Been playing Disgaea DS (aka Disgaea:Hour of Darkness) recently on the DS (duh!) I got this game for the Playstation 2 a while ago, but did not get that far as I was overwhelmed by how many things you can do in this strategy RPG. What I played was great though, and as I do with far too many games in my collection, promised myself I would play this game again. Still haven't gotten back to that version....
I liked the game enough that when I heard there was a DS version out that was a port of the PSP version with the new Etna mode, I wanted to get it. I somehow managed to get a copy sans booklet and case at Gamestop (I was lucky to find even that; I don't think I have seen that game used since.) I had the booklet from the PS2 version for reference if I needed it. I figured since I could play the game anywhere, I could get into it more readily.
I'm still ttrying to figure out a lot of Disgaeas' nuances, but damn if it isn't fun:quirky, imaginitive, and often hilarious. The only problem I have is that you can't save mid-battle, only at the castle.(At least as far as I can tell.) Not good for a portable version of the game.
At this point, I'm pretty much grinding a few maps to power up some of my characters, as I was soundly defeated by a mid boss (who is called, appopriatly, Mid Boss.) Plus I need to level up some created characters because as of right now, they fall over in stiff breeze.
Oh, and I do plan to go back to the PS2 version. There is so much to do in the game that I'm sure I would have a totally different experience from the DS version. Now, if I could just find that illusive Disgaea 2....or maybe I'm getting way ahead of myself there.
Friday, September 16, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me
I have long been a fan of video games coming from the Land of the Rising Sun, Japan. Ever since I played the the original Final Fantasy, when it first came out well over 20 years ago, on my NES, I have been hooked on the crazy, quirky, and most of all fun games made by these crazy, quirky and most of all fun people. My favorite game genre is the RPG, and nobody, but nobody, can make great RPGs like the game companies in Japan can. The Japanese excelled at most every other genre, too.
But times change, as they must, although I certainly do not have to like it. Fewer and fewer Japanese games are making it across to America; for just one example, look at Project Rainfall, a well-meaning failure. The boon of Japanese games that came out for the PS and PS2, for which I shall be forever grateful, has slowed down to a trickle. There are many reasons for this, some of which have been discussed on 1UP, and I won't get into them here. I'll say it has to do with money and Japan still being a closed-off nation, and leave it at that.
I am not saying that the quality of Japanese video games has gone down, far from it from what I can tell. It's the quantity. American tastes have also changed, favoring home grown games, which have pushed back the amount of Japanese games coming here. But I'll be perfectly honest here:all I see is a vast wasteland of FPSs. Now I like FPSs, don't get the wrong idea. It's just that there is a glut of brown- and grey-colored shooters that all blend into one another. I miss the bright colors of Japanese games. And the polish, which still exists. When is the last time a Japanese game had to be patched? Has there EVER been a need? So many American made games, high profile and expensive, have been put out as if no one actually play tested the damn games. Does anyone do QC anymore?
It may sound like I am knocking American games, well, maybe I am. A little. With the domination of Western games and the seeming fall of Japanese games in America, it is the end of an era for me, and I may not be alone in this. And if I come off as bitter and sad, well, then that's because I am.
As for RPGs, I still vastly prefer JRPGs. Despite what detractors may say, to me JRPGs are fun, imaginitive and exciting experiences. Games like Dragon Age, Fallout, Mass Effect and Elder Scrolls just flat out bore me. Like American FPSs, they all seem like the same damn games. Have I played these games? Truthfully, no, so you could say that I am talking out of my ass, and you probably would have a valid point. Still, from what I have seen and heard of these games through the magic of the interwebs, I have zero interest in ever playing these games. They just don't look FUN to me. Except Bioshock, which seems like a FPS/RPG hybrid. THAT game I would like to play one day.
A lot of you younng uns' were not around before the Great Video Game Crash and the NES coming to the rescue, creating a Japanese video game dominance that has existed until a few years ago. There was great American innovation then; there had to be when you were making games for the Atari 2600. Where is that frontier spirit now? It seems that Japan has paved the way and America has simply followed along behind, until Japan was no longer needed. Now Call of Duty tops the charts, and the world is poorer for it.
I did mean for this blog to be a diatribe against Western video games (ok,perhaps a little.) I am saddened at the thought that there will be many less Japanese games coming here. Oh, we'll have our Mario and Final Fantasy games and the occasional wonderfully Japanese game that by some miracle came here, but that will be it. The sun is setting, and in the gathering darkness I wish I could see a bright light as the colors fade to grey and brown.
I'll miss the sun shining on my face. I'll miss it a lot.
