When games don't live up to the expectation surrounding them prior to release, it can often feel like you've wasted a huge amount of time. Andrew Testerman looks at five of the worst offenders.

After nearly fourteen years of development, cancellation, and other myriad mishaps, Duke Nukem Forever has finally been released. Unfortunately, the gaming community has not been terribly kind to it, and the reviews have ranged from mildly positive to scathingly negative, citing poor AI, dated game design, and a whole host of other problems.

In short, the game that took nearly a decade and a half to release needed still more development time.

Gamers have experienced this sort of thing before, and though Duke Nukem Forever is perhaps the most extreme case of an overly long development cycle releasing a (by general concencus) mediocre game, it’s hardly the first time it’s happened. For every StarCraft II, there’s a Kameo: Elements of Power, and today, Gamer’s Guide to Life.com is looking at the top five instances where time spent waiting for a game’s release simply didn’t pay off.

5: Final Fantasy XIII

Final Fantasy XIII is not necessarily a bad game. Its combat system makes every battle fun and exciting, and it’s easily one of the prettiest games of this generation. That said, FFXIII defied nearly every expectation set upon it by the Fantasy hopeful, and not always for the better. For those looking for a true, traditional RPG sequel to Final Fantasy X (we’ve had words about FFXII already), Final Fantasy XIII not only failed to be a return to form, but it also failed to get even the most standard of JRPG conventions correct.

From the too-linear dungeon design, to the January-molasses pacing, to the under-explained story; Final Fantasy XIII ended up being a game that looked far better on paper than it did in the disc tray. It’s still worth a play by genre stalwarts, but Final Fantasy XIII is a far cry from the essential gaming experiences previous Final Fantasy titles were, making FFXIII something between four to eight years of wasted hope.

4: Advent Rising

Advent Rising was first announced in April 2003, and sounded - for fans of sci-fi - almost too good to be true. The game was a third-person shooter, adorned with large-scale environments and vehicle segments, as well as a new telekinesis-based set of powers. In addition, the story was penned by acclaimed science fiction writer Orson Scott Card, who promised that players could affect the outcome of the plot based on the decisions made throughout the game. In essence, developer GliphX Games and publisher Majesco were attempting to make Mass Effect four years before BioWare eventually would.

Even though gamers only had to wait two years between when it was announced and when it launched, they were pretty long years. Each new story and announcement built up the game as an experience, the likes of which players had never seen, and expectations were sky-high entering 2005. It was only so long before the title was crushed under the weight of its own grandeur, and Advent Rising was released to very mixed and very disappointed reviews. Many praised Rising’s epic scope, but couldn’t overlook the host of technical issues and glitches adorning the game. Crashes and framerate stutters were frequent, and the 'flick targeting' mechanic only worked correctly as often as it didn’t. To add insult to injury, the million dollar contest touting the release of the game was cancelled; Majesco were claiming foul play with the Xbox Live global synching clock, though some joked that Majesco didn’t have a million dollars to spare for a contest. The game ultimately turned out respectable, but the pain of seeing such squandered potential makes Advent Rising nearly too tragic to bother with.

3: Perfect Dark Zero

The original Perfect Dark was one of the final 'big' games released for the Nintendo 64, and was beloved by those who stuck around for long enough to play it. It was the follow-up to Goldeneye that many players hoped for, retaining Rare’s tight gunplay and satisfying multiplayer, while plussing and improving nearly every aspect. Nintendophiles waited with bated breath for the inevitable GameCube sequel. It never came - Microsoft soon purchased Rare for a staggering $350 million, taking Perfect Dark and the rest of its IP stable with it.

When Perfect Dark Zero finally turned up as an Xbox 360 launch title, gamers expecting to relive the glory days of late-2000 yore were pretty damn disappointed. Rare ditched nearly everything that made a compelling character out of Joanna (she sure got lost her British accent in the short time between Perfect Dark and Zero), but still clung fast to the now-aged Goldeneye mission structure. Worse, the previous game’s killer app, multiplayer, was now hampered by clunky controls and questionable mechanics: every match had more rolling than a Sonic the Hedgehog game. Perfect Dark Zero was met with mixed reviews and reasonable sales, but anyone who cut their teeth taking down dataDyne five years earlier would profess to the foul taste the game left in the mouth.

2: Daikatana

More than the actual game itself, Daikatana’s hype stemmed from its Lead Developer. You see, a long time ago, a young developer named John Romero helped to found a company called ID Software. ID would later develop games that would mould and evolve the entire industry, including Wolfenstein 3D, Doom, and Quake. In 1997, Romero had an idea for a new shooter, one that spanned thousands of years and featured a whole mess of monsters to turn into goo. Work started shortly afterwards by Romero’s development studio, Ion Strom, and the game was put on track to release in time for the 1997 holiday season.

Three years, several engine changes and the departure of many key staff members later, Daikatana was released to a very acidic press and public. Similarly to Duke Nukem Forever, Daikatana was far from the experience originally promised, suffering from poor AI, dated mechanics and a whole host of other problems. The abrasive marketing certainly didn’t help the game’s image either. Romero later said the title sold enough to recover development costs, but at the end of the day, Daikatana is still a great example of why big name talent isn’t everything in the gaming industry.

1: Too Human

Perhaps the most ambitious (non-Duke Nukem Forever) game on this list, Too Human started its life as a four-disc PlayStation title way back in the 1999. The game eventually crept its way to the GameCube in 2000, and finally settled down on the Xbox 360 in 2008. After nearly ten years of development, announcements of a planned trilogy and a level of hype mightier than Thor himself, Too Human was released to a resounding "meh" from the gaming community. In terms of both sales and review scores, Too Human was wildly mediocre.

That the game was met with such indifference is a terrible shame. Too Human features a concept that’s awfully cool (cyberpunk Norse deities - what isn't to like?), and great drop-in-drop-out co-op, but the middling sales all but guarantee that the two planned sequels will never see the light of day.

What made the game fall so flat? Ironically, many reviewers cited a lack of polish, calling the combat frustrating and clumsy, with a difficult-to-manage projectile system. Coupled with a few questionable design decisions - is it really necessary to watch a thirty-second cutscene of a Valkyrie taking dead Baldr to Valhalla? - its short length, and a repetitive game structure, Too Human treated players to a nice, bland underwhelming sandwich with mediocrity in lieu of bread. The game certainly has its fans (most notably, G4TV's Adam Sessler), but to the majority of gamers, Too Human was simply not worth the wait.


Are there any games that you waited patiently for, only to be disappointed and underwhelmed by the final product? Sound off in the comments below, or send us your thoughts via Twitter at @ggtl!

Labels: 2011, Advent Rising, Andrew Testerman, Daikatana, Feature, Final Fantasy, Perfect Dark, Too Human

This article contains information about PlayStation Store content relevant to the U.S. PSN region, but may not necessarily be applicable to other regions.

It's been a long wait, but the PlayStation Network is finally back. You can now sign in, message your friends, play games online, and return to purchasing. But, wait a second, the PlayStation Store isn’t up again yet, is it?

Nope. Oh balls.

The PlayStation Store is the thing I have missed most during the PSN outage, and although our online games shopping centre hasn't quite reopened yet, now that the PSN is back to running on most of its cylinders it’s only a matter of time before we can all begin a collective shopping spree. In celebration I've decided to guide you through my planned purchases, whilst simultaneously recommending some awesome games currently available on the PSN. Where do we start?

Well, with the classics, of course!

I have been clutching a PlayStation controller in my hands since 1997, so I’m pretty familiar with a lot of the original PlayStation's games, many of which I just can’t wait to replay. Now, I know there are many of you out there who missed the PS1 golden age, and given the virtual sea of PS1 classic games to choose from on the PSN (not all of which are worth your money), I’m here to help you out. There are a few real gems in the PS1 classics section of the PlayStation store; here are just a few that I'd suggest you take a look at.

