I usually love winter but that blizzard was just plain absurd. Thankfully, I just got all cozy with some of John Cheever's short stories, Fable III , and believe it or not, fresh blueberries. 🙂
I reserve the right to be excited about FFXIII-2
No, it hasn't been confirmed or anything but that registered domain is as clear as day. I suppose Square-Enix could plan to use that site for something entirely different, but I would call that toying with our brains. At any rate, despite the fact that Final Fantasy XIII wasn't exactly what I wanted, I still enjoyed my 100 hours of time and above all else, will always hold out hope for a full-on S-E revival. I reserve the right to harbor and nurture that hope based on many years of role-playing bliss courtesy of the company in question. Granted, I haven't wanted to replay an entry in the FF series since FFX, but I still spent nearly 300 hours having fun with FFX-2, FFXII and FFXIII. Hence, I can't help myself- if I hear about a new Final Fantasy , it's like a chemical reaction; it's inevitable. I'm going to get excited and I'm going to think about it.
I do find it ironic that such news arrived only days after I posted my hypothetical editorial , and I honestly hope FFXIII-2 will become a reality. Look, they could royally screw things up. They could make a sequel that's closer to a shooter than an RPG (at which point, I may then give up all hope) but I refuse to believe that all the feedback and criticism from lifelong fans has eluded the ears of all Square-Enix employees. Maybe…just maybe…it'll surprise everyone…
What will the next MGS be like?
I am not as closely tied to this franchise as I am to FF, just based on my RPG roots. But even so, I have nothing but respect for Kojima and Metal Gear Solid and I loved MGS4. While it was more accessible and did allow for a more action-oriented approach, the developers didn't erase the possibility of stealth. That was still there for the hardcore. Maybe Ubisoft should've taken the hint before they ruined Splinter Cell with that Conviction abomination. Anyway, now that we know Kojima Productions is looking for a few good people to work on a "next generation MGS," I think it's time we ask ourselves what that project will be like… At this rate, it's likely it'll be multiplatform – despite Kojima's repeated aversion to the Xbox platform – and here's hoping they don't take another step in the "accessible" direction. But above all else, I'm looking forward to the story element.
I think that regardless of the setting and style, if Kojima is directly involved (and remember, he isn't directly involved in Rising ), the storyline aspect should be the biggest highlight. We can't expect that to disappear, can we?
Personal gaming update
I plan on playing Dead Space 2 through to completion and I'll also try Mass Effect 2 but in the meantime, I have to rant a bit more about Fable III .
I'm still not sure if I'm going to finish it. After playing for so long, I've decided it's a very strange blend of everything I love and everything I hate about the current state of RPGs. I've got my towns and my large explorable areas and my magic and my side quests and all the rest. At the same time, combat is essentially pointless. You earn a few Guild Seals but it takes multiple tough battles to earn one full Seal…which I can earn in about five seconds being nice to an NPC. Anything I wear has absolutely no bearing on my character, who, by the way, doesn't even have personal statistics. Most all chests I find and treasures I dig up are only cosmetic; i.e., tattoo sets, pieces of clothing, gems to sell or give as gifts, etc. In short, it feels like a Facebook-esque, "social" action/adventure and yeah, that's RPG lite.
I like the freedom and I like hunting and searching for optional stuff like the hidden gnomes, books, and keys. But in the end, it's very clearly lacking in depth, and it's obvious they did it on purpose…and there's that "accessibility" term again. Looks like I'll have to rely on Dragon Age II for my hardcore RPG fix, and I'm hoping some of the JRPGs will get me. Hyperdimension Neptunia looks like fun, and yes, I'll be doing a review. You can also expect the big reviews soon, too.
Not sure about a FFXIII-2. *IF* it's more of an RPG, it could give SE a second attempt to capture lightening in a bottle (no pun intended), but I am doubtful of their ability to produce a defining RPG this generation.
Multi-platform MGS simply doesn't interest me.
PGU – not a lot, I've been sicker than a dog with some stomach virus. So I've tinkered a little with WKC and VC2(PSP) and that is about it.
