Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays here! 2008 is coming to a rapid close and there's still so much of it left to enjoy. It gave us a pretty decent year in gaming, less so in anime. In terms of gifts, it gave us a lot to ponder.

Every one of my friends but myself has an Xbox360 now. I'll probably get it sooner rather than later now. With my latest friend getting an Xbox (Seth) we also got to experience Rockband 2 and create characters! It's incredibly addictive, though as the singer of the group I didn't know as many of the songs on this playlist as I did on the first one. There is an option to port over Rockband 1's playlist over to 2, so hopefully we'll get around to that. I'm pretty much going to try and hang out at Seth's as much as possible now because this game is just that fun. Also now that we're not playing on the Wii the controls work much better and character creation is too fun. Seth and I were fighting over who got to spend money on whose character while Tony and Larry rolled their eyes at us.

Prince of Persia came to a close a while ago (it's almost criminally short) with a controversial but (in my mind) brilliant ending. Also, it sets up for a sequel. I feel less good about that given Ubisoft's track record.

Tony was a doll and got me Blood + season 1 box set (with a great T-shirt in the box, though the full series would have been acceptable) so I've been watching the DVDs. I keep forgetting that Adult Swim used to edit a lot of the blood out so it's more of a gore fest than I remember, but that only adds rather than detracting from the experience. "Saya!" Never gets old.

Ouran High School Host Club 2 will be out in two or three weeks. Cannot wait. Love this series.

Death Note boxset 1 is out for a reasonable price (first half of the series for $50.00--that's around 30 episodes). One of the few Madhouse series to not have gallons of blood to spurt at high pressure in every episode (the other series is Monster if you were curious) and has lots of crazy "intellectual" twists. It's hella fun to see Light and L go at outsmarting each other and all the moral issues involved with Light's actions. Definitely worth the cash.

Can't really think of anything else noteworthy to squawk about right now. Maybe later. Happy Holidays once again!

50th Post! Also, PoP...

Yeah, so I haven't updated in forever. Sorry. Real life/work/family/Thanksgiving all got in the way.

So, on to the good stuff:

Prince of Persia landed on shelves a week ago. It is awesome. Seriously, I had been doubting how amazing it would be (so it looks pretty, big deal) but it has some incredible level design and strong characterization, which I'm a whore for.

You play as the mysterious "Prince", though he's actually a grave-robbing orphan with a rakish demeanor and a "roll-with-it" attitude. He's incredibly fond of chasing pretty faces with little thought beyond that. This is how he teams up with the equally enigmatic Elika, a pretty face with something more beneath the surface. Like magic.

The story is a bit flimsy (stop evil Ahriman and his followers by changing the corrupt fertile lands back into fertile lands) and the fighting, as always in the PoP series, can get repetative. The combat system itself, though, is much improved and fun to use. You have your sword button, your gauntlet button, your Elika button (where you throw her at the enemy) and your acrobat button (helps you roll to/from/around enemies). You can chain combos pretty endlessly until a gimmick the enemy pulls (where you can only approach with a specific attack) and the ever-annoying-quick-time-events should you fail to read your opponent correctly. Enemies do not randomly spawn and you only fight one at a time. If you're fast enough you can cut them off before they spawn! Bosses, on the other hand, you can never avoid and you will fight them numerous times with little difference between battles. Sure, sometimes you're forced to do a different gimmick (use environment, can't use magic, etc.) with the same boss in different battles, but most moves never change and you'll find the fight repetitive and sometimes irritating.