But times change, as they must, although I certainly do not have to like it. Fewer and fewer Japanese games are making it across to America; for just one example, look at Project Rainfall, a well-meaning failure. The boon of Japanese games that came out for the PS and PS2, for which I shall be forever grateful, has slowed down to a trickle. There are many reasons for this, some of which have been discussed on 1UP, and I won't get into them here. I'll say it has to do with money and Japan still being a closed-off nation, and leave it at that.
I am not saying that the quality of Japanese video games has gone down, far from it from what I can tell. It's the quantity. American tastes have also changed, favoring home grown games, which have pushed back the amount of Japanese games coming here. But I'll be perfectly honest here:all I see is a vast wasteland of FPSs. Now I like FPSs, don't get the wrong idea. It's just that there is a glut of brown- and grey-colored shooters that all blend into one another. I miss the bright colors of Japanese games. And the polish, which still exists. When is the last time a Japanese game had to be patched? Has there EVER been a need? So many American made games, high profile and expensive, have been put out as if no one actually play tested the damn games. Does anyone do QC anymore?
It may sound like I am knocking American games, well, maybe I am. A little. With the domination of Western games and the seeming fall of Japanese games in America, it is the end of an era for me, and I may not be alone in this. And if I come off as bitter and sad, well, then that's because I am.
As for RPGs, I still vastly prefer JRPGs. Despite what detractors may say, to me JRPGs are fun, imaginitive and exciting experiences. Games like Dragon Age, Fallout, Mass Effect and Elder Scrolls just flat out bore me. Like American FPSs, they all seem like the same damn games. Have I played these games? Truthfully, no, so you could say that I am talking out of my ass, and you probably would have a valid point. Still, from what I have seen and heard of these games through the magic of the interwebs, I have zero interest in ever playing these games. They just don't look FUN to me. Except Bioshock, which seems like a FPS/RPG hybrid. THAT game I would like to play one day.
A lot of you younng uns' were not around before the Great Video Game Crash and the NES coming to the rescue, creating a Japanese video game dominance that has existed until a few years ago. There was great American innovation then; there had to be when you were making games for the Atari 2600. Where is that frontier spirit now? It seems that Japan has paved the way and America has simply followed along behind, until Japan was no longer needed. Now Call of Duty tops the charts, and the world is poorer for it.
I did mean for this blog to be a diatribe against Western video games (ok,perhaps a little.) I am saddened at the thought that there will be many less Japanese games coming here. Oh, we'll have our Mario and Final Fantasy games and the occasional wonderfully Japanese game that by some miracle came here, but that will be it. The sun is setting, and in the gathering darkness I wish I could see a bright light as the colors fade to grey and brown.
I'll miss the sun shining on my face. I'll miss it a lot.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Transforming Vampires
Hello there, not been doing much gaming lately. I'm broke so I haven't been buying any games, and I haven't been gaming much because I've been depressed since I'm broke. Eh, what ya gonna do?
Have been playing Castlevania:Dawn of Sorrow on the DS. I was reluctant to get the game in the first place since it seemed too much like it's prequel, Aria of Sorrow, on the GBA. (Although that is a damn fine game.) Of course DoS is just as good as AoS, plus with better graphics and a very handy castle map on screen at all times. Plus, does collecting demon souls for powers and abilities ever get tiring? No, it does not.
Another game I've playing is Transformers:War for Cybertron Decepticon version. Got this for 10 bucks on the way back from Maine. Got off an exit to get something to drink (air conditioner can really dry you out.), and I was very excited to see a Blockbuster Video! I'm not sure there are any left in Massachusetts. My wife let me run in see if there were any used games for sale, and there were some DS ones. I'm a big Transformers fan and would get the console T:WFC if I had a PS3 or 360. Which I do not. This seemed like the next best thing, and the game seems pretty cool so far. It's mostly run and gun with some platforming, which is fine by me, with about 15 Decepticons to unlock (I think), and the ability to transform on the fly. Works for me; might even get the Autobots version when I'm 1) not broke and 2)It's relatively cheap, say 10 bucks.
On a final note, what does everyone think about the 3DS attachment? Is it a bad idea, and why did they not include the second stick right out of the gate? Nintendo is really flailing right now with the 3DS, IMHO....
Have been playing Castlevania:Dawn of Sorrow on the DS. I was reluctant to get the game in the first place since it seemed too much like it's prequel, Aria of Sorrow, on the GBA. (Although that is a damn fine game.) Of course DoS is just as good as AoS, plus with better graphics and a very handy castle map on screen at all times. Plus, does collecting demon souls for powers and abilities ever get tiring? No, it does not.
