What Games Are You Playing: 2008

[Anthony Edward Stark]

F3- So... the main quest so far? Pretty awesome. I made it to the Citadel and teamed up with the Brotherhood of Steel in a pretty awesome escape sequence. I think Asian Woman Doctor had sex with Dad at some point, but she's busy doing Brotherhood things now, so I'm not sure.

Anyway: GET EQUIPPED WITH POWER ARMOR! Or more accurately, I got equipped with the ability to use it, and I have to find my own. No problem! I have a suit of Advanced Power Armor I pulled off one of the guys chasing me.

I gave up on finding an upgrade to my combat shotgun/assault rifle/sniper rifle trio. Small guns seem to plateau around this point, as near as I can determine, and my assault rifle, being my primary weapon, just isn't getting the job done, and the other two are too specialized. Could be that I'm no longer just fighting raiders and super-mutants who don't wear shirts, and am having to take out guys in Power Armor now, I dunnow.

So, I gotted my palsma rifle and dumped skill points in to energy weapons after finding out that Tesla Armor is actually good in this game, AND it gives you ten free points in energy weapons.

Anyway, I've been playing a diplomat who also happens to be THE HOLIEST MAN EVER TO SLAP IRON. Speech doesn't seem nearly as good (you can pass INT or CHA checks instead much of the time) so I think next time, instead of tagging it, I might just go with repair. Repair seems quite good.

[hinode]

FE Shadow Dragon: Up to chapter 16.  Party levels so far:

Level 15 Marth
Level 15 Freyr
Level 17 Abel
Level 15 Kain
Level 15 Sheeda
Level 15 Oguma
Level 16 Barts
Level 14 Julian
Level 20/2 Rena
Level 2 Beck (used mainly for the novelty/amusement value)

Healer exp is nuts, as you can see by this.  Wondering now if there's any merit to giving them higher levels, or at least weapon levels, in the DL.  We'll see how things shape up endgame, although I'm already deliberately refraining from having Rena attack units to save exp for others.  Also beginning to think Shooters don't deserve equal levels, since I don't think Beck's catching up anytime soon.

I need to remember to change Kain over to a Myrmidon before the next chapter; 11 speed isn't even remotely acceptable anymore, since even Rena (!!) has more now.  Sheeda has gotten disturbingly good magic gains as a Mage, 8 where she's only supposed to average 5.5.  Throw in a Spirit Dust for +2 magic and overkill speed and she's been way more effective as a nuke than she has any right to be.

[Dark Holy Elf]

FE10 - Up to the return to Micaiah. Haar apparently responded to my complaints about him, as his speed is recovering. Yay~

Meanwhile on Micaiah's force, my entire main team is promoted. (Unless Laura counts, because she's still Level 7 Cleric. <_<) Edward/Leo/Fiona, the less is said about the better. Just need to decide who gets Beastfoe.

[Lord Ephraim]

InB4FE9youmeanFE10

Star Ocean PSP: Welch get.  Don't like the lolification, but still amusing to use.  The rest of the game is just pretty much meh.  Too many random encounters and ambushes.  The Item Creation is still SO2 retarded, huge FAQ bait and money demanding.  Still, too easy to break the game.  Like the new cutscenes though.

Oh yeah, also finish MMXCM.  Everything that's not related to the battle system is total apathy inducing and pointless.  There's not enough "bad but mock worthy" MEGA MAN PLOT.  Just "here, defeat some robots with other robots with some robots backstabbing and other robots making over dramatic sacifices "  I read on the box that there's a MMX8 demo (nevermind I own the game >_>) but I never unlocked it.

[Luther Lansfeld]

The Aile portion was pretty hilariously bad. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO PUT YOUR HANDS ON AILE'S SOUL!!!

[Anthony Edward Stark]

Fallout 3- Liberty Prime is the goddamn man-bot.

EDIT: Holy shit that was an ending. THAT WAS A FUCKING ENDING.

