I’m not going to elaborate too much on the details of MoP, but the expansion introduces a new class, race, talent system, vanity pet battles, and other features. Despite of being originally introduced in WC III, the Pandarans have been dubbed by many as “Kung Fu Pandas”. The vanity pet battles have also been dubbed as “Pokemon” battles. It appears that Blizzard is attempting to target a younger audience. Unfortunately for Blizzard it seems this may be at the expense of some of their older/veteran player base.

BioWare answers the MoP announcement by lifting their NDA on SW:ToR and allowed a open beta weekend. There have been mixed reviews about SW:ToR (particularly on their forums), so I thought I clarify a few things, from my perspective as someone who has participated in 2 SW:ToR beta weekends. The first weekend I played a level 11 Jedi Consular/Sage, level 10 Trooper/Commando, a level 10 Smuggler/Gunslinger, and a level 8 Jedi Knight. In my second beta weekend I played a Jedi Consular/Shadow the entire time and ended up close to level 22. I spent the majority of my time in beta questing, I spent a decent amount of time in flash points, and ran a few pvp battle grounds.

*Warning Rant Incoming*

“SW:ToR is WoW with lightsabers!” or “SW:ToR is a wow clone!” or “SW:ToR is WoW with a Star Wars skin” in my humble opinion, the majority of people making these comments fit into one of the following categories:

-You have never played SW:ToR
-You have little experience playing MMOs other than WoW
-You think every MMO is a WoW clone
-You have been paid to make such comments (yes, I went there)
-You have little attention to detail
-You are a WoW fanboy
-You are ignorant
-You are a troll

Don’t get me wrong there are elements in SW:ToR borrowed from WoW. Mainly the skill tree system (old wow talent system) and how some of the combat mechanics work. There are also elements in SW:ToR borrowed from other MMOs. That said, the game feels *completely* different from WoW (or any other MMO). For those who are still unable to grasp this, allow me to outline the individual differences between SW:ToR and WoW (from what I’ve observed):

Story: Probably the most distinctive difference between SW:ToR and every other MMO is its heavy focus on story. Regardless of what faction you choose, you can make darkside or lightside decisions. Every class has its own story and every character in the game is fully voice acted. This is combined with over-arching planet storylines. Additionally, when grouped each player is able to “roll” for the chance to answer a group dialog choice or perform an action that is presented to the party.

Quests: Every class in SW:ToR has a contiguous unique class quest chain that you follow until the end of the game. This is combined with your more standard quests “kill 20 of these guys”, “Go collect 5 of these things”, etc.

Classes: In SW:ToR, you choose a core class and further specialize into an one of 2 Advanced Classes. The core class abilities that you obtain are usable by either AC. There is also a shared skill tree that can be used by either AC. This allows you to use some of the same combat abilities in totally different ways.

Companions: In SW:ToR companions are not “pets”; they have much more depth. In combat, they are more powerful and have stances that enable them to perform multiple roles (tanking, healing, damage). They have a full action bar that you can utilize if you see fit. They are used for crew skills (crafting) and can be deployed to vendor the trash items you have collected. They engage in your character’s story and some of them can be romanced.

Ship: In SW:ToR you eventually obtain a starship that serves as a “home” for you and your companions. Your ship is your means to get from one planet to the next. You can also use your ship to engage in the mini game space combat.

Encounters: In SW:ToR, nearly every encounter has multiple enemies. Sometimes you’ll have to face a group of 4 weak enemies, sometimes you’re fighting one tougher enemy and one weak one. Most of the single target encounters are with elites. Every encounter I ran into star wars I could approach multiple ways. Some fights I’d incapacitate one enemy, focus down another, used ranged abilities on a 3rd, as my companion is tanking a 4th. Or I’d run in knock everyone back, take out an opponent from range, force speed dash to another melee to them down. I never found myself just clicking 1,1,2,3,1 over and over again (as in the typical wow single target mob kills).

Auto Attack: There is no auto attack in SW:ToR, so every ability you do is accounted for. Every class has an ability that does not consume their combat resource pool that serves a similar purpose to auto attack.

Environment: There are items in the environment that you can interact with to attack your enemies such explosives, hazardous materials, etc.

Map: The map in SW:ToR becomes semi-transparent when you move, so you can still see the environment while having it up. This way you don’t have to continuously stop to pull up your map when exploring unfamiliar territory.

