lightning apparently disappeared from the world, presumed dead by everyone except Serah, who is convinced that her sister is alive. Her suspicions are confirmed with the arrival of Noel, a warrior from the future who tells Serah that he can take her to see Lightning, who is waiting in a mythical land called Valhalla. Together, the two of them travel throughout the tangled timeline in the hopes of finding out what happened to Lightning.

Old Review: Kingdom Hearts RE: Chain of Memories (PS2)

My Review- Kingdom Hearts: RE:Chain of Memories (PS2)

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was a Game Boy Advance game that served to bridge Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2. The original game is largely known for it’s card-based battle system, a departure from the pure action-RPG style of the other games in the series. Square decided in 2006 to remake Chain of Memories for the PS2 and bundle it with Kingdom Hearts II- Final Mix +. For some reason, they decided to only localize Re:Chain of Memories as a stand-alone game, instead of the whole KH2-FM+ package, which I am definitely NOT bitter over at all, but RE:CoM is still a fun, if slightly strange, addition to the Kingdom Hearts series.

STORY

RE:Chain of Memories’ story takes place in Castle Oblivion, a mysterious place run by Organization XIII. Series protagonist Sora ends up wandering inside the castle and is told by one of the Organization members that something dear to him is inside, but in order to find it, he must give up something in return. Using the mysterious powers of the castle, Sora must navigate the various Disney worlds from the first game in order to re-discover his memories. Sora and his friends discover that the further they go into the castle, the more memories they lose, while other memories are remembered. However, the Organization has sinister plans for Sora, and he may not be able to trust his newfound memories.

My Review: Final Fantasy IX (PS1)

My Review: Final Fantasy IX (PS1)

It could be said that each generation of consoles put a unique spin on its particular batch of Final Fantasy games. This is particularly evident with the Playstation trio of Final Fantasies VII, VIII, and IX, which are among the most influential games of their genre. Final Fantasy IX is, in many aspects, the end of an era for the series: afterward, the series would go through many radical changes, and IX does seem to be the most recent ‘traditional’ Final Fantasy game. Perhaps this is because Final Fantasy IX was made as a throwback to the classic style of Final Fantasy, but with the design of the PlayStation entries, blending more lighthearted tone and colorful aesthetics with the storytelling and technological panache we expected from Square at the time. Final Fantasy IX isn’t just a great game- it’s a swan song for the entire series, as well as one of the best Playstation RPGs ever made.

STORY

Final Fantasy IX takes place in the world of Gaia, a land enshrouded in a Mist made from the spirits of the dead. In the Kingdom of Alexandria, Queen Brahne lists for power, and is waging war on neighboring kingdoms in order to expand her domain. When Zidane Tribal, a monkey-tailed member of the theater group Tantalus, kidnaps Princess Garnett of Alexandria, he discovers that she intended to escape from her mother, and wants to discover why she is behaving in this manner. Along with Garnett’s loyal knight Steiner, the young black mage Vivi, and a host of other colorful characters, Zidane becomes embroiled in a quest to save the world from Brahne’s ambition, as well as to free Brahne from the influence of an arms dealer named Kuja, and eventually discover the secret of another world linked to Gaia…

Changing the Paradigm: Final Fantasy XIII and Narrative

Changing the Paradigm: Final Fantasy XIII and Narrative

            "Cocoon—a utopia in the sky.

Its inhabitants believed their world a paradise. Under the Sanctum's rule, Cocoon had long known peace and prosperity.
Mankind was blessed by its protectors, the benevolent fal'Cie, and believed that tranquil days would continue forever.

Their tranquility was shattered with the discovery of one hostile fal'Cie.
The moment that fal'Cie from Pulse—the feared and detested lowerworld—awoke from its slumber, peace on Cocoon came to an end.

Fal'Cie curse humans, turning them into magic-wielding servants. They become l'Cie—chosen of the fal'Cie.
Those branded with the mark of a l'Cie carry the burden of either fulfilling their Focus or facing a fate harsher than death itself.

A prayer for redemption. A wish to protect the world. A promise to challenge destiny.
After thirteen days of fates intertwined, the battle begins."

—Official Prologue

            Final Fantasy XIII, technically the latest entry in the storied Final Fantasy franchise, is for some reason one of the most controversial titles of this generation. For me personally, I find a lot of the game’s most commonly heard criticisms to be unfounded or blown out of proportion. After it’s lengthy and problematic development, it seems to be a miracle that the game turned out at good as it did. It does have its fair share of problems, and is rather average for a main series Final Fantasy game, but overall it’s a pretty damn good game. We could get into a lengthy discussion about linear gameplay, gorgeous graphics, or automated combat, but that’s not what I’m here to discuss. I’ve already reviewed the game; we don’t need to mention any of that. No, today I am going to delve into one area in which I think Final Fantasy XIII meant to excel, but ended up stumbling on: it’s narrative.

My Review: Kingdom Hearts- Birth by Sleep (PSP)

My Review: Kingdom Hearts- Birth by Sleep (PSP)

I’ve mentioned it before, but it bears mentioning again: I don’t think anyone could have predicted exactly how dense the Kingdom Hearts series has become. Squaresoft’s little Disney crossover game has spawned one of the most popular video game franchises in the world, and with each game the overarching narrative has only grown more complex and, at times, convoluted. Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, a game that was teased at the end of Kingdom Hearts II, plays an integral role in the Kingdom Hearts saga: as a prequel to the original Kingdom Hearts, as well as an establishment of where the series will go in the future. Is this portable adventure up to the task?

STORY

Destiny is never left to chance.

As mentioned earlier, Birth by Sleep is a prequel, set ten years before the original Kingdom Hearts. The game focuses on the adventures of three protagonists, Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, who are apprentices to Keyblade Master Eraqus. After a series of events drive the heroes apart, they each set out on their own journey across the myriad worlds, dealing with their own internal conflicts and struggling to maintain their friendship in light of newfound revelations concerning themselves and their Masters, all while combating the evil Unversed, monsters that are born from negative emotion. Ventus is attempting to uncover the truth about his origins and his connection to a mysterious masked boy named Vanitas, who appears to lead the Unversed. . Aqua attempts to bring Ventus back home and watch over Terra, while questioning the morality of the orders from her Master. Meanwhile, Terra is struggling with the dark power inside him, trying to discover its place in him under the tutelage of Master Xehanort, who may have other, more sinister objectives…

Guest Review: Gran Turismo 5 (PS3), by David Olgers

Well, folks, this is the first guest review on this blog! *cue victory fanfare*. Today, my friend David will be reviewing Gran Turismo 5, a popular racing game for Playstation 3. While David did try to write the review using my own reviewing structure, I left his review mostly unedited save for a few awkward phrases and some spelling errors. Enjoy!

Gran Turismo 5 (PS3)

Gran Turismo 5 is a racing game by Polyphony Digital, and the latest in it’s series. The end goal of the game is to reach level 40 by participating in races, as well as to obtain all of the various licenses that can be earned by participating in 9 tests of different kinds (turns, braking and the like) and a small race on a course using the different things you learned in the tests.