In case you didn't know, we are currently in the middle of a special event in Final Fantasy XV called the Moogle Chocobo Carnival. Taking place outside of the main game, the town of Altissia has been redecorated for the event with moogles and chocobos all over town and even Noctis himself can dress up in not one, but two different festive outfits to celebrate the franchise's mascots with fun and games for all. To access it, you will need to download the extra content which can come with the season pass, or a free package that apparently has less content but let's in people who can't afford the paid version.
For those of you who are not familiar, chocobos are large yellow birds that are usually ridden in lieu of horses which generally do not exist in the Final Fantasy multiverse introduced in FFII while moogles are white mole like creatures with purple bat wings and big pink noses and a pom pom on top of its head that were introduced in FFIII and both appear in some form in every game since they were introduced. Chocobos are actually pretty cool, they protect you from random encounters while you ride them and they can cross rivers and have a catchy theme song that changes with each game. Moogles are also cool, but much more often get relegated to comic relief and are not taken very seriously. Both are notable as being cute, which can sometimes contrast with the otherwise dark nature of the game's story.
Starting January 24 and going to February 20, these two cute mascots, with a little help from the also cute carbuncle, are taking over FFXV. For those who like open world exploring, this is awesome, there is one main quest and a few subquests, all of which amount to mini games, plus mini games that don't involve quests at all, and you just get to goof around. There are also rewards that should last beyond the event, particularly that Noctis can now take photos himself without Prompto. This feature was introduced because there is a photo component to the event, including one sidequest and some random extras, but Prompto is not with Noctis so he has to do it himself. The main sidequest for photography is the Brother Kupomarov where you photograph six moogle dolls hidden around town with clues in a poem, but if you look closely there are challenges to recreate photos of oddities around town. Finally, once you complete the main quest of getting a voucher for the fireworks show you can watch fireworks and take photos of them from a gondola in the bay around Altissia. In addition to the photography you can also get two new recipes for Ignis by ordering them at the Square Enix Cafe, the moogle cheesecake which reduces tension on the line during fishing and the chocobo tart which enhances stamina when riding chocobos, both of which are handy for special activities during the event, and you can redeem medallions for a decal, fishing lures, and rare treasures that can be used for upgrading weapons as well as other items if you get too many medals somehow. One of the activities is fishing which can net you a new rod and reel or chocomog medals.All of these specials remain in your save file so you can use the items in your regular game when you go back o playing the regular story.
Other sidequests include a diner dash game at one of the restaurants, a puzzle game decorating the Listro Plaza and best of all, the quest to round up lost chocochicks, baby chocobos that run around town. In addition to these quests, there's also the chocobo racing track and at the coliseum you can play carnival games including, whack-a-cactuar and a shooting gallery. One other thing that you can miss is children crying over their lost balloons, which sounds sad, except Noctis can track down the balloons and use his warp to retrieve them, which is not only nice, but you get medals for it. There are medals everywhere, literally, they are just lying on the ground, on tables, medals everywhere. The whole event is basically collecting these medals to get your permanent items.
One last thing to note, I found a glitch where Vyv apears to offer a quest, but it does not work. Talk to him and the game crashes, just take your photo and move on. Now, go on and have fun! Kupo! Kweh!
I wanted to add also my predictions for future downloadable content. We all know they have planned to add chapters where you get to play as Gladiolus, Ignis and Prompto, as well as a multiplayer mode. While it sounds cool, nobody has asked why. Here's what I think: Gladiolus and Prompto are going to let us play through the chapters where they get separated from the main party and tell us what they were doing. For Gladiolus this means alternative Chapter 7, we'd get to find out how he got that scar and I'm betting lil' sis Iris will be his back-up, I can't figure much beyond that, but it's enough to get me excited. I haven't gotten as far as Prompto leaving the party, but I know from the wikia that he does get knocked off a train and it takes a while for him to rejoin the team, and the DLC should explain where he went, which may involve fellow Niflheim ex-patriate Aranea Highwind, which would be hilarious if he tries to take advantage of their alone time. I'm not sure about Ignis, though my guess would be during the few days immediately following the Leviathan Incident when Noctis may be out of commission and perhaps there's more to his blindness than we thought. Finally, multiplayer mode, probably during the ten-year gap and revolving around daemon hunting, which would explain rumors of designing your own character, which would be a hunter who is determined to go down swinging. Also, there might be a slight possibility of new Royal Arms; the regular arsenal is probably enough, but Ignis said there's likely as many Royal Arms as kings, and we only get 13 of 113, so there's still one hundred out there, and while Noctis is normally the only one who can wield them, Kingsglaive shows that in times of dire need, others can wield the power of the king, and if that can be considered for fighting Niflheim imperials, it should apply to a well meaning hunter facing a daemonic apocalypse. In any case I purchased my DLC season pass and I'm keeping save files from the points I suspect I'll need for the DLC later.
