Starcraft 2 at the moment, though I expect Fallout: New Vegas to distract me for a while when it releases on the 19th. Already got my STEAM pre-order in :).
I honestly don’t expect it to be as as good as FO:3 since it’s basically a super-standalone-DLC-of-hyphenated-doom but it’ll be fun nonetheless.
As for MMOs, I don’t play anymore (I used to be big into WoW, then EvE). Ever since my real life became more interesting than my online life I just can’t sink the amount of time needed to stay competitive into them.
I’ve been playing some Valkryie Profile 2, since I managed to finally get my hands on it. I gotta say, it’s not something I could play without being prepared. But I’m enjoying it for the most part. In Chapter 3 right now, which seems to last forever. The only that gets me sometimes is some enemies catch me off-guard with their attacks. That really pisses me off.
Also just finished Pokemon White not too long ago. I gotta say, they changed up a lot of things, but it’s pretty good overall. The best part? No annoying Geodudes and Zubats in every goddamn cave. Even better, there’s no variants for them, so you’re pretty much facing different stuff on every route, cave, etc. To make it even more clear, none of the old Pokemon appear until after you beat the game. After that, it becomes a “WTF” situation since everything suddenly becomes 10-15 levels higher than you are. (Plus you still have like 1/3 of the map still to explore.) The other notable change is that the EXP system is reworked, so you get more EXP vs higher leveled opponents, and less vs lower leveled ones. Kinda makes it where you get levels easily enough, but not to where you can grind forever in one spot. Unfortunately, the encounter rate is also crazy high.
I’m taking breaks from Halo and playing Red Dead Redemption. I really enjoyed Red Dead Revolver, but I was afraid it would be too much like Grand Theft Auto. This game feels a little more story driven but still has that great Grand Theft Auto feel. I’m really glad I picked this game up.
And speaking of nice to know stuffs. VP2 basically wants you to use your plot characters over your extra guys for the first half of the game and only get rid of your extra guys at the final area to get insane loots for your remaining characters. The reason for this is that you get ridiculous gear from the plot characters after a while depending on the levels when you hit that point and you get loot from your extra guys when you release then back into the wild based on what they’re equipped with when they go.
Yeah, also forgot to mention the infinite TM use. Pretty awesome, but you don’t get the really awesome ones until after you’ve beat the game.
VP2: Not sure what I’m gonna do regarding that. Seems like you have to powerlevel to get the awesome gear, and at that point, do you really need it? Seems to me that the einherjar are pretty much superior to the plot characters, or the ones I have now anyways. Also, I have way too many einherjar to begin with. I should release some, but I don’t feel like grinding levels right now. I’ve only released one guy, and that netted me a very nice Great Sword, the Kraadicator. I miss getting all the extra event EXP in VP1 and being able to distribute it as I please.
…And Ar Tonelico 2 keeps baffling me. Seriously, sometimes I shake my head and say “did they just say/do that??” While I don’t enjoy everything about that, at least it keeps me on my toes!
At 44 hours, I’m now into “Phase 2” (don’t ask me what that means) and… the game has gotten really weird. Now there seems to be THREE levels of reality in the game: the “real” world where the characters adventure, the “cosmospheres” (the minds of the Reyvateils) where you adventure ala The Matrix, and now we have The Infelsphere, which is a cosmosphere where Lady Cloche is forced to live Luca’s life in order to understand her. And since Luca has merged with the new land, events in the infelsphere create more areas to explore. Now, I’m not saying this isn’t cool, but, why is this necessary? Seems a bit excessive, and at points, pretentious. Especially since many of the questions in Phase One aren’t clear yet.
On the other hand, I’m surprised the game actually gives the female characters the chance to do the diving (if only into each other, not Croix) and the character development in it is surprisingly good.
And at least this isn’t another form of sexual innuendo. Speaking of which the last one that REALLY baffled me was in Cloche’s cosmosphere level 5 where she had Croix leashed with a chain! O_O While there was an explanation for that in that she was never able to express her love in public except for her pets, it DEFINITELY has to be a Binding/Domination reference. Not my kind of kink, sorry!
Ahhh yes, Mortal Kombat 4! I used to love playing that on my N64 a fair few years ago. I used to own with Raiden… he’s easy to use and incredibly powerful! By brother liked Lui Kang, who was pretty diverse and a tough opponent. Other great characters have to Quan Chi (you just spam your opponents with “tele-stomp” …you can beat the game in a few minutes with him! hahahahaha!), also Johnny Cage… who doesn’t love Johnny Cage (block+“A” = the best move ever! :D) I can go on for ever about this game… xD! Have fun man!!!
