Month: November 2015

The Debacle of DLC

Posted on by astyahla

It was about one hardware generation ago when developers started to heavily rely on downloadable content. Now a days, almost every game has extra content for a price, no matter how significant. It could be  something major like a new level or character. Other times, DLC can merely be cosmetic, such as character skins.

The practice itself has been the subject of debate for a long time. Some people think it is a worthwhile practice while others think such content is not worth it if it was not included in the original release of the game. However, it is not fair to judge all DLC a whole. Rather it should be examined on a case by case basis.

Most of the DLC I would be likely to buy would be characters and levels. For example, “Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U” has offered four downloadable characters with a fifth one (Cloud) on the way. In addition, there have been five stages added via DLC, with two more added via update. Each of these characters and staged feels distinct from the rest of the roster, so I went ahead and purchased them. In fact, the would seem essential to keep up with an ever evolving metagame.

On the other hand, I decided to ignore the Mii Fighter costumes. While there are some interesting costumes such as Lloyd Irving and the Black Knight, they ultimately do nothing to enhance the gameplay and can safely be ignored.

Meanwhile, “Street Fighter V” has an interesting approach to DLC. Instead of the usual practice of rereleasing the game every time Capcom wants to introduce new content or rebalance the game, they will instead patch the game for rebalancing, while new characters will be sold as DLC. The twist is that you have the option of using in-game currency to earn new characters instead of real money, which is still an option. However, it now feels akin to unlocking new content like the old days.

Granted, there are times in which I have been burned on DLC. For example, Alisha’s Story in “Tales of Zestiria” felt more like an exercise in frustration than an enjoyable experience. “Sonic Lost World’s” Nightmare Zone, felt like I was just playing the same bosses all over again. I could also never beat the Initiation DLC in “Batman: Arkham Origins.” Furthermore, “Mass Effect 3’s” From Ashes DLC get like something that should have been on the game disk from the beginning. This was especially glaring when the scenario was included in the Wii U version of the game despite lacking most of the other DLC. While some of the DLC guns were a major part of my arsenal in the Wii U version, I did not bother downloading them in the PS3 version.

Of course, some developers offer free DLC, which I do not have a problem with. After all, there is no risk of wasting money. Usually it is something insignificant like a few items that can be obtained in game, or character skins. But sometimes you find some real winners among them.

As for why DLC is created, it can be an extra reward for the players. It is also possible that they wish to restore cut content or implement new ice that originated after the initial release,  but do not have enough material for a new game. The fact of the matter is that not all DLC is bad. Plus it is completely optional, so if you do not want it, don’t waste your energy complaining about it, just show your disapproval by not buying it.

PS4 Remote Play coming to PC and Mac

Posted on by astyahla

According to IGN, Sony announced that Playstation 4 owners will be able to use Remote Play to stream gameplay to PC and Mac. The service has been previously used to stream games between PS4 and PS Vita, as well as play PS4 games on the Vita and the Playstation TV.

The announcement came from Shuhei Yoshida, president of Sony’s worldwide studios, via Twitter.

“Some people asked if we plan to provide Remote Play function to PC,” Yoshida said, “and yes, we are indeed working on an official application for PC/Mac.”

While it was possible to use Remote Play on PC, it has only been possible through unofficial means, such as Android OS emulators or the third-party Remote Play PC app. Sony’s official app will not only provide a standard method, but also make it possible to do so on Mac.  This is also Sony’s answer to Microsoft’s Xbox App, which allows Xbox One streaming on Windows 10.

No release date was given for Sony’s Remote Play app.

The lost games: Why do some games not get localized

Posted on by astyahla

Video games have become a major component of the entertainment industry over the years. As many know, a lot of the big titles come from companies all over the world. As an international industry, the companies make an effort to sell their games in other countries. However, not every game makes it out of their home country.

This is especially common with games coming out of Japan. While there are several reasons a game does not make it overseas, it is especially painful when it is part of a popular series. Here are some major examples of games that were not localized.

