Selective memory

This week I have been looking back at past issues of CVG and having a major nostalgia trip. It is fun to see gaming of the early nineties being documented in such manner, especially when one considers how many games of that era still hold up today. 

Funny thing however is that I can't help but notice that many games of that era are overlooked. This is fascinating when one considers the games that have entered history in the years since: Final Fantasy 2 and 3 (4 and 6) never get a mention; the undisputed classic Super Metroid gets a score of 91%, 1993 goes by without any indication of something called Doom and the Lunar series, one of the highpoints on the Mega CD, are nowhere to be found.  

I suppose much of CVG is through a British perspective as it was the magazine's country of origin. And it is likely that many of the console games were handled in it's sister magazine Mean Machines (which I never read and therefore have no attachment to). But it is fascinating to see a) a history that has since proven to show a narrow view of the story and b) a perception that isn't from Japan or the US. 

How does the saying go: That history is written by the winners?

On this day...

Ten years to the day:

Yep, it was a full decade ago that this blog was created. 

Considering that technology moves at the pace it does, it is something of a miracle that this blog has lasted as long as it has. More so considering that platforms that rely on the written word are shunted aside for more visual based mediums (ie YouTube and Twitch).

It's even more astonishing that I have kept with this thing for as long as I have. Even though I have been running out of things to say with each passing year, I still manage to pump out some posts (no matter how much of them are just me rambling). 

It's fascinating to see how the world has changed since I started. Back in 2010, we were all waiting for Dragon Age 2 and were eager for Mass Effect 3 (funny how that all turned out). The seventh console generation was still going strong. There was increasing concern as to whether or not we would see Kingdom Hearts 3 and a remake of Final Fantasy 7. 

Personally the last decade has seen me try my hand at Xbox, discover MMORPGs and find out they are exactly the mountain of crack they were made out to be, sign up for accounts to both Steam and GoG, and finally take a red-hot go at making my own Raspberry Pi console. 

In short, I have challenged the frontiers of my gaming interests and pushed them back. It's been interesting to tread into territory that I previously would've shied away from. 

So where do we go from here? 

Well, the Hall of Shame continues to exist and as long as it continues to do so, this blog will still have purpose. Besides, after spending so long at ESO, I have a goal in mind, and subsequently, an endpoint. And as long as I continue to have something to say, I will keep at this blog. 

Sure there are other platforms I could use but as long as the frontiers waiting to be conquered, this blog shall endure. 

It's done so for a decade after all. 

So to conclude this post, i would like to thank everyone who has ever visited Game Tumour and who kept coming back. It is a pleasure that people have supported this blog in various forms and listen to my various ramblings, no matter how dumb or badly spelled they may be.  

From the depths of my heart: Thank you all

P.S.

I still can't believe that this post has been the most popular one I've produced. 

R.I.P. Keiji Fujiwara

R.I.P. Keiji Fujiwara

Tactical move

Here's another printed ad I remember quite vividly. This time, it's from the late nineties and from a game you may have heard of: Final Fantasy Tactics!

 Original image located here. Accessed 21st February 2020 

 It is interesting to compare this to the Ico advertisement that was discussed in an earlier post: Both contain little information about the game they're advertising and both are more intent on discussing the spirit of the game. Those bracketed headings ("or...") may look funny but they are indeed representative of the narrative in Final Fantasy Tactics. 
The use of humor in this ad is an odd choice considering how humorless the game actually is but, unlike Ico, I don't this game would be that hard a sell. After all, Final Fantasy 7 and 8 were big sellers so the brand recognition would well and truly be in place.

Thirteen years of service

In saddening news, I have retired my PS2 after thirteen years of loyal service.

It was 2006 that I purchased my PS2. At that point in time, the sixth generation was on the way out  so it may be strange of my to buy a console that was facing obsolesce. But what did it matter? I had the money, I wanted a console so i got a silver slimline PS2.
From, there I spent countless hours on that machine. I built up a formidable library of games, both PS2 and PS1, and discovering games that had passed me by years earlier. I took it with me when visiting friends' places, where it got plenty of shared use, and when I moved house. The PS2 may be the best-selling console of all time but my experiences are unique to me than the many other people who owned one. And whilst I purchased more consoles in the years to come, I never lost sight of my old friend.

Ultimately, however this has been a day that has been coming given that gaming technology is continually moving at a pace where it's difficult to keep up. Far too easily is something cast aside for something new. Indeed, it's a sobering thought that hours spent on one console can be erased with ease. Sure, I can play Final Fantasy X on Steam now but it's a far different experience when compared to firing it up for the first time on a PS2 after years absent from gaming.

Still, I will forever acknowledge the PS2 for the games it gave me, the times I spent using it and it being the endpoint of a drought and the true beginning of me as a gamer

.......So Long Old Friend......

