The Legend Lives on

And for the first time this year, a game has been cast down from my Hall of Shame. Goodbye Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky (FC)!

Original image located here. Accessed 30th March 2016

It's been awhile since I last sat down and played a JRPG. True there's no shortage of them but I don't feel that such a thing is working for the genre. Allow me to elaborate: I personally feel that, as a genre, the JRPG is in a terrible state of stagnation. Nothing has really come along that has really changed the genre dramatically. In fact, I firmly believe that the genre peaked with Chrono Trigger and Final Fantasy 7 and everything that has followed since hasn't reached such lofty heights. Instead, the genre has been reduced to repetition and formula. Thus what we end up with is so many JRPG titles, subsequently representing quantity over quality, and the challenge of any JRPG needing to do something really special to jump out from the pack.

So in that front, how did Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky fair?

I will admit that this game certainly adheres to the familiar tropes that are so common in JRPGs: A spunky, hyperactive female lead? Check. A sullen male lead that functions as a straight man to the female lead? Check. A lot of party members including a cute kid, a martial artist, a cocky grump, a genteel type, a pretty boy and a 'big sister'? Check. Airships? Check. A sequence involving cross-dressing? Check. Ancient tech? Check. A battle system involving super moves built up by taking so many hits? Check.

So getting past the trappings of formula, is there anything left to Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky? Yes there is: Heart. It may sound corny but there is clearly a lot of love put into this game. It has a lot of charm and personality that makes Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky's adherence to JRPG formula forgivable (it should also be noted that this was the same impression I took away from Skies of Arcadia).
I really enjoy the dialogue and often found myself laughing out loud at some points. I really enjoy these characters to a point where I found myself wanting to know what happens next. In fact I think this may well be the biggest selling point for this game: It is well-written. And that's saying a lot coming from a genre that's, as stated above, stagnated badly.

All in all, I really enjoyed playing Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky and I'm looking forward to the Second Chapter - which is already in my Steam account and ready to go. And considering the trials and tribulations the localization team went through, the fact that SC is here is a miracle and one to be savored.

Feel Good Hit of the Summer

At time of writing, it is summer time here in Australia. Meaning there is a lot of sunshine and warmth - something that means little to the average gamer as gaming is a (mostly) indoor activity. Still at least being inside keeps me from getting sunburn.

Anyway, I'm an adamant believer in the notion that certain games require a certain atmosphere. Certain games work in certain environments, that indeed add considerably to the experience, but others don't. By way of example, would anyone play a horror game like Amnesia the Dark Descent in a brightly lit room? I don't think so.

So what games do I like play/revisit during the summer months? Well, I like games that really fit the summer mood: There is no set criteria but bright colors certainly help and generally a mood of warmth and/or tropics.

With this in mind here's what I designate as Summer games:

Pharaoh
It's set in a desert and based around a civilisation building itself around a river. How can this not be a summer game? It's also in possession of a sense of warmth that has never been before or since. 

Secret of Mana
More of a personal choice on my part: I played this during the summer of 2005 where my interest in gaming was subsequently rekindled.  Somehow, with such bright graphics and glorious soundtrack, playing this game during the winter months seem pointless.

Secret of Monkey Island
It's got pirates, a well realised setting and a reggae soundtrack. Sounds like a great game to play during the summer months to me. It being chock full of hilarious moments doesn't hurt either

Skies of Arcadia
Once again, bright colours, a brilliant soundtrack and great environments. Throw in a great sense of exploration and it's little wonder why this is game that I keep finding myself returning to (not to mention a good enough reason to hang onto my Dreamcast).

Sonic the Hedgehog
I've fond memories playing this game during many a summer and I suspect I'll have more. I don't know why this game works so well as a summer game but it just does. And therein lies the thought that if I think about this too much it may be ruined.

World of Warcraft (Stanglethorn)
Blue skies, beaches, and perhaps the best-realised jungle environment I've ever seen in a game. Come for the questing, stay for the sunsets ;)

East vs West

Regular visitors to this blog would know that I’m something of a connoisseur when it comes to RPGs. So the big question then is: Which do I prefer out of Western RPGS or JRPGs?

Much like any tribe, it would seem that there is no overlap: It’s either one or the other. My experience has shown that people raised on Dungeons and Dragons think JRPGs are inane whilst people who grew up with Final Fantasy tend to have little to no time for anything else.

But if the logic of 'the first one is the best one' was true then I’d lump in with Western RPGs. I grew up playing Pool of Radiance on the Commodore 64 and it in turn got me interested in Dungeons and Dragons. It proved to be my gateway drug to fantasy and as a result, set me on a path to seek out familiar material – eventually leading to reading Fighting Fantasy, Chronicles of Narnia, Dragonlance and Lord of the Rings.
However that logic isn't always the case: You see what appeals to me about RPGs is more or less a replication I had when I was a child: Taking a group of heroes together and go kicking some arse in various forms: Visiting interesting locations, smashing the face in of anything dumb enough to stand in your way, growing stronger with each step, building a bond with the dudes in your party, and, well, saving the world (true many games of the era did that but only in RPGs did it present a time investment that actually felt like the effort was worth it). This may sound like nostalgia but ultimately any RPG whether from the East or West, seems to follow the same formula – it only becomes matter of how this formula can be utilized.

So what do I like about Western RPGs? I enjoy roaming around Tolkien-inspired environments, with quasi-medieval elements merged with huge monsters. I enjoy a high quality of narrative and writing that always accompanies Western RPGs. I like being an elf, complete with long hair and pointy ears. I enjoy making decisions that actually have an effect and shape the world around me. I like leading a large party of dudes (large party as in more than two) through one battle after another. I like storming into a final dungeon made to look like an extension of hell loaded with demons galore. I like seeing, and interacting with, worlds that had been from straight from the pages of Tolkien. If anything I like seeing the Dungeons and Dragons rule-set being replicated in gaming form.
That being said, is there anything I don't like about Western RPGs? Why yes: They all seem to drawing from Tolkien playbook that it gets really tiresome to see the same tropes used over and over again. Also if you, like, play enough Bioware RPGs you soon realize that they're all formulaic - come on: you can't tell me that Mass Effect, Dragon Age Origins and Stars Wars KOTOR aren't running on the same blueprint.Indeed, it is rare to see one break from the formula - and rarer still to see one do so successfully (as the fans of Planescape Torment will attest).

