As printed in The Northern Light newspaper
Jan. 30, 2007
Video games - along with rock 'n' roll, movies, television, rap, heavy metal, the Internet and everything besides bad parenting - are once again (or rather, still) being blamed for the problems of the world's youth. Germany, which already has heavy censorship of video games, recently urged the European Union to ban violent games and is itself trying to make virtual violence in games a jailable offence, according to Reuters news service and the Guardian newspaper. The cited definition of violent games includes games from the "Star Trek" and "Lord of the Rings" series.
Attempts at banning or restricting games continue in the United States as well. Friday, Jan. 26, a committee in the Utah House of Representatives voted to hold off on a bill (HB50) that would have made providing certain video games to minors a third-degree felony, according to the Desert Morning News. Audio recording of the hearing featured those for the bill expressing concern about the influence of violent games on children. Those against the bill pointed out that the bill doesn't even differentiate between businesses and individuals, meaning parents would face mandatory jail time for letting their child play a game that fits the bill's vague definition of violence. And if a 17-year-old boy wants to buy the Teen-rated "Call of Duty," it would be a felony - but if he turns 18 the next week, the army would have no problem teaching him to kill for real. The bill was held because the state's legal experts and its own Attorney General Mark Shurtleff felt the bill would likely fail any constitutional challenge, as similar bills have failed in other states. The committee is supposed to meet about the matter again.
Restricting certain games would likely stifle the game industry, as no retailer would risk being shut down for selling certain games to a minor. That would affect every gamer.
What all of these overreaching politicians fail to realize is that the average age of gamers is 33, and 93 percent of game buyers and 83 percent of game players are over 18 years old, according to statistics from the Entertainment Software Association. And seriously, $600 PlayStation 3s and multi-thousand dollar PC gaming rigs are not children's toys, and people should realize that just because it's a game does not mean it's targeted at children. Henry Jenkins, director of comparative studies at MIT, wrote an essay called "Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked," where he points out that no causal relationship has ever been shown between youth violence and video games, and that violence among youths is actually at a 30-year low. So there's just as much circumstantial evidence (which is all anti-gamers have) showing that video games actually decrease violence. He also debunks the myths of games being antisocial, desensitizing and without artistic merit.
If movies are allowed unrestricted free speech, with a rating system in place for parents, video games, which have a similar rating system, should have even more protection. Think about it: Gamers' experiences are based on their own actions, meaning the protected expression can be as much their own as it is the game maker's.
These attacks on video games are not really about protecting children, despite whatever rationale the politicians and concerned parents have. Maybe gamers used to be children, but they're grown up now and likely play games with their children that they feel are appropriate. It'll probably take another generation before politicians have a better understanding of games and don't act in such broad overreaching strokes as they try today. Until then, let's hope they turn their attention to some actual problems.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Video Game Review: Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
As printed in The Northern Light newspaper
Jan. 30, 2007
While the original "Metal Gear Solid" pioneered the stealth action genre, the first two PSP entries in the franchise were card-based tactical games. With "Portable Ops," the PSP finally gets a game closer to its home-console counterparts. In fact, "Portable Ops" has the only directly connecting stories of the series, until "Guns of the Patriots" connects with parts 1 and 2. "Portable Ops," however, connects to the end of part 3, "Snake Eater," which put the player in the position of the legendary soldier who would eventually become Big Boss, the antagonist of the original Metal Gear series and genetic donor to series hero Solid Snake.
The storyline fits with the new team dynamic by showing how and why Big Boss, still known as Naked Snake, builds up his army of loyal followers. Rather than rendered cutscenes, the story unfolds through dynamically-drawn animated storyboards and features quality voice acting, including David Hayter reprising his role as Snake.
The stealth portion of the game features a fully 3D camera that most of the previous games didn't have, but the lack of a second analog stick makes the controls a little awkward still. To make up for this, weapons can auto target, and each character has a skill rating that determines the hit chance of their weapons. Players can also aim in first-person mode for sniping accuracy. But in this game, capturing enemy soldiers has the benefit of adding them to your team, with the possibility of 100 members, either as part of the medical team, surveillance team, technology team or active mission squad. While Snake will always have the best stats, capturing soldiers with different uniforms will allow those characters to blend in with like-dressed enemies, making certain missions much easier to complete in a stealthy fashion. Missions are appropriately sized for on-the-go PSP playing, and playing in different areas is encouraged by having different Wi-Fi hotspots act as automatic recruiting points for special soldiers.
