Added Yet Another Game to my Extensive DS Collection
I caved in; I bought another game recently, but it's not FFIV. Instead I got Apollo Justice, an adventure game that I've been meaning to pick up. I was a little worried that I wouldn't enjoy the game as much as the Phoenix Wright trilogy, but the game has so many mysteries surrounding Phoenix that it's compelling me to play just as much as its predecessors did before it.
Phoenix is also a prominent character in this game, as far as I have played (I'm on the second case). Although he isn't a attorney anymore, the biggest mysteries of the game surrounds him, and he acts as a mentor to the younger Apollo. I also like Phoenix's more relaxed and cryptic personality in this game. For anyone who liked the younger Phoenix, not to worry, Apollo is an almost identical version of a younger Phoenix, while Trucy is a lot like Maya. So the duo is back, just not as you expected!The actual gameplay has remained pretty much the same, but instead of using Maya's magatama to reveal a character's secrets during the detective section of the game, Apollo comes with his own ability to perceive the nervous habits of witnesses during the court section of the game. As far as I have played, I have only used it once; it is also a pretty interesting addition. The game itself is also a lot longer, the first case, which is a tutorial, took as much time to finish as a regular case (expect without the detective section). The second case also had you playing detective even before you've met your client, while the previous games automatically set the next 'murder' case up.There was one thing that I was disappointed in, the censorship! The first case involved a certain bottle, which was the murder weapon, and this bottle was clearly, no matter how you looked at it, a wine bottle, but Capcom stubbornly calls it grape juice!! Come on Capcom! AP deals with murder and it already has a T rating, so I doubt calling the bottle a wine bottle would effect the rating of this game *sigh*Other then the censorship, AP is an enjoyable game so far. I am so very curious as to what happened to Phoenix and the relationships between the different characters. Just call me addicted =)
Still Progressing Through FFTA2
I've made more progress through FFTA2, and my total for completed missions is now up to 150. I also had a run in with Montblanc from FFTA, which resembled very much the way Montblanc met Marche. Sadly, I haven't been given the option of recruiting him yet! But it's nice that the developers included little extras like these for fans who have played the other game(s). I wonder when I will meet up with Montblanc again.....The next story mission also involves Van and Penelo from FFXII (I can tell by the title), so I'm left wondering if I will be able to recruit them after this mission (let's hope so!!).
September & the Rest of 2008 are Busy Months for RPG lovers like MeSo many games, so little time (and money T___T). Although august is a little dry for RPG (and strategy) fanatics like me, september is definitely picking up the slack with the release of Dragon Quest IV, Disgaea DS, Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure, Black Sigil and Viva Pinata: Pocket Paradise. But that doesn't mean the other months will be bare, the rest of 2008 is just as jam packed with the release of A Witch's Tale, Luminous Arc 2, Sonic Chronicles: Dark Brotherhood, Elebits: The Adventures of Kai and Zero, Master of the Monster Lair, and Chrono Trigger DS. Now the question is where I'm going to get the money for all these awesome games.....
Edit: Time Hollow, an adventure game, has been moved down from August to September, so that's one more title for September that I have to pick up ^^;;. I also forgot to mention Away: Shuffle Dungeon, an Action RPG, coming out around October-November-ish. And Rune Factory 2, part farming simulation, part action RPG, shipping out sometime in October. There is also Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia, but that would be stretching things, since it's more of a platformer with RPG elements, then an RPG. The end of 2008 just got a lot busier!!
~Joanna
Too Much Love for the DS + Impulsive Buys = Bankruptcy
I love my DS and its game library too much!! In fact, just yesterday I purchased yet another game, so now I have three games sitting on my self that I have yet to play *sigh* Which titles? Heroes of Mana, Trauma Centre 1, and Touch Detective 2.5. The most recent being Touch Detective. And what is keeping me from playing them? FFTA2, which I still have yet to finish. It's not so much that I am so obsessed that I play all the time, it's more that I am an impulsive buyer and I can't resist a good deal, or a rare find. Both Heroes of Mana and Touch Detective had a good price; I bought HoM for half it's usual price and new, while I found a used copy of TD for 20 canadian. Trauma Centre on the other hand is pretty hard to track down, so when I saw it used, I immediately had to buy it. Well at least I have a very nice and extensive DS library.....
*edit: I just bought yet another game on sale, Sonic Rush for $2o canadian and it's new. This game is pure sega genesis nostalgia for me, since I grew up with the sega genesis instead of the Super Nintendo. But I did play the Super Nintendo at a friend's house, so I have fond memories of both systems.