So what does the JRPG offer to me then? Well for a start they offer a lot on technical level: I love the use of bright colours that I wouldn't see otherwise in a Western RPG. I love seeing environments that are inventive in their design. I love being swept up in a continually gorgeous soundtrack. Anything beyond that? Well, I do like how many JRPGs treat their characters and put effort into writing for them. And say what you like cinematics in a JRPG you can't deny that they're done very well. And if anything I appreciate JRPGs for being (for most of the time) an antithesis for the gritty Tolkien-inspired Western RPGs.
So then, what don't I like about JRPGs? Oh where do I start? For one, I find they don't offer a sense of non-linearity - you go in a different direction than the one the computer wants you to go in and computer gets all sulky. For two, there is very little freedom on offer when compared to Western RPGS - you're not making lasting decisions, no you're just prodding a character along a predetermined route. For three, whilst JRPGs may look great on a technical level most of it comes at the expense of the actual game part of the game. For four (?) I don't like many of the enemies in JRPGs because, more often than not, they look stupid and have equally silly names that one wonders if they're there to be taken seriously.  Finally, through playing numerous JRPGs, there is the realization that they're all trying to be Final Fantasy. And don't say they're aren't lest I call upon the bullshit police. I've seen attempts to replicate the formula that made Final Fantasy work in both the likes of Phantasy Star and Skies of Arcadia. And even then Final Fantasy originated as a variation on the DnD rule-set. In fact I can't think of any areas where the formula needed improving - which may account for why little has been done with the JRPG genre since.

So in the end what can I conclude from this post? Well I can say that I see these two forms of RPGs as beverages: Western RPGs are like a fine wine and JRPGs are like red fizzy cordial - both of them are nice but there's a time and place for each of them and they're not to be conusmed all at once.
Yeah lets go with that

You're an all star

I recently heard that a follow up to Sonic and Sega All Stars Racing is currently in development.
I've played the first game and I thought it was all right. Sure I bear the scars of having lived through years when everyone was making their own karting game in an attempt to match the success of the original Super Mario Kart, but Sonic and Sega All Stars Racing was good fun - and a great way to put one's friendships on the line just to notch up a win (although it is bit puzzling as to why the super fast Sonic needs a car....).

A look at the character list reveals some familiar faces: Vyse of Skies of Arcadia, Nights from Nights into Dreams, Gillius Thunderhead from Golden Axe and Joe Musashi from Shinobi. Much like the first game, the character roster seems spread across Sega's history with some classic figures stepping back into the light and some lesser-known faces getting a second shot. The titular character from the upcoming movie Wreck it Ralph is also present (nice tie-in there), real life racing driver Danica Patrick is also in, and the racing tracks will be inspired by the likes of Outrun, Panzer Dragoon and Afterburner.

Whilst it is nice to see Sega dust off some of their other IP, it does make one wonder if they may have something up their sleeve. Years earlier Nintendo did the same thing with Super Smash Bros Brawl - notably with the presence of the character Pit which eventually led to a new Kid Icarus game - twenty years since the last one.
Could this be a sign a change may be afoot? Considering that Sega finally released Nights into Dreams on the XBLA with a new HD remakes one would think that Sega may be trying some market research to see if some old IP may be worth something.
It maybe too early to call but for the romantics among us, it would be nice to think that Sega may finally be moving past their Megadrive/Genesis glory days and digging up some lost treasures to preserve. The Saturn games have built a reputation for being notoriously difficult to emulate but the presence of Nights (even if it was also on the PS2) is a step in the right direction.
If so, how about Panzer Dragoon Saga eh?

The Sky is Falling

I heard a rumor that Skies of Arcadia may be coming to XBLA - well not so much a rumor but it seems to be listed as a an unconfirmed upcoming title on that font of reliability Wikipedia.

Whilst wikipedia isn't the best source of information, I am intrigued with the idea of Skies of Arcadia appearing on the XBLA. As mentioned previously Skies of Arcadia is a favorite and, for me, good enough reason to keep hanging onto my Dreamcast. Still I would get any XBLA version if all the DLC is included and the graphics get a HD rejig - seriously I've recently seen Skies of Arcadia on a HD and it looks weird.

Still I do welcome the idea the idea of more Sega games appear on XBLA and become more readily available. If the reappearance of Nights into Dreams is a harbinger of what's to come then I'm all for it. After all, without past games becoming readily available then everyone will simply start using emulators and the game companies can't allow that now can they?

Why my favourite games rock: I Wanna Touch the Sky

It’s been a while since I sat down and bashed out an essay-length post about a favorite game of mine and why I think it rocks. So for today, seeing as I have nothing better to go on about, I would like to talk about a game close to my heart: A game called Skies of Arcadia.

Now, I like my RPGS but, as any gamer would tell you, RPGs are the type of game that demand a huge commitment: They present huge worlds that can be explored, problems that need to be solved, strategies that need to be devised,  and are the type of game that demands a huge amount of time form the playing (average of seventy hours maybe?). Now whilst I’ve played many RPGs, they aren’t the type of game that I would willingly pop back into the console for another run through. Skies of Arcadia however is a rare exception – once a year I like to go back and take yet another shot at this game. And for a game to do that, it must be a special one indeed, right? Of course.

Now allow me to brutally honest: if you’ve played more than few JRPGs then the set up for Skies of Arcadia would sound disturbingly familiar: In Skies of Arcadia, the player controls a guy named Vyse, a courageous but cocky young lad (ooh here we go) who is part of band of sky pirates (ooh pirates) along with his female best-friend-since-childhood-but-not really-romantic interest Akia (aren’t they all?). During one particular raid, they encounter a mysterious teenage girl (well they’re sticking with the familiar) named Fina whose origins are unknown (ho-hum) and whose in possession of a great power (like you do). This zany trio then teams up to go on an adventure which involves exploring the world, recovering magic crystals (as they all seem to do) and defeating an evil empire (because there’s no such thing as good empires – you thank Star Wars for that). 

Original image located here. Accessed 23rd July 2013

Have I lost you yet? I hope not. True Skies of Arcadia may be following the standard JRPG textbook but there is a lot going on about this game that somehow manages to capture interest.

So what do I like about this game? Well I like exploring the world set before me. I’ve had many an enjoyable time traversing from one end of the world to the other and finding new locations. I love how the obligatory JRPG airship is made available from the very beginning and the inclusion of the Discoveries is a nice touch. I love visiting the various areas and the designs put into them. I like how later in the game, one gets a crew and gradually builds up a pirate base. And if anything, I love how the game world actually feels genuinely huge – which is perhaps rarer than one would think.

I also like the characters – the three leads in particular have a lot of personality and the journey they take is indeed one worth following. The side characters are also heaps of fun too with Gilder being a particular favorite (he’s DA MAN!). And I also like the music – easily one of the best gaming soundtracks I’ve heard – being loaded with memorable tunes arranged in a manner both inventive and magnificent . The combat is fun – okay sure the rate encounter is ridiculous and the ship-to-ship battles get tedious but all else there is certainly a lot going for Skies of Arcadia.