Ace Attorney Investigations 2

This game is a follow up to “Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth” for the Nintendo 3DS. This “Ace Attorney” spin-off focuses on Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth as he investigates crimes to prepare a case for court. While other games in the series comprise of a series of unrelated cases, this one has a coherent overarching plot with Edgeworth dealing with claims that he is no longer worthy of his position and the possibility that he would be better as a defense attorney.

According to a statement by Capcom, the game was not released as it was believed that the costs of localization would be greater than the expected profits. This may have to do with the fact that the first “Investigations” was heavily pirated. Due to the lack of an official release, a fan translation has since been released.

Fire Emblem

For most of this series life, the games were exclusive to Japan. In addition to uncertainty about whether the games would sell, they were very heavy on text  and would be expensive to localize. Outside of an obscure anime adaptation, the western world’s first taste of the series came when Marth, the protagonist of the first game, “Fire Emblem: Dark Dragons and the Blade of Light” for Famicom,  and Roy, the protagonist of the then upcoming “Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade” for Game Boy Advance, appeared in “Super Smash Bros. Melee.”

It turns out that a few years later, Nintendo localized “Fire Emblem: Blazing Sword” as simply “Fire Emblem.” The game was a huge hit, resulting in Nintendo then consistently releasing games outside of Japan. They even brought over a remake of “Dark Dragons and the Blade of Light” for Nintendo DS, simply called “Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon.”

However, there was a snag in the trend when “Fire Emblem: New Mystery of the Emblem – Heroes of Light and Shadow” was not localized. This was a shame as it was a remake of the third game in the series, so the west was denied the game a second time. It even included new material, including the first appearance of a customizable Avatar. As for why the game was not translated, it was because it was released so late in the DS’s life span that the 3DS had been released and had most of Nintendo’s attention.

Fortunately, this was just a one-time occurrence as the following game in the series “Fire Emblem: Awakening” was released worldwide to critical acclaim and sold extremely well. Furthermore, the next game “Fire Emblem Fates” will be released in America on Feb. 19, 2016.

Mother 3

This sequel to “Earthbound” has quite a long history. Originally planed for the Super Famicom, it then made the transitioned Nintendo 64 Disk Drive. The game was moved to the standard Nintendo 64 after the failure of the Disk Drive and planned for a worldwide release under the title “Earthbound 64.” However, development was scrapped and the localization along with it. The game was later revived and eventually released on Game Boy Advance in April 2006, right at the end of the system’s life span.

The late release and the sheer amount of text resulted in the game not being localized. Two years later, the fan site Starmen.net released a translation patch. After the re-release of “Earthbound” on Wii U’s Virtual Console and the announcement that Game Boy Advance games would be added to the service, the leader of the project, Clyde “Tomato” Mandelin offered to let Nintendo use his translation for free if it meant an official release of “Mother 3.” The company refused to do so, even though they knew about the project but decided not to intervene. As a result, the only official exposure the game received outside of Japan is the presence of the game’s protagonist, Lucas, in “Super Smash Bros. Brawl” and later “Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS.”

Tales series

The “Tales” series has been inconsistent in terms of localization. The first game to make it out of Japan, “Tales of Destiny” for the Playstation, was the second game in the series. However, it was notably very sloppy. The next game “Tales of Eternia” was localized as “Tales of Destiny 2″with a far improved translation.

However, there were still some main series games that did not make it over here. The actual “Tales of Destiny 2” did not see the light of day in the west. Nor did “Tales of Rebirth” as Namco was convinced by earlier games failure to sell that Americans did not care about 2D “Tales” games. The first 3D game in the series, “Tales of Symphonia” was released on the Gamecube and was a commercial success.

However, the following games, “Tales of Legendia” and “Tales of the Abyss,” did not sell well in the U.S. as they were released in the shadows of Final Fantasy. This may have led to the decision not to release the DS game, “Tales of Innocence” in America. “Tales of Hearts,” for the same system also met this fate, but it its Playstation Vita remake “Tales of Hearts R” was localized. Meanwhile, “Tales of Innocence R” for the same system has not been localized.

