Playin' any games today, Flying Nun? (WGAYP - 2011 Edition)

[Fenrir]

ME2: Arrival:

Shadow Broker >>> Kasumi =~ Firestarter > Arrival, since Arrival's final confrontation is literally the lamest out of all of them and only getting to use Shepard. Still pretty alright for what I paid for it

Have you played Overlord? It ended up being my favourite thanks to the music, ending and lower price. (I can't say I ever cared much about Liara though).
I think I'd go with Overlord > Shadow Broker >> Kasumi >>>>> Arrival myself, with the first three being worth it. Firestarter was free so I can't really rate it alongside the others.

Brütal Legend: Stacking was so good that I bought this and Costume Quest.
There's definitely a good atmosphere here, but this doesn't feel like a good, big, 60 bucks game. The overworld is empty, the side missions are kind of boring. It's easy to see why Schafer now only does 15$ XBLA/PSN games.

[Nitori]

Insert Overlord where Firestarter was since I can't remember the name of things, it's where it is due to some bad Hammerhead gameplay~

[hinode]

Pokemon White: Just got the fifth badge. Team's around L31 range at the moment.

Lenora's been the only gym leader of any note thus far, as I wasn't willing to raise a Rock or Fighting type just for a single gym and both her Pokemon were pretty good for the time (even now, wild Herdiers do shockingly high damage with Take Down). Had to sacrifice multiple fodder Pokemon to absorb the opening Intimidate and double-power Retaliate, plus to use an Awakening on Dewott once. Next best would be... Elesa I guess, just for forcing me to add an electric immunity to my team to cover a weakness. The other three just got steamrollered without doing anything notable.

Oshawott's speed is a bummer especially since I got a -speed nature, but Shell Blade (75 power, 95 acc, 50% defense down, Water type) is insanely powerful for a L17 move. That, combined with being my only Pokemon who could take an unresisted hit for a long time, meant it was practically carrying my whole team pretty much up until I caught Scraggy and evolved Pansear. Throw in early Grass Knot and Dig for coverage moves and a recent upgrade to Scald for STAB and you get a pretty solid, if not amazing performance for a starter.

Pansear flat out sucked at first. It had crap defenses, only slightly better offensive stats, and relying on 30 power Incinerate for STAB was awful. Still, it provided desperately needed anti-Grass coverage, which I needed with an early team of Water/Grass/Electric otherwise and constant fights against Cheren, and my only other alternative was Pidove. The payoff was being able to evolve it as soon as it hit L22 for Flame Burst. Movepool was limited early on but eventually got good, I'm currently running Bite/Dig/Grass Knot for coverage. I'll phase this out for Chandelure eventually.

Blitzle provides Electric STAB and an Electric immunity, both of which plug some holes in my team otherwise. Shock Wave at L11 is nice, since most Pokemon are still using 40 power moves at that time. Its defenses are absolutely abysmal though; prior to evolving I had to give it an Eviolite so it could take even one non-resisted hit without crumpling.

Petilil gets Leech Seed + Sleep Powder by L10, which is really awesome for using (though not so much for catching it <_<). It's a bit of a project with subpar defenses + crap speed before evolving, but the status keeps it useful instead of being crap like the elemental monkeys at least. Lilligant now is really awesome, with 110 SpAtk + 90 Speed, the now 75 power Giga Drain, and one of the best buffs in the game in Quiver Dance (+1 Speed, SpAtk, SpDef) to abuse with Sleep Powder.

Scraggy has a really badass offensive typing (Dark/Fighting) that's pretty good defensively as well. I got Shed Skin on mine, which along with decent defenses meant it can use Rest pretty effectively. The L39 evolution is late, but it isn't even close to feeling like a liability right now, especially now that I passed the Eviolite onto it ever since Blitzle evolved.

[Fudozukushi]

Demon's Souls:

Everything is just such a blur.  I've broken 30 deaths and stuff.  Probably most of those on that bloody cliffedge.  Nut kick to whomever thought fighting enemies that move like lightning and hit like trucks on a ledge barely big enough for you was a good idea.

[Meeplelard]

Duodecim: Beat the 13th war.  Nice they actually took the time to alter the game's ending credits, both musically and with scenes, rather than simply show the same scene but add in acknowledgement to any Developer Differences between the two games.  I also noticed that most of the games had their theme songs played, even though they were obviously going for an ending motif...FF1 and FF2 are obvious exceptions, FF5 PRETENDS its going to start with its theme song but does the "Dragon Spreads its Wings" section anyway...no clue if FF11 has a theme.  Well, FF3 I'm not sure but it sounds like Eternal Wind played there which I THINK was in FF3's ending SOMEWHERE, but whatever; FF3 was always the one part of the medley's ending I never really remembered playing ni the home game so there you go. 

