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| Tuesday, February 21st, 2006 | | 2:19 am |
It took me a year and a half of off and on trying, but I finally killed the goddamn Omega Pirate on hard mode in Metroid Prime. I wish I still had my list of acquired items, since I was crossing stuff off... this'll be fun. Only have Ridley and Prime left! Current Music: Yasunori Mitsuda - Fanfare 1 | | Thursday, January 19th, 2006 | | 12:43 pm |
Friends don't let friends spoil games.
Recently, our friend Kat has been playing through Final Fantasy 7 for the first time. And, for whatever reason, I didn't realize it was her first time through. It's a good thing she wasn't paying attention to me when I mentioned something from later, because I'd have probably kicked myself pretty damn hard, for quite some time, because of that one. But the whole thing made me think of something. I'm going to go through all of the significant things in games that have been spoiled for me in advance, thus making the games nowhere near as good on their own. Fun, no? ( Spoilers, obviously. Final Fantasy, Metal Gear, Xenogears, etc. )As much as all of those suck, I'm glad that there are certain games that were never spoiled for me, so I could really get the full impact. The only thing Paul told me about Deus Ex after telling me to play it, is that it was awesome. So every little tidbit of the story was completely new, and holy shit. I can still remember certain moments of it with so much clarity, and my initial reaction of "HOLY FUCK WTF OMG WTF." That was always really, really satisfying. Also one of the things I like about being the first to play games/watch movies/read books. I do my best not to spoil things when telling other people to play/watch/read, but I never have any idea what to expect, and I get to get the full effect. Like Transmetropolitan. Still amazing every goddamn time, but that first time I read it, I think that my mouth was hanging open for at least 1/4th of it. Remember, don't spoil plot points for your friends, they'll hold it against you forever! But if the person's a total asshole, go for it. Current Music: Alice in Chains - Them Bones (feat. Maynard James Keenan) | | Sunday, December 11th, 2005 | | 9:31 pm |
Isaiah is going to drool.
Of course, now there might be a slight reason to look into a PSP, what with a Valkyrie Profile remake coming to it. And a sequal on PS2! Well, looks more like a prequal, but still. Current Music: Pink Floyd - Run Like Hell | | Tuesday, September 27th, 2005 | | 4:46 am |
This is different...
I've been reading up on MSI's website about various things, including the Shut Me Up video (which is just insane, I'm a fan). One of those is that Straight to Video is on the Burnout: Revenge soundtrack. I figure hey, that's awesome, more exposure for them... but it was remixed by KMFDM. I'm not sure what to think. A part of me likes it, a part of me feels like they're raping the song. Kinda like Renholder remixing Perfect Circle. Hmmm. | | Thursday, February 17th, 2005 | | 2:54 pm |
| | Wednesday, January 5th, 2005 | | 5:41 pm |
| | Tuesday, December 7th, 2004 | | 1:22 am |
An Ode to Chrono Trigger
Ah, Chrono Trigger. In my opinion, the most perfect game that's ever existed (despite the fact that there are certain games that I enjoy more... but that's something to go into later). I recently replayed it, because after finally finding a screencap of the Metal Gear Solid 3 ending, I decided I wanted to get one of the one scene that tops it: Frog pulling the Masamune from the ground in front of the Magic Cave. What I ended up with was closer to ten, and then a number of others from the scene where Frog stands at Cyrus' grave. Unfortunately, ZSNES always takes screencaps at 256x233, so I can't do anything as impressive with it. Chrono Trigger is one of the few games that really feel like nothing could be changed to them that would improve them, in a good way. Unlike say, Shaq Fu. The only other game that comes immediately to mind in this sense is Super Metroid (Funny that both are on the SNES, but I guess that shows just how good of a system it was. Next-gen consoles can't step.) The plot, despite being relatively simple (time traveling to save the world), was amazingly well executed. Things done in the past affect the future, and so on. The characters also had a lot of... well, character to them. Even Crono, despite the fact that he remains mute throughout most of the game. The expressions and body language were just perfectly done, for pretty much everyone, it seemed like. And then there is Frog, and to a lesser extent Magus. Those two were the characters that got the most background done for them, and what amazing background it was. Almost all of the scenes with Frog are some of my favorite in the game (especially the already mentioned Masamune scene... mmm). Though the development of Frog unbalanced some of the development of the other characters, I can't think of a better character to focus on. The music... wow. Yasunori Mitsuda's first game work (or his first work period? I'm not sure) really sets the mood for everything. The music