Okay, 2009 has just started, and already things have been wild. Obama becomes president, and history is made in doing so. I discover Lunar, and fall in love with another video RPG. I start buying Evangelion manga, so that way, I don't have to keep going to the bookstore to, uh, sample it anymore. (And so the publishers finally get their monies' worth from me.) And, to top it all off, I found that Code Geass fanfic, and finally have something CG-related to enjoy. I even capped off my finishing of the last completed chapter by downloading a CG wallpaper! Of course, trying to find a wallpaper of a character was doesn't look really weird was a little tricky. There's only three characters in the franchise that are worthy of CLAMP: Schneizel, (Come on, I'm a guy, and even I think he's a stud!) some chick I don't know named Kaguya, and . . . someone else. The third party is my current wallpaper. Care to guess who it is?
OH NO! NOT EUPHIE!
Yeah, it's pretty obvious, if you remember my previous post. The wallpaper I downloaded had some comments about it. I think there's some guys out there stealing my vocabulary again. One comment said something like, "KAWAII! Euphie-chan is so pretty! *hugs* She's just so cute and pretty!"
Listen, male users of the internet; only I get to describe lovely girls with terms other than, "smexy", "hot", or "someone whose bones I'd like to jump"! That's part of my gig! Risking sounding like a girl to indulge in whatever feminine sensitivities I have! In fact, that almost sounds like something I can do in character!
You know something? I notice she has some rather large bosoms. But they don't look fake. But, ya know, just because she has large breasts doesn't mean she's a slut. I really hate that stereotype, "large-busted women are promiscuous." That's not true of all busty women, certainly not Euphie. Why, she's a princess! A lady! And since they look real, I can say, she's so pretty!
*bleep bloop*
("Oh, beauteous madams!" Describe a female human with terms other than "smexy", "hot", or "someone whose bones I'd like to jump." 30G.)
But like I've said before, I really don't care about breast size. Small, large, medium, medium-to-large, it's fine by me, so long as they are real.
Anyways, I'm now curious to see what February has in store for me. Who knows, at this rate, I'll probably play Halo 3, and run around declaring Master Chief one of my homeboys . . .
Monday, January 26, 2009
It's getting mighty cold below the surface
Ladies and gentlemen, Hell has officially frozen over. Starting yesterday, I discovered a fanfic and finished reading what was completed so far not too long ago. It is fantastic. I'll link you there in a moment. But guess what it's a fanfic of.
"I don't know, Fullmetal Alchemist?"
Nope. I have a policy against reading fanfics based off franchises that already have perfect canons, remember?
"Oh. Okay, Bleach. You've been enamored with a Bleach fanfic."
No.
"uh, a Slayers fanfic?"
You're getting warmer.
"A Halo 'fic?"
Warmer.
"Sailor Moon?"
Warmer.
"Code Geass?"
That's right; I've been reading a Code Geass fanfic. Notice I'm not censoring the name, "Code Geass."
" . . . . . Oh, I get it! You're reading a parody of Code Geass! Yeah! One where Lulu is a whore of Japanese culture, who supports them because he thinks Nippon Ichi, and that the island nation is sugoi, and that Japanese girls are kawaii, and Suzaku is little more than a Japanese version of Revolver Ocelot, Nunnally is a blazing Mary Sue of Sue-ness, and Schneizel is too sexy for everyone else, and . . ."
It's not a parody. There's little humor in it. The 'fic I've been reading can be classified as action/drama.
" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . holy shit."
Code Geass: Lelouch of Britannia. By Cal reflector. I saw it recommended by tvtropes. Here's the synopsis: it is an altenate universe fic where Lulu and Nunnally haven't been stripped of their royal status since their mother was assassinated. It starts several years before the timeline of the anime version's timeline. In the last completed chapter, Lulu is just about to travel to Japan.
Praise from a troper, "The author takes a far more in-depth look at Britannia than the one provided by the show, and does an amazing job of fusing together British and American traditions and references. It introduces and makes sympathetic all of my favorite Britannians, and in general is simply a great read, even if you aren't a Code Geass fan." That's what caught my attention, "even if you aren't a Code Geass fan." Well, suffice to say I like this 'fic. More praise includes, "Amazing story. Any story that can believably make Kewell likable and deep is really something" I didn't know who that was supposed to be before I read this 'fic, but Kewell is a much more fleshed out character than Wikipedia would have you believe.
My own praise; this 'fic cuts out most of the bullshit, fanservice, and mindless filler that pervaded the anime, and replaces it with more substantial content and more complex characterizations. Scenes in the 'fic parallel events in the anime series, perhaps foreshadowing Lulu's future in Japan. It is an alternate reality fic, though, so it isn't tied to the anime's canon, but is its own. There's a few new characters in it, but so far, none of the original characters are intrusive of the narrative. The other characters don't feel OOC, even if this is an alternate reality. The author admits to having favoritism for Cornelia, so she seems nicer and more sympathetic here than in the anime (from what I remember of the anime version), but she stills feels like the Cornelia I remember. None of the Japanese characters have surfaced yet, and a few others haven't appeared, although Lloyd may be appearing very soon . . . I'll be keeping my eye on this one.
My only complaint is this 'fic is written like a light novel. No problem in that, except the author usually doesn't identity the speaker in dialog passages. It does get confusing at times, "Wait, who's talking, Lelouch, or Jeremiah? I can't tell!" That's the only flaw I've found. Other than that, try it out.
So, it seems I have become an unorthodox fan of something again. Well, that's what happens when you think outside the box.
P.S. Although the descriptions of the characters are similar to the anime's, (Lulu still has black hair, purple eyes, light skin, and a slight frame) I don't have to visualize them looking like the actual CLAMP art, but more like, I can visualize them looking like better versions of the official art. Huh. No wonder Euphie seems a lot cuter than I remember. No, I was not thinking pervy thoughts! GAWD!
"I don't know, Fullmetal Alchemist?"
Nope. I have a policy against reading fanfics based off franchises that already have perfect canons, remember?
"Oh. Okay, Bleach. You've been enamored with a Bleach fanfic."
No.
"uh, a Slayers fanfic?"
You're getting warmer.
"A Halo 'fic?"
Warmer.
"Sailor Moon?"
Warmer.
"Code Geass?"
That's right; I've been reading a Code Geass fanfic. Notice I'm not censoring the name, "Code Geass."
" . . . . . Oh, I get it! You're reading a parody of Code Geass! Yeah! One where Lulu is a whore of Japanese culture, who supports them because he thinks Nippon Ichi, and that the island nation is sugoi, and that Japanese girls are kawaii, and Suzaku is little more than a Japanese version of Revolver Ocelot, Nunnally is a blazing Mary Sue of Sue-ness, and Schneizel is too sexy for everyone else, and . . ."
It's not a parody. There's little humor in it. The 'fic I've been reading can be classified as action/drama.
" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . holy shit."
Code Geass: Lelouch of Britannia. By Cal reflector. I saw it recommended by tvtropes. Here's the synopsis: it is an altenate universe fic where Lulu and Nunnally haven't been stripped of their royal status since their mother was assassinated. It starts several years before the timeline of the anime version's timeline. In the last completed chapter, Lulu is just about to travel to Japan.
Praise from a troper, "The author takes a far more in-depth look at Britannia than the one provided by the show, and does an amazing job of fusing together British and American traditions and references. It introduces and makes sympathetic all of my favorite Britannians, and in general is simply a great read, even if you aren't a Code Geass fan." That's what caught my attention, "even if you aren't a Code Geass fan." Well, suffice to say I like this 'fic. More praise includes, "Amazing story. Any story that can believably make Kewell likable and deep is really something" I didn't know who that was supposed to be before I read this 'fic, but Kewell is a much more fleshed out character than Wikipedia would have you believe.
My own praise; this 'fic cuts out most of the bullshit, fanservice, and mindless filler that pervaded the anime, and replaces it with more substantial content and more complex characterizations. Scenes in the 'fic parallel events in the anime series, perhaps foreshadowing Lulu's future in Japan. It is an alternate reality fic, though, so it isn't tied to the anime's canon, but is its own. There's a few new characters in it, but so far, none of the original characters are intrusive of the narrative. The other characters don't feel OOC, even if this is an alternate reality. The author admits to having favoritism for Cornelia, so she seems nicer and more sympathetic here than in the anime (from what I remember of the anime version), but she stills feels like the Cornelia I remember. None of the Japanese characters have surfaced yet, and a few others haven't appeared, although Lloyd may be appearing very soon . . . I'll be keeping my eye on this one.