Bloody Roar 2

If you like fighting games, and don’t mind stepping into some 1999 graphics, Bloody Roar 2 is worth a look; a 3D fighter (think Tekken), which gives you the opportunity to control eleven distinct fighters, in combo-heavy hand-to-hand matches. The major selling point? Like those lovable Autobots and Decepticons, these fighters are actually much more than what meets the eye. All the fighters in the game have been genetically altered, and can transform into a human/beast hybrid mid-battle. Wolfmen, bunny ladies and weird insect dudes; Bloody Roar has them all. It's easy to recommend Bloody Roar 2 over its predecessor, as it offers more characters and modes, as well as better graphics than the original, albeit first-generation PS1 graphics.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Simply put, Symphony of the Night is Castlevania at its best. If you have no idea what Castlevania is, then I weep for your soul. In a nutshell, the Castlevania series of games follows the Belmont clan of vampire hunters throughout the generations, in their seemingly eternal fight against Dracula, the vampire king. Unlike the recent Lords of Shadow, the classic Castlevania games are strictly a 2D affair, heavy on the plaforming and the battling. Imagine Megaman with a mediaeval vampiric gothic twist, and you’ll start to get an idea of what I'm talking about.

Symphony of the Night is the central gem in the Castlevania crown. The game follows the story of Alucard, the son of Dracula, as he braves the dangers of Dracula’s castles. It's 2D platforming at its best, with just a smidgen of RPG-style character growth. With a great plot, gorgeous art style and pitch-perfect gameplay, how can you live with yourself knowing that this classic is just a download away, but you've never bought it?

Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped

Ever wonder what the guys at Naughty Dog - the developer famous for creating the Uncharted and Jak and Daxter games - were doing way back in the nineties? Look no further, my young padawan: Crash Bandicoot is what they were doing.

Sony’s premiere mascot and the PlayStation’s response to Mario, Crash is a cartoon-looking bandicoot – yes, they're actual animals – who wears jeans and has a liking for jumping on things. The Crash Bandicoot games were the best 3D platformers the original PlayStation ever saw, exuding all of the great production values that Naughty Dog is famous for. For a few laughs and some genuinely enjoyable platforming, Crash is the way to go. The third game in the series is easily the best of the lot, but you can go ahead and get all three - you certainly won’t regret it.

Final Fantasy IX

Back in the 1990’s, Squaresoft - now known as Square Enix - was on a roll. When Final Fantasy VII was rolled out on the PlayStation 1, no one could know that it was the game that would define that generation of gamers. Expectations were high for each subsequent game, and for the most part Squaresoft did not disappoint. The PSOne was home to three main-series Final Fantasy games, all of which were astounding. Now, we all know that Final Fantasy VII is an easy recommendation, but some of you might have overlooked the somewhat underrated Final Fantasy IX, which, looking back, is one of my favourite games in the series.

After the modern styles of Final Fantasy VII and VIII, Squaresoft decided to revisit its roots in Final Fantasy IX. Everything from the character design to the battle system is a throwback to the company’s SNES-era Final Fantasy titles; you can count that crystals, castles, airships, unlikely heroes and princesses will all make an appearance. The eight characters in the game mostly correspond to one of the classic 'jobs' that the series is known for - thief, white mage, blue mage, black mage, summoner, etc. - and all are compelling, unique and likeable. This is a Final Fantasy game, so - surely enough - the plot is epic and will have you in a battle for the fate of the world itself. A classic RPG through and through, if you can tolerate the classic sensibilities of the game, Final Fantasy IX is well worth your time.

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis

The original Resident Evil started it all. Resident Evil 2 is perhaps still the definitive game in the series for most gamers who played the classic titles. Resident Evil 3, however... well, it just was. The critics knew the game was great, but it simply wasn’t as successful as its predecessors. Chances are, you probably didn’t play this game either. I can guarantee you’re missing out on some of the best survival horror to ever come from Capcom.

In Resident Evil 3, you play as Jill Valentine, protagonist of the original game, as she desperately attempts to escape Raccoon City whilst it is being overrun by zombies. To complicate matters further, Umbrella Corporation has developed a bioweapon, designed exclusively to track and kill Jill, called 'The Nemesis'. Resident Evil 3 plays just like its predecessors, with the series' classic controls, but the Nemesis creature really adds something new to the mix; specifically, jump-out-of-your-seat terror. The Nemesis will show up repeatedly and unexpectedly throughout the game, and unlike the other creatures you face, it will follow you through every door and up every staircase, until you choose to face him. To put this simply, all these years later I can still remember how much Nemesis scared the shit out of me. Are you ready to be scared?

Metal Gear Solid

You’ve heard about those nifty action/stealth games called Metal Gear, right? Well, this is the game that started it all. Metal Gear Solid isn’t the first game in the Metal Gear series, but was the first of them to be infused with the cinematic style and stealth gameplay the series has become famous for since.

Like Final Fantasy VII, Metal Gear Solid was a console-defining game. At the time, nobody had seen anything like it, and its legacy is still palpable today. If you haven’t played this game, you should. 'Nuff said.


So, there you have it: my list of must-have PlayStation 1 classics. Make sure to download at least one of these classics if you can once the PlayStation Store is back up. And if you have any personal PS1 favorites that get you all teary-eyed, don’t be greedy: share your opinions in the comments below.

Labels: 2011, Bloody Roar, Castlevania, Classic Consoles, Columns, Crash Bandicoot, Final Fantasy, Joey Núñez, Metal Gear Solid, PlayStation, PS1, PSone, RePlay, Resident Evil, Sony

Last weekend I was spending some quality time with my Buffy and Angel DVDs^[1]. As usual, my lovely PS3, Polly, was in charge of the DVD playing duties. All was well, vamps were being dusted and Buffy was being as kickass as usual. But it seems Polly had had enough of those silly DVDs, and decided a strike was in order. She proceeded to shut down. Polly hasn’t turned back on since.

Yeah, my weekend pretty much sucked.

Polly’s fate is still unclear, but if you’re wondering how I’m holding up, the answer is surprisingly well. Complete and utter chaos has not erupted, and work has kept me busy enough, so I haven’t had much time to fret. Still... even though it has only been a few days, the absence of my PS3 is already painfully noticeable. Polly is, without a doubt, the pièce de résistance of my bedroom, and in her absence it took me all of about two hours to dust off my PS2 and start revisiting some of my old favourites. The whole ordeal has revealed to me that a couple of days without gaming is a couple days too many.

As I bemoaned the painful, hopefully not permanent, loss of Polly to some friends, I found myself once again having to defend my hobby. I can’t deny that as I have grown older I have taken a hard look at my hobby of choice. Not too long ago the consensus was that I was getting “too old for those kid games”; but as the next generation consoles (and also the Wii. See what I did there?) have made gaming much more mainstream, that opinion has died down considerably. But the naysayers aren’t all gone.

For what seemed like the fifth hundred and thirty second time I had to illustrate to non-gamers on the glories and values of the video game. The result was somewhere between a rave and a rant, but by the time the dust settled I once again felt validated, the intrinsic value of my past time proven, and walked away with the certainty that my hobby kicks every other hobby’s ass.

Since a) you guys will probably find yourself in a similar “Defense of Gaming” situation someday; and b) you crazy kids just love lists, I’ve summarized my ranting and raving on the awesomeness of gaming into the four points below.

So, without further ado, this is why I game:

1: Fun things are fun

First things first: video games are fun. Can most of you remember the first time you put your hands around a video game controller, or set your fingers down on a keyboard? Back when we were all gaming virgins, and had no idea the relationship we were getting ourselves into, or what that guy on the screen was supposed to be doing, there was only one thing we could do: wing it. You jumped and ran around with no other goal but to jump and run. There were no trophies or achievements to hunt down, no urgent need to complete a level, no “noobs” to be “owned”. You were gaming to enjoy yourself, and nothing more. The important thing about playing a video game was having fun.

Games have become more complex, and gamers seem to take their hobby more and more seriously each day, but we should never forget, in the end, gaming should always be about enjoyment. Today your average gamer is tech-savvy enough to ask about frame rates, textures and level design, but even they have to admit, there is one key requirement that any good game just has to meet: one way or another, it must be fun. Good games are fun to play, period. What better way to spend a couple of free hours in a day than having fun?

2: Gaming is a social experience. No, seriously.

