Sunday, September 5, 2010

Now Playing - "You mocking the power of vegetables?!"


Earlier in the week I was just playing Valkyria Chronicles (PS3) in an effort to finish it before the weekend. For the 30 or so hours it took me, I was pretty addicted at times to this strategy rpg. I think the story and a lot of the characters were what kept me really intrigued by it. At times some of the battles are just downright frustrating and cheap, and I kind of felt bad abusing some of the gameplay features, like reselecting scouts to cover massive distances and capture bases, leapfrog units from base to base, use snipers or lancers to take out targets from distance by reloading until they got the hit I wanted etc etc. There are many flaws to the battle system I think and I feel they really should have reworked some stuff for the sequel, but I've heard it hasn't changed that much in the places where it really should have. Still, this game is way up on my list of strong PS3 games. It plays very much like a manga or comic reads in some ways, with some very nice cutscenes driving the exposition between battles. The bulk of the game is probably in these cutscenes in fact. This is good for the characterisation, the characters are fleshed out a lot and grow a lot throughout the game, conflicts giving way over time as people's views opened up and they got to know each other. Rosie and Isara's relationship was one that really interested me and tugged at my heartstrings in a critical plot point roughly midway(?) the game. So sad at times this game ;_; 

I love the cel-shaded style of the game. The characters are pretty well designed and some of the cutscenes look absolutely amazing. In fact I have my eye on one of the artbooks for it. Its a massive book, at around 400 pages I believe. Hey, I didn't realise there was an anime of VC :O Might have to check that out, and hopefully the sequel soon. I might try and get the new PSP game for my birthday. 

I started a new game on Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3) on Hard difficulty as I was enjoying playing the multiplayer (plus PSN seems to be quite inconsistent recently) and me and my friends put in an hour or two, getting to chapter 4 or 5. I really like this game's exciting, smooth and dynamic platforming. As a shooter, it is not quite as good as some other straight up shooters on the market at the moment, but it is still a really well polished, well presented game. I might check out the original game at some point, but I know its going to be a few steps backwards from this one.

I've been kind of casually playing Etrian Odyssey (DS) on and off, grinding up and getting near the end of the 1st stratum. I can tell I'll get to the stratum boss with some semblance of confidence and get absolutely pwned and put in my place. This game seems to do that a lot. FOE FOE!! I might stop playing this and start up Strange Journey, who knows...

We played some multiplayer on Blazblue: Calamity Trigger (360) and Super Street Fighter IV (360) over the weekend when my friends were over, but we couldn't get online thanks to the crappy wireless adapter. Thats one reason I would consider getting one of the New model 360s, but then again I don't like the look of it, I wouldn't have any saves on it and I'd have to pay whatever stupid amount they are. But anyway, Blazblue can be a lot of fun, even though I suck at it. I'm definitely getting the new one when it comes out here..I was actually tempted to get it when I saw an import copy for the PS3 in one of the shops I was in. Still, I'd probably rather wait for the EU version so I can get nice preorder stuff, or the limited edition, we shall see =p I started to pick up Noel and Jin more, as Rachel wasn't working out too well. I'm not sure who I will use in the new one because I heard Rachel has been nerfed completely...

I was going to pick up Valkyria Chronicles II, but one of the shops we went to had a lot of imported psp and ds games. It was between Lunar PSP, Disgaea Infinite, Valkyria Chronicles II (which is out here) and SMT: Strange Journey. I went for Strange Journey in the end, as I had a lot of fun with Devil Survivor and DDS. I've still not played any of the Persona games...heresy I know!

I'm not exactly sure what to play next, as I'll be going to uni a week on Monday. So I might not have my 360 or PS3 available for a while. Probably best to pick up a DS or PSP game, one that is good for short blasts during any free time I might have between classes would be best. I've got a few games that I've started and put on hold for a while now, Valkyrie Profile Lenneth, Breath of Fire III PSP and I'm wanting to play through Golden Sun: The Lost Age (perhaps the first one as well, but I think my cart is corrupted in some way)

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