Blogging the experience of gameplayhttps://www.gamelog.cl/gamers/GamerPage.php?idgamer=347https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1364OK, so I played through the single-player game using Link. I definitely enjoy the multiplayer aspect more, but one thing I really like about the single-player is the inclusion of the mini-puzzles "break the targets" and "reach the goal." These simple but fun breaks from the fighting are cleverly tailored for each character, so they force you to make use of your chosen character's unique abilities in order to beat them. For example, in "break the targets," there are a couple targets that are outside of attack range. Since I could not use Link's sword to attack, I had to use his bow & arrow attack or toss a bomb in order to hit it. Another thing I like about the single-player experience is the variety of the battles. Sometimes I was fighting one opponent, sometimes two or three, and sometimes over a dozen! Also, you fight against special versions of characters - for instance, I fought against "metal Mario," who is stronger yet much slower than the original, and does not get knocked back easily by attacks. These design choices keep the single-player game from being monotonous. While the story isn't exactly enthralling (you're a figurine of a popular Nintendo character fighting against the evil(?) Master Hand), this game wouldn't really benefit too much from a better story premise. The gameplay is what makes this game so good, especially in regards to its multiplayer. The only real criticism is the fact that this game only offers a small selection of fighters, and there are many Nintendo franchises that are left out as a result. Of course, Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Gamecube improved the roster, adding several more characters, and the next installment will hopefully continue this trend. The more options, the better!Fri, 23 Feb 2007 16:50:51 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1364&iddiary=3042https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1364Playing this game brings back happy memories. And after all this time, it still retains its appeal. The genius behind this game is not only its inclusion of several Nintendo franchises, but a re-imagining of the fighting genre. It is wrong to categorize this game as being a fighter in the traditional sense, because it plays unlike any other fighting game out there (except for the knock-offs, and of course, Super Smash Bros. Melee for Gamecube). Yes you select a character, and yes the goal is to defeat your opponent/s, but that is the only reason to call this game a fighter in the first place. You don't have an energy gauge/life bar like other fighters; rather, the percentage of damage you've taken is displayed, and the higher it gets, the more likely your character will go flying off the screen in defeat. And instead of the stages containing only a floor and a background environment, there is actually platforming elements. For example, in the hyrule temple stage, there are multiple platforms you can stand on: there's a main section, a top section, and a section below. And it is a big stage, with plenty of space to work with. These attributes afford the player with several different strategies of play - if you're using a fast character, you can play keep-away from your opponent; if you're using a slow character, you can go down below and wait there for the others to attack you; and if you have charge-up or long-range attacks, you can blast away at distracted players from a safe distance. The other revolutionary aspect of this game is that instead of fighting against just one opponent, you can find yourself fighting against 3 or more! I prefer fighting against multiple opponents actually, because the pacing in this game is a lot slower against just one opponent than other fighting games. Of course the icing on the cake is the multiplayer mode - this is the main reason why I bought Super Smash Bros. in the first place. When I played this with my housemates earlier today, I was instantly reminded why I was so addicted to this game. Playing against your friends is exhilarating. The action is intense, with the option to include items that drop from the sky such as mallets, pokeballs, laser guns, etc. in order to add even more strategy to the game. The real draw is the multiplayer mode - this extremely well-executed part of the game is what makes it such a timeless classic. In my next log I'll talk a bit about the single-player mode after spending some more time with that.Fri, 23 Feb 2007 05:04:40 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1364&iddiary=2948https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1195While I still haven't quite beaten this game yet, I feel like I've played enough to present a detailed analysis. Here are some descriptions of different aspects of the game: 1. Characters - Still as wacky as the first game...again, not a bad thing. Playing as a spiky-haired lawyer of justice never seems to get old. 2. Music - mostly remixes of songs from the first game. Some of the new themes are nice, but not quite as thrilling as the original songs. 3. Gameplay - instantly familiar to someone who has played the first game. Still searching for evidence, still finding contradictions in peoples' statements, and still dealing with bizarre murder cases. The "psyche lock" feature, as mentioned in the first log, is the only new addition. It is used a lot more in the third and final cases, but it never felt fully fleshed out. It was never used in the court battles, only while searching for evidence. Overall an interesting new gameplay mechanism, but underutilized. 4. Story - Humorous scenarios mixed with hidden pasts pretty much sums up each case in this game. There are many comedic moments throughout, but also genuinely clever plot twists, with secrets being revealed and lies uncovered. 