Sometimes it’s planned, and sometimes it happens spontaneously, but more often than not when Sunday comes around my significant other, my friends and I find ourselves huddled around Polly, controllers in hand. We mess around in the user-created levels in Little Big Planet 2, bash each other’s heads in for a while in Marvel vs. Capcom 3, or take some guided tours of Renaissance Italy in Assassin's Creed 2. No money is spent, no gas is used, but fun with friends is had none the less.

Contrary to what some people would like to think, we gamers are perfectly capable of having normal social interactions, and video games can prove to be an extremely useful tool to that effect. When you’ve got yourself a nifty gaming console and some good games at home there’s no need to cook up some lame viewing party or movie night to have your friends come over - all you need to do is obtain enough controllers to let everyone hang out and play.

I’m pretty sure that if every world leader had a PS3 in their office, diplomacy would be a much simpler affair. Who needs war when you’ve got co-op and death matches?

3: An easy way to go through the looking glass.

Forrest Gump had it right: life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get. We have all had less than stellar days, weeks, or months, when nothing seems to be going quite right. It is during times like those that you would give anything to be able to step out of your life, if only for just a second, and forget about everything that’s going wrong. It has been my experience that gaming is just the right way to do that.

It is true that movies and books also provide escapism to a certain degree, but I don’t think they come close to what video games have to offer. Sure, you could watch Frodo and the gang bring it to Sauron in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and I’m sure that will provide some distraction; but better yet, why not jump into a world which is just as detailed as Middle Earth and be the characters on their epic quest for just a little while, making the tough decisions and guiding the heroes in their journey by your own hand? If that sounds good to you, then Final FantasY VI through X are highly recommended.

As a kid I used to be mesmerized by the Indiana Jones films. I always wondered what it would be like to go on one of those dangerous adventures and discover the mysteries of an ancient tomb. As a teenager the Lady Lara Croft gave me a taste of that anthropological brand of adventure. I led Ms. Croft through perilous traps and labyrinthine halls, and with her I discovered prehistoric treasures and forgotten civilizations I'd never dreamed of. When I was playing Tomb Raider I didn’t have to dwell on the fact that my parents were getting divorced - not when I had an ancient temple to explore.

With the technology available to game developers today, even complete historical cities can be recreated for us to explore (Assassins Creed anyone?). Essentially, through technology, the entire world becomes our playground, and when created properly video games are nice little vacations from our lives. Let’s face it, we can all use a vacation now and then.

4: Gold stars, blue ribbons and shiny trophies.

A few days ago Greg Mengel talked to you guys about the wonders of Mega Man X. I, like Greg, am also a huge Mega Man fan, and as I read his article the other day I started reminiscing and pinpointed just what was so great about the Mega Man games: the extraordinary sense of achievement that seems to overwhelm you when you churn through one of those levels and crush its boss. It’s no secret that Mega Man titles can sometimes seem impossible to conquer, which is exactly why you feel so empowered when you eventually see those end credits roll. The experience of starting up a game, mastering its intricacies, and eventually plowing through its challenges is something every gamer loves.

Before Polly decided it was time for a break I was able to, after hours of practice, complete every single combo challenge for Phoenix in Marvel vs. Capcom 3. I felt like a freaking god (and yes, a lame victory dance was involved). Does that make me a complete and total nerd? Well, yeah, I guess it does, but hell, I felt great doing my victory dance. I'd earned it.

So there you have it, a rock solid defense for gaming, feel free to pull out this list, or some variation of it, when you find yourself having to prove you’re not an antisocial hermit just because you like to play video games to your family or friends.

In any case, chances are if you’re reading this now you don’t need convincing, you know gaming is awesome. So tell us below, why do you game?

Footnotes

[1] That’s right, in addition to being a gamer I’m a card-carrying, browncoated Joss Whedon fan. I’m awesome, deal with it.

Labels: 2011, Assassin's Creed, Final Fantasy, Joey Núñez, LittleBigPlanet 2, Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Megaman X, Polly, PS2, PS3, RePlay, The Gaming Experience

Few can muster the innovation and sheer role-playing force that Final Fantasy has brought to the game industry’s table. Solely responsible for the resuscitation of its parent long, long ago, Square Enix’s intellectual property contains the very recipe for success. Along with legions of rabid, die-hard fans willing to throw themselves in front of a speeding rickshaw to get their hands on another game, Final Fantasy will never truly be 'final'.

Ahem. Unless, of course, Square Enix continues to mould each successive game using Final Fantasy XII as a template.

That’s right: Final Fantasy XII, otherwise known in smaller circles as the harbinger of doom, has created an anomaly in the otherwise pristine Final Fantasy formula (F3), but we’ll get to that later. Back in 2006, the PS2 exclusive rang in impressive scores from around the industry, garnering a superb 92 from Metacritic and even Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu’s perfect '40' score. Though being vastly different to previous installments, it seemed XII could do no wrong.

My friends, what happened in the past is a crime. Final Fantasy XII didn’t deserve the praise it received. This monster is responsible for the degraded, unruly husk of gaming that the Final Fantasy series has become; a travesty that needs to be explained in full.

Could you take this guy seriously?

We at Gamer's Guide to Life have covered some reasons why the Final Fantasy series is going in the direction it’s headed, but what we haven’t yet addressed is the catalyst to the problem. Coming fresh off the heels of a successful MMO, Square Enix decided to borrow much from FFXI and infuse its next console game with MMO elements. On paper it didn’t sound bad; actually it was sort of enticing. A console, single-player Final Fantasy that plays like an MMO? Could Square-Enix actually meld great storytelling with exceptional gameplay, effectively MMO-ifying Final Fantasy for the solo player? I’d be damned if I didn’t admit I was excited about the idea.

At first, FFXII’s execution is pretty solid. The visuals look grand, the cut-scenes are their requisite year length, and the voice-overs are extremely well done. Soon after its serious and comically exaggerated opening though, you’ll be exposed to the controversial combat. Being the MMO wannabe it is, in FFXII you can see every single hostile in your immediate surroundings. That means you’ll no longer have to worry about being ambushed by the Giga Behemoth inside of a bar. It’s a great feature for the series and gives you the freedom whether you engage or not. Once a fight is picked, the game seamlessly transitions into the scuffle and its MMO-ification is brought to the forefront.

Would you believe me if I told you that little tyke is a dude?

In short, the combat in this game is nothing short of astral vomit. It’s a rather complicated explanation, but I’ll do my best to tackle the beast. Like an MMO, your party of three will attack in real-time and use the abilities you designate. You can also revert to the old-school turn-based approach, but it’s pretty clear that FFXII was built to destroy that notion. If you opt to take the old-school road, you’ll pull your brain from your heart before you can enjoy any aspect of the fighting. You see, it’s your turn to attack again every second since, you know, it’s real time - so if you have the action paused every nanosecond, you’re effectively playing in bullet-time. Slow-mo combat is not cool, it’s not fun, rewarding, or anything else nice sounding.

Controlling your party members is pretty weird in this game. In previous Final Fantasy titles you could control every action your characters take. You can still do that, but like I said above, it’s very unrealistic since the game would need to be paused every 2.459 seconds. I’ll remind you that FFXII is built on MMO principle which means that combat against monotonous enemies, like jack rabbits, should be dealt with exceedingly fast and without thought. Enter the new Gambit system. These little babies allow you to give AI to your digital followers so you don’t have to constantly tell them to attack the dudes in front of their face. Gambits suck.

There's a Viera named Krjn in the main city. How the hell do you even say that?

Allow me to explain. Gambits are great for this game since it allows you to push through the garbage to get to the nicer smelling garbage. They also allow you to control a single character without having to micromanage your party members. The problem I have with Gambits is that they take too much away from the game. Sometimes I’d seriously walk away from my TV when I was in a lengthy fight. I didn’t need to be there; think about that. My other issue was how FFXII dealt with mana or magic power. The only way you could get mana back effectively was by running – just moving around. One boss fight entailed me running around an antagonist dubbed 'the Judge' in a large circle, healing the people who needed it and attacking when he didn’t do enough damage. I didn’t have to press a single button to win the fight. To make matters worse, your companions do not move around like you do, so they’ll never gain that mana back in the heat of battle. Maybe it’s just me, but running back and forth or running circles around enemies while I attack just doesn’t seem to be as rad as it sounds.