But what interests me the most about Skies of Arcadia is that it seems a deliberate attempt to go against the grain of what was popular in JRPGs at the time. Keep in mind that this game was released in 2000 and at the time Sony was still relishing in the success brought about by both Final Fantasy 7 and 8. That being said, I have this fancy about Skies of Arcadia: Sega saw the success of both Final Fantasy 7 and 8 and noted some key features, namely the drab cyberpunk settings, the dour characters and how everything was done with seriousness and solemnness – so someone in Sega thought: Bugger this, let’s do something of our own! And it shows: Everything in Skies Arcadia eschews dark and serious for brought and colourful. Instead of dealing with the theme of a doomed world coming to end, there is the theme that there world is out there to be explored. Instead of a mopey/emo-esque lead character, Skies of Arcadia presents a lead with an enthusiastic, never-say-die personality that comes across as curiously refreshing. Hell, Skies of Arcadia even takes the character tropes that defined the party in Square’s games and puts a distinct twist on it. If anything, the more I look at Skies of Arcadia, the more it becomes clear to me that the makers really wanted to take the seriousness of both Final Fantasy 7 and 8 and really show it up. And for me, such audacity needs to be lauded.

Ultimately, the greatest impression Skies of Arcadia leaves on me is that it is a labor of love. Obviously the people who made it realized that the Dreamcast was in dire need of a major RPG so they put everything they had into. And to have such a game convey the amount of effort put into it is something worth celebrating when game companies tend to stamp out thoughtless, generic rehashes of popular franchises (looking at you EA!). And whilst Sega’s reputation as a RPG maker is patchy to say the least – more of a case of misses than hits – it is indeed welcome to see them finally conceive an RPG that actually works a treat.

Sadly due to it being on the Dreamcast, Skies of Arcadia didn’t go anywhere afterwards – it did turn up on the Gamecube however with the magnificent soundtrack reduced to Midi tunes but that was it. Alas, Skies of Arcadia ended up joining the scrap heap of Sega’s failed IPs. Still you never know: Sega certainly seem keen on rehashing past games for the XBLA, PSN and Virtual Console so maybe there could lie the possibility of seeing this great game redone in HD.

In fact I’d rather play Skies of Arcadia in HD than a complete HD built-from-the-ground-up Final Fantasy 7 revamp….

Original image located here. Accessed 23rd July 2013

You. Me. Outside. Now

Some gaming deathmatches I would like to see:

Kratos (God of War) vs Amaterasui (Okami)

Sephiroth (Final Fantasy 7) vs Kefka (Final Fantasy 6)

Samus Aran (Metroid) vs Femshep (Mass Effect)

Lara Croft (Tomb Raider) vs Nathan Drake (Uncharted)

Kratos (God of War) vs The Master (Actraiser)

Morrigan (Dragon Age Origins) vs Morrigan Aensland (Darkstalkers)

Shodan (System Shock 2) vs GlaDOS (Portal)

Wander (Shadow of the Colossus) vs. James Sutherland (Silent Hill 2)

Vaan (Final Fantasy XII) vs. Vyse (Skies of Arcadia)

Aerith (Final Fantasy 7) vs. Nei (Phantasy Star 2)

Tifa Lockhart (Final Fantasy 7) vs. Taki (Soul Calibur 3)

Duke Nukem vs. Sonic the Hedgehog

Tainted Love

Whew, writing that serial about my favorite game music took a lot outta me. But no matter, I still have things to say and as long as there is a creative bone in my body, the typing shall resume.

On the weekend, I decided to give Dragon Age 2 another go - Not sure why though. Yes all the talk about it being more a side-story than a legitimate sequel has indeed some weight behind it, but I don't know: Maybe it's the hope of finding a diamond in the rough. Or maybe there's some XBLA achievements worth scooping up. Maybe....

But no matter, I've progressed into Act 2 and I've found some enjoyment - but I feel dirty for saying so because, to say you enjoy Dragon Age 2 is all very well but one can't ignore the flaws: namely the repetitive environments, the dull combat system and a lack of definable goal. But then again, I've seen similar arguments and passionate defending for both the games in the Final Fantasy series and Skies of Arcadia so I'm not really that bothered.

But I have to admit that this game has made something of an impression on me because I played through the The Long Road companion quest - and came away somewhat disappointed.
Far be it from me to give away spoilers but what this quest entails is that Aveline wants to get the attention of Donnic, a soldier she fancies and enlists the help of Hawke to allow it to happen. Throughout the quest, Hawke is allowed to act flirtatious towards Aveline but, ultimately, for little good.

Now a lot has been said that the cast of DA2 has been rather dull but I must admit I've had something of a liking for Aveline. There's something compelling about her, with her being forced into the role of the knight by her father, her dealing with the loss of her husband Wesley and her assistance to Hawke in being Captain of the Guards. And in spite of her no-nonsense approach, there is still some vulnerabilities about Aveline with her duties as captain and the awkwardness with Donnic. The latter deserves particular attention: She tries to get his attention but, frustratingly, remains oblivious towards any advances Hawke can make. But in the end this is, insofar, the most vulnerable Aveline has come across.
So it begs the question: Why couldn't I romance her? Merrill bores me, Isabella has.... been around and the gay romance doesn't really interest me. Aveline however seems a far more compelling option: In that she is a widower, awkward in romance and actually seems alone. With The Long Road quest, I did choose the flirtatious options as I was really interested in seeing this play out and whether or not Aveline would open her eyes.
But no, whatever romantic potential is reduced to her acting in an oblivious manner (maybe the widower romance was done with Jahiera in Baldur's Gate 2?). And you know what? I feel hurt by this: My Hawke is breaking his balls to help her in the romance stakes and she doesn't seem to care. And all he gets is what? A quick peck on the check?! Well screw you bitch! Have fun struggling to get Donnic's attention with the ghost of Wesley hanging over you! Hope you enjoy being a captain because that's all you're ever going to do! And hope you appreciate the company of thoughts of what could've been!!!!

Actually now that I think about it, when it comes to (hetero) romances, male Hawke gets a raw deal whilst female Hawke can hit on Fenris and Sebastian.
Hmmm, maybe next time I'll take a female Hawke....

Favourite Gaming Heroes

Well who would've thunk it? I've hit two hundred posts in this blog! Yay me! Well any feat is as good as any so to acknowledge this milestone, something special.
Last year I posted a length post about my favourite gaming heroines. Since then it’s become my most popular post on this blog. So what the hell – I may as well do a long post about the other side of the coin: My Favourite Gaming Heroes!
Admittedly, taking up this task is a lot harder than coming up with a list of favourite heroines – purely because there are a lot more candidates. Nevertheless, I eventually settled on heroes that I liked, were unique in their own way or established some sort of connection with. That being said, there may be some glaring exclusions (well at least in someone else's eyes) but in that case either a) the missing hero didn't make that much of an impression or b) I haven't played (or have yet to play) the game in question.

