Video Game Discussion Thread

[KOS-MOS]

I want to play a pokemon game again but I don't know anything past the original pokemon stuff.

I would say it is definitely worth it. I just purchased Pokemon Platinum and I am simply blown away by it considering my last game was Silver so many years ago. The core RPG aspects are just very addicting and its that type of game that is so engrossing and provides a real sense of accomplishment. It brought me back to the old days when all I played was Yellow and Silver.

[HadesKane]

For those of you that are still willing to purchase Square Enix games, Final Fantasy IV: the After Years was released today on the Wii's virtual console (Wii Ware) for 800 Wii Points.

I was really, really looking forward to a return to retro gaming and a new story.  A bit like what a lot of people were looking forward to with CE I imagine.

I loaded up my Wii as soon as I got home today, added Wii points to my account and went right to download it.  Before confirming, it warned me there was bonus/optional content that would cost additional.  WTF?  So I look into it a bit further, and apparently there are about 7 character specific sidequests that will become available over the next few months each costing an additional 300 Wii Points, along with a final story costing another 800 Wii Points.

 

So, rather than releasing the entire game, and maybe bumping it up to about $15 or $20, they're luring you in with the appearance of an $8 sequel (that's already been completed and released in Japan... they've made their money off of it), but in order to actually play the entire game, you'll end up needing to shell out about $37 overall.

That is extremely, extremely cheap.

I can maybe understand a company like Bethesda releasing a game, then releasing add-on content later on as things are getting developed, although something like $5 for horse armor is a bit stupid, or $10 for a new single mission is a bit much.

But purposely not releasing the entire game so they can portion it out over time for more money with each release?

Again:   

So, despite my excitement, I'm leaving this bit of extortion alone.

I hope gamers begin to wisen up and begin to speak with their wallets, because I think this type of thing is quite simply wrong.  This is even worse than when they sold me a strategy guide that in order to get full usage out of, I have to register on their site and get the rest of the information that way!

For anyone looking forward to this game, I thought I might warn you that you are looking at nearly a $40 investment in order to play the whole thing.

I'm still a bit in disbelief... that much for an already released, already complete, 16-bit sequel to a game that came out almost 20 years ago.

Maybe those claiming that SE has turned into a soulless, evil corporation aren't too off the mark.

[V_Translanka]

It was a game for cell phones...Chapters were released over time for Japan too...It's steep, true that though...But I'd be willing enough for even a 16-bit sequel to one of the best FFs ever, which itself looked barely above 8-bit...

[Acacia Sgt]

Well, despite what he wrote, I will get it.

IV is the first FF I played (and among my first RPGs too), and my 2nd most favorite FF. This sequel's plot, even though some details of it I don't like, it's still good for me in general. The price doesn't bother me either. Besides, my birthday is not that far now, so I will certainly have the money to get it.

[Brink-of-Time]

I like to play older games mostly, but a few newer games. Anyways here's what I'm currently playing:

Persona 3 (for the 3rd time lol), Duke Nukem 3D, The Longest Journey, Resident Evil 2, and Rallisport Challenge 2

[Romana]

and apparently there are about 7 character specific sidequests that will become available over the next few months each costing an additional 300 Wii Points, along with a final story costing another 800 Wii Points.

They're not even sidequests, you have to do them each in order, plus the final chapter takes the save data from the rest and unites the whole party. So... each chapter is a character-focused story. Kinda odd, but I like the idea. I'll download it soon.

Persona 3 (for the 3rd time lol), Duke Nukem 3D, The Longest Journey, Resident Evil 2, and Rallisport Challenge 2

Fuck yes Persona 3, I started up a hard mode new game the other day. Still have to finish 4... as well as 2 and 1 (tried the PSP remake but I'll wait for the US version to play further).

[KebreI]

and apparently there are about 7 character specific sidequests that will become available over the next few months each costing an additional 300 Wii Points, along with a final story costing another 800 Wii Points.

They're not even sidequests, you have to do them each in order, plus the final chapter takes the save data from the rest and unites the whole party. So... each chapter is a character-focused story. Kinda odd, but I like the idea. I'll download it soon.

I am not a big fan of that, I am paying in the end several times more for a game thats only slightly longer then normal.