Ah man. You took the Luca route despite the Queen Ice Bitch routine. Just so you know you’re now permanently locked out of Cloche’s cosmopolitans beyond level 5. And if you did so based on Cloche’s dominatrix behavior you’re going to be kicking yourself later on because Croix is a complete doormat. Oh well, at least there’s the third option if you find Luca to be not exactly what you’re expecting.
Anyways, I’ve finally got past the roadblock that was Chapter 13x in FE7. Now I can finally reorganize and place my party members how I want mostly. Now if only I had access to a loving shop…
Kill: Oh I know about the limitations of each route, the Gamefaqs guide I’m using mentions it. I made a separate save to play Cloche’s route as soon as I’m done with Luca’s. (Though Jaqli complicates things down the line since she seems to have her own ending. And I hear Cocona has an ending too…? O_o
You know, I’ve made a few realizations about this game.
The first is that, for all practical purposes, I’m playing a completely different game right now (maybe that’s what they meant with “Phase Two?”) I went from the typical JRPG game (except for the Cosmosphere parts) to… well, it feels like one of those Slice of Life/Magical Girlfriend Animes. The current gameplay is: explore Infelsphere, create New Land, play a Minigame on said Land, obtain Key for next Infelsphere part, rinse & repeat. Not a BAD thing, mind you, as I like all the character exposition I’m getting, but it feels… odd. Weren’t we in a rush to save the world (and Luca) a short while ago? And why has everyone apparently forgotten the revelation that Luca and Cloche were switched at birth, meaning that Luca is Cloche and Cloche is Luca? Not to mention that half the cast no longer says or does anything of importance, it’s all Luca and Cloche (and Croix, but as mentioned, he’s a doormat) now.
My second theory is… that the game is REALLY about Luca and Cloche, possibly even meant as a Yuri game, with Croix there only to hide this fact (there’s lesbian vibes right from the opening credits, but I thought it was just more fanservice.) After all, the current Phase is about getting the two to understand and like each other better (Croix does that too, but technically his Cosmosphere dives are optional -all they do is get you new spells- while the Infelsphere is a major part of the game.) That would not surprise me now. Not that I mind either. Though the really kinky parts are a little awkward (and yes, I just played Luca’s 5th Cosmosphere and found that if anything, she’s secretly into BDSM even MORE than Cloche! :eek: I REALLY should have read about this game before buying it… but I must admit I’m enjoying the gettouttahere surprises it keeps throwing me, so I’ll continue playing for now.
You get Jacqli’s ending if she’s the one you clear completely, which is impossible if you got past Level 5 with either of the other two girls. As soon as you get past Level 5, the other two characters are blocked past that level. You only get Cocona’s ending if you don’t get ANY of them past Level 5 (Incidentally, this is the only ending that is most definitely not canon, according to AT3).
I like Jacqli’s path best mainly because it’s the only route in which Croix seems to act like an actually sentient human being with emotions as opposed to being Cloche/Luca’s all-forgiving whipboy.
The game really IS all about Luca and Cloche. In the final levels of the Infelsphere, Croix isn’t even allowed to participate, and you might as well forget about Leglius and… the chick entirely, they’re nowhere near relevant. And no, you are nowhere near the first person to remark that the bloody thing is just one big pseudo-incestual lesbian story. Also, get used to it, there are 5 Phases in the game, you aren’t even halfway through.
I know about the 5th level Cosmophere limits, and I haven’t finished Luca’s yet precisely to make a separate file for Jaqli’s first- yes I’m going to play EVERY ending, including Cocona’s. You’re not the only obsessive player here Seraph! And I’m VERY glad Cocona’s ending isn’t canon but why is it even there then? Hmm.
I don’t mind playing for so long as much as the pace of the game. There’s a lot of stuff in the story that could be cut without really changing it. I can’t believe that at 50 hours I’m still in Phase 2 of Five! And I’m sick of characters that go “I Know what’s going on but I cannot/will not tell you!” Gaah!
Oh and the orange (?) chick is named Amarie. I actually find her the hottest character in the game (well she and the Poison Maker chick… she looks familiar, was she in the first game?)
DQIX: So I finally got a grotto map that carries some Bling Badgers yesterday. Now I can finally take that quest that’s been lying around for the three and a half months now. Ironically I also managed to walk away with the grotto boss’s rare drop along with the Bling Badger bearing map. The only other ‘Top’ gear I’ve collected thus far was way back in July when I started all this grotto nonsense.