feels perfectly in place, and with no notable exceptions, is good on stand alone as well. Especially certain songs. Mmmm, Undersea Palace... There have been a few projects recently that have tried to remake Chrono Trigger. I have to wonder why everyone seems to think that the idea of redoing CT with the UT engine is so brilliant. I for one don't think it could be done properly, by anyone, but that could be my fanatical nature coming out. One of the better known projects, Chrono Trigger Resurrection, was shut down a few months ago. I seem to remember reading about it, but going back to the Chrono Trigger community, I see so many people bitching about it still. And then, of course, there's the Chrono Trigger Remake Project, who seem to believe that since theirs is a mod for 2K4, it has no chance of being shut down. That just doesn't seem accurate, but I could be wrong. You know a game is good when you play through it three times in two days. And now I have to return to it... hoping to get ** for everyone's levels soon, then I get to go through the game infinite times collecting tabs. Here I go! Current Mood: fanaticalCurrent Music: Yasunori Mitsuda - Zeal Palace | | Saturday, November 27th, 2004 | | 5:07 am |
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes - First Impressions
Well, I've finally been able to sit down and play the new Prime for more than five minutes without getting distracted by something, so I figured I'd write up what I'm thinking towards it. I would say I'm only about an hour in, but it's enough to get a general feel for how the game works. And one thing comes to mind with it. Prime 2 is to Metroid Fusion as Prime is to Super Metroid. From everything that I've played so far, this is amazingly accurate. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, because I did enjoy Fusion, it just wasn't the masterpiece that Super Metroid is. And as such, I don't think that Echoes is going to be the masterpiece that the original Metroid Prime is. Fortunately, the controls are the same. So after spending a full weekend with Metroid Prime hard mode, it isn't taking much to get into in that respect. Graphically, the game is a bit better, but it isn't amazingly noticable. Which is fine, considering how amazing Prime looks. The world, unfortunately, doesn't seem anywhere near as... alive. Now that could be because everything is dead (Ha!), but one of the large things that I loved about the original Prime is that it had what seemed like a living ecosystem. All I've come across so far are a lot of War Wasps and Splinters. Maybe this area of the game is just amazingly overrun with the two species, to the point that they've killed everything else, I dunno. The comparison to Fusion bothers me, though. Like I said, I was a fan of Fusion, but when put up to Super Metroid, it's mediocre (Several people may disagree with me on that). There are two major "problems" with the game. One, is that it's far, far too linear. This isn't quite as bad in Echoes, but it is very similar in how a lot of things work (such as the translation scripts, reminiscent of the security door levels). The other part is the integration of story. Now, story in games is something that I'm a fan of. My favorite games are games that are largely story-driven (Deus Ex, Metal Gear Solid, Xenogears, Chrono Trigger), but it just doesn't feel like it fits that well into a Metroid game. In Prime, everything was done through the logs, which weren't necessary to read. There are still logs in Echoes, though there are also other characters that Samus has conversations with (or, more accurately, the characters talk to Samus). It just feels so severely out of place, in my eyes. Of course, the game wouldn't be the same without them. The idea of playing Metroid Fusion without the Adam computer is a frightening idea, and it seems like this is going to be similar with the Luminoth. So, is the game bad? No. I'm sure it's going to be worth the $50 that I paid for it. Sadly, though, I can already tell that it's not going to be anywhere near the experience that Metroid Prime is. Just a question... does anyone know why they're calling this one Metroid Prime 2? Since uh, I killed the fuck outta Metroid Prime already, shot it good. Though I guess it's like Snake Eater being called Metal Gear Solid, even though there wasn't a Metal Gear in the game. Ah well, we shall see. Full review when I finish. | | Monday, November 22nd, 2004 | | 8:28 pm |