7th Moon
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Saturday, January 21, 2017
7th Moon on Steam and Riding the Dragon
In the past week I managed to bring out two major projects, 7th Moon is available in beta on Steam and Riding the Dragon, the last book of the Magic of Rochester Trilogy is available on Amazon.
Riding the Dragon is about Ellen Red's twenty-first year. It starts with her birthday when the enchantment that protects her kingdom wears off and undead are free to hunt her and her friends down. Also, she's graduating from college, starting her own fashion line, introducing a whole bunch of changelings to Rochester, and of course making her final decision on whether she's going to marry hunky werewolf Jason or exotic wizard Ralph. To make it all more complicated, the previous leaders of the werewolves and wizards both die under suspicious circumstances and a feud heats up that complicates matters even further. If you like paranormal polyamory with fashion and local culture from western upstate New York, then find out how her story ends. Also a great Valentine's Day gift.
7th Moon is now available on Steam! It took me a few months to figure it out but you can now download the beta of the RPG on Steam. It is quite simply, the book made into game format. I did have to make a few adjustments, I couldn't get all the right artwork for the enemies, so I had to take some liberties with appearance, but it makes it cooler in some cases. Also, I gave more equipment options than were actually in the book so that part is more fun but less accurate. Abilities I try to stay true to, but Douji's powers are definitely more than most readers may expect, though just because I didn't explore it in the book, doesn't mean it's not an accurate reflection of his potential. The story is edited for time and space, but if you would rather play through 7th Moon than read it, than this is the game for you. Feel free to give feedback on 7th Moon in the comments section on Steam so I can work on a better final product. I tried to make it as good as possible, but as it is my first try, I'm sure I missed something, also it's hard to remain objective when I designed it so I know the easiest way to finish it.
Well, I've got three Final Fantasy games to play, so I'm gonna get back to playing, all of you get to enjoying the entertainment I've created for you.
Riding the Dragon is about Ellen Red's twenty-first year. It starts with her birthday when the enchantment that protects her kingdom wears off and undead are free to hunt her and her friends down. Also, she's graduating from college, starting her own fashion line, introducing a whole bunch of changelings to Rochester, and of course making her final decision on whether she's going to marry hunky werewolf Jason or exotic wizard Ralph. To make it all more complicated, the previous leaders of the werewolves and wizards both die under suspicious circumstances and a feud heats up that complicates matters even further. If you like paranormal polyamory with fashion and local culture from western upstate New York, then find out how her story ends. Also a great Valentine's Day gift.
7th Moon is now available on Steam! It took me a few months to figure it out but you can now download the beta of the RPG on Steam. It is quite simply, the book made into game format. I did have to make a few adjustments, I couldn't get all the right artwork for the enemies, so I had to take some liberties with appearance, but it makes it cooler in some cases. Also, I gave more equipment options than were actually in the book so that part is more fun but less accurate. Abilities I try to stay true to, but Douji's powers are definitely more than most readers may expect, though just because I didn't explore it in the book, doesn't mean it's not an accurate reflection of his potential. The story is edited for time and space, but if you would rather play through 7th Moon than read it, than this is the game for you. Feel free to give feedback on 7th Moon in the comments section on Steam so I can work on a better final product. I tried to make it as good as possible, but as it is my first try, I'm sure I missed something, also it's hard to remain objective when I designed it so I know the easiest way to finish it.
Well, I've got three Final Fantasy games to play, so I'm gonna get back to playing, all of you get to enjoying the entertainment I've created for you.
Saturday, January 14, 2017
Star Wars Rogue One
I know I'm a little late on this one, but I just watched it last week and that was DBS week, so it kind of took precedence.
Star Wars Rogue One finally answers the question anyone with sense has asked since the original Star Wars, "Why did the Empire build the Death Star with such a simple and obvious weakness?" The answer is that the architect actually did want it destroyed, which, once that fact is revealed, is the only logical explanation.