...yes, I did have a pointless rant about nothing, what about it?  Well, ok, I might as well say this:

Team used for Not!Shade Impulse: Terra, Firion, Squall, Cloud and Warrior of Light.  On Hindsight, I should have used Onion Knight, so I could have had a full 367 group, and Firion fits in due to the Wild Rose thing being big for Terra/Cloud's stories, so I could have had SOME sort of theme but whatever...

Why those 5? Terra was my primary main in Dissidia, and well, that aint changing, Squall was one of my primary back ups.  Cloud and Firion I've played a lot with, and have considered them being secondary mains as well, so of the 10 heroes, those two seemed obvious.  Warrior of Light...uhh...well...that was kind of "oh whatever."

...ok, fine, how about that I always like to use Main Characters and such, even when the game doesn't require it, and even when I DON'T like the character, and when it comes to the 13th War, Warrior of Light is the closest thing to a main character (granted, its main in the loosest sense possible, but he's really the only character who you COULD make that argument for.)

...granted, in the 12th War, I feel I CAN safely say Lightning is the Main Character.  Where Warrior of Light just got a little extra emphasis here and there, and was the group leader, Lightning actually felt like the central, prominent figure.  Her story was the primary plot, she's the leader, etc.  Not to mention Vaan and Yuna's stories were really just subplots dealing with other characters, and Laguna's story doesn't really qualify as having a plot, its just him being lost and being awesome about it.

...ok, now I'm done.

[Twilkitri]

Back To The Future The Game Parts 2 & 3 -

Happily, while part 2 was in the same era as part 1, part 3 wasn't. Seems like part 4 will be going back at least part of the time, however.

Unhappily part 3 was almost devoid of puzzles. The first third of the game, outside the opening, is effectively just talking to whoever you have access to and exhausting the conversation possibilities, and after stopping talking some event will happen which will provide someone else to talk to.

I do like the setting for part 3 at least and hopefully there will be more gameplay involved in its section of part 4.

Part 2 had a more standard amount and level of puzzles, and was fairly enjoyable. The final showdown was a vast letdown compared to part 1 however, done in one move which was also the most obvious one possible. Part 3 did at least have a more difficult final showdown, for all that it wasn't anything close to part 1's either.


Etrian Odyssey 2 -

Well, the only quests I have left at the moment are ones which are related to the final stratum, which I have decided I will not be bothering with, and ones which need me to grind up classes I haven't used at all, which I really don't feel like doing. So I am now finished up with it as much as I intend to be.

I can't really think of much to say about the game as a whole. Was entertaining. Purple FOE system is annoying. Map arrows are the best thing since sliced bread. NPCs seemed to have considerably better characterisation, although that may just be me having forgotten any the EO1 NPCs had.


Grandia 1 -

Up to West Misty Forest. Things progressing fine. Game crashed again during Herb Mountains.

[Grefter]

Radiant Historia - How to Make Friends and Influence people:  When you are a pair of little kids first become Uatu the Watcher, then give a dude the power of time travel, now trick him into helping a guy learn to grow coconuts.  As his reward give him a gun that he can't use.  Congratulations at saving the world, maybe you will learn to take a hint next time.

[Pyro]

As his reward give him a gun that he can't use.

This is kinda funny in hindsight.

[hinode]

Pokemon White- Advice for anyone looking to start this up in the future, don't start up in April, August, or December. Unless the month is nearly over.

*shakes fist at Hail routes*

[Shale]

Naturally I just ordered a copy.

Maybe I'll start it and then skip the clock forward to May, for less hail and more White Forest trainers.

[Captain K.]

Yeah, I have to say the season thing is my least favorite aspect of B/W.  I nearly went insane trying to figure out how to get the things on my itemfinder in Icirrus City last month.

Halo Wars:  Beat on Heroic.  Got all the Black Boxes, working on getting all the skulls now.

[SageAcrin]

Hey, seasons was fine.

When I thought it was a week or ten days.

Who the hell sets it to a month? Who the hell assumes a playthrough of an RPG will take more than a month? Let alone four so you can experience all of the seasons? Or is this a very, very fucked up form of replay value?

Oh well, small hiccup.

[Fudozukushi]

Demon's Souls: Hey, I actually remember enough to make something resembling a detailed post.