So here we go: My favourite gaming heroes. If I ever needed to get some people together to form a posse, these are the dudes I’ll call:

11 – Kratos (God of War)
I love this guy. At a time when Playstation games were defined by pretty-boy types (ie Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts) along comes a protagonist who’s completely different: Ugly, muscular and violent in a brutal unflinching method. Of course, such qualities would make anyone a detestable character but here it works: I don’t know why though - maybe it’s the fear that arguing with Kratos would probably result in one getting their head caved in.
Of course, part of the appeal is that the original God of War game benefited from great writing. Seeing the lead character commit suicide at the very beginning is a strong opening move and commands attention. And as the story progressed, decent motivation was supplied in the form of revenge. In addition, the fact that it was pretty much all Kratos’ stupid fault and the extraordinary lengths he had to go to undo it all made the narrative ever the more epic and compelling.
Sadly, in the subsequent sequels, Kratos has become less interesting. Without a decent motivation, Kratos now comes across as being a violent jerk just for the sake of it. Suddenly the striking first image we see of him (plummeting to his death) is forgotten and Kratos comes across as being a parody of himself: Being a kill-crazy, revenge-obsessed psychotic because that’s pretty much all he’s good at. But that isn’t true and, as a result, Kratos claims the lowly position on this list.
Still, if you need something big and ugly dead, this is the man to call.


10 - Auron (Final Fantasy X)
The Final Fantasy games have no shortage of heroes so choosing from them is a daunting task. So after much consideration, I eventually decided to go with Auron – I mean I could’ve gone with Cloud but that seemed too obvious.
Final Fantasy X may have Tidus as the main character and Yuna’s quest as the focal point, but it is still Auron who steals the show. And who can blame him? A hard-bitten veteran warrior carrying a blade as big as himself, a man of mystery and wisdom about the alien world that is Spira, a modern-day samurai who carries with him a huge bottle of grog and perhaps the only sane one in the entire party. What’s not to like?
Whilst there have been warriors of the noble/tragic vein in previous Final Fantasy games (Freya Crescent being one such example), Auron is perhaps the accumulation of them all – He is the sole survivor of Lord Braska’s party and taking the uncompleted mission onto the next generation through a promise made to both Braska and Jecht. He bares the burden of being a man out of time and one who won’t go until his uncompleted task is finally done. But with the task left undone, Auron has left a terrible trail in his wake: He openly defied a system and ended up being cursed and restless for his trouble. Whilst this is familiar fare for the ‘veteran warrior’ archetype, Auron pulls it off in away that is all his own. Not sure how he does it though: Is it his cool head in times of crisis? Is it his connection with Tidus that makes him the likely target to find what the hell’s going on? Is because his VA actually did a good job?!
Or maybe it’s because he can cleave through the monsters like a hot knife through butter.


9 - Leon Kennedy (Resident Evil 4)
I came into the Resident Evil games rather late: Although I knew of them, I never actually played them (although, admittedly, it wasn’t hard to identify Jill Valentine in her RE3 incarnation). Therefore, like a whole lot of other people, I only got interested in the Resident Evil series through RE4. So whilst Leon may have appeared in RE2 I honestly don’t care: No.4 is where he made an impression on me and that’s where he comes in with this list.
One of the golden rules for writing a story is never make things easy for one’s protagonist. And boy does Leon go through a whole lot of hell: Sure he starts off having to rescue the president’s kidnapped daughter but what he ends up doing is dealing with psychotic villagers, dealing with psychotic monks and then psychotic pirates. He has to contend with a potential love interest who knows more then she’s letting on, grotesque monsters that just won’t lay down and die, so many people who want to see him dead and, worst of all, a shrill little bitch who can’t do jack except whining and getting kidnapped. It’s a succession of increasing disaster that would break a lesser man but not Leon.
Thus I give credit to Leon: He’s a cop turned government agent. He carries around a case of guns and ammo that miraculously halt everything when he needs to change weapons. And he still goes through hell only to come out the other side still standing. Leon’s a hero worth cheering for every step of the way and definitely someone you’d want watching your back.


8 - The Prince (Prince of Persia Sands of Time)
As an aspiring writer, I can tell you one of the rules of writing a compelling character is something called a ‘resurrection’. The story begins with a character being presented but as the story progresses they go through various trials and tribulations – thus by the end they came out the other end as someone completely different and unable to return to the person they once were. Whilst there have been several gaming characters to undergo this process, the one I feel works best is the Prince from the Sands of Time.
At the beginning, I didn’t like the Prince at all. But as the game progressed, I found him growing on me. Through the progress of the game, it’s interesting to see how the Prince hardens through the various obstacles that come his way and how, as character, he evolves from a snobby prick. He is a capable fighter, an excellent story teller and, by the end, the journey really feels worth it. I particularly like the ending, how he is pretty much the only left who knew exactly what happened and he leaves Farah in a state of bewilderment.
Ultimately, I hold the Prince as a fine example of character development done right and perhaps the best example of the resurrection theory. Now if only other game developers will catch on….


7 - Armakuni (Last Ninja series)
I can imagine some of you young pups might be saying “Who?” at this point so allow me to explain: My gaming days began when I was a kid on the eighties with the Commodore 64 – and if you had a Commodore 64 you had the Last Ninja games. It was that essential game one needed (the Halo of it's day if you will) and for good reason. At the time (late eighties), it provided a then innovative mixture of action and adventure where a ninja traversed through a 3d isometric environment collecting items and weapons, fighting bad guys, solving problems and going through fiendishly difficult jumping sections all accompanied by a rockin’ soundtrack involving a C64 SID chip being pushed to the limit. Although mostly forgotten now, it’s hard to imagine many games existing without it (Tomb Raider comes to mind).
Which brings me to Armakuni, the titular character. The game manual revealed quite a lot about his motivations: His ninja clan defied the tyrannical shogun Kunitoki who responded by having then all killed in massacre at a sacred temple. Armakuni was the survivor (through not being at the temple for some reason) and he takes it upon himself to go out for revenge. And Armakuni must be extremely pissed off to do so. Why? His vengeance-filled eyes became the box art (see above), informing that this is a ninja who isn’t fucking around - and subsequently providing one of the most unforgettable images in gaming history.
And in the sequel things started getting weird with Armakuni and Kunitoki somehow being transported through time to modern day New York (?!?) where the ninja finds himself running the gauntlet with psychotic cops, homicidal motorcyclists and the dangers of the modern world.
Growing up with the Commodore 64, Armakuni was one of my heroes – he was smart, a capable fighter and his quest for vengeance was one worth following through with. The time-travel plot was odd to say the least but it was indeed compelling to see a warrior from the feudal era adapt to a completely alien environment. And hey, anyone who can make nunchucks out of the flusher chains found in women’s toilets (yes you read that right) deserves some credit.


6 - Zidane Tribal (Final Fantasy 9)
Well there’s always room for another Final Fantasy character.
Selecting Zidane for this list is more drawn from my own experience: of all the Final Fantasy games I’ve played, Zidane was the one who I had the greatest connection with. But I’m still not sure why this is so: Was he a character who’s actually likable? Did he win me over with his womanising and his humour? Was his romance with Garnet one of those rare gaming romances that’s actually compelling? Or was he a welcome change of pace following after the cheerlessness of Cloud and Squall?
No matter: I liked Zidane a lot and I found his adventures across Final Fantasy IX compelling enough to follow all the way to the end. Even for an old, grumpy gamer like myself I couldn’t help but like the thief and his chipper/plucky/never-say-die outlook on life. In the game itself, Zidane is the representation of Virtue. And whilst virtue is usually a formula for a wimpy, so-good-it’s-sickening type character, Zidane pulls it off so well you can’t help but cheer him on. It also helps that Zidane’s cheerfulness is balanced out with him bearing the burden of loneliness and the knowledge of what his purpose is. All of this makes for a fascinating character.
I think his character description in the game manual said it all: “You don’t need a reason to help people.” It’s a philosophy that many a game character may have followed but, IMHO, Zidane is the one who embodies it fully. Go the monkey boy!