I'm a lot more interested in what the future holds for us with the PSP2 and the PlayStation Phone. Not to mention the coming year of incredible games for the PS3.
Last edited by TheHighlander on 1/15/2011 9:48:32 PM
my daughter and i both were sick for a few days. pretty bad couldnt keep anything down. i ran some b spec and watched netflix when i wasnt puking lol. i hate puking. hope your well soon we both were down for about 2 days
Last edited by frylock25 on 1/15/2011 10:17:15 PM
Frylock, you should report on that takeout… maybe the food standards authority can take some action…
Q!
"play.experience.enjoy"
na it wasnt food poisoning my gf came over and had the flu earlier in the week. got us both. we had not eaten out so i cant blame it on that.
It's not their second attempt, unfortunately. I know what you're saying, Highlander and wholeheartedly agree with you. I'm just not very optimistic unless serious core changes occur. With their half opened eye approach towards their fanbase, I doubt their upcoming additions will be what we're hoping for.
The stomach virus i got was pretty bad, and it didn't help that i had a transplanted kidney since when i was 18 both my kidneys shut down on me because of TTP, they didn't know if it was that or something else but they treated me for that and it worked.
But when i got sick with the stomach virus i was very nervous because i didn't wan't to lose the kidney that i got from the transplant and thank god i went in when i did. They said if i waited alittle longer it surely would have shut down my Creatnine was 9 if it went up alittle more it would of been gone but 9 is still not healthy for the kidney, I was sick for like 4 days straight couldn't keep food in as well as fluids to keep hydrated,
when i wen't into the hospital they said i was very dehydrated.
If you ever get sick make sure you see the doctor who knows what could be going on, if you seem like you don't feel right then that means something isn't right.
The Stomach thing appears to be associated with flu-like symptoms and a sinus infection. I got two rounds of the stomach part, and it's so messed up no it will take weeks to be right. Steer clear if you can, it's not nice.
I felt the same way about fable III, and ultimately decided not to finish it. The lack of a useful reward for doing anything was driving me nuts, along with the over emphasis on social interaction, it was basically made over accessible-if that makes any sense. The only reason I played as much as I did was because of John Cleese's Jeeves.
As for SC:Conviction, I think it was a good game but should have been labeled under the "action with elements of stealth" genre, which did make it an abomination as a splinter cell game.
PGU-Just got my hands on Hot Pursuit, which is a blast. However I was extremely disappointed that it didn't include a split screen mode which was why I played HP2 for the ps2 so much, any chance it'll be in an update or something?
Last edited by matt99 on 1/15/2011 10:08:40 PM
I'm planning on getting into FFX/X-2 sometime soon, so hopefully that will invigorate me into being excited for FFXIII-2. It's not that I'm not interested in it, more that I'm not impressed by the possibility.
As I said in the article, if Kojima is planning another MGS, I don't expect it to come about until a few years into the next console generation at least. Rising is a different take on the series, and that could be reused. Just using different characters would force new genres. Ocelot would be a straight-up shooter, Sunny could be somewhere between Snake and Raiden, Meryl could be used in a squad-based shooter, Vamp could be used as a final boss in a horror-type experience. The possibilities based on the characters of the series are almost endless.
But I really hope it doesn't happen. I want to see Kojima branch out and do other things like ZoE3, or his "taboo" project. Hell, put him on Silent Hill 9 if they've got nothing else for him.
Personal Update:
Still chugging away at Demon's Souls. I keep going back to the earlier levels to farm when things get difficult, so most enemies are easy now. Then I run into the boss Demons and get hammered.
I'm starting to wonder if I'll be able to get through it before I can pick up Dead Space 2.
Similarly still getting through Middlemarch slowly, slowly.
And, I should get my car back in a fortnight, so I'm excited about that.
Peace.
A great place to farm souls is in the second to the last world (going clockwise), once you have ample stats and a weapon setup to deal with the enemies.
Shrine of Storms, yeah. A run through of the second world nets around 30000 souls. That's actually the one I'm working on now, but that boss…
Yep, I beat the first boss of that level by dodging his blows then shooting him in the chocobo rider (his head), by carefully lining up my shot at a precise angle somewhere from between his side and behind. I'd shoot him twice, once as he was raising his sword, and once after he completed the swing. They wouldn't always hit, which was annoying. The thieves ring is especially helpful, because the bosses have a harder time of detecting where you are.