Aside from those game, Namco Bandai has been consistent in releasing the “Tales” series worldwide.

Sometimes, a game does get rereleased worldwide. For example, Nintendo finally brought “Mother 1” to the West in on Wii U Virtual Console under the name “Earthbound Beginnings.” So there is always the possibility for a release further down the line. As such, there may still be a chance to play the game as an official release.

Splatoon Review: A fresh take on multiplayer shooters

Posted on by astyahla

Back at E3 2014, Nintendo announced one of their first new IPs in a long time. The game, “Splatoon,” managed to wow the crowd with some people naming it the best shooter at E3 over big name games like “Call of Duty” and “Halo.” While the game was released last May, Nintendo has continued to support the game with several updates and new content. So this review will reflect the game now that it has been fleshed out.

The game focuses on online multiplayer, which is new unusual for Nintendo. What makes this third-person shooter stand out is the objective. Instead of focusing on shooting the other players, the goal is to cover the most territory in your team’s color of ink. You do with your main weapon, sub-weapon, and a special weapon that charges as you cover unclaimed or enemy territory. Due to the nature of this objective, momentum is constantly shifting. A team that is falling behind can charge their special weapons more quickly.

You are also given ample options for getting around. For example, you can transform into a squid to quickly swim through your team’s ink, even up walls. You can also super jump to a teammate’s location or back to your base if you need to. You are also invisible while in squid form in your team’s ink, so this and the sheer amount of mobility discourages camping.

Fortunately, the weapons are well-balanced, so nothing seems overpowered. You have your shooters, which work like assault rifle and are middle of the road weapons. Chargers work like sniper rifles and, as the name suggests, requires a short charge time before firing. There are also rollers, large paint rollers that have a short ranged projectile attack but are mainly used to flatten opponents at close range. Brushes are similar to rollers, but rely more on rapid swings instead of flattening foes in one stroke. Sloshers are buckets used to toss out a large volume of ink at once. Launchers are similar to grenade launchers as they are mainly used to launch explosive rounds that cover a wide area. Finally, splattling guns need to be charged to fire at all but have a high rate of fire.

Sub-weapons include bombs such as ink grenades, splat bombs that are weaker but explode on impact and suction bombs that stick to walls for ambushes. There are also support sub weapons such as the disruptor to slow the opponent down, a probe to reveal their location to your team and the Squid Beakon, to allow teammates to super jump to where it is set. Special weapons run a similar range of effects from offensive weapons, such as the Inkstrike, Bomb Rush, and the Killer Wail, to supporting ones such as the Point Sensor which reveals the location of every opponent on the map and the Bubbler shield.

After each match, you gain experience based upon your performance, plus a bonus if you win. By raising your level, you earn the right to use new weapons and gear. Speaking of gear, you can equip a set of clothing, headgear, and shoes. Each of which has one passive ability to begin with, but unlock randomly generated abilities as you continue to use them. However, you do have to option of seeing other players’ equipment then pay a premium in in-game currency to get a copy of it.  Later, you get the option to use Super Sea Snails to add more slots for abilities or reshuffle the abilities in your own gear.

Once you reach Level 10, you are eligible to participate in Ranked Battles, which offer different game modes to raise your letter rank ranging from C- to S+. The first of these modes is called Splat Zones. In this mode your team is required to control specific areas on the map until your time limit runs out. This take on King of the Hill adds an additional layer by adding a timer that counts up for every second after you lose control of the splat zones. The next time you gain control, you need to wait out the penalty timer before your team’s main countdown restarts.