Cover System: In SW:ToR there is a cover system that can be used by the Smuggler or Imperial Agent classes. While in cover new abilities can be used and a defensive bonus is received. The Sniper and Gunslinger Advanced Classes are able to use portable cover in addition to the cover points that are usable in the environment.

Tanks: In SW:ToR there are ranged tanks. There are tanks that can stealth (in their tanking stance). In PVP, tanks can guard an ally, transferring a percentage of damage from their target to themselves. They can also taunt an enemy which reduces the damage they deal to any target other than the tank who taunted.

Healers: In SW:ToR there are healers that can use cover and stealth. The healers that are capable of stealth can also shroud an entire party in stealth at high level.

Resources: Other than the force points used by Jedi Consulars and Sith Inquisitors (which operate nearly identical to the WoW rogue energy resource), the resource systems in SW:ToR are unique. The non-force classes have a resource that regenerate at a certain rate depending on how much of it you have. So if you have very little of the resource, your regeneration of it will be much slower. This forces you to think carefully about how you manage it if you want maximum efficiency. The Jedi Knight and Sith Warrior Resource is filled by certain attacks and consumed by others.

Consumables: In SW:ToR there are no foods/drinks to regenerate your health and resource out of combat. Instead every class has an ability to do this so you don’t have to carry around unnecessary supplies.

Death: When you die in SW:ToR you do not have to run to your corpse. You can resurrect right where you died and have a few seconds of stealth so that you are able to find a safe spot. Additionally, every class has to the ability to resurrect out of combat.

It is clear that SW:ToR is no WoW clone. SW:ToR has taken elements from WoW and other MMOs and have crafted them into a package that delivers a unique overall experience. Sorry about the rant, but the whole “SW:ToR is a WoW clone” mentality really annoys the crap out of me.

/Rant

~My first impressions of SW:ToR~

SW:ToR’s presentation is amazing. The overall atmosphere and music are right on key. I had further appreciation for the environment when I received my ship and was able to view multiple planets. I ran into issues with delays in textures forming during cut scenes. Could’ve been beta bugs, possibly my older video card. The UI could use some work. Many others have pointed out that it should be scalable and I agree. If anything they should scale down the size of the center action bars, add a 3rd center action bar, and/or add more slots per bar. Target of target and combat logs would also be nice. I’m pretty sure these things are on BW’s map, and I have no problem giving them time to implement similar features in game.

I enjoyed the combat in SW:ToR very much. I could actually feel my skill level increase as I came up with multiple ways to dispatch groups of enemies. I was using a combination of CC, positional attacks, snares, and AoEs. The companions were a nice touch as they added even more variety to combat. I could have a companion tank for me while I used positional attacks, or I could switch into tanking stance myself and use a healing companion.

The ship was a very nice addition to the game. I actually grew quite attached to my ship and spent the last hour in beta just hanging around. There is also a shared chat channel on your ship, which I could see being used for class specific conversations. At first I hated the space combat, but I couldn’t get myself to stop playing it lol. I ended up purchasing upgrades for my ship and eventually loved space combat.

Overall, SW:ToR is fantastic. Obviously it’s not perfect I can easily overlook its few flaws. I’ve played many MMOs other than WoW, but I always knew I would go back to WoW eventually. That’s no longer the case. I actually uninstalled WoW from my computer which I’ve never done before. I might go back to WoW one day in the distant future. However I know I will be playing SW:ToR for a long time, as it has become my new primary MMO.

So, to revisit the opening question again “Will WoW lose it’s crown?” I still think its possible but doubt it will happen any time soon. I do however think that SW:ToR will give WoW the most competition that they’ve ever had. SW:ToR has nearly a million physical pre-orders in the US. Who knows how large that number is if you count digital and international sales. It is quite possible for SW:ToR to launch with nearly 2 million subscribers.

If BioWare can manage to retain/gain subscribers, WoW’s dominance in the US market could certainly dwindle. I think the key to BioWare’s retention will depend on how good they are with adding new content and addressing legitimate customer concerns with the game. I have a strong feeling in the force that WoW is steadily bleeding subscribers. Now is probably the most opportune time for SW:ToR to take over.

I for one hope SW:ToR does become the next top dog MMO See ya at launch!

I’ve been a fan of RPG games since I’ve was in 7th grade, but never experienced an MMO-RPG until my adult years. My first real exposure to the MMO genre was in fact WoW. At the time the game was new and many of my friends were playing it. As I watched them play I really wanted to play it myself. However, at the time I vehemently opposed the idea of paying a subscription fee for any game. Months later I happen to watch a friend play Guild Wars. I asked a few questions and found out that the game had no monthly subscription fee; I was sold.