The movie opens with the architect, Galen Erso, being approached by the Empire demanding that he help them build the Death Star. He is very reluctant, but he has a family he must protect and to do this, he relents so that his daughter, Jyn, can escape. The movie then skips forward to Jyn's adulthood when she gets rescued from prison by the Rebels because they found out that Saw Gerrara, a family friend, got a message from Galen and she may be the only one who can get the inside track on the architect to bring down the Empire. The specific rebels who get her are Cassian Andor and K-2SO, a droid that used to belong to the Empire but got reprogrammed to work for the Rebels and is a bit glitchy, so now he's a sarcastic prick that plays like a more badass C-3PO(who has a cameo). Cassian mostly follows orders and kills without qustion when it suits the mission and is as cold as a droid, but over the course of the movie both he and K-2SO develop more emotion and care for those around them. The Rogue One crew is rounded out by Bodhi Rook, an imperial pilot who defected to deliver Galen's message, and Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus, the last guardians of the crystal mines beneath the sacred city of Jedha where the power source of light sabers came from. Chirrut is the resident badass of the movie because he is a blind monk who has learned to use the Force to fight without sight. Chirrut and Baze are just sort of in the wrong place at the wrong time, getting mixed up with the others for no real good reason, but if you're paying attention, you realize they are guardians of something that no longer needs guarding and this is their last chance to be relevant. Also, the moon they're on gets blown up and they survive only beause they get away with the crew, so it's totally worth letting these two badasses tag along.
The message from Galen Erso was meant for Jyn and explains that he worked for the Empire because he knew they would build the Death Star without him but at least if he cooperated he could build in a weakness, and now that it's complete and ready to destroy planets, he needs for the secret weakness to be known to the rebels. From there the movie is pretty predictable, but that's what makes it interesting, you know how it ends, because it ends where the original Star Wars begins, you know the mission succeeds, you just sit back and watch the events unfold. Chirrut and K-2SO are the best for reasons already stated, but there's alos plenty of easter eggs for fans. Dart Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin both make appearances, the latter utilizing CGI to recreate the original face from over forty years ago, so flawless you won't know unless you think to look for it. Other familiar faces who pop up include Mon Mothma and Bail Organna, Leia's adoptive father, who has a sad moment nea the end when he mentions going back to Alderaan and we know how that goes. Also, pay very close attention and you'll see or hear some old minor rebel members, and astute observers will recognize the guys from the Mos Eisley Cantina who had a fight with Luke Skywalker that ended with Obi Wan Kenobi cutting off one guy's arm with a lght saber as they bump into Jyn Erso on the street. And of course there are a few other nods to Star Wars of the past, including catch phrases like "May the Force be with you" and "I have a bad feeling about this" and on an unrelated nerd note, there is a second where you see K-2SO in the cockpit flipping switches overhead the same way Wash did on Firefly, both characters played by Alan Tudyk, and since he did the motion capture I am 99% certain he did the motion as a wink to his fans.
Now that we've settled the question about the Death Star's weakness, can we work on explaining how Luke Skywalker lived on his father's home planet, with his father's step brother under his father's name and was never found in ~20 years?
Star Wars Rogue One finally answers the question anyone with sense has asked since the original Star Wars, "Why did the Empire build the Death Star with such a simple and obvious weakness?" The answer is that the architect actually did want it destroyed, which, once that fact is revealed, is the only logical explanation.
The movie opens with the architect, Galen Erso, being approached by the Empire demanding that he help them build the Death Star. He is very reluctant, but he has a family he must protect and to do this, he relents so that his daughter, Jyn, can escape. The movie then skips forward to Jyn's adulthood when she gets rescued from prison by the Rebels because they found out that Saw Gerrara, a family friend, got a message from Galen and she may be the only one who can get the inside track on the architect to bring down the Empire. The specific rebels who get her are Cassian Andor and K-2SO, a droid that used to belong to the Empire but got reprogrammed to work for the Rebels and is a bit glitchy, so now he's a sarcastic prick that plays like a more badass C-3PO(who has a cameo). Cassian mostly follows orders and kills without qustion when it suits the mission and is as cold as a droid, but over the course of the movie both he and K-2SO develop more emotion and care for those around them. The Rogue One crew is rounded out by Bodhi Rook, an imperial pilot who defected to deliver Galen's message, and Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus, the last guardians of the crystal mines beneath the sacred city of Jedha where the power source of light sabers came from. Chirrut is the resident badass of the movie because he is a blind monk who has learned to use the Force to fight without sight. Chirrut and Baze are just sort of in the wrong place at the wrong time, getting mixed up with the others for no real good reason, but if you're paying attention, you realize they are guardians of something that no longer needs guarding and this is their last chance to be relevant. Also, the moon they're on gets blown up and they survive only beause they get away with the crew, so it's totally worth letting these two badasses tag along.
