Well, it's the last day of 2011! What a fantastic year for games! And, since everyone loves lists, here comes the Games of the Year list!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 30, 2011
30 Days of Gaming: Day 30
Day 30 - Favorite Game of All Time
This is it! The last one. The game to end all games! The one that sits on a throne make from the cracked jewel-cases and tattered manuals of it's enemies. The king of all games!
Well, I guess so anyway.
I won't bore you with a long post on this. This game has come up already so many times, it's really no surprise. My favorite game of all time is:
Yep, big shock, I'm sure. This is, by far, the game I love to play the most. The depth and enjoyment I get out of each playthrough is amazing. I love that every time I pick it up, I learn something new about it. I love that I can switch things up and it becomes a new experience. And I love that no matter how many times I pop it in, I always walk away fulfilled. Having done end game only once isn't a slight to the game. I just have so much fun on the way to the end. I love tweaking teams and trying new classes or combinations. I love messing about to make teams either challenges to play, or overpowered beasts that storm maps with Judge Dredd prejudice. This is a game that I've owned since launch (or a month afterwards) and still find new things to love every time I play. It is, in my opinion, one of the best games created.
This is it! The last one. The game to end all games! The one that sits on a throne make from the cracked jewel-cases and tattered manuals of it's enemies. The king of all games!
Well, I guess so anyway.
I won't bore you with a long post on this. This game has come up already so many times, it's really no surprise. My favorite game of all time is:
Thursday, December 29, 2011
30 Days of Gaming: Day 29
Day 29 - A Game You Have Played Over Five Times
Nearly done! Today (and, spoiler, tomorrow) we talk about games that are the tip-top of the gaming mountain. The games that get played multiple times. The games that, no matter what, are always enjoyable.
Nearly done! Today (and, spoiler, tomorrow) we talk about games that are the tip-top of the gaming mountain. The games that get played multiple times. The games that, no matter what, are always enjoyable.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
30 Days of Gaming: Day 28
Day 28 - A Sequel That Disappointed You
I could cop out on this and go with Final Fantasy XIII. I mean, I loved the story, the characters, the graphics, the Paradigm system, and the voice acting. But, the battle system, the upgrading, and the overall "watch long cut-scene, play for a few minutes, watch another cut-scene" really turned me off.
I could cop out on this and go with Final Fantasy XIII. I mean, I loved the story, the characters, the graphics, the Paradigm system, and the voice acting. But, the battle system, the upgrading, and the overall "watch long cut-scene, play for a few minutes, watch another cut-scene" really turned me off.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
30 Days of Gaming: Day 27
Day 27 - A Game I Thought I Would Hate, But Ended Up Loving
Today is all about the big surprises that sometimes land in our laps. You know the ones: they are the games that come out without any fan-fare, cost little and have silly titles like Katamari Damacy or Gungrave: Overdose! These little gems sneak up on you and just brighten your day when you try it.
Probably the one that stands out the most to me is Shadow Hearts. I love JRPGs, but this one seemed a little too silly when I started out. The hero was half-Japanese, half-Russian and spent the opening minutes being aloof and "hardcore-badass!" I was, admittedly turned off. But then battles started, and I was hooked. Here I thought I was playing a generic JRPG with forced "attitude" and a lame, cliched story. Instead, I got a game that wormed it's way into my heart. The characters grew/developed (except the whiny kid), the story took all sorts of twists and turns, and, in the end, the game surprised me with a touching ending.
I love nearly everything about this game. The battles that force you to rhythmically tap a button to hit, the side quests for more powerful weapons were fun and the writing, while it started off slow and is still corny, got much better. I cannot recommend this game and the first sequel enough. If you are a PS2 JRPG fan, look for this game! It may surprise you like it did me.
Today is all about the big surprises that sometimes land in our laps. You know the ones: they are the games that come out without any fan-fare, cost little and have silly titles like Katamari Damacy or Gungrave: Overdose! These little gems sneak up on you and just brighten your day when you try it.
The creature designs were really creepy, and the descriptions are delightful
Probably the one that stands out the most to me is Shadow Hearts. I love JRPGs, but this one seemed a little too silly when I started out. The hero was half-Japanese, half-Russian and spent the opening minutes being aloof and "hardcore-badass!" I was, admittedly turned off. But then battles started, and I was hooked. Here I thought I was playing a generic JRPG with forced "attitude" and a lame, cliched story. Instead, I got a game that wormed it's way into my heart. The characters grew/developed (except the whiny kid), the story took all sorts of twists and turns, and, in the end, the game surprised me with a touching ending.
I love nearly everything about this game. The battles that force you to rhythmically tap a button to hit, the side quests for more powerful weapons were fun and the writing, while it started off slow and is still corny, got much better. I cannot recommend this game and the first sequel enough. If you are a PS2 JRPG fan, look for this game! It may surprise you like it did me.
Monday, December 26, 2011
News Roundup: 25 December 2011
A day late from the holidays, but here are a few news stories that caught my eye over the week of Christmas. See you all next week for the Game of the Year list!
30 Days of Gaming: Day 26
Day 26 - Game with the Best Voice Acting
Yay! More dead-horse beatings today! Voice acting is a relatively new addition to gaming. Before it was all shiny cut-scenes with silent actors. Much like the debut of "talkie" movies, voice acting changed gaming in a big way. No longer were actors hired to grunt, growl or "exert effort." Now studios had to hire folks who could impart emotion. Now actors on film could work in games (and give publishers a bullet point for the box: "Starring Samuel L. Jackson!" and by "starring" we mean "he has a role"). Now people expect voices for all their characters, and it can make or break a game.
Yay! More dead-horse beatings today! Voice acting is a relatively new addition to gaming. Before it was all shiny cut-scenes with silent actors. Much like the debut of "talkie" movies, voice acting changed gaming in a big way. No longer were actors hired to grunt, growl or "exert effort." Now studios had to hire folks who could impart emotion. Now actors on film could work in games (and give publishers a bullet point for the box: "Starring Samuel L. Jackson!" and by "starring" we mean "he has a role"). Now people expect voices for all their characters, and it can make or break a game.
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