MP3: I’m basically mopping stray items and scans up at this point. I still haven’t gotten to the reason why everybody hates those fuel cells. Unlike the Chozo Artifacts or those Sky Temple Keys I’ve managed to have collected all but two of the fuel cells while on the main path.
Ar Tonelico II: Okay, it seems I’m out of that crazy “Luca’s Dreams (AND Nightmares)” Land and back into the real game now (thought the Infelsphere levels aren’t done yet.) At least the last part finally brought me back into the story, especially when we found out how Luca REALLY felt during various earlier moments of the game, which led to the two girls finally having a catfight [STRIKE]that I really enjoyed[/STRIKE] thought made for some great characterization (except that afterwards they’re all “let’s be friends now!” O.o) If Cloche’s side of the quest is this emotionally deep then I’m eager to see it!
But then we get something that really pisses me off: Jaqli just shows up an steals Luca’s Heart while the heroes just STAND THERE AND DO NOTHING! They chase her and they catch her up later AND AGAIN, THEY LET HER ESCAPE WITHOUT ANYBODY EVEN TRYING TO SNATCH THE DAMN THING OUT OF HER HANDS!! What. The. Hell?? Let’s assume they were afraid it might break or something.
Oh and don’t you think the heroes acting all “Oh no the land is crumbling! We gotta get out of here!” was stupid considering they were told, SEVERAL times, that without the Heart that’s exactly what was going to happen? And what about all the Pippens and Soops living there, nobody cares???
On the technical side, can anyone explain to me how the Supermoves are triggered? So far only one character has used them (Leglius) and (since I’m so blasted busy following the “punch this button now!” instructions on the screen) I haven’t noticed the exact conditions. At least the animation of the attacks is pretty cool…
EX Moves are a loth like the usual Limit Break-ish move. First, your characters need to be able to use their Level 3 moves during that battle, meaning you need Harmonics (“Up”) at Level 3 or higher. Just fight long enough and a bar builds up (If you can actually fucking FIND this bar on screen, good for you. I have no bloody idea where it is). Once it’s fully charged, the attack command triggers it. Of course, you have to make sure the characters actually LEARNED their EX Move already (They all learn them automatically at a certain level, check their status screen). I don’t know if the EX gauge resets at the end of each battle or not. The only thing that hastens the charge of the gauge is a Synchronicity Chain.
I think Gaea was supposed to be just some huge sort of Song Magic. Meaning all the stuff in there was kinda like a Cosmosphere on the real world, it was all part of the singer’s imagination. And yes, the Jacqli thing is retarded.
Finally finished Valkyrie Profile 2 last night. Uh…not sure how to explain how I feel about the game though. Come to think of it, the last chapter or two was pretty WTF-worthy. Pretty messed up stuff. Also, why the hell did they only make one character capable of really doing anything to the final boss? I guess I can understand it for storyline reasons, but considering you get said character at the very end, you’d expect them to be overpowered as hell or something. Didn’t overly help me much, but beat it anyhow.
Anyways, after that mess, I managed to beat the 1st floor of the Seraphic Gate. That place reminds me why I hate annoying puzzle-based dungeons…ugh. Not sure if I’ll finish it, since it’s not exactly mandatory.
After this, I kinda got nothing to play for the moment.
OK, this game has officially crossed the line from “baffling” to “frustrating.” What happened?
OK, first of all, Jaqli joined the team. Now, I knew that was going to happen from the start, but I expected it to make sense. After all the stuff mentioned above (not to mention she openly says that she didn’t care if Luca would die as a result of her plan, and also mentioned not giving a damn about the human race as a whole) and after that’s over they just take her in??? That’s even harder to swallow than when Amarie joined by pretending to have amnesia.
Oh and speaking of her, Leglius drives her away with his suspicions after all they went thru together? (she didn’t have to risk her life by going into the New Land to rescue Luca, you know) But Jaqli is OK!? Sheesh! (and I find Jaqli even less tolerable than Cloche… OK I know, there’s probably a scared little girl inside her that we’ll meet while “diving”, but it’s going to be painful wait. Oh and why would Croix event want to dive into her? Again, he had good reasons to do so with Luca and Cloche, but all he knows about her is that she’s a mysterious, testy bitch.
:no2:
Oh, I also realized that everyone seems to have forgotten that Cocona is also a Reyvateil (otherwise she would not have been infected with the ISP, right?) Why haven’t her abilities changed?