The message from Galen Erso was meant for Jyn and explains that he worked for the Empire because he knew they would build the Death Star without him but at least if he cooperated he could build in a weakness, and now that it's complete and ready to destroy planets, he needs for the secret weakness to be known to the rebels. From there the movie is pretty predictable, but that's what makes it interesting, you know how it ends, because it ends where the original Star Wars begins, you know the mission succeeds, you just sit back and watch the events unfold. Chirrut and K-2SO are the best for reasons already stated, but there's alos plenty of easter eggs for fans. Dart Vader and Grand Moff Tarkin both make appearances, the latter utilizing CGI to recreate the original face from over forty years ago, so flawless you won't know unless you think to look for it. Other familiar faces who pop up include Mon Mothma and Bail Organna, Leia's adoptive father, who has a sad moment nea the end when he mentions going back to Alderaan and we know how that goes. Also, pay very close attention and you'll see or hear some old minor rebel members, and astute observers will recognize the guys from the Mos Eisley Cantina who had a fight with Luke Skywalker that ended with Obi Wan Kenobi cutting off one guy's arm with a lght saber as they bump into Jyn Erso on the street. And of course there are a few other nods to Star Wars of the past, including catch phrases like "May the Force be with you" and "I have a bad feeling about this" and on an unrelated nerd note, there is a second where you see K-2SO in the cockpit flipping switches overhead the same way Wash did on Firefly, both characters played by Alan Tudyk, and since he did the motion capture I am 99% certain he did the motion as a wink to his fans.
Now that we've settled the question about the Death Star's weakness, can we work on explaining how Luke Skywalker lived on his father's home planet, with his father's step brother under his father's name and was never found in ~20 years?
Saturday, January 7, 2017
Dragon Ball Super
Tonight is the night, the American television premiere of the first new episode of Dragon Ball in over a decade! If you saw the movies, you kind of know what's going on, but this starts a little before the movies, then bridges them together with a brand new story revolving around Goku and friends facing new foes from other universes. Yes, Goku has climbed the ladder to defeat the strongest this universe has to offer, so there's nothing left except to fight people from other universes, 12 in all to be exact, I believe Goku exists in number 7...or number 4...we'll find out.
So in case you forgot, Dragon Ball Z ended with Goku having defeated Buu, Buu's better half befriending Hercule Satan, Satan's daughter Videl marrying Gohan and having his child, Android 18 marrying Krillin and having his child, and everybody else kind of just going on the same as before. Goku and Vegeta want to keep training because they are saiyans and that's what saiyans do. But Goku is soon to graduate from King Kai's training to find an even greater, Beerus, the God of Destruction. The movie Battle of the Gods is canon and tells how that goes, but we're going to start a little before that and follow everybody as they get ready for the big showdown.
My only complaint is that I wish they would have finished Kai first so it would all run chronologically, but, screw it, we're getting new Dragon Ball! Woo hoo!
So in case you forgot, Dragon Ball Z ended with Goku having defeated Buu, Buu's better half befriending Hercule Satan, Satan's daughter Videl marrying Gohan and having his child, Android 18 marrying Krillin and having his child, and everybody else kind of just going on the same as before. Goku and Vegeta want to keep training because they are saiyans and that's what saiyans do. But Goku is soon to graduate from King Kai's training to find an even greater, Beerus, the God of Destruction. The movie Battle of the Gods is canon and tells how that goes, but we're going to start a little before that and follow everybody as they get ready for the big showdown.
My only complaint is that I wish they would have finished Kai first so it would all run chronologically, but, screw it, we're getting new Dragon Ball! Woo hoo!
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Final Fantasy XV
Yes, I did get Final fantasy XV for Christmas and although I haven't had much time to get into this game, it is pretty awesome. I don't want to get too much into the story because I am still new and don't know a whole lot myself, but the main thing is that it's about four guys and a car. Of the four guys the main one is Noctis, Prince of Lucis, the last free kingdom in the world of Eos. Lucis is protected by a crystal whose power is channeled by the king, so Noctis is pretty important because he has a unique set of magical powers that only he can use as the royal heir and his kingdom is dependent on him to perform his duties to keep out the daemons that plague the rest of the world. This is you're only playable character so no pressure, but a kingdom's fate rests squarely on your shoulders. Next up is Gladiolus, the bodyguard, he's basically a knight whose entire job is to keep you alive, but an event in Noctis' youth has led them to be friends so when he's not swinging his greatsword he's pretty laid back. Gladiolus has a sister who came to visit him at work one day and got lost when she wandered off, Noctis found her and helped her get home safe, then took the heat for them getting lost in the first place, then when they got home she confessed to her brother and he felt like he owed Noctis, but even more impotantly, Noctis never gave a hint that he wanted anything in return so Gladiolus recognized he wasn't the brat he thought he was. Then there's Ignis who appears to be your chauffer and personal chef based on what he actually does in your party, but really he's a high raking royal advisor who happens to have ended up with Noctis as his responsibility. The last guy is Prompto, who is really nothing more than a classmate of Noctis who got to be his BFF, which mens that lacking any official role, he's the odd man out, never really knowing what's going on and it's not even entirely clear why he's even there in the first place. Noctis is betrothed to Lunafreya, the Oracle, who seems to be the only magical person outside of Lucis and is largely responsible for protecting everybody else in the world. The Empire of Niflheim has united the people of the outside world and with Lucis the last holdout, they want the kingdom and a deal to secure peace between the two nations is relying on the marriage between Noctis and Lunafreya. And so the story begins with the four guys on a road trip to see the bride. Obviously, things don't go as planned...