My only complaint is this 'fic is written like a light novel. No problem in that, except the author usually doesn't identity the speaker in dialog passages. It does get confusing at times, "Wait, who's talking, Lelouch, or Jeremiah? I can't tell!" That's the only flaw I've found. Other than that, try it out.
So, it seems I have become an unorthodox fan of something again. Well, that's what happens when you think outside the box.
P.S. Although the descriptions of the characters are similar to the anime's, (Lulu still has black hair, purple eyes, light skin, and a slight frame) I don't have to visualize them looking like the actual CLAMP art, but more like, I can visualize them looking like better versions of the official art. Huh. No wonder Euphie seems a lot cuter than I remember. No, I was not thinking pervy thoughts! GAWD!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
I need more Xbox Live points
Must not gush over Lunar, must not gush over Lunar, must not gush over Lunar.
So, to score myself points, at my own amusement, I must do things in character I haven't already done since I got my 360. I know! I'll talk about the best 360 game I've played so far; Tales of Vesperia.
And maybe I'll also do a little VOICEOVER TRIVIA!
*bleep bloop*
["Hail (name of VA)!" Impress your readers with your knowledge of voice actors and actresses. 15G]
Well, it's safe to say that TOV has the best voice-acting I've heard in a Tales game yet. And who can blame my gushing? One of the playable heroines in your party is played by Michelle Ruff. Michelle Ruff, peoples! I can count the number of roles she's played on ten fingers, and still have fingers left over! Not only that, but Rita really comes to life, thanks to her vocals! And also, one of the villains in the game is played by Liam O'Brien, much like in Tales of the Abyss. He doesn't sound quite as delightfully evil as Dist in TOTA was, but he still does the "creepy nobleman" voice to perfection. And Flynn is voiced by Sam Regal, who does a good job here. When I think of him, I think of Taniguchi or Minoru Shiraishi, as in comedy roles, but he can also do more serious characters well. Oh, and there's this one character, Duke, whose VA is Jamieson Price. He plays deep-voiced characters, such as Chad from Bleach, Norb from Eureka Seven, and the Spiral King from Gurren Lagaan. He sounds really cool in this game, too.
There's other voices I didn't recognize 'til I read a credits list. The main hero, Yuri, is played by Troy Baker. He's . . . not quite as god-like as he was when he played Abel Knightroad in Trinity Blood, (one of my favorite performances ever, voiceover or otherwise) but I like how he doesn't sound like most other RPG mains. He's got a cool voice, and he's sarcastic in the role. Karol, a boy character, is played by actress Wendee Lee, who actually does a passable job faking a little boy's voice. Estelle, another party member, is played by Hynden Walch. I totally can't tell it's her; she sounds so different from her takes on Nia from GL and Yutaka from Lucky Star respectively. And Zagi, one of the villains, is played by Vic Mignogna, which I think is actually one of his better performances. You really get a feel for just how batshit insane his character is. According to my sources, there's also characters also played by Spike Spencer, Stephanie Sheh, Megan Hollingshead, and Kate Higgins. Damn. If that's not an impressive lineup of talent, I don't know what is.
The acting in TOV is slightly better than TOTA's, is much better than the acting in Tales of Legendia, and is a hell of a lot better than the 'acting' in Tales of Eternia. So, at this rate, the next game's acting quality should be able to rival that of a LucasArts adventure game. Excellent.
So, to score myself points, at my own amusement, I must do things in character I haven't already done since I got my 360. I know! I'll talk about the best 360 game I've played so far; Tales of Vesperia.
And maybe I'll also do a little VOICEOVER TRIVIA!
*bleep bloop*
["Hail (name of VA)!" Impress your readers with your knowledge of voice actors and actresses. 15G]
Well, it's safe to say that TOV has the best voice-acting I've heard in a Tales game yet. And who can blame my gushing? One of the playable heroines in your party is played by Michelle Ruff. Michelle Ruff, peoples! I can count the number of roles she's played on ten fingers, and still have fingers left over! Not only that, but Rita really comes to life, thanks to her vocals! And also, one of the villains in the game is played by Liam O'Brien, much like in Tales of the Abyss. He doesn't sound quite as delightfully evil as Dist in TOTA was, but he still does the "creepy nobleman" voice to perfection. And Flynn is voiced by Sam Regal, who does a good job here. When I think of him, I think of Taniguchi or Minoru Shiraishi, as in comedy roles, but he can also do more serious characters well. Oh, and there's this one character, Duke, whose VA is Jamieson Price. He plays deep-voiced characters, such as Chad from Bleach, Norb from Eureka Seven, and the Spiral King from Gurren Lagaan. He sounds really cool in this game, too.
There's other voices I didn't recognize 'til I read a credits list. The main hero, Yuri, is played by Troy Baker. He's . . . not quite as god-like as he was when he played Abel Knightroad in Trinity Blood, (one of my favorite performances ever, voiceover or otherwise) but I like how he doesn't sound like most other RPG mains. He's got a cool voice, and he's sarcastic in the role. Karol, a boy character, is played by actress Wendee Lee, who actually does a passable job faking a little boy's voice. Estelle, another party member, is played by Hynden Walch. I totally can't tell it's her; she sounds so different from her takes on Nia from GL and Yutaka from Lucky Star respectively. And Zagi, one of the villains, is played by Vic Mignogna, which I think is actually one of his better performances. You really get a feel for just how batshit insane his character is. According to my sources, there's also characters also played by Spike Spencer, Stephanie Sheh, Megan Hollingshead, and Kate Higgins. Damn. If that's not an impressive lineup of talent, I don't know what is.
The acting in TOV is slightly better than TOTA's, is much better than the acting in Tales of Legendia, and is a hell of a lot better than the 'acting' in Tales of Eternia. So, at this rate, the next game's acting quality should be able to rival that of a LucasArts adventure game. Excellent.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Why don't people tell me these things!?
Like, "Hey xm, I think you'd really like Lunar SSSC!" Nobody tells me these things!
Then again, you know what it is about Lunar that keeps me coming back for more? Its charm. It is more charming than most other videogames. The game's charm reminds me of games like Megaman Legends, the Kirby games, Dragon Quest 8, and the Monkey Island games. Lunar, like these other games, is simply delightful! Nall is a lot like my good friend Kero-chan, except in addition to saying funny one-liners and making cute faces, he also flirts with every girl you encounter, and makes retro '90's pop culture references! (Too bad those references are a little outdated.) Alex is not an emotionally disturbed badass like most RPG main heroes, but is a likable young boy with adventure, and love, in his heart. Luna is a cute girl who tells things like it is, yet her constant worrying for Alex makes her all that more adorable. And Nash, oh Nash.
Still, charming as it is, I noticed that leveling up takes quite a bit of time. Especially considering that battles usually take a while to finish. Also, some of the voice-acting is, a little weak. Mia and Jessica don't sound very convincing, and the main villain only sounds cool whenever he's doing his evil laugh. Still, considering that it was a game that didn't draw "big names" in acting, (be they celebrity actors or VAs that only scholars like me can recognize) it's good enough. If anything, it's the dialog that really stands out. It's certainly not like the (actual, not fan-made) translations for most SNES era games, for it's more legible than those games. (Word of note: the only actual SNES RPG script that I think is superbly translated, even by today's standards, is Chrono Trigger. I shouldn't be surprised, really.)
And though the boss fights are still way tough, at least I'm more used to fighting the bosses now, so they seem less hectic. RPG veterans, take note: play Lunar SSSC if you can. You just might like it.
Consider yourself lucky that I'm sparing you my fanboyish raving for Lunar. For now.
Then again, you know what it is about Lunar that keeps me coming back for more? Its charm. It is more charming than most other videogames. The game's charm reminds me of games like Megaman Legends, the Kirby games, Dragon Quest 8, and the Monkey Island games. Lunar, like these other games, is simply delightful! Nall is a lot like my good friend Kero-chan, except in addition to saying funny one-liners and making cute faces, he also flirts with every girl you encounter, and makes retro '90's pop culture references! (Too bad those references are a little outdated.) Alex is not an emotionally disturbed badass like most RPG main heroes, but is a likable young boy with adventure, and love, in his heart. Luna is a cute girl who tells things like it is, yet her constant worrying for Alex makes her all that more adorable. And Nash, oh Nash.