You aren't moving! Get that mana back! No, I don't care if you're bored!

Much like in FFX, characters achieve new abilities by moving around a welfare version of the Sphere Grid called the License Board. After every fight you’ll gain XP and some License Points (LP). You can move around the board by expending your points but here’s the kicker, everyone starts in the same place. That’s right, unlike FFX which started you on a HUGE different edge of the grid, this damn game just gives you all the same starters. I think the worst part about Licenses is that you can’t even use certain armor or equipment unless you unlock it on the board. So you can be wearing Plate Mail Assless Chaps, but if you happen upon a Cloth Toga? You can’t wear it unless you have it on the board.

Limit Breaks, Trances, Desperation Attacks - whatever game they’re from, Final Fantasy veterans know that these finishers help define the series. FFXII instills a new name to Limit Breaks they dub the Quickening system. Quickenings are probably the worst Limit Breaks of all time but are perhaps the most effective in a game like this. Each character can find three Quickenings of varying power and they can all be strung together in one lengthy, repetitive movement. To shoot one off, you have to have full MP and then you’ll be taken to a cut-scene where you’ll be prompted to press a button. As long as you press it before the timer runs out, so-and-so will do a move and the screen will fade to another cut-scene where you’ll be prompted to do the same thing. This string can last forever as long, even though doing just one Quickening will reduce your MP to zero. How it works after I’ve done 12 Quickenings I couldn’t care less about, but I hit one boss for over 10,000 damage at level 10 and won. Awesome.

Looks dynamic, right?

On another hand though, Square Enix brought back the Espers. For those of you who don’t know, Espers were the magical forms from FFVI (the best in the series) that rock total house. Unfortunately, even the good name of the Espers can’t save the new ones in FFXII. Once summoned, your party is teleported away from the area except for the caster itself. The Esper cannot be controlled and wanders around for a certain time period doing whatever. Funnily, the caster him/herself is usually getting hammered on by the creatures you were hoping to kill with the Esper. If you die, the Esper is unsummoned. If you think that stinks check this; usually Espers have several attacks, but they all contain at least one super. Upon completing the super attack they leave the area and your party is teleported back in. Sometimes they come in and use that attack, leave, and effectively did nothing. I want my old summons back.

Balthier is the coolest character in the game. Fran is the rabbit woman with high heels and no clothes.

Perhaps the worst part about FFXII is its headache of a story and the bland characters. Story for the Final Fantasy games is its most important foundation so it’s confounding as to how they looked at this and thought it was all good. I don’t think I’ve ever played a Final Fantasy game where I haven’t cared about the protagonist or the group he’s gathered. Actually, FFXII doesn’t even have a clear enemy since it’s too busy trying to make civil war and unrest the most complicated political thing of all-time. There’s no clear-cut good dude either, just an androgynous guy named Vaan who I immediately swapped out of my party when given the opportunity. 30 hours in and I still have no idea what’s going on or what people are trying to accomplish.

I’ll finish up here by stating how atrocious boss fights are. As I’ve described the combat to be a pancake drenched in the sweat of a 400lb male equestrian, the battles with the bosses aren’t nearly as exciting. Once a boss fight is locked in, they begin bashing you with their physical attacks just like every other game out there. The issue is that they really don’t do much else. Occasionally they’ll throw out a magic spell or some flagrant taunt but once they hit the 50% HP mark, the fight changes. Something drastic happens where the boss utilises some extreme area of effect ability that takes you for a ride; they will continuously do it until the fight is over. It’s almost like a time check saying, “You got me this low, I’ll keep spamming this until I’m dead. Haha!” Every boss follows a similar pattern or at least something close to it.

There's the boss! If you win you get nothing! Hurrah!

Oh and once it’s all over? You don’t even get items or ANY type of reward for winning. No I’m not kidding – Boss fights with no cool rewards. I’m sorry, you actually are rewarded – you get a huge “Congratulations” text message across the screen as it spins for about a minute around your party, who is posing for the non-existent camera man.

...just like this.

FFXII is an insult to the RPG world and an embarrassment to the Final Fantasy name. This console MMO-ification is pure evidence that what we’ve seen from FFXIII and the coming games can only lead to unrivaled terror. Do yourselves a favor Square Enix, revisit your older games and see how a real title plays.

Labels: 2011, Andrew Whipple III, Feature, Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XII, PS2, Square Enix

Femme Fatale. It’s French for 'deadly woman'. According to Wikipedia - also known as The Bible of the internet - a femme fatale is a "dangerous and seductive woman", who often leads men into "compromising, dangerous and deadly situations". To me, a femme fatale is a chick who kicks ass, and if you know anything about me you know I love a kickass chick.

Lucky for me as a gamer, those nerdy game developers seem to love feisty ladies just as much as I do, and I’m guessing some of you geeks can appreciate the allure of a tough-as-nails female as well. Given the rampant interest on the subject, and in no way motivated by an inappropriate obsession with these gaming gals, I have taken it upon myself to put together a little list of my favorite femmes fatales of gaming. A powerful protagonist can and will completely change your experience with a game, so take a look at this list and check these ladies and their games out, and remember: most of them could beat you senseless.

Samus Aran, Metroid

Anyone who played Metroid back in the day will remember the exact moment when you realised Samus Aran, the futuristic bounty hunter in the suit that would give Iron Man a run for his money, wasn’t a cool dude. Nope, he wasn’t actually a he at all. He was a she, and she was tougher than any man could ever hope to be.

For the two of you out there who are unaware of Metroid, here’s the 411: Samus Aran walks around in some manly looking (yet strangely flattering) body armor, is armed to the teeth with futuristic laser guns, bombs and all manner of snazzy gadgets, and can basically walk onto a planet, take out every ugly alien on it, blow the goddamn rock up and head back home in time for lunch. She’s badass and don’t you doubt it. Oh, and one more thing: as of late, Samus has taken to wearing more fitted outfits. She’s pretty hot under that manly armor.

Samus made her latest outing in Metroid: Other M, infused with 25% more badass mojo, courtesy of Team Ninja. Some fans have frowned upon how the developers choose to flesh out Samus’ back-story and make her out to be somewhat of a fragile little girl. I’ll leave you guys to judge whether Other M has a higher 'win' or 'fail' quota, as long as you don’t for a second doubt just how awesome Samus is.

Not. One. Second.

Jill Valentine, Resident Evil

Not only is she a femme fatale, she is also the infamous 'master of unlocking'. The original Resident Evil girl, many have tried to win over Jill Valentine's title but, in my humble opinion, no other digital girl has succeeded.

Jill Valentine blew out her first zombie brain - and won over the hearts of gamers everywhere - back in 1996, in the first Resident Evil. She turned out to be more than just 'the girl character' of the game, thanks to some clever design choices by Capcom. Instead of just inserting a character with breasts, meant for one Mr. Chris Redfield, into an adventure, Capcom gave Ms. Valentine her own distinct storyline and adventure. Somehow, despite atrocious dialogue and voice acting, Capcom managed to create not only a long-lasting series but also characters that would withstand the test of time.

Jill went on to star in what I still consider to be the scariest game in the series, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (available now for download from the PlayStation Store), and made a semi-triumphant return in Resident Evil 5, proving to us all that she was still the girl that a zombie wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley.

Look for her to appear sometime soon in the upcoming 3DS game Resident Evil: Revelations. Just the thought of Jill Valentine blowing out zombie brains in an awesome 3D handheld format makes me get all giddy. You should go ahead and get excited too.

Fun fact: Jill was simply not content with kicking zombie booty, and made the jump to fighting games in 2002 in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, a role she is set to reprise this year in the game's sequel.

Jill Valentine is, simply put, all that and then some.

Lightning, Final Fantasy XIII

If the last two girls on the list could be considered old-school, then Lightning, of Final Fantasy fame, is about as 'new-school' as you can get. Making her first appearance in last year’s Final Fantasy XIII, Lightning showed up with a definite bang. Benefiting from all the power the PS3 and the 360 have to offer, the visuals of Final Fantasy XIII and the lovely Lightning are awe-inspiring, and to see this girl in motion is a thing of beauty. Trust me, you don’t forget the first time you see Lightning turn her gun into a sword with nothing but a flick of her wrist. Yeah, that’s right, her gun is also a sword. Awesome.