I finished the game without using guides, for a more rewarding experience, but later, I've seen youtube videos of guys finishing him off from the upper floors, alone, and in much less time. I actually attempted to do it that way my first time encountering him, but he'd wreck the floors I was standing on.
The winged beat boss, who's the 3rd boss of that world, IIRC, is an especially rewarding area to return to once you claim the weapon found in that area. You'll be able to net 20000 souls 5 minutes a pop.
@ Lawless
Add me PSN ID shadowscorpio. Thats all I've been playing lately. We can negotiate item trades too if you'd like.
Thanks shadow, I'll do that when I get around to hooking up a broadband connection. I have to call them this week. Unless I get lazy again :/
As much as I'm excited to hear about another entry to the MGS franchise, I think I would have preferred to hear Kojima was hiring for another entry to ZOE instead. I'm not really a mech fan, but those games were fun, challenging, and just overall great experiences. I hope kojima gets to it eventually.
As for another MGS, where will he go? I'm really, really interested in the answer to that question. Are there any hints yet? A web page with a countdown and flashing images? MGS has always been a favorite series of mine. The first game and Syphon Filter came out within six months of each other on PS1, and I played them almost exclusively for a year and a half.
Last edited by GuernicaReborn on 1/15/2011 10:14:47 PM
Kojima is a highly respected name in the gaming world, and I really hope they don't squander that name in a multiplat. Regardless of where the game's roots are (wheter it be XBox or PS3), I don't think that a game is as good when it is a multiplatform game.
I believe that if the game is to be for multiple consoles, it should be built ground-up for each cosole based on what that console's strong suits are. I realize that this is not practical, but making one game and changing a few things here and there (what the buttons are, sixaxis, etc.) does not give the player the full experience that they could get if the game was tailored from the beginning to fit that specific console.
You couldn't have said it any better.
When you mentioned the Sixaxis, it made me think of how good a Move game would be by Kojima. I'm sure he would find new ways to use the move controllers… remember the Pyscho Mantis boss fight in MGS? I thought it was the coolest thing that you plug your controller into port 2 so he couldn't read your mind.He always has some awesome new mechanics and incredible little details built into his games.
Exactly. Developers could do that sort of thing on a multiplat game if they customized each version of the game to fit the console. You can't really have little extras like that in your run of the mill multiplat because the game is built to fit both consoles without many changes. If they can make a multiplat MGS like that, thenI would buy it day one. A true multiplatform game is a game that would seem like an exclusive quality-wise, but just happened to be on more than one console.
Last edited by NoOneSpecial on 1/16/2011 12:47:21 PM
I'm pretty much sold on FFXIII-2, barring out that it's not ultra bizarre and completely off kilt.
I picked up SC: DOuble Agent. I never gave the game the attention it deserved. I think it was bad timing. And while it's great SC-style gameplay it doesn't seem to be quite the generational leap from Chaos THeory that I think a fan would have hoped for; regardless, I'm ready to value it a lot more because I know it's something special and there may never be another SC quite like it. It's good stuff.
The Fable series just doesn't grab me. Can't say more than that.
PGU: I'm playing a million games right now. GT5–so amazing, ME2, SC: DA, T6, and DOA4.
I took some time over the last week to play the two expansion packs for ME2: "Lair of the Shadow Broker," and also Kasumi's mission.
The Shadow Broker stuff was quite the treat, and I always wondered who the Shadow Broker was after having played the first game. Well worth the download price.
Kasumi's was pretty cool, but I didn't totally buy some of the story events the game was selling you on within the mission. Still good and worth it, just not entirely believable in some ways.
I also took the time to read the ME2 instruction manual–WHOA! who does that anymore?
Well, it payed off in a few ways. There's some neat little facts I learned about the interface and gun types that I never picked up on. The game has also been growing in it's RPG-like qualities, more-so than I think it's reputation around here gives it credit for. A person can have a much easier time kicking butt if they invest more planning and customizing before engaging a fight. It's quite rewarding. I've logged in 30+ hours and I'm eager to keep playing more.