Still, charming as it is, I noticed that leveling up takes quite a bit of time. Especially considering that battles usually take a while to finish. Also, some of the voice-acting is, a little weak. Mia and Jessica don't sound very convincing, and the main villain only sounds cool whenever he's doing his evil laugh. Still, considering that it was a game that didn't draw "big names" in acting, (be they celebrity actors or VAs that only scholars like me can recognize) it's good enough. If anything, it's the dialog that really stands out. It's certainly not like the (actual, not fan-made) translations for most SNES era games, for it's more legible than those games. (Word of note: the only actual SNES RPG script that I think is superbly translated, even by today's standards, is Chrono Trigger. I shouldn't be surprised, really.)
And though the boss fights are still way tough, at least I'm more used to fighting the bosses now, so they seem less hectic. RPG veterans, take note: play Lunar SSSC if you can. You just might like it.
Consider yourself lucky that I'm sparing you my fanboyish raving for Lunar. For now.
Friday, January 16, 2009
It's Lunar-tastic!
So, you may be wondering, what inspired me to download Lunar? Well, I blame tvtropes.
Tvtropes has a page called, "Crowning Music of Awesome." I like to go there and check the youtube links. I got down to the section with Lunar music, and one link was to a cutscene that plays, "The Boat Song." I remember reading about Lunar SSSC on a website, and that this "boat scene" was the most famous cutscene in the game. So I watched it.
I was so happy.
No, I didn't cry. Although I'm sure others have. Seeing that video is what inspired me to download the game. Now earlier today, I saw "The Boat Scene" in the actual game today. It's so romantic. Video games are almost never romantic. I can count the number of games with good love stories on one hand. Well, Lunar might be changing that.
However, there is something about this game I would warn you about. It has difficult bosses. You know, like in Lost Odyssey, the minor foes are no big deal, but the bosses, even the "weaker" ones, will whip your ass if you don't know what you're doing. On top of that, in Lunar, the bosses will always be the same level as your lead character. Minor enemies don't level up, but bosses do. Oh joy. It was hard enough just beating the first boss.
But it's worth it, though! The game's just so much fun, and I love the story so much! I can't help myself!
Tvtropes has a page called, "Crowning Music of Awesome." I like to go there and check the youtube links. I got down to the section with Lunar music, and one link was to a cutscene that plays, "The Boat Song." I remember reading about Lunar SSSC on a website, and that this "boat scene" was the most famous cutscene in the game. So I watched it.
I was so happy.
No, I didn't cry. Although I'm sure others have. Seeing that video is what inspired me to download the game. Now earlier today, I saw "The Boat Scene" in the actual game today. It's so romantic. Video games are almost never romantic. I can count the number of games with good love stories on one hand. Well, Lunar might be changing that.
However, there is something about this game I would warn you about. It has difficult bosses. You know, like in Lost Odyssey, the minor foes are no big deal, but the bosses, even the "weaker" ones, will whip your ass if you don't know what you're doing. On top of that, in Lunar, the bosses will always be the same level as your lead character. Minor enemies don't level up, but bosses do. Oh joy. It was hard enough just beating the first boss.
But it's worth it, though! The game's just so much fun, and I love the story so much! I can't help myself!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
First impressions of a game for a system I thought I didn't like
So, Lunar SSSC. It's proven rather interesting. The graphics are decent. The story is basic, yet full of heart. It's light, has lovable characters, and amusing dialog. The music, as I've already said, is splendid. The voiceovers are above-average, which is remarkable, considering that most PS1-era games did not. (Tales of Eternia . . . why?) I like the battle system. It's turned based like the one in the original Final Fantasy, yet you have to move around to attack if you're using a melee weapon. A little bit of strategy in this one.
Now then, most importantly, do I like this game? Is it fun? Yes, it is. Although, that's putting it mildly. I have but one word to describe my feelings for the PS1 version of the original Lunar:
LOVE!!!!!
I love this game! I love just about everything about it! This is a game that defines the term, "classic"! This is a game that functions both as a fun diversion, and as an artistic game at once! Yes, when I argue that games can function as works of art, I'll be sure to cite Lunar, because I just love it so much! And I love Luna's voice; such gift of song, makes my heart weep with joy!
"AAAGGGHHHH!!!! He's gone fanboyish over something new for him! And he's just started this game, too! How can we hope to endure the side of you that is a Love Freak for this long!?"
Oh, simple. Enjoy the game yourself, even if you haven't or can't play it. Join me, as I indulge in my newfound love of Lunar!
Yes, I am aware of the fact that I also love Mother 3, yet can't seem to find myself to become enthusiastic for that like I do Lunar. I can't explain it either. It's almost like when I played Tales of Phantasia for the first time. Oh yes, now those are pleasant memories . . .
Now then, most importantly, do I like this game? Is it fun? Yes, it is. Although, that's putting it mildly. I have but one word to describe my feelings for the PS1 version of the original Lunar:
LOVE!!!!!
I love this game! I love just about everything about it! This is a game that defines the term, "classic"! This is a game that functions both as a fun diversion, and as an artistic game at once! Yes, when I argue that games can function as works of art, I'll be sure to cite Lunar, because I just love it so much! And I love Luna's voice; such gift of song, makes my heart weep with joy!
"AAAGGGHHHH!!!! He's gone fanboyish over something new for him! And he's just started this game, too! How can we hope to endure the side of you that is a Love Freak for this long!?"
Oh, simple. Enjoy the game yourself, even if you haven't or can't play it. Join me, as I indulge in my newfound love of Lunar!
Yes, I am aware of the fact that I also love Mother 3, yet can't seem to find myself to become enthusiastic for that like I do Lunar. I can't explain it either. It's almost like when I played Tales of Phantasia for the first time. Oh yes, now those are pleasant memories . . .
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
"Exactly, heh heh heh! D'oh!"
Dude, I should use more Simpsons quotes for titles.
So hey, I got so see volume 5 of Lucky Star in English over youtube. The later episodes are funnier. Also, Kagami makes a mockery of moe girls; I laugh.
Also, since it's still the first week of school, I don't have any homework . . . yet. So today, I did something. I downloaded a game for my PS1 emulator.
"Uh, dude. You have an Xbox 360 now. WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU DOWNLOADING GAMES FOR A SYSTEM YOU DIDN'T EVEN LIKE!?!?!"
Whoa, easy there, cowboy. My . . . methods of emulation are free, whereas many 360 games are still full price. Besides, you'll wanna know what I downloaded.
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete.
Haven't played too far into it, but I like it so far. The voice-acting is pretty good, despite not being done by professional VAs. But the music, MY GAWD! THE MUSIC!
I also downloaded the whole game's soundtrack. It was worth it.
So when I don't feel like playing Kung Fu Panda on my 360, I can play the PS1 version of Lunar SSSC now. Aren't I a lucky guy?
So hey, I got so see volume 5 of Lucky Star in English over youtube. The later episodes are funnier. Also, Kagami makes a mockery of moe girls; I laugh.
Also, since it's still the first week of school, I don't have any homework . . . yet. So today, I did something. I downloaded a game for my PS1 emulator.
"Uh, dude. You have an Xbox 360 now. WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU DOWNLOADING GAMES FOR A SYSTEM YOU DIDN'T EVEN LIKE!?!?!"
Whoa, easy there, cowboy. My . . . methods of emulation are free, whereas many 360 games are still full price. Besides, you'll wanna know what I downloaded.
Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete.
Haven't played too far into it, but I like it so far. The voice-acting is pretty good, despite not being done by professional VAs. But the music, MY GAWD! THE MUSIC!
I also downloaded the whole game's soundtrack. It was worth it.
So when I don't feel like playing Kung Fu Panda on my 360, I can play the PS1 version of Lunar SSSC now. Aren't I a lucky guy?
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Live from Central Command
So I hear there's a new Fullmetal Alchemist anime coming out. It'll be a separate continuity from the manga and the older anime series. It'll follow the manga series more closely. I ask, why are they doing this? Shouldn't they wait until after the manga is finished before trying again? Or is the manga nearing completion in Japan? Oh whatever. This idea has intrigued me. Although I prefer the FMA manga over the older (yeah, it's old alright. Came out in 2003, just earlier this decade! Damn, that's old! That's when anime series were at the top of their game!) anime series, there is one major advantage the anime holds; the fight scenes look better. And now that the newer anime is gonna be truer to the manga, I would like to see how some of the action sequences look on film.