"Portable Ops" also makes use of the Infrastructure mode for PSP's online play, connecting wirelessly to players worldwide. Online play has two team and two solo modes, with an optional mode that actually removes losing players' fallen soldiers and rewards them to the winners.
With its combination of role-playing elements and stealth action, "Portable Ops" is a must-have game for PSP users, and even those disappointed with the "Acid" series will find plenty to love as the game returns to the genre it pioneered.
“Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops”
4 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Konami
Developed by Kojima Productions
Genres: Stealth, action, squad-RPG
Anime Review: Ergo Proxy (Volumes 1 and 2)
As printed in The Northern Light newspaper
Jan. 30, 2007
"Ergo Proxy" is a stylish science-fiction series that combines first-rate animation and seamless 3D to create an engaging mystery with elements of social and philosophical commentary.
The story starts in Romdo, a self-contained city where androids called AutoReiv assist in every aspect of society, including serving as companions or children, but are still treated as products. Immigrants also are considered lower class, but by serving the ruling establishment they have the chance to become Citizens. A computer virus known as Cogito (after "Cogito ergo sum") grants infected AutoReiv self-awareness, but the resulting disobedience makes them targets for destruction and scapegoats for a string of mysterious murders.
Jaded heroine Re-l Mayer (pronounced Ree-el) investigates one of the murders and stumbles across the real culprit, a monstrous being known as a Proxy. As she chases down just who or what the Proxy is, she uncovers a whole world she never knew about, with implications that could change everything.
Action scenes don't take any animation shortcuts, and the moody visuals add to the paranoid air of the show. The opening theme is a catchy U2-ish song that sounds almost Western (but isn't), and the ending theme is the appropriately named "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead, which both help set the tone for the show.
The first volume moves at a quick pace, not stopping for exposition but revealing just enough to not be too confusing, while slowly bringing out the larger mystery. The second volume focuses more on immigrant Vincent Law, who becomes a big part of Re-l's investigation, leading her to some big discoveries. The pace is also slower in the second volume, but there are several big developments in the story that move things along.
Besides the Cogito Virus, the show is littered with subtle inside references to science, literature and mythology - little touches that add something extra to the discerning viewer. "Ergo Proxy" definitely stands out above the average sci-fi anime, and the first two volumes don't disappoint.
“Ergo Proxy”
Vol. 1: 4 1/2 stars (out of 5)
Vol. 2: 4 stars (out of 5)
U.S. release: Geneon Entertainment
Produced by: Manglobe
Genres: Sci-fi, mystery, drama, action
Release date: Nov. 14, 2006
Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Anime Review: Basilisk: The Parting of Ways (Vol. 3)
As published on thenorthernlight.org
As the volume opens, the Iga have eight remaining ninja of the 10 from their clan who are listed on the scroll, while the Kouga only have five still alive. The scroll lists the top 10 ninja from each clan who are to battle until only one side remains. For the first two volumes, the Kouga were not even aware of this contest, as Iga Oboro and Kouga Gennosuke were about to get married. Once the Iga finally learn Gennosuke’s special power, they fear the only way they can beat him is through Oboro’s ability, which is the involuntary ability to cancel the power of anyone whom she makes eye contact with. Naturally, the would-be-lovers must part, even as they both hope for a peaceful solution, for them being together would be fatal.
“Basilisk” continues to be an emotional and suspenseful mature drama that just happens to be set with super-powered ninja. The show has no villains, per se, as each side in the ongoing clan struggle is in one moment sympathetic, and in the next, morally reprehensible. The show hasn’t taken a side, but shows the pointless conflict as destructive and futile.
The pace slows down in this volume, with the second episode offering a recap of the show so far with a little new information thrown in. The slightly slower pace allows more exploration into the consequences of the battles so far, especially now that Oboro and Gennosuke are trapped in the tragic feud as well. The voice acting is well done and the music adds to each scenes mood without being overwhelming. At the third volume, “Basilisk” shows no decline in the quality of its story or production. While any story about super ninjas can be overly melodramatic at times, “Basilisk” keeps the viewers engaged in the story and characters.