5. Replay Value - Not great. This type of game is good for a single play-through, because afterwards you know what to look for and what to do and say in the court battles. There are no alternate paths to take; it's a linear game that is fun while it lasts, but one that you probably won't pick up and play again for quite a while. 6. Lasting impressions - While this is a fun game, it doesn't really improve upon the first game in my opinion. Also, one thing I haven't mentioned yet is that this is based on a Game Boy Advance game that has been ported over for the DS. That said, besides using the touchscreen to press on evidence and using the built-in microphone to say "hold it!" and "objection!", the capabilities of the DS are not really utilized. Almost everything you use the touchscreen for you can also just use the d-pad and press buttons. I would have liked to see more touch-based puzzles or activities, but I suppose I'll have to wait for a Phoenix Wright game that is made from the ground up for the DS. Fri, 09 Feb 2007 18:54:33 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1195&iddiary=2709https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1195I was a big fan of the first Phoenix Wright game for the DS, "Ace Attorney", so I was definitely excited about the sequel! What I like about this series is it's sense of humor, its wacky characters, and its ridiculous court cases. In "Justice For All", you reprise the role of Phoenix Wright - a spiky-haired defense attorney who's mission is to gather evidence and find contradictions in the witnesses' testimonies in order to clear your clients' names. The main prosecutor in this one (there is more than one, but the game focuses on this one) is Franziska Von Fraasen - the daughter of Mr. Von Fraasen from the first game who is trying to get revenge upon you for soiling the Von Fraasen name by beating you in court. Not only that, but she caries her signature whip with her wherever she goes and actually whips people...even in court! Of course, the game rarely takes itself seriously, except when there's murder involved. Most of the characters in the game are highly eccentric - from the bumbling detective Gumshoe to the lecherous hospital patient who tries to pass himself off as the hospital's director! I'm on the third case right now (out of four total), and so far it's exactly the same as its predecessor - a murder occurs, an innocent person is accused, you go around getting evidence and questioning people, and you attempt to prove your client is not guilty in court. The only exception so far is the inclusion of a new feature called "psyche locks." Occasionally, when you are questioning someone, they will refrain from telling you the whole truth. When this happens, you will see chains appear with locks on them (the more locks there are, the harder the psyche lock is to break). These people have their reasons for not spilling the beans, and you must gather evidence to pry the truth out from them. This is an interesting addition to the game, but I'm not sure it makes it more fun. Perhaps if this feature was tweaked a bit it could provide more excitement, but right now it just seems to be a hassle sometimes. I will know more once I've finished playing through the game.Fri, 09 Feb 2007 01:25:54 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=1195&iddiary=2548https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=966Well, I've beaten Shadow of the Colossus, so I can now give a complete analysis of what I think about the game. As I mentioned in my first post, this is a short game. However, it is so engrossing and fun that I can easily see myself playing this title quite a few times. The colossi are a thrill to see and even more of a thrill to climb and defeat. And because reaching and fighting the colossi are the only objectives in this game, you don't have to worry about starting over again and having to complete a multitude of side quests and tedious tasks before getting to the meat of the game. The world of the game is vast and is made up of mountains, forests, valleys, lakes, deserts, and temples. Just exploring the landscape is pleasurable in and of itself. The designers stuck with earthy colors - various shades of brown, green, red, and the occasional blue (for water) permeate the lands. This creates what I consider to be a very tranquil and calming atmosphere during exploration, which is in complete contrast to the invigorating battles with the colossi. In terms of overall difficulty, I'd say this game is fairly challenging. It does get progressively more so (the last battle is especially difficult!!!), but I never got so frustrated that I wanted to stop playing. The number of challenges include: 1) Controlling the character - the controls are very touchy, and if you aren't careful your character can fall off a ledge or a colossus very easily. 2) Grip meter - you have a meter that begins to shrink while you are holding on to something, and you must regain your footing before that meter runs out or you will fall off. A colossus will not idly stand there while you climb it; it will try to shake you off, thus testing your ability to find places to rest while your grip meter rebuilds. 3) Finding a colossus - in the beginning this is not very hard to do, as your sword emits a light that guides you to the next location as long as you remain under sunlight. However, as you progress, it gets harder and harder to locate the next colossus because the paths become more hidden, you can't always use the sword to guide you because there is little sunlight, and sometimes the light from the sword is misleading because the path is not that linear. 