Review: White Knight Chronicles - 2nd Playthrough COMPLETE

I planned on writing this when I completed it the first time through, which was sometime last December, but then I thought it better to write it after my second since it was more epic that way and I would more certain of my points regarding the game. Also, I had my brother to bounce opinions off of, which were pretty much the same - they usually are, except he seems to be less harsh regarding certain aspects and bases his impressions on gameplay and graphics...I tend to be more critical of the story and characterisations; graphics play very little importance and gameplay fits somwhere in the middle.

After all, you could have an excellent game with crappy graphics and basic gameplay elements. Take for example, Broken Sword: The Shadow of the Templars. Your run of the mill point-and-click puzzle game, with nice graphics - albeit poor continuity with style when switching to animated cutscenes - and a rather interesting story with fun characters. You could hardly call it a bad game based on it's 2D graphics and simple gameplay when the story and characters prop it up to greater heights. Thus, it frustrates me when people in professional positions as reviewers or other fan-reviewers give a one-sided opinion, rather than combing through the whole. It disgusts me - yes, disgusts me - when praise is heaped onto a title that is, quite frankly, awful and the only thing going for it is the graphics and/or gameplay, or at worst it's associations to previous successful titles in the series or developer. If you haven't figured out my prime example from those hints, then you'll get your answer as soon as I can get that review out - currently it's at 5 pages and I need to do some trimming, or at least sectioning of it.

Anyway, that being said, let us move onto the main topic - White Knight Chronicles.

White Knight Chronicles I Opening - English

Review: Professor Layton and the Lost Future - COMPLETE

On Sunday I decided to put my butt into gear and complete Professor Layton and the Lost Future - this was done in a matter of 3 hours, pushing my total playtime to something like 16-17 hours.

There's not much to say on the matter, apart from just like with the previous two titles and the movie - I loved it! For some reason I found the puzzles slightly easier this time around - perhaps my brain is getting used to the pattern of the puzzles?

I never watched a trailer for this game, though for the purpose of this post I thought of including one...however, I thought it gave away too much so if you want to watch it, it's at the end of this post.

Review: Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 - COMPLETE

I seriously am getting quite tardy with my updates on this blog; the last one was on 12/11/10 - I suppose it's not bad, but considering how long I've been planning on having this post up...Actually, I only really completed this game - Trophies and all - last week.

It's odd when I think about it; I'm not really much of a Naruto fan, but I did enjoy this game and it's strangely the first game I've ever got a Platinum in - I always thought it'd be Bayonetta, since I'm about 10 easy Trophies away; what's taken me so long is completing that blasted Alfheim Portal on Hard so I can get the Umbran Tear! I got so close then lost my cool and died carelessly on the last wave - it's what happens when I get excited about reaching a long-awaited goal...

Anyway, back to Naruto. I watched the anime as soon as it came out and followed it religiously until the fillers kicked in. Close to 100 episodes of filler just so they didn't have to take a break until the release of the next arc, which was still being penned by the author! It was the fillers that killed it for me; despite not being canon, they were so badly written and consisted of 3-4 episode story arcs, which while offered time to expand on the characters not heavily featured, just grated on me with how lame they were. As soon as the 'Curry of Life' arc rolled along, I thought enough...just no.

I can't really remember much about them and this wasn't meant to be a vent post about the anime anyway, so let's focus on the game. I haven't played Ultimate Ninja Storm I, so I'm kind of doing this backwards - I did order it, however, and will play it after White Knight Chronicles. Then again, from my understanding, the UNS series basically recaps the story so far, so UNSI covers the story up until Naruto: Shippuden - again, I watched it as soon as it aired, and switched off as soon as the fillers came on; I haven't kept up since. I know I can always pick up the manga, but if what I've heard from my brother and my perusals of Wiki are anything to go by, I'm glad I chose not to. The end of Sasuke's Revenge arc seen in the game just further facilitates my reasons for not getting too deep into the series, though I will be buying UNSIII if and when it comes out.

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.