5 - James Raynor (Starcraft)
As much as I resent the narrative of Starcraft I have must give at least some credit to the writers at Blizzard: They managed to create a universe and populate it with three very different races. Each one with their own personality, motivations and colourful characters who each have their own unique voice in the game.
That being said, out of the characters in the game, James Raynor has to be the most human - an obvious statement true but still an impressive feat in a game populated by hostile aliens. He is the guy who's giving it his all but all he does is come out the other side empty-handed. And that’s what makes him so fascinating. He tries to do the best for the human colonies but he’s persecuted for doing so. He sides with an idealistic revolutionary (Arcturus) who ultimately turns out to be a power-hungry prick no better than those in the Confederacy. He has an attraction towards Kerrigan who in turn gets corrupted by the Zerg and stabs Raynor in the back (multiple times). Raynor then sides with the Protoss only to get caught up in a civil war. He then joins the fight back against the Zerg and the UED only to have those he called friends and allies dropping like flies. And because of his past failures, he ends up hitting the bottle and being surrounded by various people who try to influence his line of thinking.
Yet in the end, it’s an impressive feat that Raynor manages to stay standing. Whereas any lesser man would’ve buckled and gone nuts, Jimmy Raynor somehow staggers onward. And give him credit: When the rest of the universe goes insane and everyone’s out for themselves, at least there’s someone putting himself on the line for so many others – more so when it yields little in return.
So yes Raynor works for me as a classic example of the thankless hero – and hey, if I saw him in a bar I’d buy him a beer ;)


4 - Vyse (Skies of Arcadia)
Back in 2000, when everyone was intent on arguing on whether or not Cloud could out-emo Squall, along came a breath of fresh air: Vyse, the star of the ace RPG Skies of Arcadia. Now I will admit that I have a soft spot for this guy. And how could I not? He certainly has a lot going for him: He’s courageous, witty and certainly able to keep a cool head in any crisis situation. He is hardly one to back down from a challenge – when faced with the impossible Vyse wouldn’t run – in fact seeing it as impossible would be more than enough reason to try it himself. In addition, Vyse has an adventurous spirit, and is an able commander of his own ship who isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty and lead from the front.
But what I get the most out of Vyse is indicated by the opening sentence to that last paragraph: It seems he was made out to be an open defiance to the moody anti-heroes popularised by SquareEnix. When trouble arose, Vyse wasn’t the type to sit around moaning or grumbling – no way, he was too busy taking a stand and finding his own path. When placed in a group of companions, Vyse didn’t act resentful or anything – no he made every effort to inspire his crewmates. And when he was deemed a criminal by the opposing tyrannical empire, Vyse was laughing every step of the way.
In short, whilst Vyse may not be as well-known as other JRPGs leads but there certainly is a lot to like about him. So much so, it made his journey through Skies of Arcadia one worth taking. And for me, Vyse is a strong enough lead to make good reason to hang onto my Dreamcast and Skies of Arcadia - I'm not one to replay JRPG's but Skies of Arcadia is a rare exception.
So yeah, Vyse certainly a captain I would follow – and anyone who can fight with a blade in each hand is a winner in my book.


3. Link (Legend of Zelda series)
Link! He come to town! Come to SAVE! The Princess Zel-Dah! Ganon took her away, now the children don’t play, but they will when Link saves the day – HALLUJEAH!!!!
*ahem* Well what can I say about Link that hasn’t been said before?
Well for one thing, Nintendo seem to be very good at building an everyman figure: The hero whom the player can latch onto and serve as their avatar in a world that’s waiting to be explored. Like stable-mate Mario, Link is an ordinary Joe who gets thrust into some world-spanning adventures and ultimately ends up saving the day. And it is indeed important to build such a connection between player and character - something a lot of game designers these days seem to forget.
Also kind of cool is that Link is something of pioneer: the child/youthful character who goes on an epic quest to save the world (or something). Along the way, he goes through various trials and tribulations but he doesn’t seem at all bothered at all – all he knows is that his quest is a noble one and worth seeing all the way to the end. Such a metaphor is taken to a literal sense in Ocarina of Time as Link starts as a child but ends as a young adult. Indeed, it’s hard to imagine the likes of Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Ico, that kid from Limbo, or even both the afore-mentioned Zidane and Vyse without Link.
Granted it’s a bit annoying that Link is a silent character – He has a face and a name so from the perspective of being a player avatar, as opposed to a character, it is kind of off-putting. As such I’ve often wondered what Link really felt being hailed as the Hero of Time and constantly being roped into doing various small tasks from one end of Hyrule to the other. He’s described as being humble in this adulation but to me he strikes me as being caught up in something whether he likes it or not. One has to wonder if Link ever stops and wonders ‘Do I have to do EVERYTHING?!?!?!?’ (or is it my job as the player to do so?).
But from a personal level, Link is my bridge to the world that is Hyrule: Through countless hours of exploring and adventuring, I actually felt a connection to the character like no other. I went with him on an adventure and I felt every blow, the delight of finding something new and the relief of solving a baffling problem. For a silent character he certainly has loads of personality than his more talkative brethren. In a way, Link is my buddy and a guy worth traveling with.
That being said, I like Link a lot and he still claims the number three position on this list. The fact that I’m willing to cosplay as this guy does indeed say a lot (pun not intended).


2. Solid Snake (Metal Gear Solid)
Snaaaaake! Snaaake! Oooooh it’s a snnnnaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaake!!!!! (okay I’ll stop that now)
Those who’ve been following this blog will know that I’ve talked about Metal Gear Solid, Solid Snake and the emotional impact the game had on me so what more can I add? Well Snake is a capable fighter, intelligent and the best in the infiltration/sneaking business. He is the reluctant hero – one who knows all about doing right but being far from willing to actually do it. He may save the day true but mostly because he’s got nothing better to do.
But most importantly of all, much like the Prince, the Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid 1 is another fine example of the character resurrection. He starts out without direction and in a state of resignation but by the end he comes out a completely different person determined to make his limited time on earth count – but whilst it may sound cheesy in text, in the game itself it’s pulled off in a manner that seems genuine, believable and not in any way that could considered false.
Really, the mark of a great character is when they leave an emotional resonance on you, the audience, or this case the participant. The only difference is whereas in a book or a movie the audience are watching a group of characters run through a course of pre-determined actions and events, a game presents a situation where the audience becomes an active participant and has a say in the way things proceed. Therefore, the participant can become more of an accomplice to the character, the journey they take and the actions they do. Whilst I may have built up such a connection with Link on several occasions, Solid Snake however is in a class of his own. His journey is much less saving the world than it is saving himself – and we went along with the whole odyssey to a point where it rubbed off on myself, the player.
So much so that in the days since whenever I’ve faced a problem or difficult decision there have been times when I’ve caught myself wondering: What Would Snake do? It may sound daft in theory but really if a character has made such an impression then you know you’ve done something right.