Another mode is Tower Control. In this mode, you need to get on top of a tower that is in the center of the map. Once at least one player get on the tower, it will start moving through enemy territory. The more teammates are on the tower, the faster it will move. However, if you get forced off, the opponent will get a chance to move the tower. If it goes unclaimed, it will move back to the center. This forces you to choose whether to ride the tower to move it faster or stay off to cover your teammates.  Which ever team moves the tower the deepest into enemy territory within the time limit or makes it all the way to the end of the line first wins.

The final mode is called Rainmaker. This take on Capture the Flag revolves around the titular weapon. Your objective is to take the Rainmaker to the enemy base. While you have it, you can charge it up to fire large cyclones of ink. However, you are slowed down and unable to assume squid form or super jump. You are also denied your sub and special weapons, so you will need your teammates to cover you. In addition, the Rainmaker will explode after one minute if not delivered in time or unless you get defeated first.

Like Turf Wars, these also have a lot of shifting momentum. but character growth is all or nothing if someone manages to achieve victory before time expires

There is also a single player campaign in which you fight the Octarian Army. This one is simply get to the goal, with five bosses to fight as well. Compared to the multiplayer games, the campaign is rather forgettable.  You also have the option of playing a two-player offline game which requires you to pop more balloons than your opponent. Again, this is forgettable, so players without a decent internet connection will be out of luck.

In terms of presentation, the colorful graphics really standout amongst the gritty settings synonymous with shooters. In addition, the rock-influenced soundtrack will stay with you long after you stop playing. At the end of the day, “Splatoon” is a must have for any Wii U owner. Those who do not like shooters can also get into it thanks to solving a lot of problems the genre has.

Bizarre game logic: instant-death water

Posted on by astyahla

Video games are where one can defy the laws of logic and physics in the name of power fantasies. However, there are some instances in games where the player faces situations that stretch even the most willing suspensions of disbelief. One of the ones that bugs me the most is how very few characters seem to be able to swim.

In many video games, simply wading into water results in instant death. How is it that everyone from feared assassins to children is unable to swim?  After all, in real life, most people are capable of swimming. Even if they do  not know how to swim, they can at least tread water for a short time. Depending on the body of water, they can make it back to solid ground.

Sometimes there are reasons for a character’s inability to swim. For example, said inability may be stated beforehand. Other times, the water itself may be hazardous. For example, the water may be boiling hot, freezing cold or polluted. Your character may also be unable to swim be causes their weapons or armor weighs them down. Either that or in the case of non-human characters, they may just be naturally incapable of swimming.

However, most games just treat water as a death trap without any explanation. For example, it is hard to believe that the assassins in “Assassin’s Creed” never learned how to swim as a means of infiltration. Of course, creating dedicated water levels and swimming gameplay may take extra time and memory that the developers just do not have.

There are various ways in which developers have handled water without it being instant death. Some games, like “The Legend of Zelda” allow you swim on the surface, but not dive without a special item. Other games take a more realistic approach and allow you to swim, but give you limited oxygen. The limited oxygen has also been applied to games even if the protagonist cannot swim, such as “Sonic the Hedgehog.”

Then there are those that have no excuse. For example, in “Splatoon” everyone plays as anthropomorphic squids, yet they dissolve as soon as they hit the water. Evolved to live on land or not, you would think they would retain their swimming abilities. Unfortunately, this is not the case.

Whatever the reason, the fact remains that many video game characters can take several bullets, but cannot even tread water. This really breaks the immersion in the experience, while new players may assume they can swim to safety only to be sorely disappointed. The developers need to find a better way to handle water in their games or they may alienate a lot of potential fans.

amiibo: One year later

Posted on by astyahla

 

It has been about a year since the launch of amiibo, Nintendo’s line of NFC readable figurines. While the idea of “toys-to-life” games had been around for several years before, amiibo were different as they were not tied to a single series of games. At the time, many people were not sure what to think of the figurines as “Skylanders” and “Disney Infinity” were already big sellers. One year later, amiibo have proven just as popular as the other figurines on the market, if not more so.