You know something that I'm finding myself really missing with current games, is the sense of accomplishment after finishing them. That's something that I don't know if I've actually felt since the SNES. Yeah, big cut scenes and everything show the importance of everything you did, and that's a reward of sorts, but there are some things that just have never been duplicated for me. For instance, the first time I beat the original Street Fighter 2, back in third grade or so on a rental. I spent hours playing that, hours and hours, just trying to beat the last four. When I finally did, I felt so good about it, because it took me so long to do. Kinda similar to Donkey Kong Country 3, when I finally beat that with 110% or whatever the top percentage in the game is. The first time I finished Super Mario RPG gave me a similar feeling. Recently, though, I haven't been given that feeling from pretty much any games that I can remember. The only game that gave it, kind of, is Metroid Prime's hard mode, and I think that a large part of that is because some of my friends got so 0wned at the very beginning that they gave up. Of course, I don't think I'm ever going to beat the game at this point (Fuck you, Omega Pirate!), but the fact that I got that close really gave me that sense of accomplishment. I miss then... the kind of, wonder that I got when playing games. It seems so rare these days, that I find myself playing Super Metroid on ZSNES to get that feeling rather than Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, which just hasn't done anything for me in terms of getting me into it. Ah well, maybe there'll be a shift, and things will once again have that sense of wonder. Current Mood:  contemplativeCurrent Music: Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) | | Sunday, November 21st, 2004 | | 5:40 am |
| | Friday, November 19th, 2004 | | 6:34 am |
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater - First Impressions
Wow. That's really just a one word summary of the game so far. Granted, I'm only a few hours in (just beat The Pain, for Isaiah, who I'm guessing is the only other person that would know the game), but it really is amazing so far. The gameplay mechanics are all nicely done, although pulled from Metal Gear Solid 2, so they feel a bit... dated. Or at least the more basic mechanics. I mean, it's a tried and true system that's worked since the first MGS (with a few tweaks here and there for Sons of Liberty, Twin Snakes, and now Snake Eater), but that doesn't really change the fact that it's the same basic gameplay. At least for that aspect. The camoflage system had be worried when I heard about it, because it really turns the game into a fairly menu based setup, where as before it was mostly done on the fly. Well, the camo system is done quite well, and it hasn't felt like a major drawback in the hours that I've been playing. We shall see how that progresses throughout the game, but it hasn't become a problem yet. The cure system is also done through menus, and is fairly ingenius and innovative. Using different items, you actually use survival medicine/surgery. Using a knife to pull out bullets, then pouring disinfectant on the wound, stitching it, bandaging it, etc. This is also all done through menus, so with one exception (and that seemed utterly random), I never actually see Snake go through the motions. On the one hand, it kinda sucks, because that'd be cool to see, but at the same time, it'd be time consuming, and would get annoying after a while. One of the larger reasons I play Metal Gear games is for the storyline. In fact, I'm quite happy that the game is set up to allow me to watch through all the cut scenes/codec conversations after I beat it, because it plays out almost like a movie. A very, very good movie. The story in this one so far, is very, very well done. Much moreso than Sons of Liberty (but that's not saying a whole lot). It's done in the 1960's, when the first Metal Gear (named Shagohod by the Russian scientist who created it) is built. There are a lot of historical references, such as many mentions of the Cuban Missile Crisis and how that affected relations between Russia and America, as well as other things of the time (a mention of Kennedy's assassination, for instance). Combining the historical fiction with a Metal Gear story that feels like it's returning to a Shadow Moses feel, makes me very happy. The one problem that I have with the game, so far, really lies in the beginning, the first two or so hours. Snake Eater, sadly, suffers from Xenosaga syndrome. Though it was also there in Sons of Liberty, it wasn't quite as bad. By Xenosaga Syndrome, I mean that there is a significant ratio problem between story and gameplay. While yes, the story is quite excellent (much like Xenosaga, in my opinion), it is... far too there. Between starting the game, and getting to actually pick the controller up for real gameplay, there's a fifteen minute difference. Walk thirty feet, climb a tree, and there's another fifteen or twenty minutes of story. It continues on like that for the first while, and as I said, the story's good, but the lack of gameplay was kind of a disappointment. It certainly picks up later on, though. I did notice, however, that there were four hours between the intro and the first "boss" battle. I think that's more because of pacing rather than story sequences taking up too much time, though. On the flip side of that, there are a number of little things added in for stylistic touches, that really do amaze me. For instance, the first time I actually saved on the radio (ghetto fab codec system), Snake had a three minute conversation with the Para-Medic (this game's save chick) about Godzilla, while tossing in a crack about his penis size. This, as well as other similar quirks, really are what make the game as good as it is. It's a similar vein to Deus Ex, with Gunther and Anna's discussion about the soda machine, and Gunther's hypothesis that there's a conspiracy to keep him from getting his orange soda. All I can say is, if I didn't have to work tonight at five, I would not be sleeping tonight. No one would hear from me until I finished the game. Of course, that's what tonight after work is for. Then I get to start up on Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, which will also get a first impressions written about it. Full review on both games when they're finished. | | Saturday, October 9th, 2004 | | 6:12 am |