And my number one favourite gaming hero is….

1. John Marston (Red Dead Redemption)

Why? Because he’s John fucking Marston. That’s why.
Okay now let’s get serious: A relative newcomer to this list, John Marston still charges through to the top. So what makes him so special? Oh where do I begin? John Marston has to rank as one of the most compelling and well-realised characters ever in the history of gaming –a tough call considering his game was only released last year but damn, I have never seen a character make such an impression on me – and I doubt that I ever will.
Firstly, when gaming these days seemed confined to a rigid good/bad, black/white system, John Marston is a true grey: In his hands is a much wider and diverse morality system and enables to do has many goods things as bad things. Such a wide offer of options shapes his character and forms him into a compelling character. He may have moments where he’s a ruthless killer but other times he’s trying to do some good after so much time spent doing wrong – it’s that clash of personality that makes for a fascinating character.
Secondly, John has a substantial motivation: He’s trying to put his violent past behind him and try to be a decent father to his son Jack in raising him in a better world than John knew. But no matter how hard he tries, John can’t really bury the secrets of his past, no matter his assertions that anyone can change.
Thirdly, John is man out of time: His era of the Wild West is coming to an end and far too often is he comes across as an anachronism. Through the game, we see the world through John’s eyes and there is a whole lotta bad people and bizarre shit going on – thus challenging the idea whether or not the world is worth living in and whether John truly has a place in it.
Fourthly, this is a genuine adult character. Yes this is a father who’s trying to do the right thing by his son and wife but this is game that will be played by adults. And for the designers to realise that and take it seriously is a credit to them. I feel like I’m being taken seriously and the developers are using this canvas to say what they want. I mean, if I were to do type this out ten/eleven years ago, when I was in my late teens, the youthful characters, Link, Zidane and Vyse would’ve ranked higher. Instead they lose out to Mr. Marston.
And finally, John Marston strikes me as the type who doesn’t take shit from anyone. And I like that.
So hats off to John Marston. He may have only had one shot at making an impression but what an impression it was.

And that's my list of eleven best gaming heroes - the one's who've made their mark on me and for good reason. Hope you've enjoyed reading this list and a big thank you to everyone who has ever visited this blog over it's lifespan so far.
So here's 200 posts in this worthless corner of cyberspace!!!

Degeneration (no.6)

And this serial continues.
As stated at the end of the previous installment, my interest in video gaming was waning – but it was not out of spite or anything. No: It was a natural progression of life. Other things were demanding attention, not least of which the real world, and I wasn’t in a position to ignore any of them.
But that’s not to say that I was completely ignorant of developments in the gaming world. I knew about the Dreamcast being the last hurrah for Sega. I knew the PS2 got off to a rocky start and I knew about Microsoft bringing a console of their own, the Xbox, to the table. I even had an Atari Lynx during this stage: Hey, it was cheap and, as befit this blog, I wanted to see if the grass was indeed greener on the other side.
But ultimately, the period of 2000-2005 was one where I parted ways with gaming. But little did I know that gaming wasn’t prepared to let me go. The connection was there and there was some potential for us to continue. All it needed was a catalyst.

And one such came: In late 2005, I stumbled across a list made by IGN on the Best 100 Games Ever Made. Through reading it, I saw a mixture of the recognised and the unfamiliar. I saw some titles I played and some that escaped my notice previously. And most of all, I was impressed that someone had sat down and fashioned such an official-looking list, providing substantial reasoning of each games’ selection and saluting the efforts of various pioneers.

Needless to say I was blown away – so much so, I actually made it my goal to track down every last one of them and play them. And thus, dreams were dusted off and raised from their slumber, opportunities that had passed me by the first time were now possible, and a world of brand new discoveries waiting to be found beckoned. A trigger had been set off and I plunged headlong into the sixth generation.
True it may have been at the tail end, when the seventh generation dawned but who the hell cares? I had returned to gaming and was prepared to savor every last moment. And what better why to kick it off was to return my gaze to a voice that called once before….

Playstation 2
As mentioned before, I knew the PS2 got off to a rocky start and wasn’t really that big of a hit. Funny how this baby is now recognised as the highest selling console ever.
As mentioned above, I finally made a goal in mind. This now presented the new problem of deciding which console, out of Playstation, Xbox and Gamecube, to get. With it’s extensive library, certain exclusives and it’s access to the PS1 catalogue, the winner was the PS2.
I recall the first game I placed into the system: Final Fantasy X. This was pretty much a return to console gaming after nearly a decade of absence. To be honest I had been away for so long I really had no idea what to expect – I had no idea what the graphics would be like (seriously!) or what advances had been made since the days of the fifth generation. Needless to say, what I saw was more akin to waking up from a coma. I was astonished that graphics had grown so spectacular. I was surprised that 3D gaming was actually playable and fun. Okay so maybe Final Fantasy X isn’t quite the best in the series but in any case, it was what got me back to gaming and, eventually encouraged me to seek out other entrants in the series (one has to start somewhere I guess).



I may have been a latecomer to the Playstation but I have many fond memories of playing my PS2: Appreciating the creativity that went into Resident Evil 4, being impressed with the inventiveness and brutality that went into God of War, the satisfaction of coming back to a boss in Final Fantasy X having levelled up extensively and knocking him flat, and, of course, completing Ico for the first time and, much to my surprise, having an emotional response.
I even hunted down some old PS1 games, granting me the chance to dust off some old favourites (Loaded, Darkstalkers, Raiden Project, Return Fire) and the opportunity to hunt some games that escaped me the first time around (Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Metal Gear Solid and Final Fantasy 7).
Interestingly enough, I also discovered how the PS2 could work as a social device. True going round to a friends place to play games is nothing new but when you’re the one who owns the console, you really see how it the social aspect works. Indeed, I remember when I went to a small LAN with my PS2: It was with a small group of people who had far better computers than my POS computer so I brought along the PS2 so I could be part of the fun. And indeed it worked a treat to have the other people queue up to fight each other on Soul Calibur 3. And was indeed gratifying to hear someone else see my playing through the inverted library in Castlevania Symphony of the Night and thinking the music was pretty cool. And finally, there has indeed great fun to have a bunch of friends around for an evening to have a bash at Singstar.

In a way, PS2 represented the destination of a journey: After leeching off other people, I finally had a console to call my own. I had discovered new wonders in a field I’d been away from for so long. And I discovered the power of the social element that can lie with owning a console. After years of having an interest in video gaming, a breakthrough had come like no other. Perhaps it was fitting that I should get my first console when I was well and truly into my adult years – and that console should be a Playstation.
So yes, the sixth generation was more or less the second coming with my gaming career. And as one journey ended another began….