FFTA2: Making Progress, One Mission at a Time
Well I'm making some progress in FFTA2, although I know I'm still nowhere near the 400ish quests that the game boasts. I've recently recruited Hurdy into my fold, but yet again, he is impossible to miss, since he joins
your party after you complete a story quest. Although you have the choice to recruit him, or not, I suggest that you do, since he comes with the exclusive Bard job that only he can use. I wonder who will be my next special character? On a negative note, the story continues to be nonexistent. All that happens in story missions is mostly irrelevant and just creates more foreshadowing. Luso dreams of a place, and he is sure it is out there somewhere. Adelle meets someone who seems to know that she is a lot stronger and better then your average Hume, but that's about it. In other FFTA2 news, I have finally recruited a Gria and she is awesome ^^ Now if I could recruit just one more.... And if your wondering, I've only completed 120ish missions, I know I'm really slow ^^;;
*update: Now I have 134 completed missions! yuppie for me!
Etrian Odyssey & Etrian Odyssey 2: Heros of Lagaard
The second installment of EO has recently come out, and I've heard good things about it. It features basically the same gameplay with slight tweeks to make the game better, while increasing its difficulty. I hear there are warp points on each floor, cutting down the backtracking a lot (if only they existed in the original *tear drop*), but also that the FOEs are even more deadly this time around and now they don't drop any loot (bummer!). So why haven't I gone to pick it up? Two reasons: first, I'm a little low on cash due to my impulse buys and second, I still have yet to finish the first game. Last I played, I was on the 10th floor and I came back to town and switched my Hunter for a Troubadour; I figured that stat buffs are better then state ailments. And in case you are wondering, my team is comprised of a Protector, a Landschnekt, a Medic, an Alchemist and now a Tourbadour, and yes each of them are female ^^ I think this is the only game where you can make all your teammates girls without being restricted to certain jobs. (Ok, there is also FFX-2, but its more of a spinoff of FFX, then a true FF incarnation).
Final Fantasy IV Coming to the DS in a Few Days
July 22nd is the date, but its probably coming out a little later here in Canada (as usual). I am excited, but I'm torn as to whether I should wait a little for a price drop since I already have too many games or go out and purchase it. I've heard lots of raving about it, but once more I still have to finish FF III. I know, I'm so slow, but I like to savor my games =P. Watching game clips has only increased my hunger for it, as FF IV is a bigger improvement over FF III and not only graphically; it has voiced scenes! and modified gameplay (don't whine FF IV fan boys and girls, its been done to both the japanese and north american versions and it only affects battles!). You can now teach the special abilities of allies that leave you and bosses you fight to members of your party! In other news, I've seen a video at www.gamespot.com where some guys reassures the fan base that the famous "spoony bard" line is still in this version. And that was the most important piece of information that I needed to hear, and now I know that FF IV will be super-duper-fantastic-lick-awesome! =) Just maybe I might cave in and buy it......
NIS Joins the DS Gravy Train
NIS, most well known for publishing the Disgaea franchise has also hopped onto the DS gravy train, and will be releasing two titles in September and another one later in 2008. The two titles slanted for release in September are remakes of PS2 and PS1 games repectively: the first being Disgaea 1, an SRPG and the second, Rhapsody, an RPG. Both games will of course have redesigned graphics, since the DS isn't as strong as the PS2, but the basic gameplay and story will remain intact. The title slanted for a later release is a brand new Action RPG titled "A Witch's Tale". Since my favourite genres all have 'RPG' in them, I am eagerly awaiting more information on these three titles. So far, all three games look and sound yummy, and I will definitely be keeping an eye out for them. With both Square Enix and Nis now backing the DS, the system will most definitely be serving up many portions of strategy, RPG and action RPG games! A bright future shines for DS owners, oh yes ^__________^
DS is Honored by Square Once Again! (or Maybe they Just Want More Money..)
The best news of the year is that the DS has the honor of once again bringing to life a classic from the SNES era, and no, its not FF V, but (drum roll, please) .................................................................................CHRONO TRIGGER! that's right Chrono Trigger, the game everyone has been whining about
(me included) and hoping that it would get placed onto virtual console or ported to the DS. Well whine no more because gaming sites everywhere have broken the news, Square Enix announced at E3 that CT will be ported to the DS and its coming out sometime at the end of 2008, most likely in time for the holidays. I am definitely picking it up this december. =) Oh, and for clarity's sake, this will be a port of the original, so not a remake like FFIII or FFIV. It will have the original and the enhance PS1 port, so its two version in one cart! yuppie! A portable Chrono Trigger, I've been dreaming of you for a while now.