And stop calling Amata "OFLA." She is, to be precise, Starter OFLA, and someone else is Closer OFLA.

[Grefter]

MMX8 demo is an unlock?  I thought it was on the menu from the start for the version I was playing.

[Clear Tranquil]

Thanks Djinn, Tal, Cid.

Growlanser HoW- Long game is long. Party is L46 now. Saved before the event where the key Pernagi makes is stolen. Tried to rush through the events after this morning but it was another full scale assault and not something to be rushed. Doing that just got my team slaughtered >.> Well I did manage to hang on until the point where conditions changed and the Commander had to retreat but by that point I had no Nectars left,  my mages were dead, Krious soon followed and there was no way my main was taking the rest of the enemies out on his own <.<

Damn Rufus' hair is shiny. Shiny, shiny, shiny. I want me some of that~

Edit - Aww nuts been reading a FAQ and it seems like I've missed out on the chance of recruiting Sherris ;_;

However the FAQ did confirm something I've been thinking about Rufus for a long time and I'm damn well making sure I don't screw *that* up.

[Sierra]

CT: Everyone's hair is shiny, really. It is the way of Urushihara. He doesn't acknowledge a world where people don't use four kinds of conditioner in the shower every morning.

Missing Sherris kinda sucks, yeah. She's an unremarkable PC, but hey, at least she's cute. Would definitely advise following a FAQ to make sure you don't miss the other optional chapters.

EDIT: Oh, thought I should add that I missed what one FAQ claimed was a prerequisite for the Sherris chapter (that is, getting people to sign up for her fan club) and was still able to unlock it. So you might want to try it anyway.

[Clear Tranquil]

Thanks~

Yeah it seems from what I remember of her in Randall's role that she's another fighter mage type like Melvina.

Everyone might have shiny hair but Rufus's hair is ... is aqua ... and ... and accessoried. As well as being shiny
*runs*

I did want to try Sherris out and I'll see what I can do about that before deciding on my final party. Fanille is a definite though. That much I know. Krious and Melvina will probably battle it out for the final spot.

Haven't really bothered with the fairy stuff so far mostly just been driving ahead with the game and buying new equipment when possible. Seem to make a lot of money but then spend it just as quickly >.> Before finishing off for the night one time I spent over 30'000 to max out Koren's agility and stamina, raised her focus quite substantially, had her master all but one of her flying techniques, entered the contest and she still lost to Nina <.< Yeah I reset~

[Sierra]

Yeah, you need close to maxed stats to get anywhere with the fairy contests. It's a major money drain.

[Talaysen]

It does get you Haschen's ultimate armor so I suggest doing it eventually.  I don't think there was a deadline for it.

PS: FAQ THE ULTIMATE EQUIPMENT.  JUST DO IT.

[AAA]

NG2-Beaten. 16 million points, 10 hours total. Not bad for a first try.

Game is better than NG1 in most ways, worse in a couple. The game is harder, but not immensely so, and healing at save points and numerous chances to buy items and other such things really help keep the game flowing. Even so, at the end I pretty much was just limping from save point to save point. Using other weapons than the True Dragon Sword is now actually a viable strategy, and the weapons are all satisfying in various ways. TDS has Flying Swallow, the claws are great when you need to get up close and bloody, the twin swords are the best at increasing your hit counter, and so on. Still, I ended up mostly sticking with the TDS after its final upgrade until the end of the game. The fact you also get to dual-wield it with the Blade of the Archfiend is just icing in the cake.

Bosses are...weird. Often I find myself getting slaughtered, trying again, and then beating the boss and only getting hit once or twice. I like that it's not an endurance test, but sometimes it feels like it's all up to what moves the boss does and doesn't do. The final..first form was way easy, second form I figured out in short order and just rushed the thing with all my items.

On the bad side, the camera. Way, way too many cheap deaths because I couldn't see where the enemies are. Far too many instances of completely losing bosses on the screen, only to have them sneak up on me and do a grab move for half my life bar or worse. It's terrible, plain and simple.