Dreamcast
Remember in the introduction how I made mention of having an Atari Lynx? Maybe it’s the Australian in me, but I’ve always had a fascination for the underdog. You know, the guy who has a go. That, coupled with my previously-established love for Sega, may have counted for me owning a Sega Dreamcast.



I’m still not entirely sure why I got a Dreamcast. Maybe it was indeed favouring the underdog. Or maybe it was a last gesture for years of loyalty to Sega. Maybe it was case of going out and exploring in the hope of finding some hidden treasure. Or maybe it was, at that point in time, case of having far too much money and not enough common sense.

Say what you like about the Sega Dreamcast but there’s no denying that there was a time when Soul Calibur looked mind-blowing (even now) and Sega looked likely to recover from the disasters from the past. But, as we all know, it was not to be and Sega’s reign as a console developer had come to an end.

In retrospect, we can all whinge about the faults of the system (no third party games, too many arcade conversions, no DVD capabilities, online features being overlooked, poor marketing and the impending arrival of PS2) but in the end, there was no denying the Dreamcast was a potent game machine and the potential to be great. Sure that potential wasn't truly realised but at least Sega were trying new things. Sure there was no third party support but at least Sega were trying to build up new IP and doing things that messed with the formula. Sure the Dreamcast wasn’t the hit it should’ve been but nowadays people treat it a reverence not seen for other failed consoles (maybe having no one to blame for the console’s shortcomings helps considerably). True the Dreamcast may have been the death-knell for the once glorious console giant but I still have mine and it still gets used.

But let’s drop the pretences: At the end of the day was buying a Dreamcast worth it just to play Skies of Arcadia?
Damn right it was.

Xbox
As with the other entrants in the sixth generation, I came to the Xbox at a rather late point in the console’s life. For a long time I got a lot of mileage out of my PS2 (and Dreamcast) but I didn’t care much for the seventh generation as it happened around me.
Then, in 2009 I moved into a flat with my girlfriend, Kathleen, and she brought along her Xbox. Curious, I decided to buy some games to use on it.



Of course at the time, I was still giving my PS2 a lot of attention so time on the Xbox was limited. But that’s not to say it was enjoyable: I have many fond memories playing Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic and Sid Meier’s Pirates. It was also fun to have someone watch me play my games – sure gaming has long been a solitary experience so to have a second person paying undivided attention to my progression through a game is indeed a welcome change (of course I had no idea how Kathleen really felt about my constant swearing through Burnout 3 but still….)

And I think that what I got the most out of the Xbox: After years of playing games in my room by myself, I finally felt that gaming had finally become a social event. Previously, I’d played games against other people on consoles but the game, so to speak, had now changed. The PS2 may have made me aware of the fun involved with playing games in the presence of other people but the Xbox expanded upon it. Indeed, it is fun to see someone else show an interest in the game you're playing and suddenly you don't feel like you're the only person in the universe who's enjoying it.

When I jumped on the PS2 bandwagon, it was after years of absence – and coming back from that time away I’d grown astonished by what games were accomplishing from the days of the 2nd and 3rd Generations. Games were now being marketed as experiences, offering social commentary, challenges of the relationship between the game & the gamer and triggering emotional effects one never would’ve thought possible.
And I got all that and surprised that gaming could do that. But that was all by my own in my bedroom – so to have someone else along for the ride playing just as much attention as you (the gamer) is particularly sweet.
And to have gaming be a contributing factor to a romance is also kinda cool too.

So that’s my thoughts on the sixth generation. In the terms of my gaming career it was more or less a Second Coming – the return after years of wandering in the desert. And when I came back, I’d seen how gaming had evolved beyond entertainment value. I had seen how gaming had now grown as a social event and more importantly, I see gaming from the perspective of an adult: Indeed, it’s great spending your own money on consoles and games without having to badger/explain to one’s parents. It is fascinating how something you liked as a kid can evolve to a point where you can enjoy it as an adult and not look silly (and having a partner who thinks the same is also pretty cool too). And I’m always amazed just how many people have played the same games I have – even when I thought I was the only on Earth who’d heard of the game in question. I even loved striking up conversations over games and sharing both opinions and solutions.

If anything, sixth generation got me wrapped up in the gaming culture like never before. Gaming had finally become the norm and was now taken seriously.
So where do we go from here?
Towards the next generation one would think….

Final Fantasy: A Love Story

As mentioned previously, I prefer western RPGs over JRPGs - which is why I'm far more keen to have a second run through Baldur's Gate 2 instead of getting off my arse and completing those various Final Fantasy games I started but never finished. Perhaps this is due to me playing a WRPG first - in the form of Pool of Radiance on the Commodore 64 - whilst many people played their first RPG with Final Fantasy 7. I guess the first time you encounter something really is the one you best remember.

Therefore, it is only as recent as 2006 that my attention finally fell on Final Fantasy. I knew little of the series beforehand: I knew it was on the SNES as well as the Playstation, and beyond seeing a lot of promos for FF8 upon it's release, inspiring many upon many fans and seeing some figurines of FFX/X2 & thinking Yuna looked kinda hot, my knowledge of FF was limited.

Five years later, where am I at?
I'm not sure but that doesn't stop me writing a retrospective on Final Fantasy!

So today, I'm going to take the time to write about the FF games I have played and share my thoughts on them. It may have been done before but in my mind, I like WRPG's and I encountered my FF games well out of order. Should make for some interesting reading? Let's find out!

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Final Fantasy X
This is where it all started: This was the very first FF I ever played.
I'm not sure what set me off into the weird and wonderful world of FF: I did know, however, that when I finally got enough money to purchase PS2 I needed some games to go with it. Recognizing Yuna, I picked up FFX and, for a while, I played it at the expense of the other games.
Granted it wasn’t the best place to start explorations with FF but for some reason it was quite an entertaining game. The graphics were gorgeous, the music was equally glorious, the plot was compelling, the sphere grid was fun to use and it was generally fun to go around and bonk some heads. Plus the romance between Yuna and Tidus was actually one that was worth following all the way through. Like many people who played FF7 on the PS1, this game introduced me to the conventions of the JRPG and revealed to me how it was a very different beast than the AD&D rules I had been accustomed to through playing WRPGs.
So does the first time you encounter something leave the greater impression? Not so in this case. Now that I’ve played other FF games, the flaws of FFX become glaringly obvious: The game is awfully restrictive on where you can go, the minigames are horrifically tedious, the voice acting is plain awful, and running back and forth over the same strip of land just to find some baddies to level up is no fun at all.
Looking back, it may have been great at the time, and indeed certainly still holds some degree of appeal, but there’s a lot it’s older brothers did better. But still, ya gotta start somewhere and for an introduction to the series, I’ll give FFX that much.
And to wrap this up before moving on, seeing the rather unflattering things FFX has to say about religion, I wonder if Christopher Hitchins would like this game?


