I am an idiot. Yep. Me.
I spent eight hours yesterday playing Final Fantasy XII, levelling all my characters up to fifteen, only to have the Garuda level me out.
And I didn't save.
So I'm back at level thirteen, with another eight hours of battling in front of me. Oh joy. So what have I learnt?
1. Explore EVERYWHERE. Kill off everything that moves. Take everything that can't be walked on and even that if you can move it.
2. Even if it's half a level away, if you're going after a boss, SAVE FIRST!
3. Make sure your characters are of a similar level and strength. This stops the tendency for favouritism, which can be problematic if your strongest character is killed off.
4. Make sure you are adequately stocked with revivers, potions, etc before-hand. Also make sure that you go in with full health and magic points. Sometimes you're not so lucky and can't turn tail and run before you are wiped out.
Follow these pointers and don't be as stupid as me. Please.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Monday, June 23, 2008
Final Fantasy XII: A quick, mid-game review
So I'm still playing this wonderfully done game, but what I can say is that so far I'm very impressed with both the graphics and the audio. However, the licence system is silly, especially since you can't use equipment as soon as you buy it. Hmm.
Vaan in this game is a bit of a sissy boy. While playing in a group setting, I prefer to use Fran the Viera as my group leader. Although I use Basch as my primary spellcaster, Vaan is usually my healer. I never use Penelo but I keep Balthier in reserve, so that if most of my party gets wiped out, I have a high-HP character in reserve who has a mild chance of surviving an onslaught while resurrecting other characters.
That's about it so far. Stay tuned!
Vaan in this game is a bit of a sissy boy. While playing in a group setting, I prefer to use Fran the Viera as my group leader. Although I use Basch as my primary spellcaster, Vaan is usually my healer. I never use Penelo but I keep Balthier in reserve, so that if most of my party gets wiped out, I have a high-HP character in reserve who has a mild chance of surviving an onslaught while resurrecting other characters.
That's about it so far. Stay tuned!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Girl, get your Game on - A quick look at women in games
Last year, when I had Penny for ITB750, we were set an essay on games. We could pick the topic, but it had to fall under one of four categories: demographics, games as art and two others that elude me. I gunned for demographics, particularly the female young-adult. Why? Consider this. I'm one of eleven girls that started this degree. The entire "Class of '07" was 169. Bit of a minority, don't you think?
Anyway, I digress. What really ticked me off was that all women were basically of two types in the game: either stick-figures with voluminous chests who saved the day in high-heels but always curtailling to the dominant male figure or rotund, motherly-types who came across as bossy, nagging old dears with an apron and flour on their arms. Well, I wasn't going to take it. So I wrote a scathing essay on the deliberate misrepresentation of women in games which I felt to be an arcane attempt to keep women from trying to get into the industry. I scored a six for it, mainly because Penny thought that I used outdated texts to reference from. Considering nothing had been written book-wise on this topic for a few years, I was bummed that she thought this. But there were a few things that I brought up in the essay that I thought I should share with the readers of this blog:
1. In 2005, no game in the top five highest-sellers had a central female protagonist
2. The ESA released figures that showed, in the same year, women over eighteen made up a larger portion of game players (Penny will kill me if I ever call them "gamers") than teenage boys.
3. Sales of James Bond games outstrip that of Lara Croft, even though one is an established game franchise and the other is just movie and book tie-ins.
But what I centred on the most was the hyper-sexualisation of women in games. If indeed game companies want to tap into the "tween" age group, they aren't going to win any fans with the parents with the cash if their children are playing as scantily-clad, twenty-something models who don't know the meaning of "cheeseburger and fries".
What I can do is pass on the awesome references I found while researching this assignment:
Action Chicks: new images of tough women in popular culture by Sherrie Inness
Better Game Characters by Design by Katherine Isbister (brilliant and comes with a CD-ROM!)
Girl Heroes: the new force in popular culture by Dr. Susan Hopkins
These books were the backbone for this essay and I really loved their messages. I also looked at the show "Ugly Betty" as a shift in the concept that beauty is skin-deep. I love America Ferrera's portrayal in this show and encourage all those thinking of studying how the media represents women to watch it.
Also, www.mi6.co.uk was very helpful. Couldn't have got the research on Lara and James without 'em.