The storyline is silly fanservice, but I didn't really expect much more. I do like that when the Obligatory Potential Love Interest fucks up badly and gets kidnapped, then apologizes after being rescued, they don't do the standard 'it's okay' BS. Ryu's so pissed he barely even looks at her, and he's just like 'whatevs, bitch, stay here and stop getting in my way'

The combat is very smooth and fun, and I enjoyed pretty much everything the game threw at me. I will, eventually, get around to doing Path of the Mentor and Path of the Master Ninja, but that can wait.

Next up is GTA4 I guess. See you guys in a couple months.

[Dark Holy Elf]

Late, but the MMX8 demo is unlocked by an item that... I'd say you'd have to try to miss, but apparently not. Anyway, it's in Central Tower, right at the start of Chapter 2 (you can go back and get it, but with a copy of MMX8, I can't see why you'd bother).

[Excal]

FE10

Currently up to Geoffry's Charge.

Looking at the Dawn Brigade, Edward is continuing to stubbornly refuse to gain speed.  But, his Def is alright, and his Str is phenominal, so it's still alright for now.  Though, 17 Speed as a 20/2 Swordmaster feels a little off.  Aren, on the other hand...  currently has 20 Spd, 20 Str, 21 Def, 23 Skl, and is only a 20/3 Halbredier.  So, he kinda rocks.  Jill...  hasn't promoted yet and has only gained one level where she's gotten anything besides HP and Luck.

Moving on to Elincia's chapters, Nephenee seems to know about this challenger for the spot of top Spear user, and responded with an 8 point level to start, and followed that up with another two five point levels gaining Str/Spd/Def for both of them.  She also basically soloed the top path with one assist from Heather, and Leanne backing her up with Vigor support while the rest of my team took out the bottom path.  This meant Nephenee ate a Killer Lance out of the blue (Crit to the face and only about half her HP gone from it) and dusted the bowgunner, while Brom took the other Killer Lance (and rightly blocked it with his shield).

[TranceHime]

Knights in the Nightmare: Defeated Melissa the 3rd, also Daudalos the Beast King. Scene 22 set-up.

Ketsui Death Label: Significant accomplishments -

Name トランスひめ / Mode Single Play / Course Very Hard / Player Type-B / Score 496196440 (CLEAR)
Name トランスひめ / Mode Single Play / Course Doom Mode / Player Type-A / Score 104011470 (Stg 3)

[Niu]

Knights in the Nightmare: Defeated Melissa the 3rd, also Daudalos the Beast King. Scene 22 set-up.

Remeber on scene 23, you break the floor on the far lower right corner, twice. The floor is an invisible target, as in it looks like an empty floor without breakable object. You break it like you break normal breakable object, culminate damage up to 100% (but being an invisible target, you can see the percentage of the damage) and hit it with warrior class, and it only appears to be broken after you break. After breaking it twice, a stair should appear on that panel. By that, you can enter scene 23.5 after scene 23, and in scene 23.5, make sure you find Holy Staff Ancaljia, reset whenever you see a chest got destroyed. You need Ancaljia to get the good end.

[Captain K.]

BvS:  Finished Burgerninja.  Had to do the final mission 6 times to pass the Taijutsu portion of it.  Kept failing by 1 or 2 successes.

Back to rune-farming today, and finally got my first two non-worthless runes:  Wolf and Mantis.  I already had the materials to make Solid Shades saved up, so I made that right away.  Unfortunately I don't have any hides or indestructible threads, so I'll have to Hunt the Wampus for quite a while.

Also, punting people into joining Champions village again.  We only need two more people to join so we can get the Enticement Altar and start some explosive growth.

[superaielman]

Soul Nomad- DQ4's wrapped up (Don't want to finish up the last tiny bit with getting all of Psaro's gear), and I'm currently in between jobs in a literal sense, so time to start this back up.

