Valkyria Chronicles II Ordeal: base.com; SEGA and LoveFilm

Buying a game online should be a relatively simple task correct? Pre-ordering is a bit of a challenge, depending on how anticipated the title is. I bought Valkyria Chronicles I a long time after it had been released and have yet to make time to complete it - currently it's competing with a few titles I'm playing consecutively: Blue Dragon; Professor Layton and the Lost Future; White Knight Chronicles; Last Rebellion; Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles; Final Fantasy II; Final Fantasy III; Final Fantasy V; Final Fantasy VI; Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles: The Crystal Bearer; Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness; Harvest Moon: Tree of Tranquility; Tales of Eternia; Tales of Legendia; Agarest: Generations of War and clean-up on Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (review pending) and Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep. Oh, as well as my third time through Fate/Unlimited Codes - not by choice, but because my darn Memory Stick keeps corrupting my save data after a few months of inactivity...Despite playing that many games at once - the majority of which I haven't picked up in years - I still keep buying more and when I do, I'm a glutton for Pre-Order bonuses and Limited Editions...

Which leads me onto the ordeal heading this post.

Valkyria Chronicles II came out two months ago on 03/09/2010 and for those who pre-ordered the game, they were rewarded with a bonus code that allowed exclusive download and access of two Missions that would later be released on the PlayStation Network for purchase - date to be confirmed, though now it's available as part of a bundle of 22 Missions for the humble price of £3.99. Attracted to the offer, I hit Google and searched for the best price and came across the one on base.com for £17.99. I put my pre-order in and waited; rather than what most sellers do and despatch the order in time for release, they despatched it ON release and I didn't get my game until FIVE days later. I forgave them for this, but found that I didn't receive my pre-order code and so I hit customer support.  Now this is probably my fault, but could easily be down to them not writing an accurate description for the product, but according to them they never advertised to offer the code. Either way, I asked for them to offer some assistance in reaching a resolution but there was nothing they could do and since I had opened the game, they couldn't refund it.

Okay, with them not being able to help, I took the next logical step and contacted SEGA - the publishers of the game in the hopes that they could help. They kept sending me back to the retailer, despite the numerous times I told them I had already dealt with them and they eventually said they'll look to see if they had anymore codes available. A few days of waiting later and they replied with a negative - no more codes.

I know what it looks like, all this for a measly code to get two extra Missions before they were released on the PSN. It's the principle! Lame defense, but I was in that frame of mind where I had pre-ordered my game with the intent of being eligible for the extra Missions and had been "robbed" of that - I don't roll over easily and will be tenacious in my endeavour until I have exhausted every rational/acceptable means.

Going for a last ditch effort, I decided to try and see if I could buy another copy of the game - one that clearly advertised providing the code - and came across the one offered by LoveFilm. Yes, I'm also crazy enough to pay for a second copy of the game just to get what I want...what would I have done with the other copy? eBay of course! It had been a month since release by this time - base.com and SEGA had awful response times - and so I contacted LoveFilm before putting in my order willy-nilly, informing them of the situation and asking if they could make an exception in this case. I received a prompt and lovely reply from their customer service rep, which seemed promising, and put in my order. I received my game a week or so later and was informed that the code had been recalled from the manufacturer and once it had arrived it would be e-mailed to me. I waited a month and no code; I don't doubt that LoveFilm did all they could to help me, but seeing that it was now TWO months since the game's release, I thought it was quite pointless/ridiculous hovering around waiting for something that was quite evidently not going to happen.

I managed to get a refund from them for the game - they were lovely all the way - and decided to troll the boards for info on the new Downloadable Missions, as they had been released on the PSN by now. Specifically, I wanted to know if the pack included the two Missions that were pre-order bonuses. Little did I expect to find some news that greatly infuriated me; the two pre-order Missions had been available for free download ALL ALONG! They had been released on the PSN on 01/09/10 - TWO days before the official release! I checked the PSN the day I got my game to see if they were up and couldn't find a thing; the only download at the time was the game itself, which was also released on 01/09/2010. I don't know who to be mad it - myself; fate; SEGA...SEGA seems like a good bet. Surely the publisher of a game that happily sang about the release of the Mission pack on the PSN should ALSO know about the two pre-order Missions being available? I don't expect base.com to know; after all retailers don't give technical support, but they should learn to write accurate product descriptions. I feel awful for putting LoveFilm in the position they were in for trying to help me - there was no way they'd know about the Missions being available on the PSN.

But...SEGA?! How could they not know?! I wasted TWO months in an effort to get what I pre-ordered my game for, and not once did they tell me to shut up and troll the PSN! Their customer service sucks!

</rant>

Review: Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep - Aqua and Final Episode

Completed Aqua's story on Monday 4th October, quickly followed by the Final Episode the next day. Can I just say, before launching into my opinion of her arc, I am really not impressed with Aqua's VA. I appreciate the fact that voice-acting doesn't come naturally to some people and that this may be her first foray in the field, but she really didn't sound comfortable in her role. Especially when hearing Terra and Ventus sound so natural, and then to have her mumble her lines in that croaky fashion like she's trying to sound cool/keep her voice low for a YouTube video. Yes, a lot of people on YouTube sound like that when recording "How To's" and their own reviews and whatnot, and it's annoying; Croaky Voice DOES NOT = Cool.