And it wouldn't surprise me if this new FMA anime eventually got released in America, complete with English dubbing. I'm assuming Funimation will dub it again. I wonder who will play the characters that haven't appeared in an anime yet. I'm sure the dub will be top rate once more; post-DBGT dubs by Funi are almost always superb, from my observations. (LATE EDIT: yeah, if you don't count Darker Than Black and Rebuild of Evangelion, but my future self digresses.)
But, to pass the time, I went back and re-read some of my FMA manga novels. I gotta be honest about something; FMA is marketed as a shonen serial. The earlier volumes certainly feel like one, despite being a lot smarter than your average shonen. But, the more recent volumes, it feels more like seinen. It seems like, from volume 8 and onwards, FMA feels mature enough to be a seinen series, not shonen. Well, juvenile (yet effective) sense of humor aside, FMA just doesn't feel like a shonen series as of the present. Of course, this isn't to knock on shonen serials in any way, but the overall mood and complexity would have me thinking that FMA is more for young adults rather then teens. And the later episodes of the older anime, again, feels way more serious than a typical shonen series.
Well, in any case, May 2009 is still a ways off, and it helps to review the older chapters. Well, that, and re-reading certain scenes is a lot of fun. Then again, FMA is the motherfucking shiznit. And I would like to watch the newer FMA, because anything with my homeboys staight outta Resembool has to be kickass, am I right?
And it wouldn't surprise me if this new FMA anime eventually got released in America, complete with English dubbing. I'm assuming Funimation will dub it again. I wonder who will play the characters that haven't appeared in an anime yet. I'm sure the dub will be top rate once more; post-DBGT dubs by Funi are almost always superb, from my observations. (LATE EDIT: yeah, if you don't count Darker Than Black and Rebuild of Evangelion, but my future self digresses.)
But, to pass the time, I went back and re-read some of my FMA manga novels. I gotta be honest about something; FMA is marketed as a shonen serial. The earlier volumes certainly feel like one, despite being a lot smarter than your average shonen. But, the more recent volumes, it feels more like seinen. It seems like, from volume 8 and onwards, FMA feels mature enough to be a seinen series, not shonen. Well, juvenile (yet effective) sense of humor aside, FMA just doesn't feel like a shonen series as of the present. Of course, this isn't to knock on shonen serials in any way, but the overall mood and complexity would have me thinking that FMA is more for young adults rather then teens. And the later episodes of the older anime, again, feels way more serious than a typical shonen series.
Well, in any case, May 2009 is still a ways off, and it helps to review the older chapters. Well, that, and re-reading certain scenes is a lot of fun. Then again, FMA is the motherfucking shiznit. And I would like to watch the newer FMA, because anything with my homeboys staight outta Resembool has to be kickass, am I right?
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Oh ye gods, no!
I'm going back to school tomorrow. Because of that, don't expect me to update as frequently.
Well, 2009 is underway, and . . . I can't seem to think of anything to write again. Man, I hate writer's block. Well, uh, since I'm a member of tvtropes now, I've been going there a lot.
Actually, I will tell you one thing. My Evangelion fanfic? That was only part one.
*insert Shinji screaming maniacally*
In other news, throughout the years, I've had dreams at night. Most of my dreams don't make any sense whatsoever. However, I've had a few dreams that have classic moments. Let me tell you some of them.
Well, 2009 is underway, and . . . I can't seem to think of anything to write again. Man, I hate writer's block. Well, uh, since I'm a member of tvtropes now, I've been going there a lot.
Actually, I will tell you one thing. My Evangelion fanfic? That was only part one.
*insert Shinji screaming maniacally*
In other news, throughout the years, I've had dreams at night. Most of my dreams don't make any sense whatsoever. However, I've had a few dreams that have classic moments. Let me tell you some of them.
- During my early teen years, I had a dream where I was a tour guide. I was doing normal tour guiding, when all of a sudden, I blurted out loud, "HEY LOOK EVERYBODY! IT'S MEWTWO!" And to my right was a Mewtwo plushie. In the gift shop. All the tourists looked disappointed. I reluctantly admitted, "Wait, um, that's just a pokemon accessory."
- One time, I had a dream that I was at a McDonald's. What's interesting is I saw myself from a third-person perspective. As in, the "camera" was not from my eyes, but from somewhere else. In this case, the "camera" was behind the cash register, looking at me. The manager asks to take my order. I say, "I'll have a quarter pounder with cheese, a large fry, and a medium coke." At that precise moment, someone jumps up from beneath the counter on my side and shouts, "AND I'LL HAVE ONE OF EVERYTHING!" Who could be so short as to have to jump up to the counter to order, yet have enough of an appetite to order one of everything? I knew the answer right away. "Kirby, is that you!? Well it's a small world after all!" Kirby and I sat down and had lunch. We talked about things. Kirb mentioned that someone made "A horrible anime about me." It was great.
- A few years ago, I dreamt I was playing Megaman Legends 2. This was well after the PS1's reign was over, (I didn't own a copy of MML2 until 2005.) A friend of mine from school walks in and says, "What are you playing a PS1 game for? I thought you said the Playstation sucks!" I said, "I did. But for this game, I made an exception." The guy leaves. Then, my mind starts talking to me. My mind speaks in my own voice. It says, "You lied to him. You lied, because you didn't want him to know the real reason you're playing Megaman Legends 2. You didn't tell him that the real reason you're playing this game is because Tron Bonne is in it, and that, you love her. What's the matter? Are you scared of what would happen if he knew the truth?" I became startled, a la Norman Bates, hearing my own subconscious tear right through me like that. Yes, this is how I coped with my first crush on a fictitious character, peoples.
- One time, I had a dream that played from a first-person perspective, as usual. I was trying not to fall into this open pit. Unfortunately, I did. When I hit the bottom, I set off some landmines. My body stopped moving. The last thing I heard? "Beep beep beep, beep beep, beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep" *silence* (In case you don't get it, that's the sound you hear whenever you die in Half-Life.)
- Getting back to my early teen years, I had a dream in my hometown. It was late at night. I was stargazing with a friend of mine. We look up, and we see something, moving. My friend says, "Hey look, a plane!" I look up, but it's definitely not a plane. I correct him, "That's not a plane; that's Superman." My friend says, "Oh. Well, what's he doing outside of Metropolis?" As my friend pondered this, the image became much more clear. I then knew what it really was, "Wait, that's not a plane, and it's not a superhero either! It's a bird!" The bird was now as clear as day. I shouted, "Why, it's Lugia!" And sure enough, the Pokebird of legend was soaring through the night sky, as brilliant as the Pleiades star cluster! It's a thing I'll remember forever.
- And now for a revelation. (Although I kinda already mentioned this in a very early post, but now it's official.) Once, I dreamt about watching a tv show with two friends. The show went to a commercial. To pass the time, we all close our eyes and daydream. My two friends daydream about humping a chick with huge boobs. I daydreamed about being at an elegant ball, dressed in a black tuxedo. The live band began playing a waltz I like. I got up, and looked to see if anyone wanted to dance with me. I found someone, a young girl in a white dress. She had luscious black hair, beautiful black eyes, and such grace! We danced to the waltz . . . before the show came back on. That waltz I like? A variation of Eyes on Me. And that girl? Rinoa Heartilly. From Final Fantasy VIII. One of the few fictional girls that's not anime-esque that I have a crush on. WHAT!? She's the prettiest video game girl I've ever seen, to this day! Not to mention Insanely Cute.
- A few ago, I had a dream. In the dream, I had a vision. In the vision, I saw the comeback of one of my favorite tv shows of all time. I wake up (in the dream, mind you. I didn't wake up in the real world just yet.), ecstatic! I run to all of my friends, and I tell them, "Rejoice! I have had a vision of good fortune!" And my friends asked what did I see. I tell them, "I saw . . . a fifth season . . . of Futurama!" They gasp and say, "NOOOOOO!" But I say, "Oh my yes! I saw them: Fry, Leela, Bender, Professor Farnsworth, in footage that I've never seen in the show. Then I realized, it's all footage that hasn't been made, YET!" And a few years later, the movies materialized. A bit of truth in that one.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
The Second Otakulypse: Is It Near?