Prior to playing Guild Wars, I had never been so immersed into a game. I always had to get to the next level, learn another skill, take another mission, etc. I was pretty much obsessed with the game for many months. I even got some of my friends into it. I took the time to learn every ability, study/experiment with different builds, etc. Most of my friends were still playing WoW and I wondered why more of them weren’t playing Guild Wars. After finally having experience with MMOs, I began to make comparisons between Guild Wars and WoW.

There were a few things in WoW that absolutely amazed me at the time. Some of the major ones I can think of were auction house, solo’able content, and a threat system. A friend of mine used to tell me stories of open world combat and going into stealth to kill other players (as a rogue). After hearing these I finally broke down and was willing to pay a subscription fee to give WoW a shot. Needless to say, after playing WoW I was addicted and have been playing it on and off ever since. Over time, I stopped playing Guild Wars altogether.

Similar to Guild Wars, I wanted to master the combat element of WoW. I’ve taken the time to learn nearly everything about every class, and now have a max level character of every class. I’ve learned how to DPS, heal, and tank on every one of my characters (where applicable). I used to be hardcore in PVP, but I have become a carebear since BC and have focused on PVE content since. So that is my MMO experience in a nutshell…

So to revisit my original question: will WoW lose it’s crown? I think it is very possible. Personally, I already know that I will not be playing WoW for at least a month or two after SW:ToR launches in December. I am a huge BioWare fan and I already planned on playing SW:ToR for a long time, but I never thought it would have a serious chance of replacing WoW as my primary MMO until recently. For me WoW’s next patch is the last chance for Blizzard to recapture my interest in the game. There are few things in upcoming in the next patch that I am looking forward to mainly transmogrification and the raid finder. Due to scheduling issues, I haven’t been able to raid in a long time so I’m really looking forward to the LFR.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I still think WoW is an amazing game. In my opinion Cataclysm is a very well done expansion despite all the criticism I see on forums and such. I think the Blizzard developers are some the best in the industry and they’ve done a splendid job of re-imagining the game and keeping it interesting. Unfortunately, my main issue with WoW right now is the community. I used to think the WoW community was so awesome (compared to Guild Wars) but lately it seems that the quality of the interactions that I have with random players has degraded. It’s possible that maybe I’m just getting fed up with certain obnoxious personality types. The irony of it is, is that no doubt I will encounter many of the same people in SW:ToR…fortunately it will take some time before I have to go through the end game grind again. At any rate, moving on to a few objective reasons why WoW might be in trouble.

SW:ToR

The more and more I learn about this game, the more excited I get about it’s release. This is the only MMO that I’ve seen where some of my non-MMO playing friends want to play it. BioWare just has an awesome track record for making games. Knights of the Old Republic is arguably one of the best RPGs of all time, and this game is essentially an online version of it.

BioWare is making the first fully voice acted MMO with a storyline for every class. You will be making decisions that will alter your character’s storyline and alignment. Normally I wouldn’t care about these items, but BioWare is very good at story presentation (the best in my opinion), so this is actually something that I’m looking forward to.

Then there are the companion characters. Full fledged characters that you can customize and interact with. They can effectively perform combat roles (tank/heals/dps) and you can even use them in group scenarios. Apparently they will be used for your crafting professions, which will hopefully alleviate the crafting grind.

These are just a few of the features that I am looking forward to playing this game. It appears that BioWare is trying to meld elements that have been successful in other MMOs with their own unique gaming experience. Hopefully this game will be as awesome as I think it will turn out.

GW2

Guild Wars has been successful in its own right and it appears that GW2 will be capitalizing on the features that has made Guild Wars successful, as well as adding some of the more standard features that the original Guild Wars lacked. Guild Wars 2 will include solo’able content, crafting, and a higher level cap…while retaining their no monthly subscription fee. This alone could make GW2 a serious MMO contender, especially in today’s economy.

From what I’ve seen, combat in GW2 looks exhilarating. Apparently you will have 5 skill slots which dynamically update depending on the weapon(s) equipped or the stance that you’re in. The other 5 skill slots will be selected by the player based on a pool of abilities available to your profession/race.

