Wayfarer

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Blue]Let me just say this now: I love the Final Fantasy series. I always carry around DOS (Dawn of Souls, for the GBA) I've beaten VII, VIII, IX, X, and I would have gotten XI if I had an internet connection to my PS2 (add. I don't have X-box Live, either, for me, it's LAN parties or bust.) I'm always on the lookout for VI, V, and IV, even though I doubt I'd find them. Still, this isn't about how much I love Final Fantasy. First, note how I didn't include X-2 among the games that I've beaten, because I despised X-2. It wasn't the battle system, even though that was a bit unbalanced (you could turn everyone into warriors, mash X, and every battle would be a victory.) that didn't bother me. It wasn't the candy-coated, convoluted, mushy story that didn't really get anywhere until 3/4 of the way through the game. That also didn't bother me. It wasn't the crappy techno music or the uninspired writing or even the dull, formulaic level-up system (that was a real letdown after X's sphere grid). It was that Square Enix sold out. That's it, Square sold out. They turned Yuna, a complex, easy to relate to character into a boring, preppy, fanservice woman. Same with Rikku. They didn't really change her, except that they removed about 90% of her clothing to appeal to the fanboys. Come on, people! You need to stop thinking about fanservice and start thinking about things that matter in a game, like, oh, gameplay? Many of you were too blinded by Rikku's bikini to notice that this game fails to live up to anything that Final Fantasy X laid down. That's MY fanboy rant for the day, sorry if I seemed bullheaded or arrogant. So...in my mind, there is absolutely no contest whatsoever between X and X-2. FFX was brilliant, from the story to the bosses (even though the final one was a tad bit dissapointing) to the level-up system to the cool, well-developed characters, it is second only to FFVII in the series (that I've played) and it actually surpasses Seven in many ways. This is probably just me, but I don't even, really, regard X-2 as part of the series. It's needless, pointless, and it comes about two inches (figuratively) from bastardizing Final Fantasy X. And that's really all I've got to say about that. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Blue]Well, I guess Ill be in the few, the proud, the Wind Waker fans. By far, this is the best, most refined, and best looking (yeah,I said it.) Zelda game ever made, but, seeing as most of these posts are real, real short, Ill elaborate on this. Windwaker has amazing atmoshere, which can be attributed to the graphics (Links eyes are incredibly expressive, and the looks he gets on his face are amazing.) the desine of the dungeons, and the trademark vistas on the great sea. The scene where you have to race back to Outset Island...simply amazing. Now, the knock on WW was that crossing the Great Sea was boring, but I disagree. There was tons of stuff to do out there, like fight with passing ships and passing enemies, drudging up treasure, and, of course, trying to maneuver in the middle of a raging rainstorm, with a torrent of tornados on your tail. Oh, and not to mention the Song of Warping (Im not sure of its actual name.) which seriously cuts down sailing time. Wow, did I get off topic. Anyway, the game looks amazing, much like a living cartoon, and its very atmospheric. The game upped the ante that OOC set by beefing up the combat (Its a lot more strategic, its faster, and it just feels smoother.) and by making the world a lot larger. It was like OOC, but it looked awesome, had better combat, and it had a much, much deeper story than OOC, even though it didnt have the big old twist that OOC had (Im sure most everone knows what Im talking about.) and anyone who complains about completely doesnt know what theyre talking about. It's surprisingly deep, easy to understand, and it just seems like more classic Zelda fare, even in the face of everything else. Yeah, Im a big WW defender, because, well, its one of my favorite games, not in the Zelda franchise, not on the gamecube, but of all time.[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=Blue][SIZE=1]What is it with all this GC bashing? Yeah, Im not the biggest ninfanboy in the world, in fact, I like the PS2 a lot, but Gamecube is a vastly underrated system. Its got a lot of good, if unknown RPGs, Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker (everyone who hates it has OBVIOUSLY never played it.) Metroid Prime, and a host of games on the horizon (The Legend of Zelda, 100 Marios, Kirby, Ive been over this) not to mention the entire Resident Evil series, even though that might not go too well with Kris. Besides, at a local gamestop, a used but refurbished Gamecube was 80 dollars, wheras a used PS2 was 100, and a used Xbox was a little more expensive than the PS2, but I never trust a used X-box (the hard drive is usually fracked up.) Wind Waker, Metroid Prime, and most of those RPGs I mentioned are about twenty dollars, as well. So, in sumary, the GC is probably the best choice, painful though that might be to say for me. However, if you have already decided on what console to give her, besides the GC (I've been over that.) I've got a few suggestions. PS2- Final Fantasy X (avoid X-2 like the plague, though.) Katamari Damacy, a lot of good RPGs (im running low on time.):animeswea MGS 2, MGS 3 XB- Halo, Halo 2 (even though that ending...) Karaoke Revolution (more stupid fun than DDR) Splinter Cell, Splinter Cell PT, Splinter Cell CT, etc. Hope that helps![/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=Zidargh] The Godfather (Which is [i]supposed[/i] to be bigger than GTA, in that it would also be the best movie game of all time). Also, Microsoft have signed a deal with the Final Fantasy franchise for the XBOX 2. I think these are good signs that the XBOX are going to put up a good fight.