Last edited by Temjin001 on 1/15/2011 10:35:57 PM
Chaos Theory is still the best in the franchise, but Double Agent is great, too. At least it was a SPLINTER CELL and as you say, might be the last of it's kind.
Yeah, I really liked SC: Chaos Theory. It'll be hard to top.
I too will hold out hope for any attempt at an FFXIII-2 to make up for that mess they made. I still like Lightning. But seriously, finish Versus, Agito and Type-0. And for chrissakes just make one FF at a time now.
Fable III sounds just like I figured it would. Another product rushed to market.
"Anyway, now that we know Kojima Productions is looking for a few good people to work on a 'next generation MGS,' I think it's time we ask ourselves what that project will be like…"
It will be like any multiplat shared on 360, gimped.
I'm just playing some Prince of Persia and trying to finish Dragon Age so my save is all ready for DAII. I lost my hero-that-looks-like-me save file in the hard drive transfer so I'm playing as a pint sized red head elf girl who is a total b*ch. 🙂
Oh, and I forgot something about Fable III-
I mentioned it before, but the game chugs so bad at times it's almost unplayable. Either it's a programming issue or a lack of power in the 360 or whatever, but I haven't seen slowdown this bad since last generation. Seriously.
so what would you rate fable 3? you know like in theory if you were "allowed" to rate it?
Probably around an 8. No higher than a low 8, though, and that might be generous.
i liked fable 2 (that was a 8)
but the new one drags you have less control over what you do then the last and none of it truly matters
can any one name any good 360 games?
Pac-Man
a 7 from me, it seriously skips a lot of frames, sometimes even goes down under 15-18 frames
the next MGS will be like rising, weve already seen plenty of vids and previews of it.
the next proper MGS though, i would guess will be allot like MGS4 which i hope not.
dont get me wrong, MGS4 is still one of the best ps3 games available but its just not where i want the series going.
i wish it would go back to its old roots of closed combat, heaps of wacky gadgets and hardcore stealth.
MGS4 had neither of those, yea it had gadgets but not many and they were not really that useful.
yea the stealth was there, you could play the game stealth fully but it was far too easy to do it the other way around.
instead of giving the player the tools and letting him or her decide what to do with them, they gave you the tools to run and gun and if you wanted to play stealth fully than they made it as difficult as possible to do so.
its kinda like they were berried under 100 feet of dirt, you really had to dig to notice they were there.
O, and please enough of this hour cut scene crap!
i like to PLAY my games not WATCH them!
MGS4 was far too open a game to be a stealth game, just like assassins creed brotherhood.
if your going to do stealth you need to be in a confined environment, with lots of walls so you can get into a area where no one can see you.
if your surrounded by nothing but air than thats kinda hard to do, no?
they need to close up the missions, no more missions set in a open military base and more set in small confined rooms ala splinter cell conviction.
conviction gave you the choice to go in guns blazing or stealth, the levels were designed properly though there were heaps of areas to hide.
like roofs, windows, dark corners, air vents MGS4 had none of those.
MGS needs to go back to its original form, just you the gadgets and a confined room.
But stealth in an open environment is so much more difficult. You have to take stock of your surroundings to work out where you should be in order to avoid being seen. Hiding in a corner isn't really stealth, it's an easy option. There was really no point in MGS4 where there was nowhere to hide, whether that was behind vehicles, around corners, on ledges, you just had to look for them. It's a much more immersive way to do it as well, as it forces you to take notice of what you are doing than pointing out the answers.
Although the cutscenes could be toned back a little bit. I'm not saying to make it like other games, but try to top them out at half an hour. Make more of them, but shorten them, just a fraction.
Peace.
I got to point where I was looking forward to the cut-scenes. It took me 25 hours to beat the game and there's what 9 hours of cut-scenes so that still 16 hours of gameplay which is great in my book.
I must've missed something big.
We've seen videos and screenshots of a new MGS that isn't Rising…?