Speaking of weaponry, you should know that Lightning has more than enough talent to sweep the floor with any of the male Final Fantasy protagonists that came before her. With military training under her belt, Lightning could just as easily dropkick you as light you on fire courtesy of some nifty magic. I should probably also mention that she has the ability to invoke the power of Odin in one of the series' trademark 'summons'.

Yeah, I mean Odin as in King of the Norse Gods. Again, awesome.

Anything but a damsel in distress, Lightning is a woman on a mission, driven and focussed; say what you will of the linear nature of Final Fantasy XIII, but Lightning had business to care of, and no town full of NPC’s was going to get in her way. If you, like me, can’t get enough of this gun-blade toting woman, fear not: Lightning is poised to make a comeback in two upcoming Square Enix games, Final Fantasy XIII-2 and Dissidia: Duodecim.

Bayonetta, Bayonetta

A group of Angels swoop down from the heavens, wielding celestial weapons and intent on putting an end to you. Who are you? A curvaceous, cheeky, and absolutely deadly witch. As you lunge forward with your samurai sword you quickly go from slicing the angels up into feathery bits to shooting them up with your dual guns, swiftly interchanging punches with deadly shots. You finish off your enemies with a couple of well placed bullets. These bullets, however, aren’t fired from the guns in your hands, oh no; these are shots from the guns attached to the heels of your fabulous boots.

Oh, Bayonetta: you are one crazy chick.

I’ve played quite a few action games in my day and have witnessed all kinds of ludicrous things that insane game developers the world over have cooked up in their twisted little heads. After four Devil May Cry games, a couple of Ninja Gaidens, and a few God of Wars, I’d thought that I couldn’t be completely floored anymore. Yet Bayonetta went ahead and proved me wrong...

...in the best possible way.

Sure we’re talking about an extremely solid action game, with tight controls, great visuals and incredible art direction, but what really pulls the whole package together is Bayonetta herself. Overtly sexual, riddled with clichés and an all-round badass, Bayonetta is a character who gamers, such as me, will not soon forget. If you haven’t given this game a try, please do, immediately. Personally, I can only hope that we haven’t seen the last of this pole-dancing witch.

Yes, I said pole dancing. No, it wasn’t a typo.

Chun Li, Street Fighter

The number one, undisputed fighting game vixen is without a doubt Chun Li of Street Fighter fame. The tiny little Chinese girl, with the pretty blue dress and the lighting fast legs, changed the landscape of fighting games for the better back in 1991, with her appearance as a playable character in Street Fighter II – The World Warrior. Chun-Li was the first ever playable female character in a fighting game. The first ever. If you’re wondering, now is a good time to be impressed.

Chun-Li literally invaded a man’s world, and kicked serious butt while doing it. This nimble lady let little gaming boys the world over know that it was alright to pick the girl, especially if you beat the other guys to the ground while doing it. Again, we have Capcom to thank for this one. Instead of making a flimsy, cardboard cutout pretty girl who wanted to see the world and throw some kicks, they make a Chun-Li an undercover cop with a dead dad and revenge on her mind. Armed with quick hits and Princess Leia hair, a legend was born.

Chun-Li continues to be a popular character today, and has been featured prominently in most of Capcom’s Street Fighter games, as well as in most of the spin off franchises Capcom has cooked up, most prominently the Capcom vs. games. You can find Chun-Li spin-bird-kicking her way into Marvel vs. Capcom 3 right now.

Aya Brea, Parasite Eve

I’m guessing a few of you are saying "Aya who?" right about now. Fear not, all shall be revealed.

Aya Brea was just your regular, run-of-the-mill NYPD detective, minding her own business, trying to live the good life and catch an opera at Carnegie Hall when BAM, the prima donna of the opera gets all glowy eyed and makes everyone in the room catch on fire. Spontaneous combustion is not as fun as it sounds. Of course, our heroine didn’t catch a bad case of "I’m on fire!" like everyone else; instead, she got some nifty superpowers out of it all.

And, lo, a hero is born! Aya Brea proceeded to fight said Prima Donna and the mutant creatures she created in her wake, with New York City hanging in the balance, all the while looking all kinds of foxy in her leather jacket and blue jeans. Not quite an action game, and not quite an RPG, Parasite Eve was something else. In addition to the very cool abilities Aya developed in the course of the game she also had access to all kinds of weaponry, which you could upgrade in all sorts of ways. Think Resident Evil with magic that isn’t magic but superpowers... got it?

The interesting game mechanics plus pretty blonde lead made a hit of Parasite Eve on the PlayStation back in 1998. A sequel was released in 2000, and despite being packed with more lady-killing-creatures action, we haven’t heard of Aya since.

Luckily for us fans, Ms. Brea is just about ready for her comeback. A third game in the series, aptly titled The Third Birthday, is set to mutate the mitochondria of a PSP near you this March. After over ten years, I think that deserves a great big HUZZAH!

YRP, Final Fantasy X-2

I get it. Many hated Final Fantasy X-2. The roster was reduced to three playable characters, all of whom were girls. The tone of the game was much camper and upbeat, and the story - as a direct continuation of Final Fantasy X - left some wanting more. I, on the other hand, absolutely loved this game, in no small part due to its three female leads: Yuna, Rikku and Paine.

Fans of Final Fantasy X were more than familiar with Rikku and Yuna, however no one was expecting the massive makeover given to Yuna, who went from a princess-like summoner to a gun slinging acrobat straight out of Charlie’s Angels. And then, there was Paine. A sombre, cold and all-business warrior, the only way to describe her is badass, in an extreme sense. The game made a switch back to the job system, a classic Final Fantasy battle system by means of which you can change a characters job (thief, gunner, black mage, white mage, etc.) in order to gain access to the abilities corresponding to each job. The special thing about FFX-2 is that you could switch jobs mid-battle, leading to some very flashy over the top wardrobe change animations and some even flashier strategy.

I played this game to death, and wholeheartedly recommend it to any RPG enthusiasts willing to give it a chance. Hopefully these ladies will win you over as they did me.

Rubi Malone, WET

WET was a game which, to me, was filled with promise. Poised to be a great, stylish and clever action game, the end result just wasn’t running on all cylinders and ultimately didn’t deliver. However, if there was one aspect of the game I truly liked it was the character created to star in it: Rubi Malone.

This is a list of tough ladies, correct? Well, Ms. Malone packs dual pistols, uzis and shotguns; can run on walls like nobody’s business; and there’s also that useful Samurai sword she just loves to carry around. She is a bad-mouthed, dangerous mercenary for hire, and I love her for it.

WET was just oozing with style, trying its hardest to be the game Quentin Tarantino would love to make and play. If we’re lucky the recently announced sequel will be a bit more Tarantino and a bit less B-movie.

Trish, Devil May Cry Series

Granted, in constructing my list I’ve taken a few liberties with the term 'femme fatale', but if ever there was one, Trish of the Devil May Cry series is definitely it. Covered in sexy leather and leathery sex appeal? Check. Using her cunning to lure our hero into danger? Check. Powerful enough to take us all to hell and back, and not break a sweat? Check check check.

Trish made her debut in the first Devil May Cry on the PlayStation 2 way back in 2001. Created by the evil demon Mundus to look just like Dante’s mother, and imbued with enough strength and power to take our hybrid demon/human hero on, Trish was central to the story, as she served as the bait, foe and eventual ally of Dante. At the end of the first game Dante finds himself with a new partner, and we find ourselves with a new femme fatale to love.

Sadly Trish has found herself with a downplayed role in the series, and we craving fanboys have always been left wanting more of this blonde bombshell. Playable as a secret character in the disappointing Devil May Cry 2, and making scant appearances in Devil May Cry 4, it's left to be seen what Trish’s fate will be in the reboot of the series, known simply as DMC.

Lara Croft, Tomb Raider Series

It’s no secret: I love Lara Croft with a passion. Dig deep enough around the site and you’ll find my ode to both Lara and her franchise around here somewhere. And honestly, what’s not to love? There’s the lovely British accent, the acrobatic prowess and handy dual-wielded guns, the archeological knowledge. She isn't too difficult on the eyes either.