4) Defeating a colossus - again, initially not so hard. All you have to do is scale the colossus, locate its sigil of power (its weak point), and stab it until the colossus dies. However, subsequent colossi are more difficult to scale, get more aggressive, and some have multiple sigils that must each be destroyed. There are some things that help make the game less stressful: you slowly regain health when hurt (no need for healing items), your horse allows you to traverse most of the land very fast, you have unlimited arrows, and falling down - even off of a giant colossus - does not do nearly as much damage as you might expect it to. Overall I'd say this game has a good balance of difficulty; not too hard for most players, but challenging enough to make it a very rewarding experience when you complete it. The ending is a bit confusing and leaves some questions to be answered, but it is still a very well done game. Wed, 31 Jan 2007 19:17:59 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=966&iddiary=2381https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=966Shadow of the Colossus for the PS2 is a short game. I got about halfway through the game in less than 5 hours. I believe the curtness was a conscious decision by the developers. This game is described as a strategy/action adventure game. You do not level up, you do not gain new weapons, and there are very few characters introduced as it progresses. I believe this was also not a coincidence. This game was meant to be immediately accessible to players. After a beginning cut scene that partly explains what your goal is and how you are to go about it, you are thrust into this forbidden land with only your horse Agro, a mystical sword, and a bow with arrows. What separates this game from any other is the fact that there are no enemies other than the giant colossi that you must defeat. Here are some specifics about the game so far... Gameplay - essentially the game has a very simple formula: locate the next colossus using your sword of light, find a way to reach it, then locate its weak point/s and defeat it. While this description of the gameplay might make it seem too easy or uninteresting, this is definitely not the case. First of all, with the exception of the first couple colossi, they are not easy to find. The paths are deceptively simple, but each subsequent one is harder to locate. And once you find the colossus, you must find a way to scale it. This too gets harder, and it doesn't help that your character, Wander, is extremely susceptible to falling and slipping all over the place. The major thrill for me was climbing these huge creatures and finally managing to stab their mystic sigil (their weak spot). Characters - your character, Wander, is brave but somewhat awkward in his movements. I think the developers wanted to challenge the player by making him or her deal with the awkwardness of Wander and make it harder to scale the colossi. The colossi are gigantic creatures composed of a combination of earth, stone, and fur (yes, fur), and they are a sight to behold. Some are passive, while others are aggressive and will attack you as soon as they see you. Story: Don't know much right now. The story takes a back seat to the gameplay. All I know is that I'm trying to revive my loved one by defeating the 16 colossi. Hopefully I can say more in my second log.Tue, 30 Jan 2007 21:15:14 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=966&iddiary=2109https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=799Played some more FF XII today. I'm beginning to like my party members. The main protagonist, Vaan, is still somewhat annoying, but the rest of the characters each have an interesting story attached to them. Balthier, for instance, is a very complex character. It is not clear yet what his true motivations are for joining the party. He is a rogue pirate, a charmer, and a clever man. Other characters' motives are kept secret as well. This has always been the case for RPG games, especially so of one of Final Fantasy's caliber. The story is wrapped in intrigue, with twists and turns, people seeming to switch sides, and so forth. I have played about a dozen hours overall, and I still have not learned that much. This is not a fault of the game, however. The mystery is one of the major factors that drives me to play more, to discover how the pieces come together. This franchise is known for its good storytelling, so I am looking forward to surprising revelations, backstabbings, and an epic conclusion. Of course, even a good story is not enough to keep someone playing if the game play is not fun. Fortunately, FF XII is fun to play - the removal of random battles is wonderful in my opinion, as I never liked walking ten paces only to suddenly be drawn into battle. The ability to avoid enemies when I want to is great, and the when I want to fight, I don't even have to push any buttons. I suppose the gambit system does not immerse you in the fight the same way as pushing buttons, but it is nice for the weaker enemies not to have to keep hitting 'attack', 'defend', etc. And if I really want to, I can manually control their actions. This is a wonderful move for the FF series I think, giving people a choice between letting the characters just go at it, or allowing you to control all their actions. The only thing that would improve the battles would be the inclusion of more diverse magic attacks. Perhaps it is because I need to open up more magic possibilities with the license board, but I do not have much besides being able to cure ailments and one summon spell. Using the same strike over and over on a monster gets tedious and boring to watch, and it seems strange that an RPG such as this one does not have more in the way of magical attacks, or at least makes it a chore to obtain them. This is a small problem though, and it does not affect the game as a whole.Fri, 19 Jan 2007 15:35:10 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=799&iddiary=1817https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=799My first entry for Final Fantasy XII is centered around city exploration. In huge RPG games such as this, talking to people and doing side quests are usually just as important as progressing in the story. Wandering around the city Rabanastre can sometimes get overwhelming. It's huge, with many parts to explore and lots of people to talk to. Unlike the main quest, where you are given a direction or perhaps a task to fulfill, there is generally no help when it comes to exploration. Like any good RPG, FF XII includes fun little