Donlevy's Top 10 Games of the Year: 2014 Edition!

Look out, it's that time of the year again! No not a holiday, silly, 'tis the season of opinions! The time where the vast hoards of the internet gather 'round to list off in an orderly and redundant fashion their favourite video games of the year. So what am I doing differently?

Very little!

Many sites have their awards, and the rest have their lists. So I'm doing a little of both! 10 of my most wholeheartedly adored and favourite games of the year, plus several honourable mentions with their own special and not-yet-trademarked Donlevy Awards! How many people will disagree with my choices? Probably everyone! But it is, as always, my completely subjective list. And of course, I sadly didn't have the chance to try every game this year, so if you don't see a favourite on this list, I might have not played it yet!

[And just for the record, popular and acclaimed games I have not played this year include: South Park: Stick of Truth, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Far Cry 4, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Bayonetta 2, a bunch of 3DS stuff like Pokemon and Bravely Default, This War of Mine, Transistor, and several others...]

Good. Now onto the one's I have played. Beginning with the Honourable Mentions!


Donlevy Award for First Rage-Quitting Card Game:

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

I really, really wish I was better at Hearthstone. Alas, I am not. Despite my lack of skill, however, I have to give props to Hearthstone for its accessible, free-to-play nature with a vibrant and easily manageable interface, and for its addicting and deep gameplay.


Donlevy Award for Lion Around:

SMITE

I must admit that, despite some very lingering issues, I find SMITE to be the only MOBA that I can actually enjoy. Its use of third-person action is more engaging for me, and the aesthetic is strong indeed, taking multiple gods and goddess' from different cultures and giving them a big dose of tongue-in-cheek personality.


Donlevy Award for Terrible Horrible Nightmare Inducing Images of Despair and Disgust:

The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

A "rouge-like" dungeon crawler with a very...unique aesthetic. The original Binding of Isaac was released a few years ago as a Flash version, but Rebirth improves upon every aspect of what made Isaac so memorable. Loads of new content and an updated engine make Rebirth quite a fun package, with randomized items and dungeons that make for a consistently fresh game.

Donlevy Award for The Game That Was Ripped Off Multiple Times and Everyone Played Inferior Free Versions Of:

Threes

If you haven't played Threes, you might have played 2048, or something like it, instead. Threes was the very original, and I believe the best one. Unlike similar knock-offs, Threes has a delightful and charming aesthetic that makes for a relaxing little brain game. By swiping together numbers to create larger numbers, you aim to make the largest set of numbers possible while maintaining the space to do so, with limited movement. Threes was my mobile addiction of the year.

Finally, on to the Great List That Is The Top 10 Games of the Year!



Number 10:

Five Nights at Freddy's

The first on the list goes to a game that I think might actually be equal parts fun to watch and play. The now infamous Five Nights at Freddy's puts you in the role of a security guard tasked with the night shift at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza, where the animatronics are out to stuff you into an empty animatronic suit. How pleasant! You must manage camera feeds and doors in order to stay alive the five nights, all with a limited power supply. Failing to carefully account for each animatronic will result in a jumpscare and a game over.

Five Nights at Freddy's not only quickly becomes a fast-paced test of both management and reflex, but of your own anxiety and composure. There's an eerie and unsettling atmosphere that only amplifies the experience. And before you really learn the game, jumpscares can seem like they appear out of nowhere, and when you do finally recognize patterns, it becomes all about how fast you can work under pressure of an impending jumpscare. It's really a simple game at its core, but I bow to its execution. Watching others play this is also a particular highlight.

Number 9:

Wolfenstein: The New Order

Easily the most enjoyable shooter I played this year (if you don't count Shadow Warrior, which technically came out last year), Wolfenstein: The New Order is damn good at what it does, and has a great art design and surprisingly strong narrative to top it all off. Nazi-killin' doesn't get much better than this, with Wolfenstein smartly improving or foregoing conventional shooter tropes of the past few years and looking back to more over-the-top iterations of yore. It's rare that a game can manage both stealth and action the way it does, but New Order does it with glee, sometimes doing so as a giant middle finger to mediocre and dull modern-day shooters. Wolfenstein: The New Order is a fine example of a game that combines shooter tropes both new and old, with great results.