[Shale]

SRWZ: Stage 52, and the game is dumping stuff on me by the truckload. Moonlight Butterfly, G-Bits and Tifa (which I lucked into thanks to SR Point perfectionism), Brunhilde, Overheat and Assault Type Aquarion in the last three stages, and that wasn't long after I got the Biosensor attacks for Zeta. Coming in the next level: Big O Final Stage, the Final Dynamic Special, and God Sigma Gravion. Awesome.

Edit: And a new P ALL finisher for God Sigma. Because, y'know, the really powerful armor-breaking one wasn't good enough.

[Mad Fnorder]

BvS: 
Also, punting people into joining Champions village again.  We only need two more people to join so we can get the Enticement Altar and start some explosive growth.

Free Fireworks Launcher or Golden Potion if you join. I'll mail it to you myself. Quietrain, you're entitled to one if you want, just tell me which.

[Xeroma]

Valkyrie Profile DS - Played some of this. Seems fun and quite different from the previous two VPs, more... SRPG. Wilfred is weird. More on this later.

[AndrewRogue]

I'll apply to Champions once I get some cash for swapping over.

[Tide]

SSBB: Mm...brawl is like my stress reliever in school. Because the moments in the game when playing against people are so awesome or so stupid that they just make you smile. Pretty much all I've been playing in the past 2 months. Some highlights of the best matches we've had (between Tal/Finali/Eph mostly. Some with Pyro, some with my other friends)

10. Green hill zone between myself/Finali/Tal. Around a minute into the fight, I kill Finali with a Reverse Falcon PAWNCH. Then hit Tal with a standard Falcon PAWNCH. And then to top it off, aerial Falcon PAWNCH intercept against Wolf's Booster Pack. 3 Falcon PAWNCH hits in 10 seconds.

9. Smashville between Tal and Eph and myself. I somehow kill Tal with a Banana Peel.

8. Final Destination between Tal and Eph. Eph gets a Smash Ball with Peach and puts people to sleep. Then a random gooey bomb appears right in front of him as he tries to hit Tal. Death. Lots of Taunting ensues.

7. Sudden Death between Tal and myself on Hanenbow. I kill Tal with Raptor Boost - then promptly fall to my death and die first. Epic.

6. Super Mario bros. stage. 1v1 warm up match before Finali got on between Tal and me. He kills me and I go for a reverse Falcon PAWNCH on a sidestepper. Seems pointless - until said Sidestepper bounces off the roof and somehow hits Tal (also game winning point!)

5. Smashville between Pyro and Tal. I pull out G&Ws BANHAMMER 9s all over the place for massive hax. Specifically 3 times in the match. First one kills Tal. Second one kills both Tal and Pyro. Third one kills Pyro. It also hit Tal, but he was saved by Pyro hitting him shortly after.

4. Delfino Plaza between Eph/Tal and myself. Eph goes for Sonic's dive kick right in front of banana peel that Tal threw, slips and gets Ganon PAWNCH'd, dying. Best assist kill ever next to Gale Boomerang assist.

3. Pokemon stadium against one of my other friends. He does Ike's quick draw in the air. I threw the gale boomerang like 1 second before hand. It flies underneath him and somehow manages to drag him off the platform. Hilarious 0% kill.

2. Spear Pillar. Dialga inserts slow down effect. Just for a fun, I pull a reverse Falcon PAWNCH, thinking there's no way it will hit. And somehow I manage to hit Tal with it. Then to top it off? I connect with the Knee of doom before the slow down ends.

1. Sudden death between Tal and me. I pull a Falcon Punch just as a bomb appears between both of us. Explodes and kill us both in practically the same time.

[Hunter Sopko]

TotA: Got to just before the Dao Ruins. Sidetracked to Chesedonia to equip up and then wandered around to get more money for equipment. After that trek, headed to Din's Shop... ended up getting a Bastard Sword, Trident and a Killer Bow... 3 500+ power weapons in one shot when the best I can buy are ~170... plus some other good weapons. So between those, selling off the stuff I didn't need, I was able to fully outfit my party there... the ruins should be a snap.