diversions from the story. Before advancing in the story too far, I did several 'monster hunts' to level up and get rewards. The rewards are not always worth the trouble, but at least the experience of tracking down a specific monster is usually fun. On another note, I really like the art and architecture in this game. Rabanastre is a sprawling city, and its towers and buildings stretch up impressively, giving it a grand scope. The deserts and other areas around the city are not quite as impressive, but the design of the monsters is very inventive, ranging from modifications of real-world animals (Fire Horse, for example) to the extremely fanciful (Death Wall). Another reason for spending a good amount of time in the city is upgrading equipment. Buying a really good sword or shield is very expensive! Selling loot from monsters and treasures picked up along the way are the most common ways to make money. I wish things were not nearly as expensive, as it can take an hour or so just to make enough money to buy one sword. This makes the game experience lag a bit, but not enough to make me stop playing. The music in the city is pleasant but also forgettable. It is a good thing that it is not annoying, because I spent hours in the city - not all at once, but overall, I have spent a good portion of the game simply talking to people in the city, getting quests, upgrading and selling things. One caveat I have with this game are the saving crystals. In order to save my progress, I must find one of these crystals that are spread about. They are usually very easy to locate, but even so, I wish it were not a requirement. I suppose I am spoiled by games like The Legend of Zelda, where you can save at any time. I do plenty of running around in FF XII, and I just wish I did not have to run to a crystal every time I am finished playing. All said and done though, FF XII is an enjoyable game, and my next entry will be more about the story and main characters.Fri, 19 Jan 2007 14:50:28 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=799&iddiary=1796https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=680Playing the co-op mode of Gears of War is one of the best game experiences I've had to date. Let me just say this first off: the single-player campaign is a lot of fun, but this game was MEANT to be played with a friend. Playing with your buddy not only allows you to share the experience with someone, it also enhances the experience in several ways. For example, when under heavy fire, one person can provide cover fire while the other person moves into a better position to flank the enemy. Unlike your computer-controlled allies, your friend can tell you exactly what he is doing and where he is going. There are sections of the campaign that are designed with two players in mind. One example is when the path splits up, and you and your buddy must go alone for a bit until the path meets up later. The times when you lack the presence of your friend to back you up are much more unnerving than their single-player counterparts. There are also some sections that require teamwork for something, such as one person has to drive a vehicle while the other person has to shoot down enemies with the vehicle's weapon before they reach you. One thing I forgot to mention in my first log of Gears of War is the revival mechanic. When one of your allies is down, you can revive them by going over to their position and pressing a button. This usually puts you in the line of enemy fire, and gets your heart pumping faster until you revive them and get back to cover. This mechanic plays a big part in co-op mode. You and your buddy are more likely to take risks than the computer-controlled friendlies, and as such, you will need to revive one another often if you are not careful. This is a great feature to have in a game, because the experience is not over if you go down, so long as your friend is willing to risk their life in order to bring you back. The campaign is extremely re-playable, and the fact that you can jump right into any of the parts that you have already beaten is really nice. The fun never gets old, especially when you are playing with a friend.Wed, 17 Jan 2007 16:29:13 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=680&iddiary=1559https://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=680Playing through the single-player campaign for Gears of War is a harrowing experience. The main character, Fenix, is incredibly badass, and he is the only thing that makes one feel somewhat safer in this freaky game. The enemy designs vary from disgustingly bug-like to creatures reminiscent of humans in a very unsettling way. The story progresses very slowly and does not reveal much until the very end, but it adequately paints a very grim and desperate picture that makes you believe that you are the last hope for humankind. The fact that the story is left with several holes is OK; in fact, it leaves plenty of room to tackle those holes in a sequel (and there better be one!). Furthermore, the story is not nearly as important as the game play. This is what separates Gears of War from many other games of the same genre. Its novel use of cover as a necessity to stay alive is what makes it constantly a thrilling and edge-of-your-seat experience. Being able to blind fire and quickly move from cover to cover is an excellent mechanic, along with the inventive grenade throwing, which shows you its path and how it will bounce. Of course, all of these abilities would not be as useful if you did not have an absolute need for them. And the A.I. of the enemies in this game, even on its easiest difficulty setting, force you to use every source of cover, test your ability to flank, and will not go down easily. They also use cover extremely well, and generally require many shots to put them down. It is impossible to just run out and blast your way through this game. It requires patience, planning with tactics, and a good aim.Wed, 17 Jan 2007 15:39:02 CSThttps://www.gamelog.cl/logs/LogPage.php?Log_Id=680&iddiary=1555