The first amiibo were released alongside “Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.” In that game, amiibo were provided one with an AI controlled fighter that would learn to fight based upon one’s play style. For example, playing a lot of matches without using items will result in the amiibo not using them. If you go for a Smash Ball at the first sight of one, the amiibo will do so too. You could even customize their move set and stats. The customized fighter would then be saved to the figurine and could be taken to a friend’s house to play with them.

Since then many other games have been released with amiibo support such as “Mario Party 10,” “Splatoon,” “Yoshi’s Wooly World,” “Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer” and “Chibi-Robo: Zip Lash.” In addition to the “Smash Bros.” line, other amiibo lines for each of those games have been released.

In addition, amiibo have also been released as cards. Specifically, the “Animal Crossing” series of amiibo has primarily been released in card form as there are so many characters that making figurines of every character would have been to expensive. They can be used with in “Happy Home Designer” to add characters to your town to design houses for. Like figurines, data can be saved to cards as well. Going further, the cards can then be used to add characters and the houses you designed for them the game board in “Animal Crossing: amiibo Festival,” as well as unlock mini-games. However, there will also be figures of major “Animal Crossing” characters to add playable characters to the roster.

To say that amiibo have sold well would be an understatement. Many retailers have reported supply shortages of specific figurines. Those that have been in short supply tended to be be characters from lesser known titles such as Marth from “Fire Emblem” or the Wii Fit Trainer. The fact that some figurines were retail exclusive, such as Rosalina at Target or Ness at Gamestop, did not help. However, in recent months, Nintendo has restocked some of the rarer figurines and have released them at more retailers, so collectors will have an easier time finding them.

For those who like collecting toys, I would recommend that you grab an amiibo if you see it. This goes mostly for rarer characters. You will have more opportunities to find that Mario amiibo in the future. But at this rate, amiibo are here to stay and will likely continue into the next hardware generation.

Metal Gear’s best weapons for each situation

Posted on by astyahla

“Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain”offers a wide variety of weapons and items. There are so many that it is easy to be overwhelmed. Obviously you do not have enough room to cary each one, so you have to take what you need and remain within budget. While preferences may differ, here are some of the best uses for each weapon type.

Pistols

These guns fall under secondary weapons but they are very reliable when you need to react quickly. More than likely, you will be using the Wu Silenced Pistol you have from the beginning. In addition to being quiet until the suppressor wears out, the Wu fires tranquilizer darts so you can take enemies alive to add to your army. The other pistols may also be lethal, but are reliable side arms.

Bionic Arm

After completing the mission “Over the Fence” you can develop different models of bionic arms for Snake to use. But some are more useful than others. While the Stun Arm, which allows you to charge up an electrical current to shock enemies into unconsciousness, sounds awesome, it takes time to charge and makes a lot of noise when doing so. You also need to be within arm’s reach to stun enemies, who never let you get close enough to do so. Better options include those with passive effects such as increase recovery rates or faster movement. The Rocket Arm, which sounds odd at first, it is very useful for reconnaissance, as well as punching people from out of sight as you can steer the fist. Oddly enough, this does not kill the enemy.

Assault Rifles or Submachine Guns

Despite this being a stealth game, assault rifles and submachine guns are good for if you are spotted and need to fight back, as they do good damage. There are also some missions in which you need to kill the target so you will also need to keep a stock of good lethal weapons as well. If you want an assault rifle but still do not want to kill, there is a model that fires rubber bullets instead of real ones. This is perfect for missions that involve child soldiers as you fail if one of them is even grazed by a lethal weapon.

Missile Launchers

There are missions in which you will have to fight more than just foot soldiers. Sometimes, you will have to deal with enemy tanks or helicopters. In this case, you will need a rocket launcher to get rid of them. For some reason, blowing up tanks or helicopters do not add to your kill count, despite them obviously having operators inside them. But choose wisely, oftentimes you will have to choose between a more powerful launcher that requires you to aim manually, or a launcher with less powerful homing missiles. Also, make the shot count. Missile launchers will easily give away your position. If the tank or gunship is still operational, be prepared to deal with a deadly retaliatory strike.