Anyway, I digress. What really ticked me off was that all women were basically of two types in the game: either stick-figures with voluminous chests who saved the day in high-heels but always curtailling to the dominant male figure or rotund, motherly-types who came across as bossy, nagging old dears with an apron and flour on their arms. Well, I wasn't going to take it. So I wrote a scathing essay on the deliberate misrepresentation of women in games which I felt to be an arcane attempt to keep women from trying to get into the industry. I scored a six for it, mainly because Penny thought that I used outdated texts to reference from. Considering nothing had been written book-wise on this topic for a few years, I was bummed that she thought this. But there were a few things that I brought up in the essay that I thought I should share with the readers of this blog:
1. In 2005, no game in the top five highest-sellers had a central female protagonist
2. The ESA released figures that showed, in the same year, women over eighteen made up a larger portion of game players (Penny will kill me if I ever call them "gamers") than teenage boys.
3. Sales of James Bond games outstrip that of Lara Croft, even though one is an established game franchise and the other is just movie and book tie-ins.
But what I centred on the most was the hyper-sexualisation of women in games. If indeed game companies want to tap into the "tween" age group, they aren't going to win any fans with the parents with the cash if their children are playing as scantily-clad, twenty-something models who don't know the meaning of "cheeseburger and fries".
What I can do is pass on the awesome references I found while researching this assignment:
Action Chicks: new images of tough women in popular culture by Sherrie Inness
Better Game Characters by Design by Katherine Isbister (brilliant and comes with a CD-ROM!)
Girl Heroes: the new force in popular culture by Dr. Susan Hopkins
These books were the backbone for this essay and I really loved their messages. I also looked at the show "Ugly Betty" as a shift in the concept that beauty is skin-deep. I love America Ferrera's portrayal in this show and encourage all those thinking of studying how the media represents women to watch it.
Also, www.mi6.co.uk was very helpful. Couldn't have got the research on Lara and James without 'em.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Ratchet and Clank: Size Matters (another review!)
I finally got my fifth game in the Ratchet and Clank series. Coming off the back of Ratchet: Gladiator, I was expecting to be impressed. I'd loved the arena combat game and the storyline laid lightly atop it. What I found was only very slightly disappointing. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's start at the beginning.
Why THIS game?
Those who know Insomniac's reputation of cranking out awesome platforms won't ask this question, but for the uninitiated, I'll expound. The makers of this awesome series, Insomniac Games, are world-renowned for their sharp wit and funny dialogue that punctuates a challenging but enjoyable game that even older players still enjoy. With that in mind, it's also worth remembering that the recent PS3 release Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction was rated as one of the best PS3 releases to date. When taking this into consideration, it's hard to pass by such an acclaimed series. Especially when your protagonists are a small furry creature with a big gun and an undersized robot.
How does it handle?
In my honest opinion, this could handle better. It's obvious that it was shipped straight from the PSP, as the controls were sticky and Ratchet's movements were blocky. Also, a lot of the mini-games ("Clank Challenges") were buggy and I had to restart numerous times. Something for the QA testers, I shouldn't wonder.
That said, the lock-strafe is still included -particularly useful in a firefight with the boss-man- as well as third person mode. The rotating camera also returns and is an excellent addition when you don't want to jump off a clif just before a continue point.
How does it look and sound?
Insomniac's reputation as a leader in imaging and audio is put to the test here. Apart from returning voice actors (including my very favourite, James Arnold Taylor), the music is more of the same. That doesn't mean that it's annoying, quite the opposite. The veteran fan will appreciate it, but those who haven't played a Ratchet and Clank game before might want to check out the earlier offerings as well.
But what about the weaponry?
Ah yes, the reason to play. Big guns. Very. Big. Guns. It's amazing that such a small Lombax can lift something like the R.Y.N.O (which stands for Rip Ya a New One), but he does and we are pleased. The choices this time are confined to a handful of spectacular weaponry. My favourites include the returning Agents of Doom and the new Bee Mine (I had endless fun shouting 'Killer beeee myne!' every time I dropped a hive for my enemy's destructive pleasure). Also returning is the perennial favourite, the R.Y.N.O... although the best version I've seen of this mortar launcher is the RY3NO (which later becomes my second favourite weapon, the Rynocerator... carnage incarnate!).