It’s always a good sign when the end of a volume leaves you anticipating the next one.
“Basilisk, Vol. 3 – The Parting of Ways”
4 stars (out of 5)
U.S. release: FUNimation
Animation: Gonzo
Genres: Romance, historical, action, drama
Release date: Nov. 14, 2006
Anime Review: Naruto - uncut box set 2
As published on thenorthernlight.org
Despite the uncut label, these box sets of “Naruto” are not scandalously different from the individual releases of the show. They do have a few differences – the original amount of blood shown during fights is restored and they include the Japanese language track – but the story is still that of hyperactive young Naruto and his fellow ninjas-in-training. No matter which language you chose to listen to, Naruto is still an annoying brat of a character, as he’s supposed to be. But the show finally starts to show a bit more depth as this set finishes up the conflict with Zabuza in the Land of Waves, revealing a more serious side with some of the recurring emotional themes of the show. Granted, it’s still for the younger set, but not too young, and there’s nothing childish about it. The second half of episodes in the box set starts the overriding Chunin Exam story arc, which will last another three or so volumes, these episodes merely laying most of the groundwork.
The slow pacing of the show makes box sets an ideal way to watch it; watching a two-hour continuous battle is preferable to watching it play out over six weeks on TV. On the other hand, the show uses a lot of flashbacks, so watching it in a marathon usually means sitting through a bunch of flashbacks that just happened.
“Naruto” may look like a simplistic fighting anime, and to some degree it is, albeit a rather fun one. But – especially once the other rookie ninjas get their stories fleshed out – it’s got a lot more to it than good vs. evil. It takes a lot of patience to watch this show, but by episode 19 (contained in this set) it will be apparent whether or not it’s worth it. That was the turning point for me back when it aired, and I’ll be picking up the next uncut volume for sure.
“Naruto,” uncut box set 2
4 stars (out of 5)
U.S. release: Viz Video
Genres: Adventure, comedy, shonen
Release date: Dec. 5, 2006
Video Game Review: Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles
As published on thenorthernlight.org
Unlike most “Naruto” video games, “Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles” plays more like an RPG than a fighting game. Instead of picking characters from the show to battle, players are put in the titular role of Naruto, and must perform certain missions and beat nameless enemies in random battles to gain Virtue Points. These points can then be used to purchase new items or upgrades of Naruto’s abilities, which are laid out on a variety of Skill Boards with limited room and different shapes. Different abilities fit together in different ways and it’s like a jigsaw puzzle that determines what powers Naruto will have. It’s an interesting system that forces players to choose how they want Naruto to grow, instead of a set skill path or simply being able to upgrade everything.
Sadly, the battles are lacking.
The generic enemies are too easy to beat, and the difficulty ramps up sharply when asked to fight tougher characters from the show. Even worse, the battles and missions take place on a map that Naruto travels around on – but only one location on the map is a save point. This means that if a player gets defeated anytime during a mission, even a multi-stage one, all progress up to that point is lost and the player will have to start all over again. This is especially frustrating when the cut scenes are not skipable, so defeated players will have to watch them again and again until they succeed.
There are good things about the game; the upgrade system is good, special moves are easy to pull off, mini games offer a change of pace and rewards, and guest characters can be used to tag-team when in a bind. For a single player, “Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles” offers much more depth than a standard fighting game, but a lot of little hiccups keep it from being what it could’ve been.
“Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles”
3 stars (out of 5)
U.S. release: Namco/Bandai
For PlayStation 2
Genres: Action, fighting, adventure
Release date: Nov. 15, 2006
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Long waits, scalpers mark game console launches
As printed in The Northern Light newspaper
Nov. 28, 2006
The day before the PlayStation 3 was released, I bought two games, “Resistance: Fall of Man” and “Ridge Racer 7,” which are supposed to show off the new console’s graphics capabilities fairly well. Unfortunately, like most gamers, I wasn’t actually able to get a PS3 to play them on. Delays in production made the gaming console in very short supply on its launch date, though Sony announced plans to have at least a million units out by the end of the year.