………..no, where did i say we had?
i said we have had seen plenty of previews, trailers and pics of rising.
well at least i have.
did you miss the tech demo they gave at E3, the one where they sliced so many things in half that was really cool!
As for the cut scenes, i did not say they were not justified they certainly were but.
well, i only get to play games maybe a hour a day, so its kinda frustrating turning on my ps3, watching the whole cutscene than have to turn it off and hopefully the next day remember the cut scene otherwise im going to be like WTF happened here!
some of us dont stay home all day playing games you know?
as for the stealth, thats my point!
its there, just like conviction but its hidden under so much crap you really have to look for it.
if you were trying to steal a car, the keys were in the ignition would you use the keys or spend 10 minutes looking for another way?
thats the point, MGS4 gave you everything to run and gun and made you look for everything if you wanted to play stealth.
thats what ruined it, if they wanted to go run and gun which they should not MGS is suppose to be a steal game, but if they had to than at least be like conviction and make it more accessible.
conviction i played through not setting off a single alert, MGS4 on the other hand did not because i was getting impatient constantly having to look for things.
Umm dude, your first line said we've seen previews of a new MGS that isn't Rising.
That already got my head turned in confusion.
Please guys, just ignore him…. I think he just craves getting tumbed down. It's a disease; he needs the disapproval of others to feel good. That's why every game that is highly acclaimed is flawed in some way to him. Don't feed into his nonsense.
I just finished my 60hr playthrough of FFxiii, tonight. Overall, it was amazing how much went in to the development of this game as far as the presentation and battle system is concerned, but in the end, it kinda felt empty.
The graphics, while some of the prettiest this generation, felt rather inert. The lavish backgrounds felt more like wall-paper, generic, not having much meaningful context, nor any NPC's and explorable towns. The story felt like patch-work, and forced, with plotholes simply covered with "it was just a Fal'Cie illusion" moments, or my personal favorite, when enemies upon being defeated say "This was just a test of your worthiness" only to diabolically return later. To be fair, there were some genuinely moving scenes, and the music direction was right up there with any hollywood film. While the characters were annoying to the very end, the voice acting was professional, and an amazing effort as far localization and translation efforts are concerned. And the saving grace of the game were some of the battles. Customizing your own paradigm shifts, and character roles, and upgrading their equipment offered a deep and rewarding experience at times, that almost felt like programming.
Perhaps the most critical blemish had to do with the pacing of the game. 19-to-25 hours in, the game opens up in Grand Pulse, but even then the grindfest that awaits you isn't even necessary to completing the game. I actually spent more time in Orphan's Cradle grinding there, only because the battles over there were more lucrative for CP.
The game was quite entertaining at times though, and it didn't kill my interest in the franchise.
So, now onto Vanquish.
BTW, Ben, how does one submit User Reviews? I suppose it'd be better to post my walls of text there, instead.
Pretty sure you just go to User Reviews and write something. 😉
Hm. Must be an issue with my browser then. When I visit the link, I see user reviews, but no button to create a user review.
But thanks for the input.
Shams, go to User CP, then under the "Things To Do" tab, hit Review a game, and voila.
Congrats on beating FFXIII. So who were your main 3 characters at the end?
Thank you kindly, Lawless. While I consider my user reviews redundant in between the likes of yours and Sensei T's, it's always fun to compare notes.
Sensei Temjin, I initially had Light, Snow, and Hope as i did when I faced Barthandelus the first time in Grand Pulse. I had Light as Commando and Medic, Snow as Sentinel and Ravager, and Hope as Synergist, Ravager, and Medic.
I alternated between Diversity (Commando, Ravager, Medic), Decimation (Commando, Ravager, Synergist), and Relentless Assault (Commando, Ravager, and Ravager). Just before a massive attack, I'd switch to Combat Clinic and heal everyone in two turns, then switch to Decimation, Diversity, and Relentless Assault. I had rainbow anklets and pendants equipped, to reduce daze and poison.