Way, way back when I did my Final Fantasy 7 playthrough, I ended it with an article saying that FF7, despite all of its strongpoints, still pales compared to my favorite RPGs. And so does FF6. I also mentioned that FF7 was partially responsible for an event I referred to as "The First Otakulypse." What was that?
Well, basically, it was back in the late 1990's when it suddenly became "cool" to be a fan of Japanese pop culture. It was brought about primarily by three things: FF7, Pokemon, and Cartoon Network's airing of Dragonball Z. Sure, there were other contributors, but a lot of people, or should I say, modern-day English-speaking otaku got started by one of these three things. Almost every otaku I know in the real world admitted they first got into J-pop culture by one of these three things.
The First Otakulypse ended around 2003 or 2004-ish, when Inuyasha's popularity started to decline. Things haven't been as crazy since. And good riddance, too. You have no idea how sick I am of otakus (yes, I am misspelling it!) constantly deifying Japanese authors like they are infallible. That's not always true. Heck, even the almighty Miyazaki disappointed me with Princess Mononoke. But yeah, I don't mind people trying out another country's mindless diversions, but please, be realistic about it. Yeah, I like Japanese comics more than American comics, and I like action cartoons from Japan a LOT more than action cartoons from America, but I keep things in perspective.
However, there is always the possibility, of a Second Otakulypse.
Now, for something like that to happen, it would have to take something truly titanic in popularity for something like that to occur. Some franchises have come close, but not quite. Naruto and Bleach? I don't see kids re-enacting fights from those series like I see them re-enacting Gohan versus Perfect Cell. Yu-Gi-Oh? Yeah, it was like an alternative to Pokemon at first, but nowadays, people only seem to remember it for the parody series, or Seto Kaiba's popularity with girls. RPGs like FF7? You do know that the original FF7 remains the best selling stat-based RPG in North America and Europe, right? No game Square has made since has sold as well, not even other FF games, not even Kingdom Hearts, not even the FF7 spinoffs.
So far, nothing has brought anime to the forefront the way the anime coming to America from the late '90's and early 2000's did. Knowing my hatred of otakus, it's probably for the better. But if it happens, I'll be ready.
Well, basically, it was back in the late 1990's when it suddenly became "cool" to be a fan of Japanese pop culture. It was brought about primarily by three things: FF7, Pokemon, and Cartoon Network's airing of Dragonball Z. Sure, there were other contributors, but a lot of people, or should I say, modern-day English-speaking otaku got started by one of these three things. Almost every otaku I know in the real world admitted they first got into J-pop culture by one of these three things.
The First Otakulypse ended around 2003 or 2004-ish, when Inuyasha's popularity started to decline. Things haven't been as crazy since. And good riddance, too. You have no idea how sick I am of otakus (yes, I am misspelling it!) constantly deifying Japanese authors like they are infallible. That's not always true. Heck, even the almighty Miyazaki disappointed me with Princess Mononoke. But yeah, I don't mind people trying out another country's mindless diversions, but please, be realistic about it. Yeah, I like Japanese comics more than American comics, and I like action cartoons from Japan a LOT more than action cartoons from America, but I keep things in perspective.
However, there is always the possibility, of a Second Otakulypse.
Now, for something like that to happen, it would have to take something truly titanic in popularity for something like that to occur. Some franchises have come close, but not quite. Naruto and Bleach? I don't see kids re-enacting fights from those series like I see them re-enacting Gohan versus Perfect Cell. Yu-Gi-Oh? Yeah, it was like an alternative to Pokemon at first, but nowadays, people only seem to remember it for the parody series, or Seto Kaiba's popularity with girls. RPGs like FF7? You do know that the original FF7 remains the best selling stat-based RPG in North America and Europe, right? No game Square has made since has sold as well, not even other FF games, not even Kingdom Hearts, not even the FF7 spinoffs.
So far, nothing has brought anime to the forefront the way the anime coming to America from the late '90's and early 2000's did. Knowing my hatred of otakus, it's probably for the better. But if it happens, I'll be ready.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Hence why I set up a "fans against fans" fan club
Good evening, everybody, everybody. This blog of mine was originally for a different community. One I used to be a member of, until late October 2008. This place you may've heard of: Nuklearpower. The place that hosts 8-bit Theatre, as well as a few other things. I used to be a member of the Nuklearpower Forums, or NPF for short, for about 2 and a half years. I went under the alias, "Sparkster", after the protagonist of the Sparkster games from way back. Indeed, this blog was originally entitled "Sparkster's Domain."
"So xm, why did you leave the Nuklearpower Forums?"
Alright, you want it? You got it. The NPF used to be one of the coolest places on the internet. Now it's degenerated into a big black morass of Fan Dumb. And no, I don't mean the fans of 8-bit Theater; the regulars of its forums are Fan Dumb of other things they like. In short, its membership is now overrun with retarded immature nerd assholes. And the administration encourages this sort of behavior now, instead of punishing it. I'll give you some general examples:
The Fan Dumb, obviously. If anything becomes popular, then it sucks, regardless of actual quality. I'm not allowed to praise Naruto or Death Note, because only mentally deficit schoolchildren are allowed to like something like that, or so they think. Oh, and did I mention the NPF is crawling with unpleasable fanboys? Oh yes, it is. Anytime a movie based off a comic series is made, they always bitch about every single little flaw, talking about how much it "sucks" because some minor element or character was left out, and always cap it off with, "FUCK (name of director or movie studio)!" Now, sometimes, that really is the case. I myself was disappointed with the anime versions of Tsubasa and Azumanga Dai-Oh, but these fans, they criticize what are actually enjoyable movies! Yeah, I liked the X-Men movies, and Superman Returns. Sure, they weren't perfect, but they were still fun. But, you know what's really ironic? These same "Real" comic books fans on the NPF, who so passionately shoot down every movie adaptation that isn't The Dark Knight, guess what? They go right back around and bitch about the original comics! Yeah, they always complain single little thing, like they're somehow unable to derive pleasure from a mindless diversion. And they always say the same thing, "I can do better!" "I'm a better writer than (name of author)!" And they cap it off with, "FUCK (insert "DC", "Marvel", or "name of author")!", whether they deserve to be cussed out or not. Real fucking appreciative fanbase, huh guys?
But that's not all. The NPF is also full of excessively negative people. It wasn't always like this either. But on the NPF, you are expected to be downright cynical, and if you have a shred of hope for the human race, you are considered an idiot. Of course, sometimes cynicism is necessary. I myself will always have a cynical attitiude towards some things in life. (The very existence of this article is proof of my cynicism.) But the NPFers, they take it waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too far. Now, I don't normally get political, but I'll have to for my example. In early 2008, when people were campaigning for the American presidency, a large number of NPFers said something to the effect of "It doesn't matter who wins, because whoever wins will just be as bad as Bush." Oh really? What's your basis for this argument? Sure, politicians aren't perfect, but honestly, bad as Bush Jr.? Many years from now, historians will look at the Second Bush administration the same way they look at Warren G. Harding. As in, he'll be remembered as one of the worst presidents we've ever had. And once Obama eventually won, lots of people celebrated, while NPFers complained that he'll be "bad as Bush." Okay, personally, I'm not expected The Second Coming from Obama, but even if he's only average at best, it'll still be a major improvement over our last administration. See, I temper my pessimism with optimism for the future. NPFers don't. Their cynicism is unrealistic. Life sucks, but life rules too. I left because I was tiring of their negativity. Again, what's so ironic is, the NPFers have practically abandoned hope for all of humanity, and yet condescend to anyone they consider "emo." Personally, I despise "emo" bashing. I consider it a kind of prejudical hatred, not unlike racism, sexism, and homphobia. People, NPFers included, say that "emos" should just kill themselves and feel better for themselves in doing so. I say to the NPFers, "If you've given up on humanity, why don't you just kill yourselves, and leave room for those who still believe in ourselves!" And I mean it.