GW2 will not be using the infamous tank/healer/dps paradigm. Instead they tote their own paradigm of ‘damage/support/control’. Apparently there are no dedicated healer classes and your character will have a ‘heal’ skill slot. So in many cases you will likely be accountable for your own survival in a group setting. With its unique design, there is no doubt GW 2 will set itself apart from other MMOs in the market.

These are just a few of the interesting features that GW 2 brings to the table. There is no doubt that dedicated GW players will stick to their franchise, but there is also a chance that other MMO players will give GW 2 a shot. With no monthly subscription fee, it will certainly add incentive to try it out.

It’s clear that companies such as BioWare and NCSoft are serious about gaining a legitimate foothold in the MMO market. Although possible, I honestly don’t think that WoW will lose it’s crown any time soon. I think it is certain that it will be less dominate over the MMO market. I think SW:ToR alone will pull many subscribers away from WoW; the main question is if BioWare can retain these customers. No matter what ends up happening it’s clear that the MMO world is going to have an interesting next couple of months…

The story in FF XIII starts off with a series of ‘wtf’ moments. It is very fast paced in the beginning and it can be easy to lose track of what is going on unless you’re paying close attention. Fortunately, FF XIII has datalogs that you can refer to for information on the storyline, concepts, objects, and gameplay related topics.

Although Lightning is the face of FF XIII and considered the main character, there really isn’t a single protagonist in FF XIII. The story’s focus shifts from character to character as the game progresses. This forces linear progression for a large portion of the game. The main characters are linked together by an ominous fate, to avoid any spoilers I’m not going to describe any of it. I will say that I was both engaged and disappointed at certain points of the story.

The gameplay is where FF XIII really shines. The combat system is based on 6 roles that your characters can toggle between: Medic (healer), Sentinel (tank), Synergist (support), Saboteur (debuffs), Commando (physical attacker), and Ravager (magic attacker). FF XIII limits your control to only one person during combat, but you can shift between any of up to 6 pre-selected role combinations (called paradigms) during combat. This allows you to indirectly determine what type of actions your support characters will perform without micro-managing their every move.

In FF XIII enemies have chain gauges associated with them that builds as they are attacked. As the chain gauge increases, the percentage of damage done to that enemy also increases. This percentage increases dramatically when the chain gauges reaches its threshold and ‘staggers’ the enemy. The chain gauge adds and extra layer of strategy when managing your paradigm decks; combat roles have various effects on how rapidly the chain gauges build and its rate of decay.

I found the new combat systems refreshing and fun. I spent alot time experimenting with different paradigm decks and methods of fighting enemies. My only real beef with the combat system is the fact that you are unable to dynamically switch your party leader during combat. On some of the tougher enemies in the game, I would have preferred to manually manage some of my support character’s commands. Also I wasn’t willing to use certain characters as party leaders (for various factors that I don’t want to elaborate on – it would just turn this review into a rant lol), which killed some of the potential fun I would have had using other characters.

Character progression in FF XIII is similar to the other post sphere-grid Final Fantasies. You use points gained from enemies to advance on the ‘crystalarium’, which is where you unlock all stats, abilities, etc. The crystalarium caps your ability to progress at certain points of the game, discouraging you from grinding fights over and over again. There isn’t really much customization other than the weapons and accessory slots that you choose. Every weapon and accessory can be upgraded, but this process is ambiguous and costly.

Overall I enjoyed FF XIII, there are really only a couple of things that I things that I would change about the game. I think many of the FF XII design elements were created with the casual gamers in mind, which I can respect. Unfortunately some of it clashes with some of my old school hardcore RPG methodologies. I think FFX III would be the perfect game for anyone who is new to the series and wants to play a Final Fantasy for the first time.

Scores:

Story: 7.5
Gameplay: 9.5
Graphics: 10
Overall: 8.5

Zylo – Armory

Zylo is one of my mains and probably my favorite to play. Formally a night elf, I race changed my hunter to a worgen when they became available in Cataclysm. I decided to name him after the most amazing werewolf of all time: Zylo of the Shining Force. He’s speced for SV and MM.

Splitshade – Armory

Splitshade is my other main and my primary tank. I’ve used this guy to faceroll through tons of WotLK heroics to farm for BoA gear. Though he’s not as invincible as he used to be, still a very reliable tank. He’s speced for prot/ret.

Splitshadow – Armory

Splitshadow was my original main for a long time. My overall disappointment with the rogue changes (and lack thereof) in cata caused me to put him on the back burner. He’s speced for Mult/combat.

Stormshade – Armory

Stormshade is currently speced for resto/ele. Elemental is a bit underwhelming right now, so I might switch my dps spec back to enhancement.