7-Up

So this dropped:

Original video located here. Accessed 13th September 2019

Not much i can say really: Lot's of fast based action, quips being sprouted and explosions. But I guess it's expected from SqueeEnix at this point.

But what I will say is Aerith looks astonishing. She is clearly the highlight of the video and firm reminder that the City of the Ancients is going to be a kick to the balls.

Seven ate Nine

With E3 comes more and more tidbits about the Final Fantasy 7 remake. But for me, the real surprise is, in amongst such news is the announcement that a remaster of Final Fantasy 8 has been announced.

Source

I personally haven't given much thought towards Final Fantasy 8. For me it was the game faced with the monumentally difficult task of following the mega hit that was FF7. Furthermore, it seems to me that a lot of people hate it and think it the point where Square began to lose their way and make games that tend to do nothing but polarize opinion. It was that understanding that led me to believe that SqueeEnix weren't going to consider it for a remaster.

But appears I was wrong.

I suppose it may be wishful thinking of me to hope that SqueeEnix may take this opportunity to address/fix some of the criticisms of the original game (boring characters, incomprehensible plot, short dungeons) but one can only dream...

One more for the Road

Yesterday the announcement was made that a new-mini console will be rearing it's head: A Mini-PlayStation will be coming out loaded with games.

I suppose this shouldn't come as a surprise as clearly people will buy things that are already easily available elsewhere Nostalgia sells. What is equally unsurprising is that Final Fantasy 7 and Metal Gear Solid are present and accounted for.
The real surprises however are a) the third of the 'Big Three', Castlevania Symphony of the Night is absent and b) there were actually enough PS1 games to fill out the rest of the console beyond the 'Big Three'.

Okay, okay, sarcasm aside, Having the PS1 re-released as mini-console shouldn't come as a surprise considering the success of the mini-SNES, Megadrive/Genesis and NES but exactly what does a new Mini-console bring to the table? Okay so not all of these games listed are available on the PSN but, lest we forget, this is a field that is advancing at a rate that is so rapid, it's alarming. Subsequently, many old games can get lost by the wayside and, unfortunately, claimed by the ravager that is time.
People lament about games you can no longer play. Games that, even not reaching enough people, presented new ideas that drew some attention. So why leave such iterations forgotten and unplayed? Why abandon such historical documents?

Of course, even as I type these words, i already know the answer: The four consoles that did get the mini-console treatment were all big sellers. Proof that, if anything, history is written by the winners.
Eventually however, the mini-consoles will run out of winners to rehash so what will happen next? Will they start focusing on the losers of the console war? Will we see rehashes of the Mega CD? Or the Saturn? Or worse?

It may not happen which is a shame: The above mentioned consoles may be mocked as failures but it does have it;s supporters that contend that both consoles had some diamonds in the rough. And I would like to see those diamonds given new light and show current gamers some noteworthy titles that they may not have been aware of.
I mean, you don't want the pirates to win, right?

Homecoming

Another game has been cast down from my Hall of Shame. Clean out your desk Homeworld, you're outta here!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th October 2018 

Man has this been a long time coming. It was released in 1999, I got the game off the shelf in 2009 and then I complete it in 2018. Of course I could've waited out another year but why on earth would I do that?

Anywho, this game is nothing short of impressive - even with the time of nineteen years. I could say that the novelty of the 3d would be enough but the game truly excels with it's narrative, it's presentation and the music - notably the use of Barber's Adagio for Strings and Yes' The Ladder.

Indeed, this is game that has truly benefited from a revamp by Gearbox, adding to the beauty and immersion tenfold. 

Of course these words are typed through the perspective of a) having played through the revamp and b) the distance of nineteen years since it's original release. But what I find particularly fascinating is that time was not ravaged this game at all. It still has an impressiveness that a lot of modern games can only dream of and is still as compelling, and still quite capable of being heart rendering.  

In fact, one gets the feeling the destruction of Kharak is the PC's answer to the PlayStation's death of Aerith. 

Final Fantasy anime

An inro for a hypothetical anime adaptation of Final Fantasy 6:

Original video located here. Accessed 14th September 2018

I have no idea who made this (although i recognize the music as a remix of Terra's theme) but DAYUM

Reach for the Sky

Lately I've been playing Legend of the Heroes: Trails in the Sky Second Chapter.

Man, has this has been a long time coming. I enjoyed the first game but, to be honest, I came away from it flat out drained: It was a very demanding game with tough boss battles and a very strict linearity (which made achievement hunting challenging as there was little to no room for error). Needless to say, it would have to be while before I took up the sequel.