That said, the weapon levelling systems have changed again, so the veteran fan will be shaking their head sadly at having to reacclimate again to new ways of getting a stronger weapon. So far, the only weapons I haven't maxed out are the Laser Tracer and the Sniper Mine (a cross-bow type weapon good for picking off low-level enemies).
And the story?
... will have you scratching your head a bit. From kidnapped little girls to a Technomite plot to clone Ratchet, most players will wonder why on earth did Insomniac try to be so complicated? We love this series for it's simple premise of blow stuff up, save the day, enjoy the fight along the way. Still, it has promise and the laughability of Captain Qwark never goes astray.
So, is it worth playing?
Oh, totally. Prime example of why companies should stick to what they know and do best but if they want to bring a game back, to rework it to make it acceptable for the fans. Myself, I'd give it an overall rating of 7.5/10. The return of this awesome series was good, if nothing else.
Why THIS game?
Those who know Insomniac's reputation of cranking out awesome platforms won't ask this question, but for the uninitiated, I'll expound. The makers of this awesome series, Insomniac Games, are world-renowned for their sharp wit and funny dialogue that punctuates a challenging but enjoyable game that even older players still enjoy. With that in mind, it's also worth remembering that the recent PS3 release Ratchet and Clank Future: Tools of Destruction was rated as one of the best PS3 releases to date. When taking this into consideration, it's hard to pass by such an acclaimed series. Especially when your protagonists are a small furry creature with a big gun and an undersized robot.
How does it handle?
In my honest opinion, this could handle better. It's obvious that it was shipped straight from the PSP, as the controls were sticky and Ratchet's movements were blocky. Also, a lot of the mini-games ("Clank Challenges") were buggy and I had to restart numerous times. Something for the QA testers, I shouldn't wonder.
That said, the lock-strafe is still included -particularly useful in a firefight with the boss-man- as well as third person mode. The rotating camera also returns and is an excellent addition when you don't want to jump off a clif just before a continue point.
How does it look and sound?
Insomniac's reputation as a leader in imaging and audio is put to the test here. Apart from returning voice actors (including my very favourite, James Arnold Taylor), the music is more of the same. That doesn't mean that it's annoying, quite the opposite. The veteran fan will appreciate it, but those who haven't played a Ratchet and Clank game before might want to check out the earlier offerings as well.
But what about the weaponry?
Ah yes, the reason to play. Big guns. Very. Big. Guns. It's amazing that such a small Lombax can lift something like the R.Y.N.O (which stands for Rip Ya a New One), but he does and we are pleased. The choices this time are confined to a handful of spectacular weaponry. My favourites include the returning Agents of Doom and the new Bee Mine (I had endless fun shouting 'Killer beeee myne!' every time I dropped a hive for my enemy's destructive pleasure). Also returning is the perennial favourite, the R.Y.N.O... although the best version I've seen of this mortar launcher is the RY3NO (which later becomes my second favourite weapon, the Rynocerator... carnage incarnate!).
That said, the weapon levelling systems have changed again, so the veteran fan will be shaking their head sadly at having to reacclimate again to new ways of getting a stronger weapon. So far, the only weapons I haven't maxed out are the Laser Tracer and the Sniper Mine (a cross-bow type weapon good for picking off low-level enemies).
And the story?
... will have you scratching your head a bit. From kidnapped little girls to a Technomite plot to clone Ratchet, most players will wonder why on earth did Insomniac try to be so complicated? We love this series for it's simple premise of blow stuff up, save the day, enjoy the fight along the way. Still, it has promise and the laughability of Captain Qwark never goes astray.
So, is it worth playing?
Oh, totally. Prime example of why companies should stick to what they know and do best but if they want to bring a game back, to rework it to make it acceptable for the fans. Myself, I'd give it an overall rating of 7.5/10. The return of this awesome series was good, if nothing else.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Game Review: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon (Blue)
Truth be told, I haven't played a pokemon game since Crystal came out on Gameboy Colour. That said, all the pokemon games in the series have the same standard gameplay and premise: you catch 'em, keep 'em, train 'em and fight with 'em. This game and it's partner (red) are a refreshing change from all of that. Most importantly, YOU are the pokemon now. So get ready for a brand-new look at the world of Pokemon.
Graphics: Reminiscent of the traditional Gameboy Colour graphics, original pokemon depictions haven't changed much, save a few tweaks here and there. The backgrounds, however, are bright and colourful and really quite beautiful in some cases. A little improvement in the actual characters would have enhanced gameplay even further.