Lara Croft has been a staple of the videogame industry since she made her debut in the 1996 Tomb Raider. In an era when 2D gaming was still king, Tomb Raider not only took part in the 3D gaming revolution, but also changed the landscape of female characters in gaming. Lara Croft, just like most of the other women on this list, is tough, unapologetic and very kickass, whilst at the same time maintaining her femininity and charm.

With the recent Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, the folks at Crystal Dynamics proved to us all that Lara Croft was a compelling character even when you take a Tomb Raider game and turn it on its head. I harbour a deep hope that they’ll be able to pull that off again with the upcoming Tomb Raider reboot/prequel.



So there you have it, boys and girls; my top ten gaming femmes fatales. I’m sure that I’ve left hundreds of amazing characters off the list, but these ladies just float my boat and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Sound off in the comments section and let us know who your favourite femmes fatales are.

Labels: 2011, Bayonetta, Columns, Devil May Cry, Dissidia Final Fantasy, DMC, Final Fantasy, Joey Núñez, Metroid, Parasite Eve, RePlay, Resident Evil, Street Fighter, The Third Birthday, Tomb Raider, Wet

Many years ago a young, naïve American boy walked into a pawn shop looking for a new game. Armed with his trusty Game Boy Color, he scanned the used cartridges with keen eyes, scrutinizing titles and cover art in search of something as exciting as Link's Awakening and as addicting as Pokemon Red. His gaze lingered on the options before him... Kirby's Dream Land, Paperboy II, Bart Simpson's Escape from Camp Deadly. No winners. Just before giving up hope he caught a glimpse of an old game box attracting dust in a corner behind the register.

"What's that one?" he inquired of the bearded, tattooed storeclerk, whose aviators and tattered Detroit Lions tee-shirt were smudged and well-worn. The clerk put down an old carburetor he was puttering with.

"Oh, that? Final Fantasy Legend. Some kind of role-playing Japanese nerd crap. We don't get many calls for it around he-"

SLAP!

"I'll take it." The boy's flat palm pinned fifteen dollars onto the counter, a wild arrangement of nickels, quarters, and crumpled bills.

The grizzled clerk chuckled, collecting the boy's motley currency with what resembled a five-fingered paw. "Huh. Exact change." After wiping a layer of dust off of the game box, he tossed it over.

"Have fun, kid." The cyclopean figure waved before turning back to his carburetor. After examining his prize more closely, the boy stashed it in the pocket of his parka and left the store, excited for the long hours to come.

...That was then. Twelve years later, the magic of Final Fantasy is dead by Square Enix's own hand.

Music.

The Final Fantasy series that we once knew - one filled with reliable gameplay, memorable characters, and engaging tales - has been replaced. Outrageous storylines, papier-mâché character development and a grind-heavy battle system have commandeered their way to the helm of the HMS Final Fantasy and are steering it at top speeds into the iceberg of mediocrity.

Let's look at what went wrong, and where.

The turning point for Final Fantasy has to be Final Fantasy X, where classic Final Fantasy style fused with the advanced graphics and chiselled animé aesthetics that hallmark the later series. It had a little bit of everything: familiar menu-style gameplay, a technicolour dreamcoat of characters both dynamic and stale (including an unbearably annoying protagonist), a memorable soundtrack, a challenging arrangement of bosses climaxing with a ridiculously easy final villain, and a plot that - while not Shakespeare - still left you wanting to discover what would happen next.

Final Fantasy X's graphical improvement over previous titles marked the beginning of the end for the series. From Final Fantasy Classic to Final Fantasy IX - when sprite and small-bit graphics were all Square had to work with - everything looked somewhat... foggy. Instead of knowing a character's exact appearance, one was forced to imagine it. Comic artist Scott McCloud discusses this phenomenon in his work Understanding Comics, in which he claims that people tend to invest themselves more fully in simplistic animation than in high definition or detail. He would argue that gamers have an easier time empathizing with Cloud 'A'...

Oh Aeris! I'll never love another woman.

...than Cloud B.

Oh Tifa! I'll never love anothe- ...wait...

If McCloud is correct, then 'Joe Bloggs' will likely empathise more with Cloud 'A' than Cloud 'B', simply because Cloud B's near-photographic look highlights his differences with the appearances of those viewing him. Cloud A, on the other hand, is a generic assembly of shapes that we can only discern is both spiky and probably human. While playing Final Fantasy VII we, the players, will have an easier time putting ourselves in the shoes of a graphically indiscernible Cloud A than with a Cloud B so visibly different - and damned perfect - from ourselves.

Examine both images, and ask yourself which Cloud looks more like you. You may choose Cloud B. I understand, it's a naturally emotive shot. But if like me you chose Cloud A, then you may understand why many people feel that the jawdropping graphics of newer Final Fantasies, culminating (thusfar) in FFXIII, are less personally fulfilling than their ancestors.

Great graphics alone do not ruin characters. Great graphics without great character development, however, does. If a player is not subconsciously connecting with a character based on his (or her) appearance, then they need to like him based on his personality; how he responds to the scenarios in which he finds himself. Maybe I just don't understand Japanese culture, but I have trouble empathising with a lot of Final Fantasy's new characters, like Final Fantasy XIII's chic, hipster protagonist, Snow.

If you can see yourself in this character then you probably know more about rohypnol than you should.

With generic, unrelatable characters like Snow on my team, I often find myself routing for the antagonists.

More music.

The emotional disconnection caused by terrific graphics symbolises my biggest problem with the series today: it leaves nothing to the imagination.

This disconnection starts with graphics and character development, but it doesn't end there. Instead, it spills like a witch's brew over the cauldron, soaking the plot, gameplay, and even Nobuo Uematsu's famous musical scores with predictable, emotionally bland digital bogwater.

A common complaint with post-Final Fantasy X games is that their plots are about as sturdy as that popsicle stick bridge you made when you were nine. Not only are they riddled with holes and dramatic inconsistency, but they sport dialogue and character interaction that plays like a corny B-movie horror flick. I'd like to grab twenty Final Fantasy fans and ask them to describe the plots of pre- and post-X titles. My guess is that they will have a much easier time describing team 'pre'.


Final Fantasy VI? It's about a ragtag group of outcasts who bind together to fight a malicious empire harvesting the power of Espers, magical beings from an ancient time. Before they fulfil their quest the empire falls from within, leaving the world in ruin. With their original purpose lost, the protagonists disband, only to find each other again and unite with a new goal in mind: to defeat the evil Kefka and restore balance to their ravaged planet.


Final Fantasy X-2? Umm... Three sexy girls team up to save one of their boyfriends, who has been captured by common thugs despite the fact that he was strong enough to destroy the world-eater known as Sin just a few months before. On the way: karaoke, ice-cream, dancing, slumber parties and hugs. I'm not sure how it ends; I stopped playing halfway through.

Over the last decade I've tried repeatedly to get into the post-X games. I've really tried. I want to love them, or even like them. For hundreds of hours I've sat on the couch diligently, controller in hand, waiting for the plot of a new Final Fantasy to reel me in and fly me to story paradise. It has never come close to happening.

I've also become soured on new Final Fantasies because of their crazy, newfangled twists on gameplay. Sometimes the new systems offered by the series work. Final Fantasy XIII, for example, had a gameplay system with huge amounts of potential, but Square squashed it beneath its steely clods by making battles far too long, far too frequent, and far too repetitive. The reason they made it so tedious is obvious: they wanted to be able to advertise a 60-hour game rather than a 35-hour one. Over fifty hours of gameplay is great, so long as it doesn't feel stagnant after ten.

When it comes to music, I actually think Nobuo-sama and his protégés still know their way around an orchestral hall. My only complaint with their work would be that because new Final Fantasy titles like XIII make you jump through tedious and needless battles like hoops at a terrifically-orchestrated dog show, the player is forced to hear the same basic fight ballad just over a kabillagillion times. Certain melodies will never stop haunting you.

Keep doing what you do, Nobuo, old friend. Also, you look like the Japanese Mario.

