Bang Bang, Your Dead, I Complete

I love completing games.

Its a great feeling of accomplishment when I complete an older game.  I usually find these some of the harder ones to get through.  This tends to be because they have sat for so long in my collection I tend to file them always in that "They are already there and I will eventually get to them" part of my brain.  Yet when I do finish playing them it does provide me with a great moment of checking them off.  

Add the element of being on the handheld platform and that is even better.  I tend to have more difficulty getting through handheld (however that might be changing with my current playing trends) that completing each one is fantastic to me.

So I had talked about Wild Arms in an earlier post when I was about a quarter of the way through the game.  That was about a month ago, so I think I did pretty well, considering I completed the game in ~39 hours.  That includes overleveling (as always) and taking care of all the side quests and optional bosses.  

I like the Wild Arms series.  I know I have mentioned that in the past, but its a good series.  Its nice to get away from the big mainstream RPG games to see what things are like.  There are a lot of gems out there that tend to have more depth and emotion to them than the big AAA games that are just

Its nice when the idea of making sure hair is perfect, and boob physics are perfect, is placed second to a story that flows.

Wild Arms brings story to the game.  Yes, I will admit it.  The translation can be a bitch.  I expect that due to when the game was made and the fact that localization has gotten better over the recent years.  Sometimes there are weird parts of the story that just make it a little chuggy with how it reads out, but it still for the most part ties things together.  This is more than what I can say with FFXIII.  I had problems with the flow of that cause it seemed things were just thrown in suddenly near the end.  Alas, that is different.

Sometimes an RPG can try to show multiple characters all being the main protagonist, however ends up focusing on a single or pair of persons.  You see this a lot of with Final Fantasy games.  Its something that can be hard because people tend to like a certain character for elements that are out of the control of the developers.  Its ok.  Wild Arms though makes you think that Rudy is the main character.  Then you work with Jack a lot and his quest for "Absolute Power".  Then to Cecelia and her overcoming her royalty pains.  You find that in the end of the game, there really is not one main character.  They went into this thing as a team, and you see that in the end.  Switching between characters to use the different tools that they have helps to keep this feeling.  Sometimes I would like to have Rudy on the screen.  Other times I liked to have Jack on there.  I never found myself sticking with one character all the time.  Hell I tried to keep Rudy as the highest level character, but in the end they ended up only being a couple 1000 xp away from each other (which isn't bad when I finished the game at level 58ish).  The fact that Rudy really does not speak at all throughout the game, however you discover his story and the importance of him being a dream chaser; all of this really draws you in.

One of my favorite images from the game

Wild Arms has lead me to want to discover other RPG games, like the "Tales of" series (I have one already in the my collection).  I want to break free from just FF and Kingdom Hearts.  Experience something new.  I want to play Wild Arms 2.  This is something important in a game.  You should enjoy a medium in a way that makes you want to explore new things about your tastes and what you like.  If we only stick to what we know and enjoy, what the big companies say we should like, then we will all be on the same route without ever enjoying the beauty that is off the beaten path.  I am going to talk more about this later I think.  It deserves its own posting.


Wild Arms.  Definitely a great game to play.  Having it on the PSP or Vita cranks up the enjoyment in my book.  Its easy to start up anywhere, play a little, and then do stand by.  Plus it doesn't kill your battery.



So go and get it.

Now.


I am watching you!!!

You are not going to get it!!

Here is the link to the PSN page

Use it.  And then tell me what you think

Total time: ~39.5 hours

E x 0 + 9 / 3 = freaking awesome!!

I was thinking that I should talk a little about a very big gaming even for the world. Well, at least for America.

E3

Every summer I look forward to this event in California. I have never been (I wish I could go yet I am no developer nor real reporter, nor have I won any contest to go (I am willing to take bribes to go :) )) and it's a wish of mine to always go and to take in the great experience. I mean it has to be so exciting to experience things before they are released. The demos and the trailers and announcements are so exciting. It truly is one of those bucket list things that I would so enjoy.

Now if you have yet to guess I am a Sony fan. I love Nintendo too and I grew up on the consoles that have come through the years. Pretty sure my youth was a guest in many Super Nintendo games and game boy. I may not be a Wii fanatic, but I respect Nintendo and enjoy what they put out (I do own a Wii and do play it).

The Xbox though can go kiss my ass


I am excited for the hardware that is coming out for Sony. I do love the Vita idea and I will definitely be demoing one and probably saving my pennies to get one when it comes out. If it will support my multitude of PSone games that I need to complete for this blog then I am there. My PSP also seems to be slowly dying on me.

The Wii U controller though is something that seems peculiar in my eyes. The console itself has an HD upgrade and some other advancements but from an article that I read there are not a lot of big things with the machine itself. The main draw is the controller.

The controller is unique and interesting. However it kind of reminds me of the gba and gamecube interface that you could do with a special connection. Also makes me think of the possibilities seen with the PSP/PSVita and the PS3. The way you can have a screen in your hands that shows the same thing as what's on the tv or a different view is an idea that I experienced with the GBA and Gamecube playing The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. I think though things might be a little more advances now. At least I hope they are.

I know I usually don't like to critique things on here like I have with this post, but I just felt the need to do so. Will be back tomorrow with a new entry. Been a little off track with the game list but it will continue.