Sound: Again, standard pokemon series themes. Happy, cheerful and peppy, the music will not be lost on Nintendo buffs who loved games like Yoshi's Story and adore their Wii. That said, everyone will probably mute it to avoid listening to the repetitive loops.
Characterisation: Well executed. Each pokemon is individual and has a specialised personality. In addition to that, the partner pokemon that you receive at the beginning of the game proves to be an invaluable companion throughout the game. The cryptic messages passed on by the seemingly-aloof legendary pokemon can be rather annoying but that's just who they are and the role they play. While waiting for the real answers takes time, you can pretty much work it out for yourself what they are.
Gameplay: Addictive. Playing as a Pokemon for the first time, you actually get a feel for what it's like to have another pokemon bashing you to hell and back, especially those nasty legendary pokemon like Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres. You face pretty much every legendary pokemon from each of the pokemon games. You can also recruit these suckers to your rescue team, giving you a nice advantage in-game. But they aren't easy to get and your best bet is the pokemon that first joins your party out in the field (not going to spoil the ending now...)
Plot: Intriguing and even after the main storyline is over, you still have plenty of mysteries to solve, not to mention plently of pokemon to recruit as well as missions to complete! The side missions are tedious and a lot of them don't reward you particularly amply, but occasionally you run into missions that really ARE worth your time and effort and earn you some really nice goodies! Truly a great release from Satoshi Taijiri, the mastermind behind the original pokemon games.
Overall: A great addition to any DS collection and a great way to waste a weekend or a few hours mindlessly. Pick this up even if the pokemon craze passed you by, as it focusses more on the story and less on catching every little critter that passes your way. Highly recommended for lovers of the pokemon series.
Graphics: Reminiscent of the traditional Gameboy Colour graphics, original pokemon depictions haven't changed much, save a few tweaks here and there. The backgrounds, however, are bright and colourful and really quite beautiful in some cases. A little improvement in the actual characters would have enhanced gameplay even further.
Sound: Again, standard pokemon series themes. Happy, cheerful and peppy, the music will not be lost on Nintendo buffs who loved games like Yoshi's Story and adore their Wii. That said, everyone will probably mute it to avoid listening to the repetitive loops.
Characterisation: Well executed. Each pokemon is individual and has a specialised personality. In addition to that, the partner pokemon that you receive at the beginning of the game proves to be an invaluable companion throughout the game. The cryptic messages passed on by the seemingly-aloof legendary pokemon can be rather annoying but that's just who they are and the role they play. While waiting for the real answers takes time, you can pretty much work it out for yourself what they are.
Gameplay: Addictive. Playing as a Pokemon for the first time, you actually get a feel for what it's like to have another pokemon bashing you to hell and back, especially those nasty legendary pokemon like Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres. You face pretty much every legendary pokemon from each of the pokemon games. You can also recruit these suckers to your rescue team, giving you a nice advantage in-game. But they aren't easy to get and your best bet is the pokemon that first joins your party out in the field (not going to spoil the ending now...)
Plot: Intriguing and even after the main storyline is over, you still have plenty of mysteries to solve, not to mention plently of pokemon to recruit as well as missions to complete! The side missions are tedious and a lot of them don't reward you particularly amply, but occasionally you run into missions that really ARE worth your time and effort and earn you some really nice goodies! Truly a great release from Satoshi Taijiri, the mastermind behind the original pokemon games.
Overall: A great addition to any DS collection and a great way to waste a weekend or a few hours mindlessly. Pick this up even if the pokemon craze passed you by, as it focusses more on the story and less on catching every little critter that passes your way. Highly recommended for lovers of the pokemon series.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Interface: The two-sided sword
Yeah, yeah, I know. Interfaces have changed a lot. I'm guilty of having the motto 'I work at my computer, I'll play away from it'. But interfaces have changes since ALT=Jump and the space bar fired rockets.
The introduction of the dual screens on the Nintendo DS was a shock to, well, all the systems. How do you concentrate on two screens? (For those of you who play World of Warcraft, look the other way.)
It seemed that in all seriousness, this wasn't an issue. Why? Because Nintendo are intelligent people, of course! The Brain Training was the single most brilliant idea they had ever had (apart from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time). Here was a portable, slim console that took little time to charge and could actually help your memory! Suddenly, Nintendo had a new niche market: elderly people. There were any number of uses for this neat little gadget which had been invented to boost flagging sales (since the abysmal launch of Gamecube).