And there's lots of other annoyances that have cropped up since I started going to the NPF. Getting back to their Fan Dumb, the only things they don't hate, are SNES RPGs, and cartoons from the 1990's. Now that, I can kind of relate to. I love Final Fantasy 4, Chrono Trigger, Tales of Phantasia, and Seiken Densetsu 3 more than any human should be allowed to. And also, it was in the '90's when all of my favorite Disney movies came out, and when the Simpsons was at the top of its game, and, ya know, I liked some of the Nicktoons from then too: Ren and Stimpy, Rocko's Modern Life, Angry Beavers. But you see, the NPFers are really blinded by their childhood nostalgia. Everything made after that always seems to "suck" compared to back then, again, regardless of actual quality. Unfortunately, that's a philosophical difference I can't abide to.
Then again, there's really not much reason for me to be at the NPF anyways. I don't really read webcomics anymore, and the only ones I still think are worth a re-read are Adventurers! and RPGWorld. But now you know the truth. The NPF was once a haven for modern day scholars. Unfortunately, all of the scholars either left or mutated into antisocial nerds. I chose to leave, after being "called out" one too many times for daring to have my own opinion about something. Now it's true that trolls can be found everywhere on the internet, they even exist on the forums I like to go to now. But you see, the NPF doesn't matter to me anymore, I have become "known" on tvtropes.org, in short, a fully fledged member. Even that place has trolls, but at least if you bitch about something that isn't worth bitching about, you'll be ridiculed for it. Maybe.
However, before I linked you tropers here, I did a massive retcon of this blog, renaming myself xm0123 or any variation thereof to remove my former alias. It's possible that an older entry may still refer to me as "Sparkster" or "Sparky" or some variation of that. If you see it, ignore it, but otherwise, welcome to my blog! Don't piss me off like the NPF did!
"So xm, why did you leave the Nuklearpower Forums?"
Alright, you want it? You got it. The NPF used to be one of the coolest places on the internet. Now it's degenerated into a big black morass of Fan Dumb. And no, I don't mean the fans of 8-bit Theater; the regulars of its forums are Fan Dumb of other things they like. In short, its membership is now overrun with retarded immature nerd assholes. And the administration encourages this sort of behavior now, instead of punishing it. I'll give you some general examples:
The Fan Dumb, obviously. If anything becomes popular, then it sucks, regardless of actual quality. I'm not allowed to praise Naruto or Death Note, because only mentally deficit schoolchildren are allowed to like something like that, or so they think. Oh, and did I mention the NPF is crawling with unpleasable fanboys? Oh yes, it is. Anytime a movie based off a comic series is made, they always bitch about every single little flaw, talking about how much it "sucks" because some minor element or character was left out, and always cap it off with, "FUCK (name of director or movie studio)!" Now, sometimes, that really is the case. I myself was disappointed with the anime versions of Tsubasa and Azumanga Dai-Oh, but these fans, they criticize what are actually enjoyable movies! Yeah, I liked the X-Men movies, and Superman Returns. Sure, they weren't perfect, but they were still fun. But, you know what's really ironic? These same "Real" comic books fans on the NPF, who so passionately shoot down every movie adaptation that isn't The Dark Knight, guess what? They go right back around and bitch about the original comics! Yeah, they always complain single little thing, like they're somehow unable to derive pleasure from a mindless diversion. And they always say the same thing, "I can do better!" "I'm a better writer than (name of author)!" And they cap it off with, "FUCK (insert "DC", "Marvel", or "name of author")!", whether they deserve to be cussed out or not. Real fucking appreciative fanbase, huh guys?
But that's not all. The NPF is also full of excessively negative people. It wasn't always like this either. But on the NPF, you are expected to be downright cynical, and if you have a shred of hope for the human race, you are considered an idiot. Of course, sometimes cynicism is necessary. I myself will always have a cynical attitiude towards some things in life. (The very existence of this article is proof of my cynicism.) But the NPFers, they take it waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too far. Now, I don't normally get political, but I'll have to for my example. In early 2008, when people were campaigning for the American presidency, a large number of NPFers said something to the effect of "It doesn't matter who wins, because whoever wins will just be as bad as Bush." Oh really? What's your basis for this argument? Sure, politicians aren't perfect, but honestly, bad as Bush Jr.? Many years from now, historians will look at the Second Bush administration the same way they look at Warren G. Harding. As in, he'll be remembered as one of the worst presidents we've ever had. And once Obama eventually won, lots of people celebrated, while NPFers complained that he'll be "bad as Bush." Okay, personally, I'm not expected The Second Coming from Obama, but even if he's only average at best, it'll still be a major improvement over our last administration. See, I temper my pessimism with optimism for the future. NPFers don't. Their cynicism is unrealistic. Life sucks, but life rules too. I left because I was tiring of their negativity. Again, what's so ironic is, the NPFers have practically abandoned hope for all of humanity, and yet condescend to anyone they consider "emo." Personally, I despise "emo" bashing. I consider it a kind of prejudical hatred, not unlike racism, sexism, and homphobia. People, NPFers included, say that "emos" should just kill themselves and feel better for themselves in doing so. I say to the NPFers, "If you've given up on humanity, why don't you just kill yourselves, and leave room for those who still believe in ourselves!" And I mean it.
And there's lots of other annoyances that have cropped up since I started going to the NPF. Getting back to their Fan Dumb, the only things they don't hate, are SNES RPGs, and cartoons from the 1990's. Now that, I can kind of relate to. I love Final Fantasy 4, Chrono Trigger, Tales of Phantasia, and Seiken Densetsu 3 more than any human should be allowed to. And also, it was in the '90's when all of my favorite Disney movies came out, and when the Simpsons was at the top of its game, and, ya know, I liked some of the Nicktoons from then too: Ren and Stimpy, Rocko's Modern Life, Angry Beavers. But you see, the NPFers are really blinded by their childhood nostalgia. Everything made after that always seems to "suck" compared to back then, again, regardless of actual quality. Unfortunately, that's a philosophical difference I can't abide to.
Then again, there's really not much reason for me to be at the NPF anyways. I don't really read webcomics anymore, and the only ones I still think are worth a re-read are Adventurers! and RPGWorld. But now you know the truth. The NPF was once a haven for modern day scholars. Unfortunately, all of the scholars either left or mutated into antisocial nerds. I chose to leave, after being "called out" one too many times for daring to have my own opinion about something. Now it's true that trolls can be found everywhere on the internet, they even exist on the forums I like to go to now. But you see, the NPF doesn't matter to me anymore, I have become "known" on tvtropes.org, in short, a fully fledged member. Even that place has trolls, but at least if you bitch about something that isn't worth bitching about, you'll be ridiculed for it. Maybe.
However, before I linked you tropers here, I did a massive retcon of this blog, renaming myself xm0123 or any variation thereof to remove my former alias. It's possible that an older entry may still refer to me as "Sparkster" or "Sparky" or some variation of that. If you see it, ignore it, but otherwise, welcome to my blog! Don't piss me off like the NPF did!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
"Would you kindly?"
Hey everybody, Bioshock is a pretty short game. I already beat it. On the easy mode, yeah, but, I wanna talk about something else.
In video game circles, whenever a game is modeled after a more popular game, it is one of three things: it is either a ripoff, a clone, or a killer.
A ripoff is pretty obvious. A ripoff is a game that tries to imitate the most superficial aspects of a popular game in the hopes that gamers will throw their money at it. Recall all the 3D platformers that came out after Super Mario 64 did, or all the "Sandbox" action games that came out after Grand Theft Auto 3, or all the real-time strategy wargames that came out after the original Command & Conquer did. Most of them were ripoffs. Moving on,
A clone is a game that is obviously modeled after a popular game, but is really fun in its own right, even having its own gimmicks that aren't overly, gimmicky. Megaman Legends was a clone of the Legend of Zelda games, and to be more modern, Crackdown is a clone of GTA, and Bioshock is a clone of System Shock 2. They are usually almost as good as their inspiration, but not quite.
A killer is a game inspired by a popular game that surpasses its inspiration. Duke Nukem 3D was billed as "The Doom Killer." It played a lot like the Doom games, but guess what? It improved on Doom in every way imaginable. This sometimes happens in long-running franchises within itself. Super Mario Bros. 3 is the SMB 1 Killer. Megaman 3 is the MM2 killer. MM2 itself was the MM1 killer.