So while Sony has finally entered the next generation of gaming, and the Nintendo Wii starts its own side generation, most of us will have to wait a while longer to play in it.
But it wasn’t for lack of trying. Those first few days were ruthless.
Thursday, Nov. 16
With very few places taking preorders, most people had to wait until today to start making plans. In other states, folks were already lining up outside of stores, but Anchorage retailers weren’t allowing campouts. A reconnaissance of stores in town revealed a few different strategies when it came to the PS3 launch.
Best Buy was getting a minimum of 26 units, and said a line could start at midnight for the tickets they would give out in the morning. CompUSA took PS3 preorders only with the purchase of a big-screen TV and had none left. Fred Meyer stores got six or eight units and lottery tickets would be given out to anyone in line tomorrow at 6:45 a.m.
Both Wal-Mart stores had six units and would begin selling them at midnight, but one was only going to announce the line’s location once it was 15 minutes to midnight and whoever made it to the line first would win. Sears had two units and would open as normal on Friday through a random door, which discouraged camping. GameStop took preorders a while back, which were snatched up as soon as they were offered, and Toys ‘R’ Us said it was sold out of preorders, but a rumor of unsold PS3s had people camped outside anyway.
My plan was to hit the Wal-Mart scramble, with a Best Buy campout and early morning Fred Meyer lottery as backup plans.
By 11:30 p.m., Wal-Mart was already a madhouse. Clusters of people were gathered at each aisle and intersection, hoping that when the secret line’s location was announced over the store intercom their group could get there first. Imagine a store packed full of people all wandering in tight circles in their little sections, ready to sprint to wherever the location may be, despite the cluster of people likely already to be there. To the store’s credit the announcement came over the speakers that they changed the format to a lottery. After lining everyone up single file, in a line that snaked in and out of the aisles of half the store, they started giving out tickets.
A group of people nearby was talking about their plans to sell the system on eBay if one of their numbers were drawn. An excited woman kept checking her Web-enabled cell phone to tell her friends the ridiculously high prices the PS3 was supposedly fetching on eBay. One man ahead in line said, “I need new friends,” after hearing what someone was supposedly willing to pay. Most of the people there were apparently wannabe scalpers, since selling the PS3 dominated most conversations.
It was a slap in the face to gamers everywhere to know that they might have had a shot at getting a new system if it wasn’t for the hoards of console-war profiteers who thought they could get thousands of dollars for a $600 machine, people who didn’t want it but would gladly take it just to drive up the price. Those are the type of people who shot a man outside a Wal-Mart in Connecticut and robbed a GameStop at gunpoint in San Francisco.
There were more than 400 people at this Wal-Mart but only six consoles. Needless to say, I didn’t get one.
Best Buy was next, but the crowd was dispersing by the time I got there. Apparently, nearly 1,000 people were waiting to line up and police were called in but had no way to organize the crowd, so Best Buy employees decided to give out the vouchers for their units right then instead of the next morning.
Friday, Nov. 17
While waiting in freezing temperatures outside Fred Meyer at 6:30 a.m., I look down the line and see a few faces from last night who are also enduring the cold for a last chance at a PS3. Here, as at Wal-Mart, most of the crowd wasn’t crazy about gaming, just money. After handing out tickets, everyone is ushered into the electronics department, where the drawing takes place and winners immediately buy their prize. When the first winner happily announced his intention to auction off his unit on eBay, the boos and hisses that came from some scattered members of the crowd showed that true gamers were indeed present.
It’s a small consolation, but after going through more than 100 pages of PS3 auctions on eBay that night, there were only a handful of legitimate bids. Most of the scalpers in those pages set the starting bid at $3,000-$5,000, but the bids that came in were obviously not real; bids would jump suddenly by thousands – and occasionally millions – of dollars, but only on auctions without a set buy-it-now price, and some winning bidders had no history of feedback. Going to various gaming forums, many upset gamers openly admitted to placing many false bids, despite the impact it might have on their eBay rating.
One poster said, “I will bet on every single PS3 auction, say ... $3,000.”