Being an awesome company didn't stop there, either. Nintendo then began releasing awesome games that weren't brain-trainers onto this new system. But the best part was this: the dual screen didn't hamper the gameplay. It actually helped. The touch-screen was genius for games like Nintendogs and the movie tie-ins for Harry Potter (which are still an abysmal games all-round, save for the early Gameboy Colour ones). Even the later Final Fantasy releases were oohed and aahhhed over. Sprites representing formerly well-animated models? Okay, that's cool. At least we have better control over them now.
The chat option included on the DS (yes, it's on there. Finish the blog and then go rush off to check it out) was a stroke of brilliance, although from personal experience, having it in a lecture is guaranteed to lower levels of concentration. However, this made console-to-console communication more than just a game issue.
From there, Nintendo gave their adoring public the Wii. Oh joy! A motion-sensor! Finally, what Sony started with the Eyetoy now had mainstream appeal. Although there were still bugs to be worked out (i.e the jerky swordfighting in the movie-tie for Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess), the concept was there and it was a good one. Wii Sports made excellent use of it and recently (see the article below) Nintendo blessed us once again with the nifty Wii-Fit.
While all this has been going on, the Playstation 3 is still battling for it's share of the market. Why? Well, how exactly is a PS3 different to a PS2? Wireless controllers and better graphics. Big deal. I like my old console, thank you. It's served me well and IS backwards compatible, not like the rubbish Sony is churning out now. As for the XBOX360, well. Halo. Enough said.
Something to think about; if Sony changes elements of it's interface for the release of Kingdom Hearts 3 later this year, what could we expect? A keyblade of our very own? Perhaps a magic wand or a shield? For the games that I or anyone else have proposed... what new pieces of hardware could we create to change the user interface?
Let's make gaming as interesting as it can be.
The introduction of the dual screens on the Nintendo DS was a shock to, well, all the systems. How do you concentrate on two screens? (For those of you who play World of Warcraft, look the other way.)
It seemed that in all seriousness, this wasn't an issue. Why? Because Nintendo are intelligent people, of course! The Brain Training was the single most brilliant idea they had ever had (apart from Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time). Here was a portable, slim console that took little time to charge and could actually help your memory! Suddenly, Nintendo had a new niche market: elderly people. There were any number of uses for this neat little gadget which had been invented to boost flagging sales (since the abysmal launch of Gamecube).
Being an awesome company didn't stop there, either. Nintendo then began releasing awesome games that weren't brain-trainers onto this new system. But the best part was this: the dual screen didn't hamper the gameplay. It actually helped. The touch-screen was genius for games like Nintendogs and the movie tie-ins for Harry Potter (which are still an abysmal games all-round, save for the early Gameboy Colour ones). Even the later Final Fantasy releases were oohed and aahhhed over. Sprites representing formerly well-animated models? Okay, that's cool. At least we have better control over them now.
The chat option included on the DS (yes, it's on there. Finish the blog and then go rush off to check it out) was a stroke of brilliance, although from personal experience, having it in a lecture is guaranteed to lower levels of concentration. However, this made console-to-console communication more than just a game issue.
From there, Nintendo gave their adoring public the Wii. Oh joy! A motion-sensor! Finally, what Sony started with the Eyetoy now had mainstream appeal. Although there were still bugs to be worked out (i.e the jerky swordfighting in the movie-tie for Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess), the concept was there and it was a good one. Wii Sports made excellent use of it and recently (see the article below) Nintendo blessed us once again with the nifty Wii-Fit.
While all this has been going on, the Playstation 3 is still battling for it's share of the market. Why? Well, how exactly is a PS3 different to a PS2? Wireless controllers and better graphics. Big deal. I like my old console, thank you. It's served me well and IS backwards compatible, not like the rubbish Sony is churning out now. As for the XBOX360, well. Halo. Enough said.
Something to think about; if Sony changes elements of it's interface for the release of Kingdom Hearts 3 later this year, what could we expect? A keyblade of our very own? Perhaps a magic wand or a shield? For the games that I or anyone else have proposed... what new pieces of hardware could we create to change the user interface?
Let's make gaming as interesting as it can be.
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