Also, you can't die. Which is sweet. In the series of old, if you died you were forced to re-do from whatever arbitrary checkpoint the game came up with, or worse, your last save point. I can't tell you how many times I was forced to re-do that stupid puzzle before the elevator in Azhad in Prince of Persia: Sands of Time because of that stupid elevator fight in which large groups on enemies re spawned three times and Farah kept dying. (I had to do that fight like 32 times or something. I had a tally at one point.) Not so in the next-gen game. With Elika you get the "Save Me" move where she pulls you from death and lands you on the last stable platform you were on in about three seconds, sometimes followed by witty (read: fun but cheesy) dialogue. No reload screen, no game over screen, no waiting. Sure, the "save me" is unstoppable, but it lasts two seconds. So while you never die, you still know that you screwed up. Quite frankly that's actually preferable. Doesn't make the game less challenging (hell, you goofed in the first place) either. In battles the penalty is more if Elika saves you, such as if you don't hit the quick-time buttons fast enough then the enemy's health is regenerated.

Elika's AI is incredible. One major plus is she won't die on you and the game doesn't end if she's knocked out (which she can be). She also never hurts you in battle or ever gets lost platforming, and can be used in battle to chain combos and deal actual damage. As much as I adored Farah (and I truly did) it got annoying that she couldn't actually keep lasting damage on enemies (except for those sand raven/bird/things). Elika helps to finish off enemies. Also, she keeps up with you on platforming and helps with the Power Plates (silly magic gimmicks) and long distances as well as providing a compass. Plus, she's a real character that reacts like an actual human being instead of your typical vapid JRPG princess or supercilious bad-ass-cold-hearted-action girl that populate a lot of action games.

Elika and the Prince (who is heavily modeled off of Harrison Ford-variety action heroes) have great chemistry, unlike most ridiculously shoe-horned love interests. While I'm sure a lot of people appreciate that the dialogue in this game is optional (except during cut scenes), I long for more of it. I swear, if I were playing the characters would spend too much time talking to each other rather than platforming. They even play "I Spy"! I love the optional dialogue as both Kari Wahlgren and Nolan North are incredibly strong actors. Their voices are just nice to listen to.

For all that praise and excitement I just heaped on Prince of Persia, I will say there are some annoyances. The game is definitely padded. After healing a ground, you have to re-explore to gather Light Seeds, which you then trade in for a Power Plate power (there are four plate powers). It's annoying. Sure, the platforming is fun, but being forced to collect these things is irritating. You don't have to collect all of them (forty-five in each area), but there are achievements for doing so. Big whoop. Also, combat is repetitive (no surprise considering Ubisoft made the game, but still) and the story itself is rather thin. Also, your boss characters are incredibly irritating as they don't really vary attack-wise and will often spout the same nonsense over and over. The level design is gorgeous, but they definitely dumbed down how to solve your path so that the platforming flows for anyone with two working hands. Not like that's awful, but most of the challenge is gone. As much as I lamented my almost-constant splatter-death in Sands of Time, I still felt awesome for achieving it when I did on the first try. Also, the puzzles are lacking in this one. They're still there, just more annoying and less charming.

Still though, it's a great game with strong characters and beautiful cell-shaded graphics to resemble a moving storybook. I'm completely enthralled and beg you to join the experience.

Soooo...I've Apparently Been Busy...

Sorry about the monthly absence. That was rude of me. I also missed informing people of some important dates beforehand, so in case you didn't know, let's get some of this out of the way.