Sniper Rifles

The obvious benefit of sniper rifles is neutralizing a target from a great distance. These come in both lethal and non-lethal variants, so you can choose based upon the situation. They are also crucial for sniper battles with Quiet or the Skulls. But don’t spend too much time in one place or the enemy will eventually track you down. If you plan on using sniper rifles, be sure to attach a suppressor as soon as you can customize your guns.

Grenade Launchers

Grenade launchers are good for destroying equipment from a distance, but hand grenades are cheaper to use. You can use the launchers in combat, but they are best used for battles you do not plan on leaving any survivors in. However, they are great for fighting the Skulls and the final boss.

Other items

Many other items are situational, so use your judgement. However, there are some items that no soldier should be without. The C4 explosives are good for destroying enemy communications or anti-air equipment as you can set them off whenever you want. You can even wait to do so when you are long gone. You should always bring a cardboard box to use as a disguise. Just be sure to bring the one with the best camouflage for the scenery. It is also a good idea to bring some sort of grenade based upon how you want to handle the enemy. Standard grenades work as you expect. But stun and sleep grenades are good for if you want to take the enemy alive. Just be sure to follow up with a tranquilizer shot or CQC before the enemy recovers from the stun grenade. However, the sleep grenade out classes them. Smoke grenades are good for if you want to sneak by if there is no cover.

Be sure to change your equipment to the situation at hand and then the world will know why you are called Big Boss.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain Review – A Hideo Kojima masterpiece

Posted on by astyahla

IMG_0440

Systems: PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC

ESRB: M

No. of Players: 1-16 online

After several years of development, the latest game in the “Metal Gear Solid” series is finally here. While we got a taste of the gameplay in the “Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes,” the prologue released last year, “The Phantom Pain” is a fully realized game and an excellent swan song for Hideo Kojima’s involvement. While there are some flaws, the game is exceptional and a must play.

Following the destruction of Mother Base at the end of “Ground Zeroes,” the legendary soldier, Big Boss fell into a coma for nine years. Upon waking up in a hospital on the Greek Isle of Cyprus, he is greeted with the sight of a missing arm and the news that the whole world wants him dead. What follows is an attack on the hospital by an unknown military organization that Big Boss narrowly escapes. He then reunites with his allies, Kazuhira Miller and Revolver Ocelot, and begins to rebuild his private military force in order to get revenge for what he had lost.

“Ground Zeroes” gave us a taste of the new open world style, but instead of being limited to a single prison camp, you get to explore large regions of Afghanistan and Central Africa. There is plenty to do in these areas, such as rescuing prisoners, capturing animals, gathering resources and, of course, many bases to break into. Once you decide on a mission, you have plenty of options for how to accomplish it. You can go in silently during the night, but have to avoid searchlights. You could sneak in from a side enterence or go in through the main gate. If you are confident, you can charge in guns blazing. There is even the choice of knocking out the guards or killing them.

What keeps thing exciting is that the guards will adapt to your tactics. For example, relying too much on head shots will result in them wearing helmets. If you keep going in at night, the guards will start carrying flashlights, or even night-vision goggles. This forces players to mix things up and constantly upgrade equipment to remain effective, especially due to the excellent AI.

While the  game gives you a lot of freedom, you have to constantly manage your in-game money carefully. The operation costs will vary based upon which weapons and equipment you take with you, so you have to take only what you need in order to avoid going into the red. This also applies to if you take a vehicle with you and which buddy you have accompany you. There are four buddies. D-Horse is great for traveling long distances silently. D-Dog is able to sense nearby enemies, animals, mines and medicinal plants. Quiet is a sniper who helps with taking out enemies and scouting the area. Finally, D-Walker is best used for straight fights. You can call in supply drops and request new buddies, but it also cost money.