Bioshock is not quite as god-like as SS 2 was. SS 2 was much longer, more challenging, had better story, better variety of enemies, better variety of weapons, and you could hold as much ammo and "money" as you could find. Still, Bioshock was no slouch, either. It has fantastic graphics, "Beyond the Sea" by Bobby Darin, the ability to make Big Daddies fight for you, and firebolts. Motherfucking firebolts. As if the flamethrower and flame plasmids weren't enough.
Now to wait for Bioshock 2.
P.S. I now look forward to having nightmares about narcissistic musicians obsessed with bunny ears for the rest of my life, now. Thanks, game developers!
In video game circles, whenever a game is modeled after a more popular game, it is one of three things: it is either a ripoff, a clone, or a killer.
A ripoff is pretty obvious. A ripoff is a game that tries to imitate the most superficial aspects of a popular game in the hopes that gamers will throw their money at it. Recall all the 3D platformers that came out after Super Mario 64 did, or all the "Sandbox" action games that came out after Grand Theft Auto 3, or all the real-time strategy wargames that came out after the original Command & Conquer did. Most of them were ripoffs. Moving on,
A clone is a game that is obviously modeled after a popular game, but is really fun in its own right, even having its own gimmicks that aren't overly, gimmicky. Megaman Legends was a clone of the Legend of Zelda games, and to be more modern, Crackdown is a clone of GTA, and Bioshock is a clone of System Shock 2. They are usually almost as good as their inspiration, but not quite.
A killer is a game inspired by a popular game that surpasses its inspiration. Duke Nukem 3D was billed as "The Doom Killer." It played a lot like the Doom games, but guess what? It improved on Doom in every way imaginable. This sometimes happens in long-running franchises within itself. Super Mario Bros. 3 is the SMB 1 Killer. Megaman 3 is the MM2 killer. MM2 itself was the MM1 killer.
Bioshock is not quite as god-like as SS 2 was. SS 2 was much longer, more challenging, had better story, better variety of enemies, better variety of weapons, and you could hold as much ammo and "money" as you could find. Still, Bioshock was no slouch, either. It has fantastic graphics, "Beyond the Sea" by Bobby Darin, the ability to make Big Daddies fight for you, and firebolts. Motherfucking firebolts. As if the flamethrower and flame plasmids weren't enough.
Now to wait for Bioshock 2.
P.S. I now look forward to having nightmares about narcissistic musicians obsessed with bunny ears for the rest of my life, now. Thanks, game developers!
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
You want scary!? I'll give you scary!
Do you know what one of my favorite games of all time is? System Shock 2 for the PC. I played a demo of it way back in 1999, and loved it enough to buy the retail version. It was a fantastic action game. And when I say SS 2 is one of my favorite games of all time, I mean like, it's one of my top 10 favorite games of all time.
But what I remember more about SS 2 more than anything else, is that it's the scariest game I've ever played. You think Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark, and Silent Hill are scary. Those games are fucking child's play compared to SS 2. What sets SS 2 apart from those other horror games? One word; atmosphere. It has atmosphere that was unprecedented back in 1999. Flickering hall lights, voices echoing down the hallway, robots gone haywire, mutagenic lifeforms coming from every direction, and audio recordings of people going mad. "Glory to the Many. I am a voice in their choir." It's the most frightening sci-fi story since the first two Alien movies. And let's not forget SHODAN, one of the most memorable villains of all time. Even though I haven't played SS 2 in many years, I still have nightmares about it. Nightmares about cyborg midwives, nightmares about crew members transforming into hideous abominations, nightmares about voices in my head repeating, "We are, we are, we are, we are."
I'm glad to say Bioshock follows the tradition.
I rented Bioshock for my 360 yesterday. For those of you who've played Bioshock but not SS 2, I can assure you, the claims that Bioshock is a "spiritual successor" to the SS games is wholly accurate. The only difference is Bioshock is set in a 1950's Atlantis gone horribly wrong instead of a spaceship overrun by hostile alien lifeforms. That, and the graphics in Bioshock are way better, and the sound is in 5.1 surround. But otherwise, it's pretty much the same, which is a good thing.
Bioshock is not as complex as SS 2 was. It's much easier, and easier to figure out. On the other hand, some clever nuances were lost. Still, I like what they've done; Plasmid powers are more useful than the psychic powers in SS 2 were, guns never break on you, (yes, your firearms can jam in SS 2 from repeated use. This was one of its few flaws, your guns would jam more frequently than than the times you ran out of ammo. Then again, I found ways around that . . .) The camera lets you research enemies more easily than SS 2's method was, and is it just me, or does the "incinerate" power let you use fire like Roy Mustang from Fullmetal Alchemist does? There are many ways to best your foes in Bioshock, which I like. Oh, and telekinesis works like the Gravity Gun from Half-Life 2.
And in case you're wondering, I'm choosing to save the Little Sisters, not kill them. It's my nature. I'm a savior, not a conqueror. When given a moral choice in games, I usually go the good route.
My only beef is, I'm playing the 360 version, not the PC version. If I had the PC version, I would have mouseaim. I am absolutely fucking lethal in a shooter game if I have the precision of a mouse. Here, on my 360 gamepad, not quite as much. Headshots are lucky shots I tell you.
Yeah, but I predict that years from now, I'm gonna have nightmares about cosmetics surgeons that compare their surgeries to works by Picasso. I can see it now.
Bioshock has a cool intro, by the way:
"I am here to ask you a question:
Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow?
No, says the man in Washington; it belongs to the poor.
No, says the man in the Vatican; it belongs to God.
No, says the man in Moscow; it belongs to everyone.
I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something
different. I chose the impossible. I chose . . .
Rapture!"
But what I remember more about SS 2 more than anything else, is that it's the scariest game I've ever played. You think Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark, and Silent Hill are scary. Those games are fucking child's play compared to SS 2. What sets SS 2 apart from those other horror games? One word; atmosphere. It has atmosphere that was unprecedented back in 1999. Flickering hall lights, voices echoing down the hallway, robots gone haywire, mutagenic lifeforms coming from every direction, and audio recordings of people going mad. "Glory to the Many. I am a voice in their choir." It's the most frightening sci-fi story since the first two Alien movies. And let's not forget SHODAN, one of the most memorable villains of all time. Even though I haven't played SS 2 in many years, I still have nightmares about it. Nightmares about cyborg midwives, nightmares about crew members transforming into hideous abominations, nightmares about voices in my head repeating, "We are, we are, we are, we are."
I'm glad to say Bioshock follows the tradition.
I rented Bioshock for my 360 yesterday. For those of you who've played Bioshock but not SS 2, I can assure you, the claims that Bioshock is a "spiritual successor" to the SS games is wholly accurate. The only difference is Bioshock is set in a 1950's Atlantis gone horribly wrong instead of a spaceship overrun by hostile alien lifeforms. That, and the graphics in Bioshock are way better, and the sound is in 5.1 surround. But otherwise, it's pretty much the same, which is a good thing.
Bioshock is not as complex as SS 2 was. It's much easier, and easier to figure out. On the other hand, some clever nuances were lost. Still, I like what they've done; Plasmid powers are more useful than the psychic powers in SS 2 were, guns never break on you, (yes, your firearms can jam in SS 2 from repeated use. This was one of its few flaws, your guns would jam more frequently than than the times you ran out of ammo. Then again, I found ways around that . . .) The camera lets you research enemies more easily than SS 2's method was, and is it just me, or does the "incinerate" power let you use fire like Roy Mustang from Fullmetal Alchemist does? There are many ways to best your foes in Bioshock, which I like. Oh, and telekinesis works like the Gravity Gun from Half-Life 2.
And in case you're wondering, I'm choosing to save the Little Sisters, not kill them. It's my nature. I'm a savior, not a conqueror. When given a moral choice in games, I usually go the good route.
My only beef is, I'm playing the 360 version, not the PC version. If I had the PC version, I would have mouseaim. I am absolutely fucking lethal in a shooter game if I have the precision of a mouse. Here, on my 360 gamepad, not quite as much. Headshots are lucky shots I tell you.
Yeah, but I predict that years from now, I'm gonna have nightmares about cosmetics surgeons that compare their surgeries to works by Picasso. I can see it now.
Bioshock has a cool intro, by the way:
"I am here to ask you a question:
Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his brow?
No, says the man in Washington; it belongs to the poor.
No, says the man in the Vatican; it belongs to God.
No, says the man in Moscow; it belongs to everyone.