Number 8:

Octodad: Dadliest Catch

I didn't really know what to think about Octodad: Dadliest Catch right away...but it certainly doesn't take long to grow on you! Octodad is one of those games where the challenge is in the controls -- on purpose (like Surgeon Simulator). It's an amusing and comical game with plenty of in-jokes to catch (no pun intended), and it is very inviting in its charm and oddball humour. And fighting the controls make for some surprisingly gratifying and satisfying moments! It can certainly be infuriating at times, and it might not be the longest game on this list, but for a budget title Octodad: Dadliest Catch is a fun, notable and memorable little game!



Number 7:

Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor

At its heart, Shadow of Mordor is really just a simple, sometimes generic action game that borrows elements from both the Arkham and Assassin's Creed games, with a story that is largely hit and miss. And yet...Shadow of Mordor implements everything in a stunningly efficient and engaging manner, wrapping everything together with the excellent "Nemesis System." It's both incredible and baffling that Shadow of Mordor could solve so many of the issues plaguing the Assassin's Creed series in one fell swoop; issues that AC has been struggling with for years. I intend to go more in-depth with an actual review for the game, but for now, know that it's the "Nemesis System" that puts this game on the list. The many uruk-hai that scatter the open-world of Mordor form a sort of hierarchy of power, with Captains making up superior ranks, and the Warchiefs ruling over Captains. Each uruk is unique and wonderfully portrayed, and how you interact with them make up the best parts of the game. Orcs can change positions from either dying or if generic-action-guy Talion (your character, of whom a Wraith inhabits) is killed by one. They will remember you, and adapt with strengths that can make for some tough fights. But there's plenty of options available to you in regards to uruk hierarchy, and the breadth of options from a rewarding and fun in-game infrastructure...and ultimately a great overall game.

And let's be honest here: everyone should play this game as Lithariel. She's awesome!



Number 6:

Mario Kart 8

I don't believe an explanation of Mario Kart is in order; it's freaking Mario Kart! It is a wonderfully accessible and enjoyable series that anybody can enjoy. It's also a nostalgic series for sure, and one that has only altered its formula in a handful of ways over the years. But damn if that formula doesn't just work like a charm! And of all the entries (really, there isn't a bad Mario Kart), Mario Kart 8 is certainly one of the best! The game looks absolutely gorgeous in full HD, and runs smooth as butter. The addition of the anti-gravity feature, in combination with the gliders from MK7, makes for some stellar and memorable track design, and the many kart combos is really something. Sure, I wish there were more characters who weren't babies, and the lack of a good battle mode hurts, but I can't honestly say that Mario Kart 8 feels like it's limping in any other department. Just fantastic production values and presentation, and strong-as-ever gameplay!



Number 5:

The Wolf Among Us

As much as I enjoy Telltale's Walking Dead games, I actually found The Wolf Among Us to be something a little more my style! Based on the Fables graphic novels, Wolf Among Us serves as a prequel, with you in control of one Bigby Wolf, otherwise known as the Big Bad Wolf himself. The setting and characters of Wolf Among Us are based on various fairy tales from the years, but now put into a modern noir setting...and it's terrific! Telltale does such a great job of breathing life into a game world and its characters, and everything about this game hooked me from the start. Like other Telltale games, you are given plenty of choices (and quick-time-events) and situations that can affect the outcome of the chapter or story, and so Wolf Among Us is entirely replayable multiple times. I don't know if there will be another "season" of Wolf Among Us, but I definitely intend to locate the graphic novels the game is based on. No question about that!

Number 4:

The Legend of Korra

Oh I'm sure this is one I don't think anyone expected, but...I had an undeniably large amount of fun with The Legend of Korra! If I start talking about the show the game is based on (and the predecessor show, Avatar: The Last Airbender) I won't shut up, and this post will go on forever. So. I will say this: I love the shows. Love them. So when I heard that the amazing PlatinumGames Inc., responsible for MadWorld, Bayonetta 1 & 2, The Wonderful 101, Vanquish, and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, were going to be developing a game based on the phenomenal Legend of Korra? You bet I was on board!