The Final Fantasy series has been set on a slow, painful decline for nearly the last ten years. Its aesthetics and narratives, once deep and moving, now seem cheap and contrived. Better graphics and narrow gameplay have spoon-fed gamers an experience rather than letting them explore one. An obsession with Japanese otaku culture has coloured every aspect of the series, limiting its once universal appeal.

Why does this feel more exciting than this? How can a fight with this technology be more exciting than this battle with futuristic tech? I'm at a loss here.

It's like Square Enix planted the seed of a wonder-tree that could thrive in cold weather, grow enough fruit to end poverty, and grow steadily without human care, and then watered it with Gatorade.

In short, the Final Fantasy of today is in no way the Final Fantasy bought by an excited young boy spending fifteen dollars in a California pawn shop a dozen years ago. That series died in 2001, with Final Fantasy X. Until Square Enix drastically changes its ways, the Final Fantasy we came to know and love as young adults and children will remain but a memory, and an overpriced unopened cartridge on eBay. We can only hope it will show up again when we least expect it.

Until then? Damn you, Square Enix. Damn you to Tartarus.

Closing music.

Labels: 2011, Feature, Final Fantasy, Greg Mengel

Oh, videogame developers. You poor, poor fools. I ask myself, did you know what you were getting into? Did you have any idea just how rabid we gamers can be? I don't really believe you did, because who would willingly subject themselves to all this flaming? Here you are, pouring your hearts and souls into an idea, into a story, which somehow finds its way across all the industry bureaucracy and becomes a game; and here we are, just waiting to see you fail. Yours is a sad fate indeed.

What has launched me on this pity party for developers, you ask? Well, I’ve taken a step back and observed the gaming community in the last couple of months (myself included) and it has let me see what a tough bunch we really are. We constantly demand innovation from developers, we demand bigger and better things, but any attempt to modify or change our sacred cow franchises in any way and we go berserk.

Final Fantasy

The first case I 'observed' was Final Fantasy XIII. If one franchise defines Square-Enix, it’s the Final Fantasy series of games. Hell, Final Fantasy defines the RPG genre. I grew up with the series, and have been a fan ever since I popped Final Fantasy VI (Final Fantasy III to us U.S. gamers) cartridge into my Super Nintendo. Terra and her pixellated green hair won me over the minute the game started up. With Final Fantasy I developed a love for RPG’s which has endured through the years: I have played every single major Final Fantasy game, and have generally been delighted with the results. Then along came Final Fantasy XIII, the Final Fantasy game for a new generation.

Even before I ever laid a finger on that shiny Blu-ray disc, I had all these preconceived notions about the game. It seemed like every gaming site and message board was crammed with Final Fantasy fans going into frenzy. Was it true? Could it be a linear Final Fantasy game? It was heresy. I’m a big fan, and the game, if nothing else, looked incredibly pretty. Coupled with my well-documented soft spot for tough chicks with guns, I was convinced to give the game a chance.

Was it a good game? Yes, it was. Was it the best Final Fantasy game in the series? Not for me personally. It was different from the normal Final Fantasy experience, in the sense that it tried something new; a different, more story-focused approach to how the game progressed. Some people liked it, others hated it. Square-Enix was just trying to innovate. Square-Enix was basically crucified by those 'hardcore' Final Fantasy fans. The message, I’m afraid, was heard by Square: "Take your innovation and shove it".

Infamous 2

Fast-forward a couple of months and another big franchise is starting to tease the content of its new game. Infamous 2 was on the horizon, and Sucker Punch, the game's developers, were excited to show off all the shiny new stuff they had packed into their sequel. First on their list was the new character design for the lead character of the series, Cole. This to me was not a big surprise. If I heard one complaint over and over regarding the original game, it was the main character design. The guy looked, and sounded, way too gruff. This is supposed to be a superhero? He looked more like a plumber (no offence Mario). I had no problem with the original design myself, although I did find some of the choices Sucker Punch made a bit odd. So, of course, the new character design looked like a first cousin of Nathan Drake: the ultimate good-guy-relatable-game-protagonist. The old voice actor was also given the shove, and a new, more 'good guy'-sounding voice actor was cast. I’m sure Sucker Punch were excited to hear what the fans thought.

Poor saps. They never saw it coming.

The fans were outraged. They dared to change Cole? Our Cole? Forget the fact that these loose-cannon game developers actually created the guy. Who cares that we’re only one game into the series. We want back the guy we loved to hate, and we want him now! The funny part is that Sucker Punch actually listened. Check out the latest Infamous screens and you will see the old Cole is alive and well. That’ll show those kooky game developers! That'll teach them that we don’t want any changes! Power to the people.

DMC

However, it looks like the message didn’t make it to Japan, and more specifically, Capcom. By now, I’m sure you’ve all heard of DMC, the Devil May Cry reboot. You’ve seen the trailer. You’ve seen the new Dante.

Now, I have to come clean. I own, and have beaten, every single DMC game. I watched the anime. I have a DMC poster on my wall. I like the games. And if you’ve played these games, you'll know that Dante is what makes them work. Dante’s style and attitude; he's what makes the over-the-top Devil May Cry experience work. To change Dante is to change the game. You’d think Square-Enix was at the wheel.

So of course I - as a self respecting fan of the series - went onto the first message board I could find, and cried to the high heavens for someone’s head on a platter. Right? Well, no. See, I haven’t played the game; no one has. And whilst I think the change is a bit of a stretch, I trust these guys. They're the ones that gave me these awesome games in the first place.

I'm not a developer, I'm a gamer. That my friends, is the reality of things. It's what I’m trying to get at: we are all just gamers. Of course we are entitled to our opinions: our opinions fuel the industry. Hell, without opinions, this site wouldn’t even exist. This article that you’re reading right now is nothing but my opinion. But to flame a game incessantly without even having played it, without even knowing the motivation behind the changes and innovations which the game creators have chosen to implement is - to be honest - just kind of dumb. The gaming community is constantly asking for innovation in its games. Throw us a couple of sequels with nothing but rehash and your game will fail. On the other hand, if the developers try something new we collectively nail them to a cross.

Although I think the whole Infamous business is an incredible testament to the powers that we gamers have, I also think it sets a dangerous precedent, which may force developers and designers to hold back their artistic vision and creativity, in hopes of appeasing the masses. I, for one, hope that Capcom sticks to their guns with the choices they've made with DMC. Yes, the game might suck, but then again it might not, and Capcom amongst others will learn that it’s okay to try something new. When that happens, dear gamers, we will be much better off for it.

Labels: Columns, Devil May Cry, DMC, Final Fantasy, InFamous, Infamous 2, Joey Núñez, RePlay

Game Information


Basic information
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers
Developer: Square Enix PPD 2
Publisher: Square Enix
Expected: February 2010

Where to find more
Official Homepage
Wikipedia article

After first being announced way back at E3 2005, followed by years of virtual silence, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: the Crystal Bearers has been off the radar for some time. However, it is finally hitting U.S. store shelves on December 26th, with the European release set for early February 2010. The apparent lack of focus on the game’s development has taken much criticism, but hopefully the extended creation time has allowed it to be polished and prepared for anticipated gamers.

The story takes place a thousand years after the Great War, the premise of the first game in the series released on the GameCube. While other games bear the name Crystal Chronicles, Crystal Bearers would likely be classified as the sequel to the first game, tying in many story elements that follow the natural progression of its predecessor. While the game is chalk full of colourful and interesting characters, as is common in nearly every Final Fantasy, Crystal Bearers lacks the capacity to control an entire party. You take the reins of a single character named Layle, a Crystal Bearer from the Clavat tribe, one of the four clans which make up the world.

The progressive Lilty tribe defeated the dissident Yuke tribe during the Great War, shattering the Yuke Crystal and supposedly annihilating the Yukes. A theory in the game is that after its destruction, fragments from the Yuke Crystal attached themselves to individuals all across the globe, granting them special magical powers and thus labelling them as Crystal Bearers. This game’s timeline is more industrial, with machinery in the forefront, and magic seen as a taboo ability all but lost except by the few Crystal Bearers, who are feared and scorned by the public. Although young, Layle is a world renowned mercenary who has been hired by the Lilties to escort their newest airship called Alexis, a technological marvel and symbol of Lilty superiority. However, during its maiden voyage the airship comes under attack by monsters and Layle confronts a nemesis who was thought to have vanished.