• Fallout 3 has already descended on the masses. Having played a bit of it myself it is by all means a fantastic game and I'll get more in-depth on it later. I have some personal issues with the game, but I'm spoiled (apparently) when it comes to RPGs.
• Fable 2 has also hit shelves. Since Peter Molyneux actually kept his mouth (more or less) shut on what happens in this one it has been delighting fans instead of disappointing them. I want to play (very badly) because I'm missing my fantasy RPGs, no thanks to Bioware delaying Jade Empire 2 indefinitely, but that's a different matter entirely...
• Ouran High School Host Club (season 1= episodes 1-13) has finally come out Stateside and so far it's bloody fantastic. I haven't bothered to listen to the dub yet because I adore the Japanese voices to pieces, so I don't know how it sounds. It's a Funimation dub...so chances are it's okay but slightly irritating. Anyway, not having to rely on my dubious Internet connection to watch one of my favorite series is a true joy, and I get to see it on a whole TV screen! The subtitles are incredibly well-translated, even funnier than what the fansubbers translated. I know, I was floored too. The colors pop, the sound editing is amazing, and the extras are fun. The animation is stellar (it is Bones, after all) and the humor is over-the-top, but in a good way. I highly recommend this series, and I personally hate shoujo. Combine that with 13 episodes crammed on two DVDs for the low price of $42.00 and you have a winner. Seriously.
• Prince of Persia by Ubisoft has been pushed back by another week or two. Gametrailers has been updating regularly with gameplay videos and trailers that are fun to goggle at. I'm excited for it. I'm hoping that it gets back to the Sands of Time aesthetic. (And yes, I played a little bit of Two Thrones but had to quit when I heard Farah with a replaced voice. WTF!?)
• Lego Batman came out and was suprisingly fun. Pure fun. Except I hated the vehicle sections. Why do games do that? No matter what genré it is games always have a vehicle section. And they're always annoying as hell and pull you right out of the game. Especially that POS in Mass Effect. That thing would be a law suit in real life with all the whiplash it could hurl out. Plus all the puke smell from passengers emptying the contents of their stomachs...

Okay, so I promised more in-depth on Fallout 3. It's a FPS RPG (though you could switch to 3rd person view, and you don't have to fight with guns) made by Bethesda (Oblivion: the Elder Scrolls). You create a hero (they can be female too!) that you will pilot for the rest of this adventure and there are literally too many frickin' choices for a face you'll almost never see. The game is incredibly deep with about a million game-play choices for literally everything you do. And not the fake choices most games give you where you have to choose between doing the good or evil thing. There is a real neutral path in this game. The choices you make are governed by a karma system in the game. Nice choices (helping others, not killing people, etc.) lead to good karma while nasty choices (blowing up a town, killing NPCs, eating corpses (yes, you can become a cannibal)) lead to bad karma. No karma is neutral, or karmic choices that balance out leads to being neutral.

The game doesn't discriminate against any of your choices. You can kill anyone you meet (except for children, that's the only line the game draws). You can destroy entire towns (not the actual town, but those in it). You can become a ninja fighter (there is a perk for it!), and fight only using stealth and your bare hands. You can wield swords, or guns, or even make a mini-nuke launcher. You can mutate yourself with enough radiation to grow back limbs...and other stuff. You can sell you companions or kill them, develop relationships with NPCs, or decapitate them using the VATS system. The dialogue options are hilarious no matter what side you play on, and entertainment is unceasing. There's literally too much to do, or you could skip it all in favor of just doing the main quest.

The world is varied and beautifully rendered, and your environments are often chilling as you survey how the nuclear blast caught people unawares. It's strange to see downtown D.C. as a virtual wasteland with roaming super-mutants and feral ghouls. The monuments are eerie reminders of a more stable time and seem to have lost all meaning in this hellish day and age.

Now for the flip side: the uncanny valley rears its ugly head here. As great as the voice acting is (and it's truly award-winning) looking at any character (including your own) will cause you to shudder as their dead eyes stare unceasingly into the camera. NPCs and enemies (as well as yourself in third person) move in a really stupid way, and the ragdoll physics will glitch about half the time. I could get over it except that I learned most character interaction is mainly for taking quests and no actual character development whatsoever. No real romance here, folks. No friends, either, unless you count Dogmeat (the dog) and he's not much for conversation. Now, those who read this know I'm all about character development and connecting with the characters in every story I play. And while I'm incredibly impressed with Fallout 3's story, aesthetic, and game play, this is a huge downer for me. If I can't find a character to connect with I tend to care a lot less what's going on around me. What sucks is that a lot of thought and about a million details went into the making of this game, and it shows. So why would adding character connection be so hard!? Bethesda hit all the right notes literally everywhere else except here. I can overlook it, but not as easily as others. I guess that's my real downfall.