So, I've defeated three of the Archdemons, the first three bosses of Boletaria and the first boss of Valley of Defilement.  This means it's time to grind for no real reason!  I grab one of my Archdemon souls to go and get a spell that will shorten farming time and... it takes 3 spell slots.  I have 2!  And it'll take like 6 levels to get the next one.  ARGH.  *hour or more of farming later* alright, have the spell and... 200/155.  I DON"T HAVE ENOUGH MP TO CAST IT ARGHBLARGHZARGH!  *MOAR FARMIN* This wasn't worth it, at all!

Bah, whatever.  I pull out my heavy armor and bow to prep for the Valley.  See, the second part of the valley is a massive trudge through a poison swamp that prevents you from rolling or even moving at a decent pace.  So I have to play a range game and hold out on small islands that certain enemies can attack the entire diameter of.  Good thing the armor is... decent.  Mostly taking it since it has poison resist on it.  This doesn't stop me from being poisoned a dozen times though.

Things go fine since I'm cautious and stuff.  There was a little difficulty with a giant enemy but my Second Chance miracle(revive with half HP when you take fatal non-fall damage!) saved me.  Yay it.  Other than grabbing a nifty weapon and unlocking a shortcut I didn't meddle around too much here.  Too risky.  So on to the boss!

The Dirty Colossus is a dull boss.  It's weak to fire(which I really don't have any of but eh, that's what dropped enchant items are for) and isn't that threatening.  It's melee attacks are slow and not that damaging despite--like all bosses--having limbs larger than you.  It can also attack you with flies, which are more annoying then threatening(they stopped me from casting the GET MORE SOULS spell ARGH)  Anyway, he's easy and I win.  Yay.

Like all of the Archdemon fights, the final for Valley is a short jot to the boss.  It's also the only thing I'd say resembles a spoiler in the game but whatever.  The Archdemon is just... pathetically easy.  Not as much as some other things, and in this case if his AI wasn't set for a specific reason he'd be more threatening.  But, I win yadda.  Also Plague freaking hurts.  It's damn near impossible to resist hell...

With all the Archdemons down, the final boss is unlocked.  But first, MORE GRINDING FOR LEVELS.  Also went and grabbed two more Colorless Demon's Souls for no reason.  And killed Satsuki's Black Phantom.  The jackass.  Also I'm screwed out of Pure White World Tendency for Tower of Latria goddamn.

Once other things are out of the way, I head towards the final level.  The first obstacle is the Three Hero Phantoms who... actually managed to kill me.  Then again I was in Soul Form and had about 300 HP so eh.  Second try I get them all along with the gecko nearby.  I clear the way up to the Blue Dragon, then head all the way back to the end of the second part in order to level up some more.

I set my gear up to test how the BD's defenses will work.  150 an arrow, pretty damn well.  But still, I load up to 200 arrows just in case before trying again.  He flies away once you damage him at his first spot, so I heal up since I don't know what's between here and there.  Nothing it seems, so I lengthen the time it'd take to kill it since I need to lower my health to deal damage to it.  But eh, I eventually succeed!  Whooooo.

Then I don't fight the Final Boss because there's other stuff to do!  Grinding mostly.  I get the Soulbrandt sword after a lameass duel.  He attacked twice the whole time, I only did 16 damage a hit.  Hahahahahaha.  Now it's time to farm Colorless Souls and Pure Black World Tendency.  Stay tuned.

Or not.

Once things are finished, it'll be time for a ~~~BOSS REVIEW~~~

[DjinnAndTonic]

Radiant Historia: Taking my time with this. Still enjoying it thoroughly, but it's not one I seem to be able to play in long bursts. I'm still really liking how all of the story pieces fit together. Marco rocks.

Rhapsody DS: Picked this up 100% Legally and finished it in a sitting. Ledgem is cute and worth the price of admission alone. I wish it didn't take 5 chapters to get him. The game is significantly less embarrassing (to me) when the Songs are in Japanese. It does, however, crack my friends up. Downloaded mostly as part of any exercise to show someone that games are a lot more than FPSes.

Nanashi no Game: Also, 100% Legal. Also trying to show that games can do some creative things. If you don't know what this is, it's literally The Ring as a video game. I would rate it highly for creativity in how it utilizes the "Cursed Game", but it utterly fails thanks to the Shittiest Controls Ever. Like, I thought 360 Dragon Age was cumbersome... but this, this game makes Suiko4 Sailing look like an intuitive, highly-tuned piece of precision equipment. Goddamn, Nanashi no Game. Anyway, it did some neat things like how in one early section of the game, there's an 8-bit portion of the Cursed Game where you're trapped in a looping 4-exit maze and to escape you have to always use the exit marked with flowers. Later on, one of the doomed characters is trapped on an endless looping subway car, taunted by a ghost, and the solution is to finally jump out of the exit marked with a white flower (death still occurs, but it was a neat way to end the torment). If only the controls didn't suck, I could recommend it to people. But as-is, it's just an interesting blip in the Survival Horror genre. Interesting, if not entirely -fun-, detour.