Shiftshade – Armory

Shiftshade is currently speced for resto/balance. I’ve tinkered around with feral cat/bear recently and had fun, but will likely be staying resto/balance until it’s time to level again.

Feiheung – Armory

My priest is one of my first alts and was loosely named after the legendary Wong Fei-hung. Fei had been a discipline priest for long time (loved the healing style), but right now I loving holy and he’s speced holy/shadow.

Gort – Armory

Gort is named after the awesome Gort of the Shining Force. He’s been prot for awhile but I recently switched his dps spec to Arms, which is really fun right now.

Felrydia- Armory

Felrydia is loosely named after the coolest caster of all time – Rydia of Final Fantasy IV. She’s currently speced for aff/demo. I’ve recently switched to aff from destro and I’m having a blast with it. Its not ideal for all fights so I’m toying around with the idea of ditching my demo spec for destro.

Shadowtrance- Armory

Shadowtrance is speced for blood/frost. My DK is one of my favorite toons and is very fun to tank and dps with.

Spectrumfire- Armory

Spectrumfire is currently speced arcane/fire. I’ve recently switched back to arcane after seeing what a faceroll it is in heroics.

Sorry, I know it’s been forever since I’ve updated the blog but I was reminiscing on this franchise today and decided to post about it. Unfortunately, the Suikoden franchise isn’t very popular in the states so the chances of a PS3 version coming out is pretty slim. Especially since the latest Suikoden released on the DS, if future installments come they’ll likely be through Nintendo handhelds. Please note that I haven’t bought this Suikoden yet, so this post excludes anything from this game or Suikoden Tactics.

In my opinion, Suikoden is one of the most underrated RPG franchises of all time. What I liked most about them were their stories, which in my RPG experience, have only been rivaled by the best of the BioWare titles. Each Suikoden storyline was based off of regional conflict, typically containing gripping plot twists, tragedies, and bitter-sweet victories. The Suikoden stories intertwined with one another (mainly I and II, not so much the others) and had memorable characters that overlapped into multiple games.

The Suikodens have 108 “stars” or recruitable characters which were a joy for players like myself who like to go and ‘collect them all’. Not every character that you recruit can go into combat; some characters were vendors, mini-game hosts, etc. In each Suikoden you had a headquarters which evolved into a full-blown community as it populated with your recruits. There was truly a feeling of ‘home’ as opposed to the nomadic feel that many other RPGS have.

The Suikoden series are traditional turn-based RPGs, however they do have elements that make them unique in this genre. Most notably the rune system. Runes could be grafted on character’s head right or left hands. The powers granted by runes range from magic attacks to physical abilities. There were also the ‘true runes’, rare powerful runes which granted epic powers and immortality to the bearers. Suikoden also had combination abilities when certain characters were in the party together, similar to the Dual/Triple Tech from Chrono Trigger. There were also open-world fights where you would take multiple military units to fight in large scale battles.

Unfortunately I played Suikoden I before I had already beaten Suikoden II, so it didn’t meet my full expectations. Don’t get me wrong, Suikoden I is a good game in of itself, but Suikoden II is a great game. It took what was awesome about the first game and added to it. Suikoden III was a bit rocky; I still enjoyed it but I can relate to the many fans that didn’t like it. It introduced a clunky ‘buddy’ system in which you executed one command for a pair of characters and it didn’t work out too well. The story for Suikoden III however was one of the best in my opinion.

Suikoden IV improved on the lack-luster combat of Suikoden III, but had its own issues. There were too many sea-based battles which got redundant. In my opinion the Suikoden IV had the best open-world combat where you fought with an armada of ships with elemental ammunition. Suikoden V in my opinion is the best one ever made. The story was particularly intriguing with multiple plot twists that took me by surprise. They also refined the combat system and added formations into the mix. Each party formation had its own pros/cons which added a little bit of depth to the relatively simple turn-based style of combat. Overall one of my favorite RPGs of all time.

This series is not without its flaws, but it is certainly worthy of PS3 version. Suikoden is perhaps one of the few (non-handheld) RPG franchises that have kept their turned-based roots and I would love to see them flourish again on my PS3. If any Konami execs happen to stumble on this post, please consider bringing Suikoden back on the the PlayStation.