Ahahahahahaha! Foolish mortals! You think that your human weapons can face the mighty Katamari?! I'll swallow you, along with your children, and your motorcyclists! Current Mood:  amusedCurrent Music: Katamari in the living room | | Saturday, August 28th, 2004 | | 6:21 pm |
Animal Crossing is addicting as fuck. | | Tuesday, August 17th, 2004 | | 10:47 am |
Time to sign up for Nintendo Power
I'm almost tempted to try selling my GCN so I can get the current bundle. Having a platinum would match all my platinum wavebirds, and it comes with a playable demo of Echos. Grrrr. Stupid Nintendo. Current Music: Trans-Siberian Orchestra - Requiem (The Fifth) | | Sunday, July 25th, 2004 | | 4:45 pm |
Metroid Prime hard mode = fucking insane. I finally beat the Shegoth, and the six flying pirates (*grumble grumble*, wasn't that hard, just overwhelming at first). Now I'm at the Thardus (rock man). Sweet christ, that fight's going to take a while. | | Sunday, May 30th, 2004 | | 4:38 pm |
Metroid Prime 2: Echos
After reading an article on the game on IGN, this certainly looks to be an interesting game. Considering I hold Prime in really high respects (not as high as Super Metroid, though I did enjoy it more), I'm not sure if I want to find out more about the game or wait until it comes out. Unfortunately, the game seems to be slated for a November release. Which is awesome because it's relatively soon, but I'm gonna be failing classes because of this game, I just know it. Parts of the game sound like Prime + Ikaruga, with a light beam and dark beam. It sounded kinda gimmicky at first, but reading the details on it, it should be interesting. Also, some stuff that I know Isaiah is going to cream himself over... " ...The game will also feature several new additions that all take place in the third-person mode. The first is inclusion of the Screw Attack, which sends the bounty hunter spiraling forward in third-person view. She can use the Screw Attack in conjunction with the Wall Mount to skip back and forth between walls, going up and up and up..." They didn't mention Space Pirates or Metroids until the very end of the article, so I wasn't sure if it was going to be like Fusion and just be another mission of Samus that wasn't really relating to them. But, it would appear that they're going to play a part, just impossible to tell how much of one until I play the game. Current Mood: Anticipation...ing...Current Music: Howard Shore - The Riders Of Rohan | | Saturday, May 29th, 2004 | | 2:11 pm |
Xenosaga Amusement.
I'm sure everyone who played Episode 1 remembers the swimsuits, because of how insane the bonuses they added were (+25% tech points). Well, they have new ones for Episode 2. KOS-MOS and Ziggy get one, as well. 
KOS-MOS looks alright, Shion looks way hot (but that's largely because of the new model), and Ziggy is now a part of the special ops. Doesn't look quite as bad as he could, but what's he going to use the snorkel for? Too bad they didn't give him flippers...
Current Mood: amused
| | Friday, April 30th, 2004 | | 5:09 am |
I'm confused. How is it that Batman is so amazing? Honestly? I mean, there are obvious flaws in it. Batman and Robin, to name one. :P I'm slowly tracking down the animated series. Have almost all of it now, the second, third, and fourth seasons are downloading. Of course, there's also Batman Beyond, which has an entirely different feel, and the Adam West Batman, which again, different feel, but still good. I just finished reading KnightFall, KnightQuest, and KnightsEnd. It was a set of some of the better comics I've read in... well, ever. I wonder if the rest of the comics are as well written as that, but it'd be hard to top. One of the best parts about it is the characterization. Bane is a really good character in those comics, unlike his appearance in the TV series, and the insult that is Batman and Robin. I've also decided, based on that set of comics, as well as the TV series, and to a degree the first movie by Tim Burton, that the Joker is one of my favorite characters ever. There's just something about him that works so well. Perhaps it's time to track down more TPBs. | | Thursday, April 15th, 2004 | | 5:21 pm |
| | Saturday, April 10th, 2004 | | 3:17 pm |
It's destiny! DESTINY!I don't think I need to say anything more. Depending on what I make in tips tonight, I believe that will soon be mine. |
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