While things are excellent out in the field, there are some design choices that do not work as well. You can return to Mother Base between missions and freely explore it, but there is barely anything to do there. In addition, the main storyline offers plenty of missions, but the post-credits content is largely made up of tougher versions of previous missions. Granted there are some new story missions, which are some of the most engaging in the entire game, but you need to wade through a lot of recycled content to get to them.

The game offers online multiplayer in the form of “Metal Gear Online.” In up to 16 players in the PS4, Xbox One and PC versions, or 12 players in the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions, compete in three different types of matches. Bounty Hunter is a team deathmatch mode with a twist. Each team has a set number of points and must deplete the other team’s points to win. Killing an enemy is worth one point, but it also increases the point value of the killer. If you capture the enemy instead, you earn the point value instead. Cloak and Dagger has one attacking team armed only with non-lethal weapons and must steal intel and exfiltrate the area, while the defenders have lethal weapons and must kill all of the attackers. Finally, Comm Control requires the attacking team to reach the nodes to download intel within the time limit, while the defending team must keep them from doing so until time expires.

All of these modes are fun, but I thought that Cloak and Dagger was the most faithful to Metal Gear. I also never had a problem connecting to the server or experienced lag.

The other multiplayer component, the Forward Operating Base, on the other hand, is nowhere near as fun. You basically get to create your own base and set the defenses. You can also attack other players bases to steal their resources and kidnap their men to recruit into your own army. You can also kill them. If you get attacked, you can go to defend your base. The catch is that the defending player can respawn, but the attacker cannot. The attacker wins if they can get to the goal.

What makes this annoying is that, unless you purchase insurance with real money, you will actually lose resources and men when you are attacked, even if you are not connected to the internet at the time. If you are connected to the internet past a certain point, you are forced to create an FOB. This would not be so bad, but you need a premium currency to upgrade the base instead of the free currency.

Annoying FOB mode aside, The Phantom Pain is an excellent game that should not be missed.

Score 9/10

A look at Cloud in Super Smash Bros

Posted on by astyahla

Last Thursday, November 12, Nintendo revealed that Cloud Strife, the main protagonist of “Final Fantasy VII,” will be the next DLC fighter in “Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Nintendo 3DS.” While third-party characters are no strangers to Smash Bros., with Solid Snake, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mega Man, Pac-Man and Ryu having joined the fight in the past, Cloud is unique in that his game was never released on a Nintendo made system. Technically, Cloud has appeared in “Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories” for Game Boy Advance and the Theatrythm Final Fantasy games for 3DS, but they are always as part of an ensemble cast.

Unexpected announcement aside, Cloud’s move set makes him fit right in with the rest of the cast. As expected, he wields his signature weapon, the Buster Sword. With a blade that size, it looks like he will be a heavy hitter. He even has a midair attack that instantly sends the victim plummeting to the ground.

In addition from his normal and smash attacks, Cloud has access to a selection of Limit Breaks as his special moves. He uses Blade Beam as a projectile attack. He also has Cross Slash, which holds the opponent in place until the combo is finished, then sends them flying. Another move, Climhazzard, has Cloud leap into the air, for a rising upward swing of his sword. He was also shown dropping back down with the enemy, similarly to Ike’s Aether move, but it is unclear if this is a separate move or not.

What sets Cloud apart from the rest of the cast is his Limit gauge. It is unknown how it fills, but in “Final Fantasy VII” the gauge filled by being hit by enemy attacks. Little Mac has a similar meter, but Cloud’s Limit gauge affects all of his special moves instead of just one. For example, with a full gauge, Blade Beam hits multiple times. In addition, Climhazzard will travel twice as high and Cross Slash will  be much more powerful.

Finally, Cloud’s Final Smash is his ultimate Limit Break, Omnislash. First, Cloud dashes forward. If he runs into someone, he launches them into the air, the slashes at them from all directions before slamming them back into the ground.

It is also reasonable to believe Cloud will be a heavyweight, although this has yet to be seen. Despite this, Cloud seems to have no trouble moving quickly. In fact, his running animation instead has him floating just above the ground.