1st Impression Review: DJ Hero

Ever since I’ve read a preview of this game, I’ve been looking forward to it’s release. I’ve finally recent got my hands on this game and I must say it has been worth the wait. Anyone else who enjoys other rhythm games and hip-hop, pop, electronica mixes will most likely enjoy this game as well.

To provide a slight background of previous rhythm game experiences: I’ve been playing guitar/instrument based games since Guitar Hero 3. My instrument of preference is the guitar. Although I can play most songs on hard difficulty, my comfort level for these games is on normal mode (where I coast through songs at 98-100% accuracy). So my primary concern with DJ hero before I played it was the potential for simplicity and lack of difficulty (considering there are only 3 color coded buttons). I was pleased to discover that this is not the case with this game.

DJ Hero does have a similar system where you have to hit the appropriate color coded buttons at the right time as they stream down the highway, like the guitar system on games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. Instead of this being the primary method of game play, it is only a portion of what you have to do when playing the game. DJ Hero employs a scratching system where you have to hold the appropriately colored button down while moving the turntable. For me it was very fun getting crazy with extended scratch sequences, but the game isn’t very forgiving about accuracy; pull your last scratch off just tad too late and you’ll find your point multiplier gone.

Every song that you play in DJ hero is actually a customized mix between two tracks (many of which are very well done btw). On medium difficulty and above, the crossfader is used to move between each track. In my opinion, this element of the game is where the learning curve comes into play for players who are very good with other rhythm games. Depending on the song, the crossfader sequences can be brutal, forcing you to move the crossfader back and forth quickly and accurately, while hitting notes and scratching at the same time. I personally had issues keeping track of crossfader positioning while playing at times. There are other elements of game that are more or less bells and whistles. There are times where you can activate your own set of sound effects, using the effects dial. There are also times where you can turn the effects dial to change the tone of a note (like the whammy bar in guitar games).

Unfortunately, I was so caught up on the Quicklist when I first started playing this game, that I don’t have much info on how the game progression works (I must have played the Boom Boom Pow mix like 10 times lol). From what I’ve gathered, you play gigs, and unlock other gigs with stars that you have earned. On the multiplayer side, there is separate song list where another player can use a GH/Rockband guitar to play along with the DJ.

My initial experience with this game has been a very enjoyable one. I’ll admit, I totally suck at this game. But the experience is enjoyable enough for me to want to continue to practice and master the new systems that DJ hero has brought to the rhythm game scene. What I admire most about this game is that instead of just adding a new instrument and using the same formula, DJ Hero has re-invented the genre and has provided true innovation. In a world where most other new rhythm based games are providing new song lists and little innovation, this is a breath of fresh air.

Story: N/A
Gameplay: 9.5
Graphics: 7
Overall: 9

Sorry I haven’t updated the blog in awhile, but it’s about time for another version of ‘Games that should be developed’. Hopefully I’ll get to some more reviews to post on soon. The younger generation might not know about the Shining Force franchise, but former owners of the late great Sega Genesis might know about this amazing series. Shining Force was one of the first, (if not the original) console turn-based strategy games. To this day it remains an amazing title, despite its age.

Shining Force introduced many compelling elements that set it apart from many games of its genre. Perhaps the most unique was the combat perspective. Whenever a combat action took place, a mini animation took place in which you could see the action executed up close.

These animations made each encounter seem more intense then most modern TBS game encounters, which always maintain the same combat perspective. Shining Force also introduced the Promotion system. Once your character reached level 10, you could choose to promote them to a more prestigious combat class. The interesting thing about this system was a newly promoted character was typically weaker for a few levels then they would hit what I call a ‘growth spurt’ and start acquiring high stat gains per level. This system made you really consider when it was best to promote your characters so that your entire team wasn’t too weak to handle an upcoming battle.

Shining Force also had many interesting combat units. There were centaur-like melee classes known as Knights who used lances for up close combat but could also use spears for ranged combat. There were also Birdmen who had advanced movement capability due to their ability to fly. There were also many other single units that stood out, namely: Zylo the werewolf, Bleu the dragon, Adam the cyborg, Hanzo the ninja, and of course the overly powerful Musashi the samurai. Considering the fact that there were over 30 playable characters in this game, many of them were intriguing enough to remain memorable throughout all these years…

I know Sega has continued the ‘Shining Force’ name with some of their newer PlayStation 2 titles. I was extremely excited to play the 1st one, but was very disappointed when I picked it up. Now don’t get me wrong, I liked this game but it was no Shining Force. Basically this game is an action RPG title; this isn’t a bad thing, but it really has no true relation to the original Shining Force series. So if anyone at Sega happens to see this…please bring back the true Shining Force! The TBS genre has evolved immensely since Shining Force (the Final Fantasy Tactics franchise is an excellent example), but as the innovator of this genre, I know you guys can adapt to the times and make an amazing true Shining Force title. Even it’s a hand-held title, that will suffice!