What is really impressive about this game is how realistic it is, and I'm not just talking about graphics, it's also gameplay. In addition to combat, each guy has an "exploration" skill that levels up as they do things outside of combat that help the party, Noctis can go fishing, edible fish he catches can be cooked by Ignis, Gladiolus can find additional ingredients after battle, and Prompto takes pictures so you have mementos of everything. Okay, the last part doesn't seem important, but you get levels, so it must matter at some point. In any case, it's good to see how everything works together to be more than just using a tent to restore HP, then resume fighting random monsters like most RPGs. Also, there's the hunting aspect, reused from the last few games, you don't just get gil for killing monsters, you actually have to be contracted to hunt them or collect treasure to sell. And one of the best things is your car, the Regalia, which you use to get from one place to another while keeping your party together. On one hand, the car can be boring because you get in it and just ride to the next point on the map, but you also get to select your music while you ride which includes the soundtracks from every Final Fantasy game and a tribute single from Afrojack, so the auto pilot makes it easier to cycle through the deck. Also the car is realistically practical, I mean seriously, why do heroes seem to just walk across vast stretches of overworld? This is a modern world where you drive a car over long distances. You do have to gas it up periodically but your mechanic is a hot chick named Cindy who wears super short cutoff jean shorts and a bikini top (to be fair she lives in the desert, it's probably hot, but then why does she always wear that jacket too?). One really impressive feat is how the whole world is one continuous area, so everything is to scale. Everything about this game feels like it's real, every thing you've ever questioned about a game world is addressed except going to the bathroom. The only downside to all of this reality is that it's light on combat because while random encounters do happen, enemies don't just appear, they have to be somewhere so you tend to know when they are coming, which means unless you are stuck in a room with no way out, you can always run away from a battle. But when battles do happen, they are epic. Noctis has the power to summon weapons which is integral to the story, so as far as where these weapons are between battles, that's covered, but it also provides interesting mechanics, like how Noctis can reverse his weapon summoning by warping to his sword when he throws it and attacking enemies at long distances, which is both strategic and really cool looking. You can also use magic, although the system for it is a little odd, you draw out the three elements of fire, ice and lightning from draw points and then craft grenade-like spells three at a time to throw at enemies. There's also the risk that you can hit your own party with these, but if you learn how to use them properly, they can be good for crowd control.
When the game loads, it says "A Final Fantasy for fans and first timers" and I have to say, that about sums it up, fans will find plenty to love, and first timers will find an experience that is exciting and lacks everything that ever turned them off to the series and genre in the first place. For once, a game is worth the hype, I just hope FFVII remake follows suit.
What is really impressive about this game is how realistic it is, and I'm not just talking about graphics, it's also gameplay. In addition to combat, each guy has an "exploration" skill that levels up as they do things outside of combat that help the party, Noctis can go fishing, edible fish he catches can be cooked by Ignis, Gladiolus can find additional ingredients after battle, and Prompto takes pictures so you have mementos of everything. Okay, the last part doesn't seem important, but you get levels, so it must matter at some point. In any case, it's good to see how everything works together to be more than just using a tent to restore HP, then resume fighting random monsters like most RPGs. Also, there's the hunting aspect, reused from the last few games, you don't just get gil for killing monsters, you actually have to be contracted to hunt them or collect treasure to sell. And one of the best things is your car, the Regalia, which you use to get from one place to another while keeping your party together. On one hand, the car can be boring because you get in it and just ride to the next point on the map, but you also get to select your music while you ride which includes the soundtracks from every Final Fantasy game and a tribute single from Afrojack, so the auto pilot makes it easier to cycle through the deck. Also the car is realistically practical, I mean seriously, why do heroes seem to just walk across vast stretches of overworld? This is a modern world where you drive a car over long distances. You do have to gas it up periodically but your mechanic is a hot chick named Cindy who wears super short cutoff jean shorts and a bikini top (to be fair she lives in the desert, it's probably hot, but then why does she always wear that jacket too?). One really impressive feat is how the whole world is one continuous area, so everything is to scale. Everything about this game feels like it's real, every thing you've ever questioned about a game world is addressed except going to the bathroom. The only downside to all of this reality is that it's light on combat because while random encounters do happen, enemies don't just appear, they have to be somewhere so you tend to know when they are coming, which means unless you are stuck in a room with no way out, you can always run away from a battle. But when battles do happen, they are epic. Noctis has the power to summon weapons which is integral to the story, so as far as where these weapons are between battles, that's covered, but it also provides interesting mechanics, like how Noctis can reverse his weapon summoning by warping to his sword when he throws it and attacking enemies at long distances, which is both strategic and really cool looking. You can also use magic, although the system for it is a little odd, you draw out the three elements of fire, ice and lightning from draw points and then craft grenade-like spells three at a time to throw at enemies. There's also the risk that you can hit your own party with these, but if you learn how to use them properly, they can be good for crowd control.