Cloud comes with a stage of his own based upon the city of Midgar, which fans will recognize as where “Final Fantasy VII” begins. Based upon the trailer, this stage will feature several summons attacking the stage. For example, Odin cuts the stage in half, while Leviathan floods the area, making it harder to knock someone out off the bottom of the screen.

In addition to his normal outfit, Cloud will also be available in his attire from the film “Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children.” However, this is merely a cosmetic change.

Nintendo did not announce a release date for Cloud or pricing information. But it has been confirmed that he will come with the Midgar stage. This has also been done with Ryu who was bundled with the Suzaku Castle stage. Together they cost $5.99 to be downloaded on either Wii U or Nintendo 3DS, or $6.99 simultaneously purchase them for both systems. It is reasonable to assume this will also be the case for Cloud, but the details will probably be announced during Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. presentation in December. To see Cloud’s trailer click here.

Opinion: It was right for Tales of Zestiria’s Alisha to leave the party

Posted on by astyahla

Warning! Spoilers Ahead!

“Tales of Zestiria” may have been released worldwide in late October, but Japan had the game ever since this past January. At the time of release, the game had been surrounded with controversy over how the developers handled the character Alisha Diphda. She was one of the first characters shown to the public, causing many to assume she would be the female lead, and thus accompany the protagonist, Sorey, to the end of the game.  Indeed, she is introduced early on and give Sorey the motivation to go out into the world. But then she leaves the party less than a quarter of the way through. This lead some people to accuse the publisher, Namco Bandai, of false advertising. It did not help that she is seemingly replaced by another character named Rose. Now that I have played the game for myself, I feel compelled to weigh in on the matter. I actually believe that making Alisha a temporary party member was the right thing to do.

First, we have to look at why she left in the first place. Sorey making Alisha his Squire seemed like a good idea at the time. This allowed her to interact with the Seraphim, who made up the rest of the party at the time, and fight off the Hellions. Later, we find out she is not powerful enough, so she ends up taking a toll on Sorey. This is foreshadowed by a brief first-person view showing his vision blurring. This comes to a head when Sorey goes blind in one eye, leaving him unable to stop a surprise attack that seriously wounds Alisha. After hearing this, Alisha decides to stay behind and focus on doing what she can as a princess and a knight.

About an hour of playtime later, Rose shows up and proves to be a much stronger Squire. This means she does not affect Sorey, and can even armatize, or fuse, with the Seraphim, which is thought to be something only a Shepherd, such as Sorey, can do. Rose then stays with Sorey for the rest of the game.

From a story perspective, I think Alisha’s situation can be compared to someone underperforming at their job. If you fail to meet expectations and cause problems in the workplace, you are going to get fired. However, Alisha willingly left the party, so it is not like she was cast aside. Even though she is no longer playable, she still plays a big role in the story as a diplomat trying to avert war.

From a gameplay perspective, Rose is superior to Alisha by virtue of being able to armatize, while Alisha cannot. A lot of the tougher battles are extremely difficult to win without the use of armatization. When Alisha is with the party, she will have to do without the powerful attacks and healing spells that this state offers.

That’s not to say this was handled perfectly. I still think there could have been a good story arc involving Alisha at least becoming powerful enough to not burden Sorey. Also, the game does a poor job of explaining how Rose, the leader of an assassins’ guild, is able to be as powerful as a Shepherd, who is supposed to be pure of heart.

While there is a DLC scenario starring Alisha, it really shows just how weak she is compared to Rose. Furthermore, not all of the main game’s party members are available, meaning you do not have as many elements to work with. It does not help that there are a lot of enemies that resist the elements your party members specialize in. Storywise, it is an epilogue, and does not give any essential plot points. Therefore, unless you really love Alisha, it is not worth your time and money.

At the end of the day, Alisha’s departure from the party was for the best. Do you agree? Feel free to discuss this in the comments.