[/QUOTE] [COLOR=Blue][SIZE=1]Okay, so, on the Godfather, Im not so sure about that. I mean, it sort of looks like GTA, but in the '30s, and when Mafia tried that...things got really ugly. Fast. Yes, it looks really good, but I heard (from a fairly reliable source) that Godfather is also coming out on the PS2 or PS3. To get off the subject for a second, on the matter of Halo 3, I think that bungie alienated so many people with that ending (and people seem to whine about the Arbiter a lot) that most people are sick and tired of Halo. As for the Final Fantasy deal, there will NOT be a Final Fantasy game on the X-box 2 that I know of, the only thing that comes close is the Mist Walker project, which was made by a development team from Square/Enix, and that's so early in development that it could just as easily end up on the PS3 or the Revolution. All Im saying is that, yes, in the distant future, X-box may have some life left in it, but in their immediate future, a remake of a cheesy 1995 lightgun shooter and one cool RPG may not be enough to guarantee that those two games will even be on an X-box. Especially in the face of the wealth of good PS2 titles (FFVII: Dirge of Cerberus, FFXII, Kingdom Hearts 2, Wanda and the Colossus, Castlevania: Curse of Darkness, etc.) and Gamecube titles (Legend of Zelda, 100 Marios, Kirby, Fire Emblem, etc.) coming out in the near future. Is there hope for the X-box? Well, yes, but is there much hope? Well, no. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Blue]I'm not generally a nintendo fan, but I think that they are still going strong. Look at the facts: DS outsold PSP in its first week (that could be attributed to the holiday season, but the PS2 pulled a similar sneaky drop on the other two home consoles) The DS has a steadily growing library of really high-quality games, and the PSP has a lot of good games, but nothing that would sell me on the 300 dollar price tag. Most of the movies you can get for it aren't very good either (yeah, its got Spider Man 2, but that's again not enough to sell me on the price tag) And while the PSP certaily has prettier graphics and is overall a sexier (yes, I said sexier) looking gaming device, I've always been a firm believer of substance over style, and the DS has a lot of substance, even though some peope may think it doesn't have any style at all. Also to keep in mind is that the DS is NOT a successor to the GBA, it is merely a really coll side project from Nintendo. Listen, Nintendo is not on its last legs as a console developer. I don't like it and I dont always have to accept it, but the DS is a cool piece of hardware that proves that innovation without alienating people is possible, and it is certainly worth more for your money than the PSP, seeing as its half the price. Now...as for the Revolution. I havent heard much more of it than rumors, so I cant make much of a comparison right now. Also, I've only heard rumors of the PS3, so I cant say anything about that either. I'd like to say more, but I really cant say anything about a console that I have no idea about. 'But wayfarer' you say, 'what about the X-box?' Well, I havent said much on the X-box beause they have a pretty bleak future. Aside from the inevitable Halo 3 (if they dont do it, I wont be held responsible for what Im going to do to bungie.) and Jade Empire, X-box doesnt have anything really noteworthy in their immediate future. Now, I could be wrong, but X-box has never been much of a threat. Do they have cool online? Of course. Is it capable of more than the other two consoles? Well, yes, but do they have a list of games worth dropping the money for one? I dont really think so. In summary, Nintendo is still going strong. As it was put in the poll, Nintendo's been the head of the console market for fifteen years (or fifteen years before the PS2) and that wasn't because of luck, it was because they were, and still are, one of the top-notch developers and companies out there. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=Blue][SIZE=1]Okay, so I just got word of this game, and it looks REALLY cool. I was a huge fan of Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (yeah you heard me) and this one looks to expand all the cool stuff in the first game into something bigger, longer, and just more epic than the already exellent first game. From what I can tell, you play as Hector, the master of some sort of demon forge two or three years after Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (the best game in the series) and everything's been thrown into chaos after what happened at the end of that game. Plot details are fuzzy right now, but all the characters from SOTN should make at least cameo appearances (or so I hope) The biggest thing in this game is that you can summon creatures to fight beside you in combat, and if the combat is as sharp and cool-looking as the first game, this should make things very interesting. Unlike LOI, you can wield all sorts of different weapons (or so ive heard) from swords to axes to a host of other classic Castlevania weapons (except, of course, the trademark whip) I couldn't find many images, but from what Ive seen, this game is looking [I]good. [/I] [/size][/color] [URL=http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/588/588385/castlevania-curse-of-darkness-20050216053307141.jpg]Hector on Misty Stairs[/URL] [URL=http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/588/588385/castlevania-curse-of-darkness-20050216053308875.jpg]Dragon on the Rooftop[/URL] [URL=http://ps2media.ign.com/ps2/image/article/583/583242/castlevania-curse-of-darkness-20050127054950154.jpg]Fire Demon in the Forest[/URL] [COLOR=Blue][SIZE=1]Curse of Darkness should be coming out sometime in Fall 2005, and I hope someone out theres as excited about this game as I am. [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[QUOTE=Zidargh]If Ocelot could be classed as a Villain, he would have to be my favourite 'Villain' of all time. Though he's pretty much just a rival. Just imagine the ending without that section. [spoiler]You see Ocelot get kept way behind after the Shagohod rocket boosts after you. That'd be such a pointless ending to a pretty damn cool character.[/spoiler] This part of the game also emphasised the almost 'having-a-laugh' rivalry Snake and Ocelot had. It also makes them look incredibly powerful. By having almost a jokey conflict in the middle of a really dangerous situation. [/QUOTE] [SIZE=1][COLOR=Blue] Well, I dont like to get into heated debates over stuff like this, but if you've played MGS 1, then you know that [spoiler]Ocelot lives[/spoiler], so it wouldn't end that character. If they just cut that moment out at the end, the whole ending video would have just flown better. I personally thought, and I may have said this allready, that it was totally pointless and it just kind of ruined the ending for me. I was sitting back after enjoying the final boss and then...BOOM! This stupid, needless, overly easy 'boss' fight just comes out of nowhere and totally kills the suspense of that part of the ending. It didnt make much sense, it wasnt very funny, and it was totally useless to the ending. But thats just my opinion, I could be wrong. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=Blue][SIZE=1]Uh...to get back to the subject of the thread, a game that I would really like to see would be either Warcraft or Diablo II remade for the Nintendo DS. I mean, come on, the system was almost made for Diablo-like hack-n-slashes (even if Diablo's a bit basic.) and I'm surprised that no one's utilized the touch screen for a good portable RTS. I mean, portable strategy games games in general dont really extend beyond Advance Wars and Fire Emblem, but I think theres a lot of unrealized potential in the DS for games like that. Other than what's already been said (Gunstar Heroes, Earthbound) I dont think that there's anything else that I really want in the world of gaming now from gaming's past.[/SIZE][/COLOR]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Blue]Yeah, today IS April Fools day. :animestun I had no Idea...Well, it's never too big of a deal here, at least to most of the people I know. Besides ,the people who do celebreate it here treat it like 'cruel pranks day' and they annoy the crap out of people, calling it an April Fool's joke. :animesigh people can be such morons...Has that ever happened to someone else, or is it limited to where Im from? Well, whatever. Happy April Fools Day, everybody. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Blue]Hmmm...I'm a total newb, and this is my first time in the Inn, so...if this isn't right, or I did something different, just tell me. Name: Ermine Pheroth Age: 17 Chosen Magicka: Wind Magicka Personality: A pretty cool guy, really. He's very Zen and very at peace with the whole world. Except when he's fighting, where he's like a whole different person. In combat, he's an angry, dauntless fighter who will stop at nothing to retain his honor and win the fight. Other than that, he spends a lot of time at the accademy, studying and training himself to fight the Dark Alliance. He is a caring, charismatic guy who can quickly befriend most people he meets up with. When things start to fall apart, he's also quick to defend his friends. Weapons: A light quarterstaff, made of oak. His father used to use it, and it is a quick wepaon that almost mirrors his powers, being lightweight, fast, but not too damaging. At the head of the staff is a piece of quartz that his father placed in there to augment the staffs powers. Bio: Ermine Pheroth is the son of Tyrael Pheroth, one of the best Earth Magicka sorcerers in all the land. When he was very young, he was entrusted to the master of the accademy at the age of five by his mother. When he was twelve, he was sent his Father's staff and was told that his father had dissappeared without a trace. He spent his life trying to match his father in power, and now he wasn't sure if he was still alive. Still, Ermine continued his study and training, and has risen to be one of the most prominant students at the accademy. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=Blue][SIZE=1]The most dissapointing boss fight I've ever played has got to be [spoiler] Yu-Yevon, the final boss of Final Fantasy X. You zombie attacked him, and then threw a Pheonix Down at him, and the battle was over. BOOOORING. Even if I didn't do anything like that, all he did was sit there and heal. No cool magic attacks, no awesome overdrives, he just sat there and healed. Again...BOOOOOORING . [/spoiler] Other boss fights that have dissapointed me...well, the Final Boss of Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was a pushover. Don't ask me why, he was just really, really easy for me. Oh, yeah, and the final 'fight' in Metal Gear Solid 3? [spoiler] you know, the one with Revolver on the plane? You just get out of this awesome, epic fight with the Boss, and then...they had to tack on that final little thing with Revolver. Yeah, it was pretty funny in retrospect, but they could have ended the game really well, without that one...bizzare fight on the plane. [/spoiler] And that's my stupid, nitpicky rant of today! Thank you! [/SIZE][/COLOR]

[quote name='Dagger']I'm mildly surprised to see someone with a Rurouni Kenshin avatar make that statement. While Kenshin is not my favorite show, it features plenty of non-fanservice-y women, from Kaoru to Megumi to Misao. [/quote] [SIZE=1][COLOR=Blue] Well...okay, you got me there, but I said or at least most of them. There are so many animes out there and more so, so many bad animes out there that Kenshin is sort of like a drop in the bucket compared to all of them. That's actually why I like Kenshin a lot, because it has a lot of really good, deep characters that sort of break the standard mold of most anime women. I was referring to the ninety or so percent of other anime that is very sexist and very steryotypical (cough...love hina, Ranma 1/2, Inuyasha...cough) in which the females are all very cut and dried, and very, as you put it, Dagger, fan-servicey. I was just trying ot say that most female characters ARE very steryotyped and often boring. I'm not trying to start a debate or anything, but I just thought I should get a chance to explain myself. [/COLOR][/SIZE]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=Blue]Yeah, I'd have to agree with some of these people when they say that all women in [U]all[/U] video games, anime, or manga (or at least most of them) are really cliched and steryotypical. How many female characters in anime or anything else that I mentioned are strong, freewheeling people who are fiercely independant? And have 'breasts bigger than their heads'? And wear skimpy clothing? Yeah, that looks pretty specific, but you'd be surprised. How many people do you meet like that in real life? No one, unless you're...I wont continue with that, to preserve the, ah, [I]wholesomeness[/I] of these boards. Anyway, the people writing this stuff should try to think outside the box, it's not terribly hard to make a believable character, even if the prospect of their 'proportions' is really intimidating...[/COLOR][/SIZE]

[COLOR=Blue][SIZE=1]Yeah, I'd have to say that the scariest game that I've ever played was definantly Silent Hill 4: The Room. Man oh man was that whole thing scary (im claustrophobic, so the apartment levels were extra creepy. Silent Hill 2 was also really freaky, but the fourth one is, to me, the scariest one. I never got to play the first one (was it any good?) and I still haven't gotten to beating the third one. Still, though, the entire Silent Hill series (that ive played) stands out as being really, really scary. Other ones...well, Resident Evil 4 is pretty spooky, but the other ones are kind of cheesy (I wasn't scared by any of the first games in the series, except maybe Nemesis.) But the scariest thing about RE4 is the fact that you don't fight any zombies, and your opponents are actually really smart, instead of moron zombies who sit there waiting to be shot. Man, what is it about fourth installments in horror games that is just really scary? I can't wait to see what something like Fatal Frame 4 would be like (yeah, I know there isn't a Fatal Frame 3 yet, but...)[/SIZE][/COLOR]

I dont think Halo is overhyped. The multyplayer is very fun, and the single player campaign is really cool and it has a lot of really good moments. Im tired of listening to people complain about Halo 2's ending, too. I think that that ending is the only way it could have ended. Like, how else could they have done it without putting, like, 90 more hours of gameplay into it? The single player campaign is short and sweet, and I really think its fun. Also, if your talking about the entire series, than the first one is one of the best games ever made :D. The single player campain was really fast and fun, and everything worked well in the first one. People love Halo for a reason, SpikeYourFace and its not because people tell them to.