But that time has now come. Maybe it was the fact this was a Steam game going unplayed, maybe it was the well documented trials and tribulations the localization team had to go through, maybe it was wanting to know what would happen next or maybe it was me being put off by the linearity of Final Fantasy X. Whatever the case, here I am.

So far, I'm enjoying this game a lot. I'm seeing some familiar faces, I'm finding the dialogue constantly amusing and the cooking mechanic is still unmatched. However the linearity is still creeping in, with the aforementioned demands and little room for error. Never in such a game have I seen such a rigid approach to game design: There's so many things that can be missed, whether they be items, recipes, sidequests or treasure chests. There's no room for deviation and is indeed frustrating. It certainly makes my grumbling about the linear nature of FFX look feeble by comparison.

Still, it would be interesting to see where this goes....

Voices from the Wilderness

Here's something that caught my eye recently: With this year being the twentieth anniversary of Panzer Dragoon Saga's (limited) release in the U.S., someone tracked down various figures of developer Team Andromeda and got their recollections on making the game.

This was a fascinating read to me. The trials and tribulations the development team is an engaging read on it's own. But what makes it for me is that these people finally have their voice. They finally have a platform to talk about the experience - moreso when one considers that hearing the people behind Final Fantasy VII talk about their experiences would certainly generate a lot more interest.
Of course, Panzer Dragoon Saga was a game that was crushed by the runaway success of FFVII but i find this article for more interesting: they are talking about a game that was cobbled together, on a system that was a nightmare to work for, to challenge the opposition but ultimately crashed and burned in spectacular fashion - leaving only a game that has reached legendary status as a true lost gem.
Sometimes it's the losers who have the more interesting stories to tell.

I Want to Break Free

Progress on FFX:

At time of writing, I am working my way through the 'post-game' phase of the game. I call it 'post-phase' because, in current terms, this would be the point where the narrative's done (more or less) and I have the freedom to do what I want ie, the Monster hunting, unlocking all the Aeons and finding secrets among others.

My play time is at 50 hours.

Deduct the 19 hours of being confined to the demands of the narrative and that's 31 hours.
Well, the gaming time has surpassed the story time - as it should have - but i admit it: The adore-mentioned demands wore me down. I finally have the freedom to do what I want but somehow, it doesn't seem that great.
Did I feel the same way when i originally played this game? Of course not. But now, take away the rose-colored glasses and add in years of experience, and the problems of FFX are more obvious.
And can't be ignored.
Especially when this type of thing has been resolved before and since.

Oh well......

Balancing act

Still trucking through Final Fantasy X.

With each post on my progress through this game, I have been taking notes, in the name of assessing the difference between game time and story time. At time of writing I have defeated Yunalesca. This is significant as this boss marks the point where the game opens up: From here, the player has access to the airship and can revisit previous locations in the game. From here, it's just one step away from the final dungeon and a real opportunity for the player to do anything, from sidequests to exploring.

You know, like a significantly non-linear game.

And just how long did it take for me to get there? 32 hours. A reasonable amount you may think but 13 of those hours was spent grinding playing the game the way I wanted to. This means that I had to spend 19 hours going along with the demands of the narrative.

Whether I liked it or not.

This playthrough of Final Fantasy X is one borne through playing some of the other titles in this series. And by playing I, IV, V, VI, VII and IX, I got the sense that I had a lot more freedom: I could go anywhere I wanted to and the game didn't resent me for it. True X may have been my first but it can't really use that excuse when compared to it's brethren. Makes me wonder: is the linear nature of the game the reason why many Final Fantasy fans hate X?

Still, having the game opened up before me, presents an opportunity to readdress the balance.
And having the control being taken from me so many times, six hours (minimum) of messing around in Spira looks good to me.

Hours ticking away

Still trucking through Final Fantasy X.

At time of writing, I am girding my way through Macalania Woods.
The ratio of gameplay to story now stands at 10 hours of gameply out of 18 hours overall.

This is the first time the balance is out of order but in my defence:

• I want to level up Kimahri to have Dispel (because I'll be needing it when I face Evrare).
• Macalania Woods is a really useful place for Leveling up
• This is a game after all and not some movie
• After putting up with so many times the game has taken control out of my hands, I feel I'm entitled to play the game the way I want to play it

Imbalance

Currently ploughing through FFX again.

Previously, I mentioned the imbalance between the narrative and the gameplay. Well, at time of writing, I am currently in in the middle of the High Road and doing some Level grinding.

What this means is that I've achieved five hours of gameplay next to five hours of story.

Gotta maintain balance...

X marks the spot

Recently, I've been having a crack at Final Fantasy X (the HD Remaster).

FFX and I have a fascinating history: It was the first game I got for my PS2. It was the first game I played after some time away from modern gaming, it was my first JRPG and it was my first Final Fantasy game.
Of course in the time since, I've played more games and more Final Fantasy games - subsequently FFX may have been left by the wayside. So why not have a revisit?