[Mr Bekkler]

I just got Galaga on my VC, and Contra 4 on the DS. It's really similar to other older contra's and the old formula holds up very well. It's pretty damn hard for the casual gamer but man it's fun. Also, I recently got some Nyko guns and House of the Dead 2 & 3. This is the ultimate game for the low-budget zombie movie fan! Especially with the guns. HOTD2 is unchanged from the arcade, and 3 is a bit more polished, but they both have very campy writing, laughable voicework, and a lot of what sounds like stock sounds and phrases. In 2, in the first level, for example, there's a woman being chased by a (presumably male) zombie, and she yells "Don't come! Don't come!" I just can't help but laugh and love that game.

[Romana]

E3 GOODIES

Nintendo

Super Mario Galaxy 2 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psp-GRiYnko
Metroid Other M http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDtTEI9wvOI
New Super Mario Bros. Wii http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0BqlVv8Hus
Golden Sun DS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGVDyDNicDs&fmt=18
The Legend of Zelda Spirit Tracks trailer http://e3.gamespot.com/video/6210854/?tag=top_stories;title;10

FFXIII had an english trailer shown with a lot of new footage and plot stuff. Looks great.

AND
Sony fucking revealed Final Fantasy XIV... Online.

[Acacia Sgt]

Golden Sun DS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGVDyDNicDs&fmt=18

There is only one thing I can say about it:

YEEEEEEEESSSSS!!!!!

I'm definitely getting this.

[KebreI]

The good: Monkey Island making a come back and Rock Band Beatles

The bad: FFXIV and Kojima not working on the new MGS game.

[V_Translanka]

Wow, Metroidness! Though I still see a serious lack of actual metroids in the games lately...Team Ninja's contributions seem apparent. Battles look pretty slick. How long has the production team been called "Project M"? Is that new? If it is could that be a "Ivalice Alliance"-type name where they release a bunch of games for it? I want another side scrolling Metroid dammit...and a Return of Samus remake!

Why does it look like M. Bison/Vega is in this Metroid...? Will they be able to sneak Ryu Hayabusa in it?

[chrono eric]

So I've almost beaten Mass Effect after completing every single sidequest and I've got to say:

Fuck yes. This game is awesome. Everything I expected and then more. As far as sci-fi RPG's go it is probably one of the very best I've played. It puts Star Ocean 4 (the last RPG I played) to absolute shame. And it makes me think - man, how much better would that game have been if they offered at least several star systems to explore more Mass Effect-like, instead of linearly forcing you to go to story worlds? They attempted to create an expansive space adventure but it came out feeling incredibly cramped. Mass Effect achieves this perfectly though. It makes me never want to stop playing it.

Now I wonder what I'll get next? Mass Effect has sold me on BioWare I tell you what. I heard KOTOR was a kickass game as well, and similar to ME in some ways. Maybe I'll get that.

[KebreI]

ME is Kotor on Crack. Several flaw in Kotor were fixed in Mass Effect and what worked was brought over, Game play wise ME wins hands down. The universe is so much larger, and combat it never gets old. ME story wise was so damn good and cinematic, its hard to believe but that's where Kotor has it beat.

Hopefully the story hasn't be spoiled for you, but certain moments in Kotor still have that impact that very few games ever have. I haven't gotten that in any Finale Fantasy game, not in CT or CC, Fallout and Mass Effect are lacking it too. If you do end up liking Kotor, another game you might look in to is Planescape: Torment. It is my favorite game of all time, and probably my favorite story out of any medium(movie, game, book, etc), its done by (some) the same team who worked on the both ME and Kotor.

[chrono eric]

Thanks KebreI! You pretty much sold me on KOTOR right there. I was into Star Wars more when I was a kid, but not so much anymore, and so if you said the story sucked then I was going to pass on it. I say, if an RPG story sucks, then whats the point even if the gameplay is awesome? I think ME's story could have been better, but I've been spoiled on some kickass RPG stories in the past. Also, if they attempted to expand the story worlds then that would have cut back dramatically on the huge exploration factor of the game which I think is one of its strongest suits. I typically don't like non-linear RPG's because it has been my experience that the story is almost always lacking in them. But Mass Effect pulled it off perfectly.

As far as KOTOR goes, is it a pretty linear game where you go from one planet to another, or is it more like ME where you have a large degree of freedom in where you choose to go next?