Ben-DutkaI think it's like 10 outside. There's no wind but if there was, it'd feel like -1000. But I'm warm…warm and kinda happy. 🙂
An urge for old-school RPGs has returned
You know, you wouldn't think that a small piece of news like Namco Bandai failing to bring Tales of Vesperia to the US would resonate for the week. But for me, it has. I think it's all this talk about Final Fantasy XIII straying so far from the standard old-fashioned RPG norm and while I'll still play it, I find myself craving some turn-based JRPG goodness. This is why I really wanted to see Vesperia arrive at some point; I didn't really have the time for Eternal Sonata when it finally came out for the PS3, but it was still a solid game. And now that I'm 100% convinced that turn-based is officially dead, I keep looking for any information on a Lost Odyssey sequel, which I think is the last new RPG (for consoles, not handhelds) that was truly turn-based. So how come we can't get the PS3 version of Vesperia ?
I'm only talking about all RPG fans in this scenario; I can easily get the 360 version if I want to. It's just that every time I see even the slightest example of the continued elimination of the turn-based system, I get depressed. It's really painful for someone who loves that style and still remembers the glory days of the PS1 with great fondness.
Do we care about Episodes from Liberty City?
I love GTA and all, and I suppose I should care about Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City coming to the PS3 …but I don't. If I really cared, I would've picked this up for the 360 when it came out last October but the truth is, I never even knew it released. There's no doubt that I'll play GTAV when it comes out but when it comes to these spin-offs, I have great difficulty summoning the requisite enthusiasm. I dunno…I just think GTAs should be a full experiences from start to finish; I want time to enjoy a robust story and become immersed in a huge new world. Maybe that's just me, but I get the feeling others may feel the same way, provided they actually play the GTA titles. I know some – kids, mostly – just drive around in circles and kill people, but I've always become quite involved with every GTA. I can't really do that with spin-offs and pseudo-sequels so I guess I just don't care enough for Episodes from Liberty City .
But I'm sure it's good news for fans of the franchise who only own a PS3. Personally, I can't wait for Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption , which comes out at the end of April. I won't be missing that release.
Personal gaming update
So I guess the cat is out of the bag and most of you know what I'm playing right now. It also doesn't really help that some of you are on my PSN friends list and can easily see what I'm playing; I've gotten a half-dozen messages already, all riddled with excitement and a bit of jealousy. 😉 However, I can only tell you what I've told them: I am not allowed to say anything until the embargo date, which is February 10. I promise that we'll be one of the first to post the review and that's the best I can do. All I'll say is that I'll really try to impress people with the analysis; I think it's required for this game.
I've finished Halo 3: ODST , which means I've played and completed every entry in the series. It was…well, it was Halo . I like them all. But as I've said before, I've grown a little tired with the same ol' same ol' and I'm really hoping Halo Reach actually represents some forward thinking on the part of Bungie. I'm also about 2/3 of the way through Bayonetta although I'm not sure when I'll be able to finish. I have more pressing matters at hand right now. 😉 The other game I really want for February is Bioshock 2 , although I do want to try Dante's Inferno at some point. That's it for now. Gotta get back…