Well the HD looks real nice - especially seeing favorite locations looking better than ever (Besaid anyone?). However replaying the game now, I realize something. Something that never bothered me when I originally played this game:

There is a lot of story.

Now I like a good story in my game as much as the next person but in FFX, both the story and game are treated as separate entities, separated by a wall five feet thick.
Indeed, it's only playing FFX now I realize: for the first three hours I was doing very little actual...playing. Instead, I realized that I was watching Tidus' journey play out but as an audience rather than a participant - which is the point of gaming.
True the set up had to be established, explaining the characters the world they live in and the situation that requires my involvement - but at the same time, i felt there ratio between cutscene and actual-gaming-portion was way off.
At time of writing, I have reached the Kilika Woods - where I'm actually feel like I'm playing a game: I'm wandering the woods, bashing heads, scoring gold, grinding and abusing the Sphere Grid. I've spent three hours trudging through cutscene after cutscene and now I'm at a point where I feel I'm actually playing, and enjoying, the game. I could call it a shot of revenge after those three hours doing what the game wants me to do, but really, I know what I want these characters to do and I will make sure they do it (have I mentioned how much I loved messing around in the Sphere Grid?).

That being said I realise: I'm Grinding but in this instance the Grinding fells like.......well.......fun. Call it a relief after three hours of having control of the game taken from me, but this is a rare instance when the Grinding doesn't feel like a chore. Matters are helped with the Remaster's option of having increased random encounters, meaning more xp and setting paths in the Sphere Grid.

So to summarise: After being dragged through three hours of cut-scenes, I am ceasing advancing the game's plot in favor of finding of finding enjoyment in Grinding.
What can I say except Revenge is indeed sweet.

History is Written

Here's something that caught my eye recently: A fan-made book chronicling the history of CRPGs.

It's an impressive feat: 528 pages and over a hundred contributors. But I'm just glad that CRPG's are getting a proper history. Maybe it;s just me, whenever RPG's are brought up, everyone falls onto the console RPGs, like Final Fantasy - so it;s welcoming that, through this book, some lesser known RPGs are given a time to shine.

30 years of Final Fantasy

This year sees thirty years of my favorite frenemy franchise, Final Fantasy (alliteration FTW!):

Original video located here. Accessed 13th March 2017

With regards to this video, it's interesting to note that Five is the one that shows some actual gameplay footage....

Still, for me the Final Fantasy series represents a strained relationship. Sometimes it strikes gold, other times it delivers crap. Sometimes it provides an engaging RPG experience, other times it seems more interested in the spectacle. Sometimes it has timeless classics that still hold up years later, other times it seems to be making the lightening strike again to the point of painful.

But in the end, for all the times Final Fantasy DID work, I can't hold those moments against it.
So here's to three decades, you magnificent bastard.

T-20

They say that nostalgia happens in chunks of twenty years. If that is the case, then the nostalgia goggles will be aimed at the the mid-to late nineties - also known as the Fifth Console generation.

I've said it once and I'll say it again: This was a great period for the PC Gamer with them being spoiled for choice with the likes of Baldur's Gate, Doom, Warcraft, Command and Conquer, Deus Ex, Plansescape Torment and System Shock 2 among others. Sure, there was some shlock when Windows 95 rolled around but once that nonsense was sorted out, there were some real games to be found. Sure there were some interesting things happening in the console camp but they have not aged well as their PC counterparts. I remember at the time, console games of this era were being marketed as 'cutting edge' but looking at them now, they have naturally aged the worst.

This in turn presents an interesting opportunity for someone keen on nostalgia: Take a brand, fix some glaring issues with it and you'll have a certified hit. Why do you think so many have been clamoring for a remake of Final Fantasy 7? When you have a hugely successful game you have a hit guaranteed purely on brand recognition - but when you fix some of the problems the critics have pointed out, you win on both a commercial and critical level.

I myself aren't really that interested on nostalgia as, for me, it stifles progress (how can you move forward when you have eyes on the past?). But I will admit, however grudgingly, that there's something to be said for making classic games readily available, accessible without dragging some aging tech out of the deepest corner of the bedroom cupboard and in a state of preservation.
That being said, has anyone tried to resurrect some of the lost classics from the Saturn? Someone must've played the likes of Panzer Dragoon Saga and Shining Force 3 - So surely they must've been hit with inspiration strong enough to make something similar so what they enjoyed two decades ago can be enjoyed by people of the present. If anything, I'd rather play a RPG that involves traveling across on a desolate, post-apocalyptic world with minimal NPCs atop a flying, customisable beast, encountering Moebius-inspired monsters and discovering lost ancient tech than a retread of Advent Children any day....