A particular auction’s bid history had a bidder who kept making high bids and then retracting it within an hour, saying it was a mistaken amount, only to repeat it and retract it continually over the course of the day.
Real auctions were taking place once the price got to $1,200 or lower, and by Monday that was around page 50. If the few hundreds of dollars is worth all the hassle, the opportunists will probably strike again, but more than half of the PS3s up for bid were only about $50-$100 over retail. If the scalpers were paying attention, they would have seen the exact same pattern after the launch of the system in Japan the week before. Non-gamers bought up available supplies and tried to inflate the market, only to have it come crashing back to earth within a couple of days.
But as I stood in line hearing others’ numbers come up, I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to wait a little longer for Sony’s console. But maybe I could still get a Nintendo Wii.
Saturday, Nov. 18
With no reported supply shortages and less hype than the PS3, I thought getting Nintendo’s innovative new console wouldn’t be as difficult. Fred Meyer held a midnight opening, and when I arrived at 11:30 p.m. a line of about 200 people had already formed outside. It was 20 degrees and I wasn’t properly prepared for such a line. Most people weren’t, as many were jogging in place and huddling in groups for warmth. The air was much more excited than at the PS3 events, maybe because everyone knew they had a much better chance at getting one, or maybe because there were more real gamers. Jokes about the console’s name ran down the line (“Is this the line for the bathroom? I heard people say they had to take a Wii.”) and after a few of the more popular Wii jokes were told, someone exhaustedly said, “This is going to be a long year.” Employees on both sides of me were yelling back and forth, apparently not sure if it was first-come first-serve or lottery-style.
Despite the large number of people who sat in their cars and then cut into the middle of the line, it was a first-come event. In case there was a lottery, some people came in groups but only wanted one console. Yet, despite having 79 units available, the line was cut off about 20 people in front of me, leaving me without anything to show for my last three days of effort.
Well, at least I do have two next-generation games; I’ll just have to wait a while to review them.
Nov. 28, 2006
The day before the PlayStation 3 was released, I bought two games, “Resistance: Fall of Man” and “Ridge Racer 7,” which are supposed to show off the new console’s graphics capabilities fairly well. Unfortunately, like most gamers, I wasn’t actually able to get a PS3 to play them on. Delays in production made the gaming console in very short supply on its launch date, though Sony announced plans to have at least a million units out by the end of the year.
So while Sony has finally entered the next generation of gaming, and the Nintendo Wii starts its own side generation, most of us will have to wait a while longer to play in it.
But it wasn’t for lack of trying. Those first few days were ruthless.
Thursday, Nov. 16
With very few places taking preorders, most people had to wait until today to start making plans. In other states, folks were already lining up outside of stores, but Anchorage retailers weren’t allowing campouts. A reconnaissance of stores in town revealed a few different strategies when it came to the PS3 launch.
Best Buy was getting a minimum of 26 units, and said a line could start at midnight for the tickets they would give out in the morning. CompUSA took PS3 preorders only with the purchase of a big-screen TV and had none left. Fred Meyer stores got six or eight units and lottery tickets would be given out to anyone in line tomorrow at 6:45 a.m.
Both Wal-Mart stores had six units and would begin selling them at midnight, but one was only going to announce the line’s location once it was 15 minutes to midnight and whoever made it to the line first would win. Sears had two units and would open as normal on Friday through a random door, which discouraged camping. GameStop took preorders a while back, which were snatched up as soon as they were offered, and Toys ‘R’ Us said it was sold out of preorders, but a rumor of unsold PS3s had people camped outside anyway.
My plan was to hit the Wal-Mart scramble, with a Best Buy campout and early morning Fred Meyer lottery as backup plans.
By 11:30 p.m., Wal-Mart was already a madhouse. Clusters of people were gathered at each aisle and intersection, hoping that when the secret line’s location was announced over the store intercom their group could get there first. Imagine a store packed full of people all wandering in tight circles in their little sections, ready to sprint to wherever the location may be, despite the cluster of people likely already to be there. To the store’s credit the announcement came over the speakers that they changed the format to a lottery. After lining everyone up single file, in a line that snaked in and out of the aisles of half the store, they started giving out tickets.