Archaic Sealed Heat Raises from the Ashes
I apologize for the horrible pun above, I just couldn't resist ^^;; As the title states, this is about Archaic Sealed Heat or ASH for short. A few gaming sites have informed me that the title has recently (May-ish) been rated by the ESRB, getting a rating of E10+. Since the ESRB only rates games which are and will be released in North America, it is a good indicator that the game will be coming over. However, the bad news is that nothing has been officially confirmed, so the fate of ASH is still up in the air. I'm crossing my figures that this SRPG, which looks positively gorgeous, makes it over.
~Joanna
>Final Fantasy Tactics A2<
The basic game mechanics are the same, so those who have played FFTA can get right into the game. Those who haven't played FFTA should most likely read the manual as there is no in-game tutorial like there was in FFTA. The animations for spells and special attacks have gotten an overhaul and look much better. The battlefields also take advantage of the DS' extra power and look a lot more vibrant and detailed. There are now chests on the battlefield that units can open to receive the content inside, which range from ordinary potions to great accessories.
As for units, races and classes, the units sprites from the FFTA look the same, but the character portraits have been updated. Some units have also gotten entirely different skill sets, while others have a few different skills. There are two new races accessible, Seeq and Gria and a handful of new jobs. Also, there are quite a few special characters you can recruit into your clan, and some jobs can only be accessed once you complete a certain quest and meet the job's requirements. All these new additions make FFTA2 even more addicting, as you will find yourself going on quests in hopes of unlocking the next race, character, job, or weapon.
Which is really a good thing, because this game really lags behind in the story department. As far as I have played, there seems to be a story shaping up, but most of the time, the story quests don't really progress the story all that much. At most your given a bit of foreshadowing, but nothing concrete. I have also only recruited two special characters, Adelle and Cid, which are fairly easy to get as they ask to join during a story segment, or after one has been finished. As for the new jobs and races, I have recruited only two Seeq and I have only seen the two new basic Seeq jobs. So, as you can see, I still have much of the game ahead of me, and I am definitely looking forward to unlocking all the jobs, weapons, and armors. ^^
As for disappointments, there weren't too many; I was hoping that the GBA slot would be more integrated into game play, but inserting the original FFTA into the GBA slot while playing FFTA2 only nets you an extra Clan ability. I was also hoping that you could recruit some of the main characters from the original game, but as far as I have heard and seen, they only make cameo appearances, so look out for references to them. There is one expection to this and you will be able to recruit Montblanc, who is also seen in FFXII, or so I have heard. Another minor disappointment I had with the game is the reused music, there is a lot of familiar tunes in FFTA2 that you will recognize as coming from FFTA. I wouldn't have minded so much if they were remixes, but they are exactly the same tunes with only better quality. Thankfully, as you progress into the game, you will hear a lot more original tracks. Finally, I was quite disappointed to learn that once again, you must play as a male protagonist. As a female gamer, I would much rather be given the choice of choosing my gender, instead of always having to play as a male. There are many games out there that have realized this, and have either given their players the choice of gender, or have made games specifically with female leads. Pokemon and Etrian Odyssey are two game that allow you to choose the gender of your character(s), while Harvest Moon has a game that is specifically targeted at the female gender called Harvest Moon Cute, which contains the basic Harvest Moon game play and a few female oriented twists. Now I understand that because of story details, sometimes you cannot have the luxury of allowing gender choices. But as far as I have seen, there is nothing specific in FFTA2 that would negate the use of either a male or a female character. Nothing that Luso does or says could not also be done or said by a female version, nor is there any implied relationship between him and Adelle. FFTA was much the same, Marche could easily have been a female, because there is nothing in the game that necessitates the exclusion of a gender choice for your leading character. I can only hope that Square Enix changes this and allows the choice of male or female for your main character the next tactics game they release.
Other then these three issues I have with the game, it is an overall delightful and addicting experience. I encourage anyone who likes the tactics, or SRPG genre to give it a try. The game play is one of the best I have seen in any SRPG to date and offers a lot of customization and depth. Just remember, the story is a bit lacking, so don't expect the epic tales you have come to know the Final Fantasy titles for. And now I end this long rant to go and play some more =D~Joanna
Phoenix is also a prominent character in this game, as far as I have played (I'm on the second case). Although he isn't a attorney anymore, the biggest mysteries of the game surrounds him, and he acts as a mentor to the younger Apollo. I also like Phoenix's more relaxed and cryptic personality in this game. For anyone who liked the younger Phoenix, not to worry, Apollo is an almost identical version of a younger Phoenix, while Trucy is a lot like Maya. So the duo is back, just not as you expected!