I did pick up one fun perk called Black Widow for being a female that gives me 10% more damage against male enemies as well as extra dialogue options. It has proved entertaining so far.

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

So I got the game Prince of Persia: Sands of Time last night for less than eleven dollars at a GameStop. So far the game is actually really awesome. Even the graphics hold up really well, if just a smidge too geometric. The environmental textures are seriously well done, which is good because they have to be.

I've gotten pretty good at figuring out where to go next, but I still need work on the combat. Mainly, blocking. (I suck at defense, great at offense. No matter what I play. Soul Calibur, Kingdom Hearts, Okami, KOTOR, that's just how I roll.) And I love all the story-telling things. Especially when I die. "No, that's not how it happened. Shall I continue?" The Prince is a great character--humanly flawed but basically a good guy. Haven't gotten to the point where there's much interaction with Farah yet (I did just get the game and I kinda suck at it) but I'm really looking forward to it.

I still don't really know how to use the Dagger of Time well in combat. I'll figure it out.

In a random topic change: I seem to constantly give all my female Shepards in Mass Effect big noses. I think it makes them distinguished. Y'know, that aquiline nose. If she looks too much like a supermodel I have a hard time believing she'd choose a military career. Also it's impossible to make a good-looking male Shepard. It just is.

No good new anime to look forward too. Boo.

Games I Wish I'd Played Pt. 1

One of the games I wish I'd seen or played would have to be Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. After reading a synopsis and seeing a few videos on YouTube, I'd have to say that this particular game is a real stand-out. Sure, the combat seems punishing at times, but the characterization, gameplay and plot more than make up for it. The Prince and Farah are downright interesting (and fun) and watching the Prince do his acrobatics off of walls is really cool, not to mention inventing the whole slowing-down/rewinding time thing. Prince of Persia seems very whimsical with a great story and unique setting. This is a classic that I really wish I'd been able to play, even if it was made by Ubisoft. Maybe I should hop to a GameStop for this one.

Another game I wish I'd seen (not necessarily played) is Resident Evil 4. I've seen all the cutscenes and read the story as well, and I know a lot of the franchise's storyline. I'm just not a fan of zombies. There, I said it. I hate imminent armageddon and killer robots that have already wiped humanity off the face of the earth as well. Those are my top three on the list of Stuff Jill Can't Stand. So I refused to watch this when Tony got it. Now I'm seriously regretting it. I've just started to absolutely adore horror/action games, and this is one of the best of all time. Doubled with Capcom's punishing gameplay it would've been a rollicking good time. Plus Leon's really hot. Y'know, for pixels. So while I'm looking forward to Resident Evil 5, I still wish that I'd seen 4 from start to finish.

*Spoilers Ahead*

This is a little off-topic, but I also wish I'd played the Knights of the Old Republic series in order. Or at least not known that you're Revan in the first game. I played the second one first (and it was actually my introduction into RPGs) and am still in love with it to this day. Yes, I know it's a very broken game, but at its core it has real soul. And it's Lucasarts' fault that it was unfinished for rushing Obsidian the way they did. I love the character of the Exile. How fragmented her identity is, how ripped apart she is inside. She tries to put a good face on it at times, but she's a real mess. And Atton...boy, don't get me started. I adore Atton. He's a scoundrel-turned-decent because of his protective love for the Exile and can't help but continually crack jokes all the time in his sexy voice...*sigh* Love it. I can't tell you how sad I am that I can no longer play these games on PC. (I got Vista not too long ago.) The first one is of course excellent because Bioware made it. But the second one will always be my favorite. The idea of a broken Jedi will never stop being cool to me. I wish that someone would make a follow-up game to complete the story. Anyone. Please?

*Spoilers End*

That last paragraph reminded me of something I'd been meaning to write. One day you'll see me write about Bioware on this blog at length and going through all the games of their's I've played.