A group of people nearby was talking about their plans to sell the system on eBay if one of their numbers were drawn. An excited woman kept checking her Web-enabled cell phone to tell her friends the ridiculously high prices the PS3 was supposedly fetching on eBay. One man ahead in line said, “I need new friends,” after hearing what someone was supposedly willing to pay. Most of the people there were apparently wannabe scalpers, since selling the PS3 dominated most conversations.
It was a slap in the face to gamers everywhere to know that they might have had a shot at getting a new system if it wasn’t for the hoards of console-war profiteers who thought they could get thousands of dollars for a $600 machine, people who didn’t want it but would gladly take it just to drive up the price. Those are the type of people who shot a man outside a Wal-Mart in Connecticut and robbed a GameStop at gunpoint in San Francisco.
There were more than 400 people at this Wal-Mart but only six consoles. Needless to say, I didn’t get one.
Best Buy was next, but the crowd was dispersing by the time I got there. Apparently, nearly 1,000 people were waiting to line up and police were called in but had no way to organize the crowd, so Best Buy employees decided to give out the vouchers for their units right then instead of the next morning.
Friday, Nov. 17
While waiting in freezing temperatures outside Fred Meyer at 6:30 a.m., I look down the line and see a few faces from last night who are also enduring the cold for a last chance at a PS3. Here, as at Wal-Mart, most of the crowd wasn’t crazy about gaming, just money. After handing out tickets, everyone is ushered into the electronics department, where the drawing takes place and winners immediately buy their prize. When the first winner happily announced his intention to auction off his unit on eBay, the boos and hisses that came from some scattered members of the crowd showed that true gamers were indeed present.
It’s a small consolation, but after going through more than 100 pages of PS3 auctions on eBay that night, there were only a handful of legitimate bids. Most of the scalpers in those pages set the starting bid at $3,000-$5,000, but the bids that came in were obviously not real; bids would jump suddenly by thousands – and occasionally millions – of dollars, but only on auctions without a set buy-it-now price, and some winning bidders had no history of feedback. Going to various gaming forums, many upset gamers openly admitted to placing many false bids, despite the impact it might have on their eBay rating.
One poster said, “I will bet on every single PS3 auction, say ... $3,000.”
A particular auction’s bid history had a bidder who kept making high bids and then retracting it within an hour, saying it was a mistaken amount, only to repeat it and retract it continually over the course of the day.
Real auctions were taking place once the price got to $1,200 or lower, and by Monday that was around page 50. If the few hundreds of dollars is worth all the hassle, the opportunists will probably strike again, but more than half of the PS3s up for bid were only about $50-$100 over retail. If the scalpers were paying attention, they would have seen the exact same pattern after the launch of the system in Japan the week before. Non-gamers bought up available supplies and tried to inflate the market, only to have it come crashing back to earth within a couple of days.
But as I stood in line hearing others’ numbers come up, I resigned myself to the fact that I would have to wait a little longer for Sony’s console. But maybe I could still get a Nintendo Wii.
Saturday, Nov. 18
With no reported supply shortages and less hype than the PS3, I thought getting Nintendo’s innovative new console wouldn’t be as difficult. Fred Meyer held a midnight opening, and when I arrived at 11:30 p.m. a line of about 200 people had already formed outside. It was 20 degrees and I wasn’t properly prepared for such a line. Most people weren’t, as many were jogging in place and huddling in groups for warmth. The air was much more excited than at the PS3 events, maybe because everyone knew they had a much better chance at getting one, or maybe because there were more real gamers. Jokes about the console’s name ran down the line (“Is this the line for the bathroom? I heard people say they had to take a Wii.”) and after a few of the more popular Wii jokes were told, someone exhaustedly said, “This is going to be a long year.” Employees on both sides of me were yelling back and forth, apparently not sure if it was first-come first-serve or lottery-style.
Despite the large number of people who sat in their cars and then cut into the middle of the line, it was a first-come event. In case there was a lottery, some people came in groups but only wanted one console. Yet, despite having 79 units available, the line was cut off about 20 people in front of me, leaving me without anything to show for my last three days of effort.
Well, at least I do have two next-generation games; I’ll just have to wait a while to review them.