Many RPG gamers that used to have a Super Nintendo are familiar with the Chrono franchise. The first installment of the Chrono series, Chrono Trigger, is somewhat iconic; it has already been ported to the PS1, and an enhanced port will be available on the DS in the near future. An fine example of a classic RPG, Chrono Trigger was based on the premise of time travel, and the associated consequences. As far as I know, the Chrono franchise was the first game to incorporate team attacks, and may have been the first turn based RPG to incorporate enemy positioning as a strategic element of game play. Despite its innovative combat mechanics, Chrono Trigger was simplistic at its core and could be easily picked up and played.

The second installment of the Chrono series, Chrono Cross, was not as popular as the first (at least among my peers), yet was a solid title. Rather than focus on time travel, Chrono Cross was based on two parallel worlds, and their connection to one another. Chrono Cross also featured innovative combat mechanics, incorporating multiple options per player turn, and replacing magic points with consumable (per encounter) spells, known as elements. Chrono Cross also featured a large number of playable characters, over 40 if I remember correctly.

Both of these titles were amazing in their time, and I am saddened that a 3rd installment of this franchise has yet to be created. When reviewing the information I found on wikipedia, the chance of a new Chrono title being developed looks pretty slim….Nevertheless, Square-Enix, please consider continuing the Chrono series. I’m sure you’ve heard many similar requests and they’re are probably pretty meaningless at this point, but allow me to support my request with legitimate reasoning:

1.) The Chrono series fan base is vast; this is evident considering the amount of copies sold, and all of the websites that are still dedicated to this franchise despite its age. Remember, Chrono Trigger introduced many casual gamers to the RPG genre, and that same age group has become a significant part of the current electronic entertainment market. More then likely this title would turn a profit.

2.) I understand that it would be difficult to re-unite the original dev teams, and using a new dev team may take away from the series original appeal. This is a valid concern. However, if it were possible to mobilize even a few of the original developers (writers in particular), I’m sure your talented staff could maintain the charm that endeared the Chrono series to our hearts. Even if this wasn’t possible, just make sure that your new dev team has an intimate knowledge of the original game’s story lines and their associated themes. As long as these elements are consistent, I’m certain that fans will appreciate the work created by another team. Don’t forget that Chrono Cross was much different then Chrono Trigger; I could find few connections between the two games, yet I can appreciate Chrono Cross in its own way.

3.)The RPG genre needs you!!! There are few RPGs that were as innovative as either of the Chrono games. I’m sure if you were to make another Chrono title, the combat mechanics involved would be a breath of fresh air for all RPG fans craving something original. Alternatively, elaborate and improve the previous combat mechanics. I personally would like to see an emphasis on group techs again. You can always contact me (admin@generaldhade.info), if you would like to hear any of my ideas of what can be done in regards to combat design.

So, Square-Enix, please consider the aforementioned supporting statements, and create another addition to the Chrono franchise

Once again, BioWare has developed a masterpiece. Mass Effect is a 3rd person shooter/RPG, and is a near perfect blend of both genres. Mass Effect has nearly unlimited re-playability, offering multiple classes to select from as well as BioWare’s signature morality options.

The story of Mass Effect is both original and masterfully executed. It is also interactive; your choices affect the outcome on the story. You play a soldier of the Alliance (human military forces) who is sent on a mission to investigate an artifact recently discovered on a human colony. The following events places your character in a galactic man-hunt which ends up unveiling a larger conspiracy that threatens all forms of life. I would love to elaborate on this, however I don’t want to spoil the plot for those who have yet to finish the game. Bottom line, the story is well put together, and it has a plot twist that is truly epic. In addition to that, you can indulge in the detailed lore of the game by using the ‘codex’ system.

Those who enjoy character customization will appreciate Mass Effect’s various customization options. Upon character creation you are able to select your character’s sex, physical appearance, background, class, and supplement talent. Half of the classes to select from are specialty classes, while the other half are hybrid classes. When completing a certain quest, your character has the ability to change into a prestige class, which serves to complement your individual play style, while retaining your core class attributes (Similar to KOTOR 2). As you advance in level, you are able to improve your abilities by investing in class specific talent points. You can also use a supplement talent, which includes a choice of any of the talent achievements that you have unlocked with previous characters (For example, if you unlock the Assault rifle talent achievement, you can can use the Assault rifle talent for a class that would not normally have it). Considering all of this, it is clear that Mass Effect offers a robust character customization experience (Singularity + Overkill ftw ).