However while this strategy was enough for Barthandelus, it still wasn't enough for Orphan. Even with Hope's Haste Synergy, I couldn't finish off Orphan in time before the Doom countdown. And if I got close, I'd get nailed by the Progenitorial Wrath, which was instant death and very frustrating. Basically, if I switched to Combat Clinic right before the Progenitorial Wrath, it would miss my lead 2/3 of the time, and nail Hope or Snow, but then I could do Raise, Cura, Cura to get him back in the game. But this was not enough to beat Orphan before the time limit ran out.
I knew I needed to keep Light as she dealt the most damage. I knew I had to keep Hope, as he enabled my team with Haste, protection and other attribute improvements which were essential for dealing damage quickly and taking less damage in return, and he was a powerful medic, which is why I picked him instead of Sazh. And although I needed a Sentinel, I figured I'd try out Fang instead of Snow. And that is what did it. Fang's Saboteur role is what made the difference, and that is precisely the first time I appreciated the use of the role. Just as I would use Hope as a synergist to up my teams attributes, I would use Fang as a saboteur to reduce the enemies attributes. This allowed me to deal significantly more damage on Orphan, and with plenty of time to spare. However, this didn't stop me from getting nailed by the Progenitorial Wrath which I couldn't avoid all the time. So, I searched my equipment for things protecting against death, and I found nothing. I finally broke down, and looked online, and i found I could purchase Cherub armlets that would further reduce the chance of getting nailed. And that was the final piece that helped me. I also found Light's Ravager ability "Army Of One" did terrific damage when Orphan would get staggered. In hind sight, I would've experimented with Stopga, as all my members had this ability (but I never used it in the game) to Stop Orphans limit breaks.
Master Shams, I, too, reconfigured my groupings throughout the game. But I ended up resting on Lightning-COM-RAV-MED/ Fang SENT-SAB-??? I forgot =p and Hope MED-RAV-SYN
I had Lightning's most powerful weapon upgraded to second tier.
I had Fang using the Pandorean Spear, not the most powerful but Defibrillator II made her SAB effects longer lasting.
And I had Hope using near his most powerful weapon.
Sorry, I didn't have the patience to get the ultra rare catalyst crystals.
I was also pretty high level; I ended up working the crap out of Orphan on my first try.
Awesome, Sensei T. I used Lightening, Fang, and Hope (but for most skirmishes, I used Light, Snow, and Sazh).
For Orphan:
(forgot the name): Med, Sab, Syn
Combat Clinic: Med, Sen, Med
Perseverance: Med, Sab, Med
Diversity: Rav, Com, Med
Decimation: Rav, Com, Syn
Relentless Assault: *Rav, Com, Rav
(*Lightening's Army of One is diesel).
But, dayum, Orphan on the first try? Mad skillz, Sensei Temjin. I had no problem on phase 1 (Barthandelus), phase 2 (tribunal Orphan) was hairy, and phase 3 (true Orphan) was a breeze. I beat phase 1 on my first try, 5 tries on phase 2, and one try on phase 3.
hehe well, I wouldn't say it was so much mad skillz as it was sinking the hours in. I was just leveled pretty high. I had no less than 4 crystarium abilities maxed out for each of my main characters, and I think more than half of a fifth. I also spent some good time buffing up my equipment and accessories. My characters could simply take damage and dish it out pretty well.
And I happened to really enjoy the real time element. The Behemoth King, for example, I could take him out before he could stand up and heal himself. For a while there, it required some pretty exact timing. I'd build his stagger bar up and just as he staggered he'd prepare to stand and heal but, I'd single bar ATB cancel into a quick COM launcher to get that ever crucial single pop up move to launch him airborne before he'd have a chance to recover. It felt pretty empowering being able to kick his crap without much of an effort.
As for the big humongous dinosaur things.. hehe I took one out but it was a toughie =)
Phew. Not bad. I had 3 roles each pretty much maxed out, but I imagine, besides upping your hp, strength, magic and abilities, you still gotta have the skillz.
I maxed out my primary weapons, for each character, but only the first ones they picked up. I thought I'd have more time to upgrade the other ones, and I had plenty of high grade components left over.
I'm playing Vanquish right now. A nice change of pace!
Light/Fang/Hope = best possible party. 🙂
Aww, shucks. Thanks for the kind words Shams.