I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something
different. I chose the impossible. I chose . . .
Saturday, January 3, 2009
xm0123's Manifesto
I'm curious about something, regarding Lucky Star that is. What should I call someone who is a total nerd, yet is also friendly, sociable, and functional like Kona-chan? I don't think it would be right to call her an otaku, since that's insulting in Japanese, (and also insulting to me) and 'nerd' 'geek' and 'dweeb' could also be insulting. And I myself am like her to a mild degree. (Yeah, I love animation, games, and manga. No, I don't smell really bad.) What should we call ourselves? And that's when it hit me.
We are modern day scholars.
In olden times, scholars were people who read lots of books, scrolls, and more books. They were highly learned of many things. But back in ancient times, the only media that existed was the printed word. Nowadays, in addition to that, we also have television, video games, (well, some games are artistic) the internet, comics, doujin communities, et cetera. Kona-chan even mentioned in an episode that even though Japanese people don't read as many books as they used to, many Japanese people still read, it's just that they mostly read other stuff, like blogs, internet articles, and even manga. But yet, you could still learn a lot from these.
I'm the same way. I read a lot of text in some videogames, and though graphic novel may not be as wordy as regular novels, you still read them like any other book. And though television is often accused of dumbing people down, that is only true of some shows. Some tv shows will actually make you smarter after watching them. Many of my favorite tv shows are intelligent like that; Curb Your Enthusiasm, Futurama, and The Shield make you think, as opposed to something like, say, The A-Team. All you get from that is . . . well, it had a cool theme song. And Mr. T memes.
So that's what we are, 21st century scholars. Kona-chan may not look it, but she's a scholar. And so am I. But I don't play dating sims. Unless if Persona 3 counts.
We are modern day scholars.
In olden times, scholars were people who read lots of books, scrolls, and more books. They were highly learned of many things. But back in ancient times, the only media that existed was the printed word. Nowadays, in addition to that, we also have television, video games, (well, some games are artistic) the internet, comics, doujin communities, et cetera. Kona-chan even mentioned in an episode that even though Japanese people don't read as many books as they used to, many Japanese people still read, it's just that they mostly read other stuff, like blogs, internet articles, and even manga. But yet, you could still learn a lot from these.
I'm the same way. I read a lot of text in some videogames, and though graphic novel may not be as wordy as regular novels, you still read them like any other book. And though television is often accused of dumbing people down, that is only true of some shows. Some tv shows will actually make you smarter after watching them. Many of my favorite tv shows are intelligent like that; Curb Your Enthusiasm, Futurama, and The Shield make you think, as opposed to something like, say, The A-Team. All you get from that is . . . well, it had a cool theme song. And Mr. T memes.
So that's what we are, 21st century scholars. Kona-chan may not look it, but she's a scholar. And so am I. But I don't play dating sims. Unless if Persona 3 counts.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2008: A year in review
I'm only reviewing the year 2008 when it comes to me and 2008. I won't summarize anything else.
January 2008:
-I play Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II. I like both of them. However, I am not a whore of either game, which, knowing its fanbase, is a good thing.
February 2008:
-I start this blog. Mayhem ensues.
March 2008:
-I buy Resident Evil 4. I like it.
-I checked out a Slayers manga. I have now developed what will be a lifetime of hatred for all things Slayers-related. Thanks a bunch, you fucking otaku.
-I buy Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3. I declare it the best fighting game I've ever played. No, really.
April 2008:
-Through the power of PS1 emulation, I play through all of Final Fantasy VII, Finally! It was good, even great at times, but not the best. Oh well. At least we still have Red XIII.
-I watch *blank* for the first time. I develop a lifetime of hatred for all things pertaining to *blank*. Due to my therapist's concerns, I am no longer allowed to print *blank*'s name.
May 2008:
-I buy Persona 3: FES. I develop a crush on Yukari Takeba.
-I watched the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya in its entirety. In doing so, I become a Haruhi-ist.
-I watched Trigun. I wish I had seen it during my teen years. It could've saved me from assuming all anime sucked, but too little, too late. Oh well, at least it's better than the manga.
June 2008:
-I watch Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal. I am in awe.
-I watch the anime version of Cardcaptor Sakura. I get in touch with my feminine sensitivities.
July 2008:
-I finish watching Death Note. I now use a lot of DN quotes in my writing.
-I start collecting Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. I declare it an awesome crossover. And I develop a crush of TRC Sakura. (LATE EDIT: that was before Fai won me over with his awesomeness. Is it possible to develop a man-crush on someone like him? I don't see why not.)
-I finish Evangelion the tv series. I don't see what all the hype is about. And yet, I don't hate it.
-I become a Dragonball fan . . . or rather, a fan of DBZ Abridged and DB videogames.
-I watch the anime version of Chobits. I develop a crush on Chitose Hibiya.
-I watch Scrapped Princess. I . . . would've developed a crush on Pacifica, if only she wasn't such a selfish brat.
August 2008:
-I rediscover Half-Life 2. It makes me happy.
September 2008:
-I start collecting Eureka Seven on DVD. I enjoy every minute of it.
October 2008:
-I start vollecting XXXHolic. I develop a crush on Himawari Kunogi.
-I start reading the Eva manga. Now I do see what all the hype is about!
-I start playing Mother 3. I become enlightened.
November 2008:
-I finish Gurren Lagaan. I get in touch with my masculine sensitivities.
-I finish E7. I declare it the best anime series ever. And I cry, because it is so beautiful!
December 2008:
-I finish Mother 3. I declare it awesome.
-I Get an Xbox 360. I am happy to be a gamer once more.
I have another update, but that will wait. Happy 2009, everybody everybody!
January 2008:
-I play Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II. I like both of them. However, I am not a whore of either game, which, knowing its fanbase, is a good thing.
February 2008:
-I start this blog. Mayhem ensues.
March 2008:
-I buy Resident Evil 4. I like it.
-I checked out a Slayers manga. I have now developed what will be a lifetime of hatred for all things Slayers-related. Thanks a bunch, you fucking otaku.
-I buy Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3. I declare it the best fighting game I've ever played. No, really.
April 2008:
-Through the power of PS1 emulation, I play through all of Final Fantasy VII, Finally! It was good, even great at times, but not the best. Oh well. At least we still have Red XIII.
-I watch *blank* for the first time. I develop a lifetime of hatred for all things pertaining to *blank*. Due to my therapist's concerns, I am no longer allowed to print *blank*'s name.
May 2008:
-I buy Persona 3: FES. I develop a crush on Yukari Takeba.
-I watched the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya in its entirety. In doing so, I become a Haruhi-ist.
-I watched Trigun. I wish I had seen it during my teen years. It could've saved me from assuming all anime sucked, but too little, too late. Oh well, at least it's better than the manga.
June 2008:
-I watch Samurai X: Trust and Betrayal. I am in awe.
-I watch the anime version of Cardcaptor Sakura. I get in touch with my feminine sensitivities.
July 2008:
-I finish watching Death Note. I now use a lot of DN quotes in my writing.
-I start collecting Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. I declare it an awesome crossover. And I develop a crush of TRC Sakura. (LATE EDIT: that was before Fai won me over with his awesomeness. Is it possible to develop a man-crush on someone like him? I don't see why not.)
-I finish Evangelion the tv series. I don't see what all the hype is about. And yet, I don't hate it.
-I become a Dragonball fan . . . or rather, a fan of DBZ Abridged and DB videogames.
-I watch the anime version of Chobits. I develop a crush on Chitose Hibiya.
-I watch Scrapped Princess. I . . . would've developed a crush on Pacifica, if only she wasn't such a selfish brat.
August 2008:
-I rediscover Half-Life 2. It makes me happy.
September 2008:
-I start collecting Eureka Seven on DVD. I enjoy every minute of it.
October 2008:
-I start vollecting XXXHolic. I develop a crush on Himawari Kunogi.
-I start reading the Eva manga. Now I do see what all the hype is about!
-I start playing Mother 3. I become enlightened.
November 2008:
-I finish Gurren Lagaan. I get in touch with my masculine sensitivities.
-I finish E7. I declare it the best anime series ever. And I cry, because it is so beautiful!
December 2008:
-I finish Mother 3. I declare it awesome.
-I Get an Xbox 360. I am happy to be a gamer once more.
I have another update, but that will wait. Happy 2009, everybody everybody!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)