Mass Effect employs both squad and vehicle based combat. In squad based combat, you are able to use special abilities and switch the weapons of any party member on the fly, using an intuitive circular HUD. There are no ammunition quotas in Mass Effect, but a cleaver weapon heating mechanic is used to balance gameplay. When your weapon overheats, it is temporary unavailable. You have the ability to customize your weapons, by using various round types, and weapon augmentations, which enhance your weapons abilities. This adds a strategic element to party management when facing certain enemy types. Vehicle combat is much simpler; you can only use your main gun, or rockets when using the planetary rover, the Mako. Overall, the squad based combat is very enjoyable and the vehicle combat is mediocre, although I can appreciate its role in the game.

The overall game progression of Mass Effect is linear, however you do have a great amount of freedom for exploration, once you have secured the game’s vessel, the Normandy. You have the ability to traverse to clusters, which contain multiple systems, which contain various planets. Almost every system has at least one planet that you can explore using the Mako, allowing the indulgence of many side quests, and money making ventures. The universe of Mass Effect is large, offering extended gameplay for those who are determined to explore the entire universe (like me ).

Overall, I have minor grips with Mass Effect. At times managing the Mako can be cumbersome, and the squad commands don’t always seem to work (in particular, the command that directs your squad to move to a specified location). However, this game is fantastic and highly recommended to those who enjoy both the RPG and shooter genres. If you are just looking for a strait up shooter, you may want to pass on Mass Effect (I have seen nubs criticize this game because they can’t figure out how to get past the Citadel, lol…l2read guys ;D). On the other hand, if you are looking for a 3rd person shooter that looks gorgeous, has a compelling story, and cleaver combat mechanics, you will want to get this game!

Scores:

Story: 10
Gameplay: 9
Graphics: 9
Overall: 9.5

Samurai Warriors 2 is an epic hack-n-slash title. You have the ability to unlock 26 playable characters (24 characters playable in story mode). Those who like enjoy the button-masher genre, will appreciate the extended amount of game time Samurai Warriors 2 offers for those on a quest to get 26 characters to level 50 and obtain each of their best weapons (like me ).

SW2 offers 4 playable modes: Story, Free, Survival, and Sugoroku. Story mode is where you take your avatar though 5 stages revealing your avatar’s role in the story of the warring Japanese states. This is the mode that you must complete to unlock the majority of the available officers and a bonus stage. In Free mode you are able to play with any of the characters you have unlocked in practically every scenario. In survival mode, you are able to see how far you can advance within a castle of infinite floors. Sugoroku mode is mini game similar to Monopoly. I am disappointed with the lack of a officer creation mode, especially since it was available in the previous Samurai Warriors.

In SW2, you have the ability to develop your officers through gaining levels, acquiring skills, and obtaining weapons. Skills can be learned by defeating enemy officers, or purchased at the shop. Weapons have 4 levels of quality and can be upgraded to increase your officers attributes. The level 4 weapons can only be obtained on the hardest difficulty levels, upon fulfilling certain conditions. Some of these conditions are overwhelming and frustrating, as they can demand your presence in multiple locations on the battlefield simultaneously.

Each character has a string of attack combinations they can employ, which expands as the character increases in level. Many combinations have special utilities in combat, such as stunning effects, attacking all enemies in a radius, and triggering an elemental effect from a weapon. Also, each character has two unique special abilities they can use in combat. Some of abilities are pretty worthless, while others are really useful.

SW2′s storyline is surprisingly intriguing. The story revolves around Japanese lords, contending for the goal of unifying Japan. Each character’s storyline intertwines with one another’s characters storyline. The overall storyline varies depending on your character, but maintains a general consistency. However, my opinion of the SW2 storyline is bias; as I am interested in Japanese culture.

SW2 is an enjoyable title; although those who are not fans of the genre will probably be bored of the redundant game play. SW2 offers the amazing ability to allow the player to single handedly destroy hundreds of enemy troops. Also, In-game objectives also add an element of strategy, which can be used to turn the tide of a battle. Those who have enjoyed previous Koei titles will want to pick this one up.