Another game I've playing is Transformers:War for Cybertron Decepticon version. Got this for 10 bucks on the way back from Maine. Got off an exit to get something to drink (air conditioner can really dry you out.), and I was very excited to see a Blockbuster Video! I'm not sure there are any left in Massachusetts. My wife let me run in see if there were any used games for sale, and there were some DS ones. I'm a big Transformers fan and would get the console T:WFC if I had a PS3 or 360. Which I do not. This seemed like the next best thing, and the game seems pretty cool so far. It's mostly run and gun with some platforming, which is fine by me, with about 15 Decepticons to unlock (I think), and the ability to transform on the fly. Works for me; might even get the Autobots version when I'm 1) not broke and 2)It's relatively cheap, say 10 bucks.
On a final note, what does everyone think about the 3DS attachment? Is it a bad idea, and why did they not include the second stick right out of the gate? Nintendo is really flailing right now with the 3DS, IMHO....
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Finish it!
I read on the internets somewhere that only 10% of game players actually finish the games they play. I am definatey NOT one of those 10%. My so-called 'pile of shame' is more like a 'mountain of shame.' I did finish the excellent Darkwatch on the XBox a few weeks ago, and yes, that game is over 6 years old. Before that, I cannot remember when I have beaten a game. (Except for FFVII. See below.)
It's never the game itself; I usually either get stuck at a certain point where I keep dying and give up. I then fire up another game which I hopefully won't suck at (those are very rare.) This is often a game I just bought at a cheap price. (I enjoy buying cheap video games for the PS2, XBox, Gamecube, and DS just as much as as I enjoy playing them...to a point, obviously.)
Although knowing that close to 90% of gamers don't finish the games they buy, I still feel like a loser. I sure as hell will never finsh current gen games if/when I get a 360 or PS3, as I would never take the time or effort to get all the trophies or achievments, which seems to be the mark at which the game is finished. Not that I have anything against trophies or achievements, I'm certain they add to the gameplay.
Also, in my case, I love JRPGs, but most of them take 40-60 hours to complete. That's a lot of time for me to get bored, stuck, or distracted by another shiny disk. In fact, last JRPG I finished was FFVII...no joke...and I have at least 50 excellent JRPGS that I have barely gotten into. Sounds screwed up...and it is...but damn I like JRPGs. (And since fewer and fewer are being made, never mind being ported to North America...well, at least I have a stockpile that I can enjoy in the meantime. Gotta think positive.)
Then there is the ongoing debate of whether games, especially open world ones, just take too long to finish, and many people can't because of time restraints. That seems like a good topic for another blog, though.
So are you able to finish most games you have? If not, why do you think that is? I could chaulk it up to Adult ADD, or the fact that as I've gotten older my reflexes have gotten slower, or I have less time to play....
.....
Yeah, I just suck at video games.
It's never the game itself; I usually either get stuck at a certain point where I keep dying and give up. I then fire up another game which I hopefully won't suck at (those are very rare.) This is often a game I just bought at a cheap price. (I enjoy buying cheap video games for the PS2, XBox, Gamecube, and DS just as much as as I enjoy playing them...to a point, obviously.)
Although knowing that close to 90% of gamers don't finish the games they buy, I still feel like a loser. I sure as hell will never finsh current gen games if/when I get a 360 or PS3, as I would never take the time or effort to get all the trophies or achievments, which seems to be the mark at which the game is finished. Not that I have anything against trophies or achievements, I'm certain they add to the gameplay.
Also, in my case, I love JRPGs, but most of them take 40-60 hours to complete. That's a lot of time for me to get bored, stuck, or distracted by another shiny disk. In fact, last JRPG I finished was FFVII...no joke...and I have at least 50 excellent JRPGS that I have barely gotten into. Sounds screwed up...and it is...but damn I like JRPGs. (And since fewer and fewer are being made, never mind being ported to North America...well, at least I have a stockpile that I can enjoy in the meantime. Gotta think positive.)
Then there is the ongoing debate of whether games, especially open world ones, just take too long to finish, and many people can't because of time restraints. That seems like a good topic for another blog, though.
So are you able to finish most games you have? If not, why do you think that is? I could chaulk it up to Adult ADD, or the fact that as I've gotten older my reflexes have gotten slower, or I have less time to play....
.....