When the game loads, it says "A Final Fantasy for fans and first timers" and I have to say, that about sums it up, fans will find plenty to love, and first timers will find an experience that is exciting and lacks everything that ever turned them off to the series and genre in the first place. For once, a game is worth the hype, I just hope FFVII remake follows suit.
Saturday, December 24, 2016
Christmas Joy
"I want a Red Rider BB gun with a compass in the stock and this thingy that tells time!"
"You'll shoot your eye out."
That simple exchange is familiar to anyone who has ever watched the classic, "A Christmas Story" but there is a reason it resonates even for those of us who don't want a Red Rider BB gun or even know what it is, becaus Ralphie pursues tha with a determination that we can all relate to because at some point we've all had that one present we wanted that bad, our own personal Red Rider BB gun. For me it was usually video games, as it is again this year. Some people don't like video games because they think it makes kids anti-social, but for meit was more the opposite. I remember a time before video games, and it was lonely because nobody wanted to play with me. It's hard to play ball when there's no one to play against, the same with board games and pretty much every other game or toy that was meant for social interaction. As the wierd kid who was just plain no good at anything, keeping friends to play games was even harder than winning the game itself, I was very lonely. Then my parents got a Nintendo Entertainment System, for me and I believe to some extent my older sister. Nintendo was awesome, because I didn't need another kid to enjoy the game, for once there was a game I could play by myself if I had to. It's not tthat I want to avoid social interaction, it's just that it seemed easier for everyone involved if I did. But as sad as this sounds, video games make great therapy for this loneliness, because as games got better, there was invariably a story that made you feel like a hero. No matter how many times you screw up, there's always another chance to go back and do it again, and no matter how long it takes, there's always your princess thankful you showed up at all with a victory tune that makes you feel a sense of accomplishment.
I guess I took for granted the joy this brought me every Christmas when I got a new game and played the hell out of it. I eventually grew up and thought I was moving past that and it was time to expect something more than presents under the tree. Then my nieces came along and I watch them every Christmas with that excitement I used to have and after a few years of not bothering to ask for games that I no longer have time to play because I'm a grown up and I have to work, it hit me that being a grown up is not all it's cracked up to be and we all deserve to have that joy on Christmas morning, just for one day to forget how much life sucks and just open a present and be happy for one frickin' day. I don't care about what people say about commercialism and how tis day is about the birth of the lord and not about stuff. When I was a kid, my parents made me earn my toys, anything over $10 went on the wishlist for Christmas or my birthday and the latter usually got a smaller haul than the former, so this was the day I could get the stuff I couldn't get the rest of the year, so I appreciated it, and looking back I realize, that it is a part of the experience that makes the holiday so great. It's winter, it's cold outside, snow is getting in your shoes, but for this month we can look forward to a day with fmaily, enjoying a feast second only to Thanksgiving, drinking egg nog, looking at lights that make any neighborhood compete with the Las Vegas Strip, watchign sappy movies and listening to sappier songs and best of unwrapping a box under the tree to find the game that was just out of price range for the past few months.
This year my game of choice is Final Fantasy XV which is kind of a big deal because it also means upgrading to the PS4 and I haven't gotten a console since PS2(I didn't find anythign on the PS3 woorth investing in). As a grown up I am setting asdie some money in case I need to buy it myself from an after Christmas sale, but I'm really hoping Santa brings it(meaning I hope my parents got it for me, unless you still believe in Santa in which case, never mind, I totally really meant Santa). It's not even really about the game itself really, it's about missing the simple Christmas joy, of knowing someone still loved me enough to get me what I wanted, the same way I got some good stuff for the people I love, and I hope we all get to experience that same joy as when Ralphie finally did get his Red Rider BB gun, and I wish the same joy to you all. Merry Christmas!
"You'll shoot your eye out."