I'm sorry, this has just been bothering me throughout the game and to sit through 11 hours of her arc plus the 1 hour for the Final Episode...ugh.

Anyway, apart from that minor gripe, her arc wasn't too bad, though again the pacing was off. For all three arcs, there seemed to be this disconnection from what the characters were doing, the development they were going through and the story that's trying to be told. It's interesting, however, how the origins of the more familiar characters has been told...though a few things could have warranted further thought. I just wish I knew whether Nomura either had this all planned from the beginning, or is throwing this all together as he goes because he never saw Kingdom Hearts I to be such a big hit. There was a magic in that flagship title that I haven't felt since, and rather than each successive title building on that magic (bar Chain of Memories), there seems to be a dynamic that he just won't give up. There are various elements that frustrate me about each new title...but this isn't the place for them, and nor is it the time.

Review: Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep - Ventus

Last Sunday (26/09) I completed Ventus' story in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep and have since started Aqua's story. Yes, I completed his arc in one day...around 13 hours to be exact.

Going into my opinion of his arc, I have to say it's quite cute with his quest for friendship, but the pacing seems to be pretty off. The majority of the arc is dedicated to bouncing around worlds and making friends, while realising that his relationship with Terra and Aqua is unshakable. The last hour is then spent speeding through the important bit of the game's story...the χ-Blade (pronounced: 'ki-blade') of which we have a vague understanding about, taking Terra's story into account. Also, there is a major spoiler I'm very confused about...

Again, I reserve judgement until completing the game, but I shall leave you with this one thought...Zack is too freaking cute! He has always - even as far back as Final Fantasy VII - struck me as the kind of guy who made friends easily. I wish I could be more like that, or perhaps even have someone like that in my life...ah such childish dreams...but I'm learning. Though that line in Terra's arc was a little weird...wouldn't 'freeing one's heart' in effect kill them? I know what it was in reference to...but surely there was a better choice of words.

Speaking of 'kill', why oh why does everyone in a game/anime/manga/cartoon/comic/book whose death is a pivotal point in a story never do the deed themselves...why do they always expect someone else to do it for them? DRAMA!

Review: Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep - Terra

I received my copy of Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep on Thursday 9th September - one day before release this side! I experienced a mix of excitement and trepidation, but I guess this could sum up my reaction:

Well, really the last 3 seconds, but I love that clip. Cracking open the box, I looked at the artbook first and frankly, I'm disappointed by it. It could hardly be called an 'artbook', for it was full of promotional art and CG renderings and images - where was the concept art?! The only hint of 'artwork'/'concept art' was a 2-page spread on world designs. Now I may be a little picky, but Tekken 6 had a better 'artbook' supplied with it's Limited Edition - and I wear the hoodie with pride.

Going back to the game, I haven't even sampled the selected OST yet, but it was strangely addicting. I was hooked on Command Melding and maxing out my D-Links. I've chosen to complete it Terra - Ventus - Aqua, as recommended, and while his story was an innane tango with Light and Dark, the ending to his arc was a twist I did not see coming. Clearly, someone has learned from the master that is Hideo Kojima *cough*Snake Eater*cough*

Seriously though, I loved that twist, though I really feel that the division of Light and Dark is too simple - would one consider 'Anger' an aspect of Darkness? Surely the force behind the sense of 'Anger' is what determines it's classification? There are also a few a things I don't quite understand, but am hoping the other arcs will explain, though if not, I'll revisit them in a summary post.

Final Fantasy I and II for the iPhone?!

So, surfing through the Apps available on the iPhone, I decide to browse the games - I love playing video games; if you came to my house you'll be in awe of the sheer number my brothers and I own. I think I'll take a picture and put it up, though there's hardly any point as the collection keeps growing. However, the more games I buy, the more I have to get through and so I have a great number in backlog...there's just not enough time in the day - what with work, TV and sleep!

Anyway, while browsing the games, I'm surprised to find that Square-Enix has actually released the first two games in the Final Fantasy series. Looking at the screens, the graphics, while still 2D sprites, are actually quite nice! However, this makes me wonder what version of the game this was ported from - it's been so long since I last popped in my Final Fantasy: Origins for the PSX that I'm not sure if it was ported from that...What if it's ported from the PSP or the DS version of the game? Or perhaps even the Wii?

Actually...I just Wiki-ed it and it turns out the iPhone version is a port of the PSP version.

Now I'm faced with a dilemma...since I actually like the graphics for these ports...should I buy the PSP version? Perhaps the load times will be faster? You see, what ultimately prevented me from completing Final Fantasy II were the awful load times upon enemy encounter.

This is all quite perplexing, especially when considering the scenario for a comic-strip I have yet to draw...Yes, I'm a comic fan too and an anime and manga one as well.