Sunday, November 19, 2006
Couldn't get a Wii either
Fred Meyer had 79 units available on a first-come, first-served basis. I showed up at 11:30 thinking it wouldn't be as bad as it was for PS3. There were already 200 people in line. Some were family groups that only wanted one Wii, but they still ran out about 20 people ahead of me. This is just sad.
Friday, November 17, 2006
I hope PS3 scalpers get shafted
I waited at two different stores yesterday and this morning for a chance at a PS3, and of course didn't get one. I wouldn't have even minded so much except that nearly everyone who won a PS3 in the stores' raffles would proudly exclaim that they didn't even want it, they just wanted to jack up the price and sell it on eBay. This is capitalism at its worst. And all the reports about shootings and robberies at game stores and PS3 waiting lines will be characterized as "look at how insane hardcore gamers are" when the only people to do such things are after the big sell! No gamer would rob a GameStop of all its PS3s or rob a line of waiting gamers at gunpoint. The most responsible thing true gamers can do is not buy ANY PS3s for over retail. That's the only way to show the greedy opportunists that we're not going to let them ruin things for the rest of us.
Video Game Review: Final Fantasy XII
As printed in The Northern Light newspaper
Nov. 14, 2006
After 12 volumes (not counting sequels, side stories or spinoffs), the Final Fantasy series continues to be the high standard that all RPGs aspire to. “Final Fantasy XII,” like all the central Final Fantasy games, is a stand-alone story unrelated to all the rest. Common story themes, game mechanics, general names and creatures tie them together somewhat, but what really makes a Final Fantasy game is its epic story. The small kingdom of Dalmasca, caught between two large warring kingdoms, is soon overtaken by Archadia. Dalmasca’s king is seen being assassinated by its own captain of the knights and its princess is said to have killed herself. Two years later, players start as an idealistic young man named Vaan, who wants to restore Dalmasca’s dignity and get out from under the Archadian Empire, while also looking for the traitor who killed his brother at the same time as the king. The epic story expands from there.
“Final Fantasy XII” has one of the most straightforward and compelling stories since VI (III when it came out in America, not to be confused with the upcoming III for Nintendo DS), with fallen kingdoms and conquering empires being more relatable than the near-undecipherable world of VIII. Along with the more grounded plot, deep and complex characters with excellent voice acting make it an ensemble cast without an already-defined main character, also going back to the strengths of VI. Parties can contain up to three characters, who can be swapped at any time. So if a character dies in battle, another one can immediately fill the vacant slot. This provides a good incentive to develop and use all the characters, and keep them at similar levels.
Combat is no longer random battles, but a refined MMO-style that’s completely customizable based on personal preference – it can be turn based or active time, with direct control of the whole party or the use of gambits. Gambits are the most interesting new feature in XII, allowing for characters to have individualized responses to a variety of specific situations, meaning players can custom-program the artificial intelligence of their party members. Playing with gambits is also very MMO-like, as the other party members will act on their own alongside the player’s character. But, unlike massively multiplayer online games, players can regain direct control of a party member at any time, for those times when a complex strategy is needed. Battles are fast and smooth, and random battles are not missed at all.
What doesn’t work as well is the new license board used to improve characters’ skills.
Some of the Final Fantasy games use a job-class system (which is always excellent), but others use more confusing systems like the materia, junction system or sphere grid systems. The license board allows any character to potentially use any skill as long as they hold the correct license and that ability has been purchased. Besides essentially adding an extra step to gaining abilities, the board layout requires some abilities to be purchased before others, but many times the skills are unrelated to the skill that character is trying to learn and license points are just wasted. If enough license points are acquired throughout the game, every ability could be open to every character. While it’s good to give players a lot of freedom in what types of skills their characters devolop, it ends up taking away from the characters’ individuality during battles by making their skills generically interchangeable. Of course, that wouldn’t even be a concern in any other RPG, but “Final Fantasy XII” gives its characters so much personallity during the story aspect that it’s a shame to see that lost during battles.
It’s a minor gripe, though, in a masterpiece of a game.
“Final Fantasy XII” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Square Enix
For PlayStation 2
Release date: Oct. 31, 2006
Genres: RPG
Labels:
FFXII,
Final Fantasy XII,
review,
video games
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