That simple exchange is familiar to anyone who has ever watched the classic, "A Christmas Story" but there is a reason it resonates even for those of us who don't want a Red Rider BB gun or even know what it is, becaus Ralphie pursues tha with a determination that we can all relate to because at some point we've all had that one present we wanted that bad, our own personal Red Rider BB gun. For me it was usually video games, as it is again this year. Some people don't like video games because they think it makes kids anti-social, but for meit was more the opposite. I remember a time before video games, and it was lonely because nobody wanted to play with me. It's hard to play ball when there's no one to play against, the same with board games and pretty much every other game or toy that was meant for social interaction. As the wierd kid who was just plain no good at anything, keeping friends to play games was even harder than winning the game itself, I was very lonely. Then my parents got a Nintendo Entertainment System, for me and I believe to some extent my older sister. Nintendo was awesome, because I didn't need another kid to enjoy the game, for once there was a game I could play by myself if I had to. It's not tthat I want to avoid social interaction, it's just that it seemed easier for everyone involved if I did. But as sad as this sounds, video games make great therapy for this loneliness, because as games got better, there was invariably a story that made you feel like a hero. No matter how many times you screw up, there's always another chance to go back and do it again, and no matter how long it takes, there's always your princess thankful you showed up at all with a victory tune that makes you feel a sense of accomplishment.
I guess I took for granted the joy this brought me every Christmas when I got a new game and played the hell out of it. I eventually grew up and thought I was moving past that and it was time to expect something more than presents under the tree. Then my nieces came along and I watch them every Christmas with that excitement I used to have and after a few years of not bothering to ask for games that I no longer have time to play because I'm a grown up and I have to work, it hit me that being a grown up is not all it's cracked up to be and we all deserve to have that joy on Christmas morning, just for one day to forget how much life sucks and just open a present and be happy for one frickin' day. I don't care about what people say about commercialism and how tis day is about the birth of the lord and not about stuff. When I was a kid, my parents made me earn my toys, anything over $10 went on the wishlist for Christmas or my birthday and the latter usually got a smaller haul than the former, so this was the day I could get the stuff I couldn't get the rest of the year, so I appreciated it, and looking back I realize, that it is a part of the experience that makes the holiday so great. It's winter, it's cold outside, snow is getting in your shoes, but for this month we can look forward to a day with fmaily, enjoying a feast second only to Thanksgiving, drinking egg nog, looking at lights that make any neighborhood compete with the Las Vegas Strip, watchign sappy movies and listening to sappier songs and best of unwrapping a box under the tree to find the game that was just out of price range for the past few months.
This year my game of choice is Final Fantasy XV which is kind of a big deal because it also means upgrading to the PS4 and I haven't gotten a console since PS2(I didn't find anythign on the PS3 woorth investing in). As a grown up I am setting asdie some money in case I need to buy it myself from an after Christmas sale, but I'm really hoping Santa brings it(meaning I hope my parents got it for me, unless you still believe in Santa in which case, never mind, I totally really meant Santa). It's not even really about the game itself really, it's about missing the simple Christmas joy, of knowing someone still loved me enough to get me what I wanted, the same way I got some good stuff for the people I love, and I hope we all get to experience that same joy as when Ralphie finally did get his Red Rider BB gun, and I wish the same joy to you all. Merry Christmas!
Saturday, December 17, 2016
Undertale
Ooookaaay... I haven't finished Undertale, but so far it is probably the weirdest game I have ever played. It is an indie game, an RPG with graphics that look like it was made in 1990 and mostly drawn by someone who did the best they could with a mouse and a paint program from that period. Despite looking like crap, it can still be fun to play thanks to clever writing that makes the story funny and at times touching and sweet, and other times creepy on a level I never knew was possible. Its most distinguishing feature is that you can get through the game without actually killing anybody, and there are three different endings depending on whether you kill everyone, spare everyone, or take a middle path. The way it works is that when a battle starts, you can choose either to attack or act, the latter of which will still leave you open to an attack from the monster, but you actually get a chance to avoid damage in a minigame so if you play it right you can be friendly with the monsters and get to the end without killing them, although sometimes this is harder than it looks and you often get tempted to simply kill monsters instead of exercising patience in sparing them.