Crystal Bearers combines gameplay elements of both the first Crystal Chronicles game and of traditional Final Fantasies, and yet is an original game in its own right. While you might think this to be a standard turn-based RPG, it is actually better classified as an action game with some platforming and even on-rails shooter facets. As Layle, you take control of his telekinetic powers, harnessing the ability to manipulate objects, enemies, and even townsfolk, often against their will. As you progress, you will learn new combinations and methods of using your powers, and obtain accessories to even further enhance them. In addition to defeating foes, you can use your abilities to shake chests, grab onto ledges, and seal enemy producing vortexes, among other things.

As expected, the controls for this game are unique, utilising the capabilities of the Wii remote to interact with the environment. The Nunchuck attachment is used to control Layle’s movement, while the Wii Remote is used to target and manipulate much of the world and its inhabitants. As the story unfolds and new obstacles emerge, players will discover new ways to use the gravity based magic. Since the Wii lends itself to more action based gameplay, Square Enix wanted to give as much freedom to the player as possible, allowing innumerable ways to dispatch enemies. So use your creativity, and enjoy the expansive and interactive world.

As mentioned before, Layle can purchase different accessories to increase his gravitational powers, but also to improve his defenses, and other upgrades such as expanding his reticule to influence a greater number of targets. Along with shops to purchase items, you can also collect materials from defeated enemies and other sources, and take them to the workshop to create your own rings, amulets and earrings. This allows a nice level of customization for Layle, to tailor his abilities to the player’s liking.

Although the graphics will never be as awe-inspiring as in Final Fantasy XIII for the PS3 and Xbox 360, this game definitely looks gorgeous, and is quite possibly the most beautiful-looking game for the Wii thus far. The characters are full of detail and expressions, and the world is colourful and inviting. It will be interesting to see after playing the game how the camera will react to Layle’s movements, and how well the frame rate is when combating multiple enemies.

The musical score sounds great, and it is refreshing to finally have the script voiced on a Nintendo console, rather than the typical “subtitles with grunts”. However, from the trailers and videos viewed, the script and voice acting seem to be of moderate quality, but I will reserve that judgment for the full review.

Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearers looks to give a fresh take on the venerable series; much like the Wii did for the video game industry. With a gamut of interesting characters, a huge world to explore, and a (so far) engaging storyline, Crystal Bearers is on track to revitalise Square Enix’s audience of Wii owners. Be sure to check back in the coming weeks for the full review.

Sean

Labels: Final Fantasy, Hype Train, Preview, Sean, Sean Engemann, Square Enix, Wii

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I'm a little wary of any Final Fantasy titles released after FFX. Actually, make that any after IX. So, when I watched the new english-language Final Fantasy XIII trailer released on Sunday by Square Enix, I did so from between narrow, doubting eyes.

My problem with Final Fantasies released after IX is that they just seem too 'poppy', too flashy and stylised, too... anime. Now anime is a fine genre with a noble tradition, but there comes a time when I want to play a good, solidly built Eastern-style RPG and not be sent to the hospital with an epileptic attack. Anime, especially interactive anime, does that to me. It inspires epilepsy.

That being said, I am definitely going to play this game. I pride myself on the fact that I've played all the main Final Fantasy titles released in English, and many of the spin-offs. It may be naïve nostalgia, but I consider Final Fantasy Legend II to be one of the most unfairly overlooked and underappreciated RPGs made to this day. I don't think I've ever played a Final Fantasy that was bad, ever. The only thing that comes close is the Kingdom Hearts series, that horrible abomination born of the forbidden union of Disney and Square Enix. The Little Mermaid levels of both the first two games in that series will still inspire frightened and helpless feelings in me if spoken of in my presence. It's like mentioning Cthulu. Or better yet, Voldemort.

I really don't expect Final Fantasy XIII to be even nearly as bad as Kingdom Hearts. Actually, anime styling aside, the gameplay and mechanics of the game shown to us so far look really, really good. Good enough that I can forget that my some of my characters are summoning transformer cars (see 2:30 in the video), while others look like a pirates-turned Abercrombie models (freeze on 5:15, 6:18), that for no apparent reason one of the villains speaks in a tacky Australian accent (see 6:31), or that every single character, even the afro-sporting black guy, looks and acts overtly Japanese. I guess that's part of the charm.

Enough said for now, we'll talk more about this game when we can actually play it. Until then, here's the video, compliments of Square Enix, Gametrailers, and, of course, Gamer's Guide to Life. Bon appetit.

Greg

Labels: Final Fantasy, Greg Mengel, Square Enix, Trailer

One of the biggest criticisms thrown at Sony's portable system, the PSP, has always been its lack of quality games (or of games in general). Sony seems to have taken the criticism to heart, and in the coming months a bevy of grade-A titles are set to hit the PSP. There are quite a few games I'm looking forward to, and I've decided to share a portion of my most wanted list with you guys.


If you're a fighting game fan you likely are familiar, or at least aware of, the Soul Calibur franchise. A weapon based fighting game developed by Namco (the nice folks who brought you Tekken), the Soul Calibur games consistently provide a high quality fighting game experience to fans of the series.

Namco has decided to let PSP owners in on the fun with Soul Calibur: Broken Destiny. The title borrows heavily from Soul Calibur 4 (released last year on the PS3 on Xbox 360), with most characters and locales being directly imported from said game. However, new stages have been developed for the PSP game, and two new characters are featured in the games roster, including none other than Kratos, from God of War. As for the graphics, well, if videos and screens released so far are any indication, Namco is set on outdoing itself once again.

Soul Calibur Broken Destiny is set to be released on September 1st, 2009.



Ok, so not everyone was on board when Sqaure Enix (known as Squaresoft at the time) announced that it would be developing an action RPG game which fused together the worlds of Disney Animation and Final Fantasy... a kid that looks like Cloud riding on Dumbo...seriously? Years later we are all well aware that the Kingdom Hearts saga is simply awesome, delivering high action and intense gameplay, with a deep story and involving characters (not to mention a badass Mickey Mouse).

Set ten years prior to the main Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep is a prequel to the main series and will tell the tale of Aqua, Ventus and Terra, three Keyblade weilders. Little else has been revealed about the story of the game, and details on the gameplay are also scarce, although it will follow in the vein of previous Kingdom Hearts games, so combat promises to be quick and eye catching.

No official release date yet, but make sure you keep your eyes open for this one.



Perhaps its because I love Marvel Comics to death... or perhaps its the fact that I'm very immature for my age...maybe it's a little bit of both. Well, regardless of the reason, I am very excited about Marvel Super Hero Squad, and hell, I think GGTLers such as yourself should be excited too.

A kid friendly game with graphics aimed towards a five year old audience, Marvel Super Hero Squad is a brawler which lets you take control of over 20 marvel characters, and set them loose in a mission mode (think lego games) taking on waves of bad guys, and in a battle mode, taking on three other heroes or villains in an all out brawl (think a watered down version of Smash Brothers).

With simple graphics, simple controls and game mechanics, Marvel Super Hero Squad promises to be a whole lot of fun for any marvel fan...well either that or a complete mess. The game is set for release in the fourth quarter of 2009.



If you've been paying attention to recent posts you'll know just how excited I am about Dissidia: Final Fantasy, the PSP game which puts you in control of your favorite Final Fantasy heroes and villains. Rather than bore you with details about the game, i'll just refer you to my impressions of the PSN demo, which you can check out here. Dissidia is set to hit stores on August 25th, 2009.

Well there you have it, Part 1 of GGTL's PSP wishlist. There are plenty of other high profile games coming out on the PSP soon, for now I've mostly concentrated on PSP exclusives (all of the above except for Marvel Super Hero Squad will appear only on your PSP). Stay tuned for Part 2 of the list, for info on PSP versions of the hottest games coming out this fall and winter.

Labels: Dissidia Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy, Joey Núñez, Kingdom Hearts, Marvel, PSP, Soul Calibur