[Cmdr_King]

Downloaded mostly as part of any exercise to show someone that games are a lot more than FPSes.

I have to ask, how would someone in Japan get that impression?

[DjinnAndTonic]

Phillipino friend. He doesn't play games at all, so that's his impression from his American friends.

[Grefter]

This is a guy in Japan?  The Japan that had to cordon off areas in shopping centers because of the number of Dragon Quest 9 playing loiterers?

Dude needs new eyes.

[Dark Holy Elf]

Actually, now I'm curious - are stories like that actually true, or just an urban myth? On the one hand, DQ is nowhere near the most popular game series in Japan (it gets crushed by Mario and Pokemon for instance, not that there's any shame in that) and I'm quite used to people exaggerating the popularity of games that are more popular in Japan, so it wouldn't surprise me a lot of it is made up. On the other hand, I hear it often enough to give it some credibility, and it's possible that DQ fans are just crazier than fans of other big video games.

[Captain K.]

I posted an article in Misc. Links a while back about it.  Yes, it's true.  To my knowledge, DQ is the most popular series in Japan.  Pokemon may beat it, but I'm fairly certain Mario doesn't.  DQ just has a nonexistant overseas following while Pokemon and Mario fare well worldwide.

[Dark Holy Elf]

but I'm fairly certain Mario doesn't

Sales-wise, it does easily.

[DjinnAndTonic]

Dragon Quest just has an overwhelming majority of adult fans. It's the best-selling game in Japan for people out of school. Mario and Pokemon are certainly more widely-spread in sheer number simply because there's no stigma against children playing video games. Dragon Quest is pretty much known for single-handedly selling systems to adult fans who will never buy another game for it. Because it's socially acceptable. At least, that's the explanation I get from my co-workers who were playing DQ9.

It's notable that Dragon Quest isn't exactly a shining example of innovation in games either. His primary exposure to games was still FPSes.

[Clear Tranquil]

Dissidia Duodecim- Reached Tifa's Chapter. Finally making some solid progress on this after constantly chewing away at Prologus until it yielded up a Tifa opponent for me to defeat so I could unlock Cloud and finally get the achievements tied to him too. This was after one hundred and seventy three battles of Tifa -not- showing up >_> I ended up having to play through the arcade on Hard with six out of the seven starting characters after all before she finally showed her face and after all of the tosh about not wanting to use Kain I finally had to ... and it really wasn't as bad as I was expecting <_< Which is weird since I wasn't that impressed with him on Normal mode. As for the game proper I spent quite a bit of time messing around in quick battles trying out different characters and the Aerith assist before finally starting the Story mode. I feel like I've got a good handle on playing as Lightning, Kain and Yuna now whereas for Vaan and Laguna it's still a bit too early to tell. Tifa's run should also be interesting since I haven't touched her at all yet. Hopefully I'll be able to unlock Prishe soon too. I want to try her out before I finally decide on a main out or two out of the new characters and then I still have to give Terra and Shantotto a decent work out to see if I still want them for mains and who out of all the characters is going to get fifty six levels by exchanging the accessories from Prologus at the shop >_> I'm also kind of tempted to use the Emperor or Exdeath because of videos/topics I've seen on their potential with Aerith~

[Fudozukushi]

Demon's Souls: Used my last Demon's Soul woooo.  Also I died because I thought having 75% health when fighting an enemy who does more than that would be a better idea than lowering his aggro range.  Bah.

Also I can't get all the rings ARGH.

EDIT: Oh, wait, I still haven't gotten the Lava Bow yet either.

Also I figured out where to get Sticky White Stuff.  Wish I could have smeared that on my weapon earlier.

[Meeplelard]

Bionic Commando Rearmed 2: Finally finished this game, after playing it gradually.  Game gets rather cruel in one of the late maps for Bionic Arm Platforming, really testing your skills and maneuverability with it.

Game is different enough to not just feel like "Bionic Commando Rearmed but with new stages", and as such, I can't say its strictly superior or inferior due to these differences, but the game is nice, decent 2D Platformer, and probably something people who liked Bionic Commando should look into getting.

[Niu]

Dissidia 012- So, I finally decide to try Exdeath...

*chose Gilgamesh as the opponent
*Goes EXmode and EXburst
*Sees the text in the window

Okay, I totally didn't expect them to throw that in.