In the game you are a human who falls down a hole into the subterranean world of monsters that has been sealed off from humans because there was a war that was basically just racist and ended up cramming all the monsters in a cave. The monsters actually have rather human personalities when you get to know them and each one has some quirk you can take advantage of to have peaceful interactions and like humans, some of them are jerks and it really takes patience to end the battle without killing them(usually bosses), whereas others are pretty much pushovers, and a few really just take one simple action to back off. The first monster you meet is Flowey, who appears to be a cute sunflower and then shockingly turns out to be the most raving mad psycho in the whole world. Fortunately, Flowey is chased off by Toriel, a horned beast who looks like a bipedal cow in a house dress and acts like a sweet overprotective mother. She takes you home and bakes you a pie and everything seems fine until you try to leave, and then she fights you to keep you with her. The truly sad and disturbing part is that she has solid logic to prove it's out of love, Asgore wants your soul to break the boundary to the outside world and you will be sacrificed if you don't stay with her, she's seen it happen to others before you. She's so stubborn I killed her the first time because the directions were kind of tricky and she cried for me before she died, so I tried again and she lived, but Flowey was right there to taunt me by saying he knew what I did. It took me a second to realize the game how complicated the game code was that it was expected I'd cheat like this, but his evil grin still creeped me out like "How did he know I reset the game?" As you move forward you meet more weird characters most notably the skeleton brothers Sans and Papyrus. Sans likes you right away and his sense of humor makes him likable, but Papyrus is confused, he wants to fight you at first, but despite his words his clumsy actions lead you to be spared, and if you have mercy on him you become friends and then he decides to date you, as it is abundantly clear he is socially awkward to the point he doesn't actually understand the meaning of dating. Also there are a series of dogs that are ridiculously cute as much like real dogs, they act like fierce guards until you pet them and they become your friends. There are also some other really weird characters and the methods of not fighting get weirder and weirder, including Vegetoid who wants you to eat him, Woshu who just wants to wash you, the cute Tems who just want kitty kibble and one monster simply wants you to leave it alone. The sweetest one in my opinion is Gyftrot, a reindeer decorated like a Christmas tree who is cranky because of the weght stacked on his antlers an all you have to do is remove the clutter.
The simplest thing to do is just kill everybody but I've been told this leads to a miserable ending which involves the destruction of the universe. The pacifist run, which I'm attempting, is supposed to get the best ending, but it is very testing, and I'm tempted to do a run where I kill everyone except Toriel, Sans and the dogs. It seems to be popular at cons, so if you're one of those people looking for a truly original and unique gaming experience, this is it.
In the game you are a human who falls down a hole into the subterranean world of monsters that has been sealed off from humans because there was a war that was basically just racist and ended up cramming all the monsters in a cave. The monsters actually have rather human personalities when you get to know them and each one has some quirk you can take advantage of to have peaceful interactions and like humans, some of them are jerks and it really takes patience to end the battle without killing them(usually bosses), whereas others are pretty much pushovers, and a few really just take one simple action to back off. The first monster you meet is Flowey, who appears to be a cute sunflower and then shockingly turns out to be the most raving mad psycho in the whole world. Fortunately, Flowey is chased off by Toriel, a horned beast who looks like a bipedal cow in a house dress and acts like a sweet overprotective mother. She takes you home and bakes you a pie and everything seems fine until you try to leave, and then she fights you to keep you with her. The truly sad and disturbing part is that she has solid logic to prove it's out of love, Asgore wants your soul to break the boundary to the outside world and you will be sacrificed if you don't stay with her, she's seen it happen to others before you. She's so stubborn I killed her the first time because the directions were kind of tricky and she cried for me before she died, so I tried again and she lived, but Flowey was right there to taunt me by saying he knew what I did. It took me a second to realize the game how complicated the game code was that it was expected I'd cheat like this, but his evil grin still creeped me out like "How did he know I reset the game?" As you move forward you meet more weird characters most notably the skeleton brothers Sans and Papyrus. Sans likes you right away and his sense of humor makes him likable, but Papyrus is confused, he wants to fight you at first, but despite his words his clumsy actions lead you to be spared, and if you have mercy on him you become friends and then he decides to date you, as it is abundantly clear he is socially awkward to the point he doesn't actually understand the meaning of dating. Also there are a series of dogs that are ridiculously cute as much like real dogs, they act like fierce guards until you pet them and they become your friends. There are also some other really weird characters and the methods of not fighting get weirder and weirder, including Vegetoid who wants you to eat him, Woshu who just wants to wash you, the cute Tems who just want kitty kibble and one monster simply wants you to leave it alone. The sweetest one in my opinion is Gyftrot, a reindeer decorated like a Christmas tree who is cranky because of the weght stacked on his antlers an all you have to do is remove the clutter.
The simplest thing to do is just kill everybody but I've been told this leads to a miserable ending which involves the destruction of the universe. The pacifist run, which I'm attempting, is supposed to get the best ending, but it is very testing, and I'm tempted to do a run where I kill everyone except Toriel, Sans and the dogs. It seems to be popular at cons, so if you're one of those people looking for a truly original and unique gaming experience, this is it.
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