Yeah, I just suck at video games.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Duel Masters:The Red-Headed Stepchild
Has anyone heard of the card game Duel Masters? Not as cloyingly cute and childish as Pokemon, nor as mind-boggingly confusing as Yu-Gi-Oh, Duel Masters is a fun game which shares a lot with Magic:The Gathering, which is a good thing IMO. Actually, I have never played the physical card game, but I do have three very fun video game versions of the game:Duel Masters Sempai Legends Limited Edition and Duel Masters Kaijudo Showdown for the GameBoy Advance, and Duel Masters Limited Edition for the Playstation 2.
Very recently I stole...ummm bought Duel Masters Sempai Legends for 50 cents at FYE. Yes, 50 cents brand new. I could not remember if I already had the game (it was Kaijudo Showdown I had), but figured at 50 cents I'd get it anyway. That's less than a candy bar, for cryin out loud.
Anyway, I got all three games for very cheap, and if you have a GBA, DS Lite and/or Playstation 2, you can get a all three of these games for less than 5 bucks, I'm sure. And if you like card games like Yu-Gi-Oh or Magic:The Gathering, you will probably like Duel Masters. I know I do.
As I mentioned, Duel Masters plays out a lot like Magic:TG. You have a deck of 40 cards consisting of spells and creatures from 5 alignments:nature (green), light (yellow), water (blue), darkness (grey), and red (fire). Each alignments has it's own strenghs and weaknesses. When you duel someone, you sacrifice cards in your hand to build up mana of each of the five colors. This mana is permenent, and when you have enough, you can tap the mana to summon creatures to battle for you and spells to cast. Creatures have defensive and offensive stats which are compared when two creatures battle. Sounds a lot like M:TG so far, right? Well, instead of hit points, your duelist has five shields for protection which need to be broken. Once that is done, your duelist only needs to be hit once and it's lights out. Also, like M:TG, there are creatures that block attacks and ones that attack only. Duel Masters also has creatures called slayers which win the fight no matter the stats of the creatures.
In the games you play this spikey-haired kid who basically goes around towns and challenges random passerby to duels. You can also enter tournaments and buy or trade new cards. There are 'stories', but I don't pay much attention to them. I'm here to duel.
The creatures are extremely imaginative; light years better than the teletubby like Pokemon and at least on par with the creatures populating the Yu-Gi-Oh world. You get to see them battle it out on the field with different attacks, although obviously the PS2 version has much better graphics for monsters and spells.
It is unfortunate that Duel Masters never became more popular than it did. The game was created by Wizards of the Coast, and the games were put out by Atari. Still, for anyone who likes stratagic card games in video form, starring creatures with strange but also awesome sounding names, I highly recommend Duel Masters. The price is certainly right.
Friday, August 26, 2011
No $100 PSP for you!!
I was very excited to read recently about a new version of the Sony PSP at a $100. I believe this was revealed at Gamescom. The only major difference between this one and the current PSP versions was there would be no Wi-Fi. This doesn't matter to me, as I would just use it to play games....I still don't care for online shenanigans.
I was later disappointed to learn that the new PSP would only be released in the European market, and not in North America. Apparentely, Americans love their Wi-Fi too much to part with it. Phooey. Does anyone know if this version of the PSP is real, that it really isn't going to be sold here, and if so, agree with me that this is a damn shame?
I was later disappointed to learn that the new PSP would only be released in the European market, and not in North America. Apparentely, Americans love their Wi-Fi too much to part with it. Phooey. Does anyone know if this version of the PSP is real, that it really isn't going to be sold here, and if so, agree with me that this is a damn shame?
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Good stuff:Atelier Iris
Me and the missus are at the vacation house in Maine. So beautiful, so relaxing, so quiet. Nice thing about it is that we only spend money on gas, tolls and food....so even though we don't have much cash, it's a pretty cheap "vacation."
Anyway, I started playing Atelier Iris:The Azoth of Destiny, the second in the Atelier Iris series, and I LOVE it. It's part turn based RPG/part alchemy game. Fight monsters, gather materials, and make all kinds of cool stuff. The sprite graphics are absolutely gorgeous, and fighting and alchemy is fun. I also have the third game in the series, Atelier Iris:Grand Phantasm, and if it's as good as Azoth of Destiny, I've got a lot of alchemy to do when we get back.
Ah, Playstation 2, do you ever stop giving?
Anyway, I started playing Atelier Iris:The Azoth of Destiny, the second in the Atelier Iris series, and I LOVE it. It's part turn based RPG/part alchemy game. Fight monsters, gather materials, and make all kinds of cool stuff. The sprite graphics are absolutely gorgeous, and fighting and alchemy is fun. I also have the third game in the series, Atelier Iris:Grand Phantasm, and if it's as good as Azoth of Destiny, I've got a lot of alchemy to do when we get back.
Ah, Playstation 2, do you ever stop giving?
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