Final Fantasy IV
I should at this point stress that my encounters with the FF games are all out of order but this was more or less by accident: It just happened! That being said, it may seem a tremendous cultural shock going from wonderful PS2 graphics/sound to antiqued SNES graphics/sound but I was still willing to take the plunge: I heard IV was one of the best of the series so it would be interesting to see if the game lived up to such claims.
And you know something? It was actually quite fun to play. The graphics were bright and colourful (and in retrospect unusual for a FF game), the characters where charismatic and fun to watch (except, of course, Edward, the patron saint of useless RPG characters), the setting is truly a diverse and well-realised world. Best of all, while FF4 may be ahead of other games, at the time, in telling a story it still is quite aware it is game and requires a degree of interaction from the audience. Furthermore, it’s interesting to see how many ideas this game had – interesting when you consider which ideas have endured throughout the series right to the present day.
Mind you, there were some frustrating moments: Maybe it was me but whenever I wanted to go around trying to level up my party, FF4 seemed reluctant to let me do so: I would be levelling up smoothly for a while before the game would suddenly decide to slow down the progression dramatically. Thus the levelling-up would stop being fun and instead become laborious. It was if the game wanted to tell it’s story so badly, that doing something I wanted to do was simply not on. It’s interesting to note how certain modern games seem to be repeating the same mistake, with placing story over gameplay.
Grumbling aside, FF4 was good fun, being certainly worth coming back to have a bash and a game that has aged quite well. From a historical perspective, it is interesting to note that this game was putting forth a formula that many of the FF games have been utilising ever since. I guess if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.


Final Fantasy VI
Many people deem Final Fantasy 6 as the best in the series – I myself consider myself one of those people. Of course, it will never reach the level of popularity its successor achieved but who cares? If people aren’t willing to take the effort to track down this gem among gems of a game it's their loss. Nothing to do with me
So what can I say about FF6 that hasn’t been said before? What makes FF6 work is that it has a good degree of heart. Playing it now, it strikes me that Square knew that the SNES was nearing the end of its lifespan so they went all out: They drew all the elements that worked in its predecessors together. They had the biggest cast ever assembled for a FF game, each with their own back-story, quirks and personality. They had a story that didn’t hold back, had some surprising twists and really defined the word ‘epic’. They pushed the graphic capabilities of the SNES further than they had ever done before. They ditched the colourful palettes of the previous five games in favour of a grim, dark theme. They got Nobuo Uematsu to produce some unforgettable themes, particularly the haunting Terra Theme. They even achieved a milestone for gaming by writing the only opera ever conceived for a game!

Really though, there isn’t much I can say about FF6 because talking about game isn’t any substitute for actually sitting done and playing the damn thing. All I can say is that if lot’s of people dub a game the best game ever it’s usually for good reason.
I’m not for playing a particular game exclusively, I’m not one to shell out on merch, and I’m not one to canonise the people involved with making games. I’m for talking about a game I think is damn good. And FF6 is one of those games.


Final Fantasy IX
As a newcomer to this game, my understanding was that FF9 is the ‘Forgotten Child’ of the series. Some people may overlook in favour of defending the merits of VII, VIII and X, but that’s more likely to occur in the US. You see, I come from Australia – a land where the underdog is celebrated and anyone who has a go at something is acknowledged as a champion. Furthermore, I live by the principles of exploring and discovering things for myself beyond the influence of anyone else, and to give something to speak to me in it’s own words (acknowledge, whether positive or negative, beats being ignored any day). This should make me an ideal candidate to play FF9, right?
So, having completed FF9, it to me, represents a mixture of the good and the bad. Some heavy complaints have been aimed at FF9 and even I have to admit they are glaring – namely the cluttered script, the annoyingly high rate of encounters and the loading times. Me, I was playing this on a PS2 so the loading time’s didn’t bother me (maybe the game would’ve been more at home on the PS2 rather than the PS1?). As for the encounters, it bother me because I was having fun breaking heads – plus I’ve played worse (Skies of Arcadia being one such example) But yes, the script is indeed a mess. It’s a shame, because the first disc held such promise but the pace couldn’t keep up. There were some good ideas used throughout the game but some were swamped with clutter and/or didn’t live up their full potential.
But you know what? When FF9 does something well, it hit’s the bullseye. The party customising was great, the in-jokes/references were fun to pick, and the characters were an endearing bunch. I particularly liked Freya and I thought the story-book romance of Garnet and Zidane was quite charming. So yeah, Final Fantasy 9 got through to me and to that end, it’s a success.


Final Fantasy V
Another one of the forgotten children of the FF family. Being unreleased in the US during the 16-bit era, FF5 tends to be overlooked in favour of its more popular brothers FF4 and FF6. These days, it’s more likely to be dismissed by those weaned on the big budget monsters spawned on the various incarnations of the Sony Playstation. But for many people, it remains the ultimate iteration of FF’s greatest achievements: The Job System. And that reason alone is enough to play it.
Looking back at now, having played other FF titles, it seems to come across as being somewhat goofy: The script seems less serious and the music, in particular, seems nowhere near as the solemn tunes that came before. Both these elements ultimately contributed to FF finding its own destiny so it’s strange that they should be absent.
However, the real meat of the game lies in the job system: the ability to change Jobs throughout the game, mixing and matching abilities to adapt to situations and building up a team of completely unique characters. It was this formula that kept me going through FFX and, to me, is heaps more fun that going through a pre-determined role for the character (so to speak). It was this formula that made the grinding actually enjoyable and the story a lesser priority. Indeed, the Job system was so successfully pulled off in this game it makes me wonder why they haven’t managed to replicate it in many more recent FF games. Indeed, an emphasis on gameplay over everything else is something that makes you wonder why it doesn’t happen more often (FF12, take your License system and SHOVE IT!).
So, I came into FF5 thinking it had something of it’s own to say and found it be a goofy but ultimately very entertaining game. Chalk one up for the underdogs!


Final Fantasy VII
I’ve already spoken about my thoughts about FF7 so there isn’t much to add. So yeah, once I got past the hype, the intimidation and let the game speak to me in its own terms, I found it quite enjoyable to play. Which goes to show that it never pays to listen to hype.
It does seem a shame though that the phenomenal success of FF7 has kinda left its brothers in the shadows, struggling to reach a benchmark that can’t possibly be reached. And Squee Enix are milking that success for all it’s worth with spin offs. Sure people may shout and scream for a PS3 remake for as long and loudly as they like but will the thrill be the same? More importantly, wouldn’t that time spent wishing and hoping be better spent tying something new?


Final Fantasy I
And here, we reach the conclusion of this journey with, where else, the beginning. I recently downloaded this game for the Virtual Console and having an enjoyable time making my way through it. Sure, it looks nothing like the big budget extravaganzas that its younger cousins are. Sure the 8-bit graphics are hard to take seriously when compared to the behemoths residing on the PS3 and Xbox 260. Sure it had some ideas that just needed that extra bit of polish. Sure it was pretty much figuring itself out but DAMN, this is just a really fun game to play. Will this mood outlast the first few hours (as JRPG’s are wont to do)? Only time will tell…..