Playing as Korra feels great, and the tight and responsive controls make for excellent and satisfying combat that I know fans of the show could get a kick out of. The graphics do a good job of emulating the art style of Korra, and there's even some new animations! While you can't really explore the different locations so much outside the beaten path, their presence is really appreciated, and it's just cool to see these places realized in such a way. The different "talisman" you can equip change how you engage in combat, and makes for a neat tactical edge before a chapter. There's lots of things to either find in the levels or buy at the shop. Even Naga, Korra's polar bear-dog companion has a part, and her sections are neat little diversions that, while sadly on-rails, give a nice sense of speed, and will test your reflex. And when you complete the story for the first time, you even unlock a cool Pro-Bending mode! Honestly, for what it is, I'd say the game is stellar! If you can temper your expectations (it's not a full priced game) I think fans of the show in particular would love it.

I must say though, this kind of game does make me want a full-priced, open-world kind of title in the Avatar universe. I think that would be awesome! Ah, but what do I know.



Number 3:

Hyrule Warriors

Come on guys, Hyrule Warriors was bound to be on the list! It's brilliant combining of The Legend of Zelda and Dynasty Warriors makes for a fantastic and content-rich experience. I stand by with what I said in my review: it's not for everyone. But screw that, this is my list! There's so much personality and tribute found in Hyrule Warriors, and what a lovely thing it is to play as so many Zelda characters, each one unique, and some with entirely different weapon styles! I have not yet gotten bored of the combat and gameplay, I can say that with certainty. It's still as engrossing and satisfying as the first time I played it. And with new downloads still on the horizon, and not one but two Adventure mode maps I have yet to complete, I have no doubt I will be playing Hyrule Warriors for a long time yet!



Number 2:

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS & Wii U

Yup. You can't argue with Smash Bros.! Seeing not only one, but two Smash games this year is quite a feat! Having Smash on the go for the first time is a completely new and welcome change of pace, and it pulled it off rather well, despite the limitations of a handheld. Of course, the main course is undoubtedly still the Wii U version, and it's packed with content! A new Smash Tour board game mode, returning stadium modes now with co-op, the Orders modes, insane custom Mii Fighters and custom Characters, and an intriguing (but limited) Stage Builder make up the bulk of new features, but then there's also amiibo integration, returning Classic and All-Star mode (also co-op), new Events Mode both in solo mode and co-op, and tons of Trophies, equipment, and music to unlock. Damn! And of course, there's your unadulterated core Smash experience, now better than ever. The gameplay is completely refined, making a balance between the speed of Melee and the slower-paced Brawl to fantastic results. There's loads of characters to play as, and every one feels cleaned up and improved in noticeable and substantial ways. And it looks gorgeous. I tell you, Smash Bros. is still one of the best couch multiplayer games. Like Mario Kart, the core formula may not have changed too much, but the refinement in gameplay truly leaves a lasting mark of improvement. Getting friends and family together to Smash it out has never felt better, and this version has already proven to be a hugely popular one.

Also: MEGA MAN.



Number 1:

Shovel Knight

THE UPSET!

Ah...but really, it shouldn't be. Shovel Knight is a wonderful, wonderful game. And more than that, it's a game that makes me smile at the mere mention of the title. It's a game that I am so, so happy was made by such a talented group of people. Yacht Club Games made something absolutely special in Shovel Knight, and damn if it isn't my favourite game I played this year.

So much about Shovel Knight feels like a clever homage to the side-scrollers of old, and at the same time the game forges (erhm...shovels) its own path by not only embracing classic-style gameplay, but learning from it. You can feel the Mega Man, Castlevania, and Super Mario here, but you also feel something distinct and unique, and this glorious blend is what makes the core of Shovel Knight shine bright. Controls are tight and responsive. Challenge is paced well and relies on the player, rather than a reliance on cheap tricks. The aesthetic is simply delightful, and that soundtrack by Jake Kaufman (with collaboration from Manami Matsumae!) is amazing. The flow and progression make for great pacing. The unique and adoring humour is totally welcome. And the game boasts some downright superb level and stage design. It's an astoundingly well-rounded game, and I'd recommend Shovel Knight to everyone.

Shovel Knight is simply brilliant. My game of the year.

Donlevy Reviews The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

We come to it at last -- the end of an era. The Middle-Earth saga is (essentially) complete with the third and final entry in the trilogy of The Hobbit films, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies. It has certainly been a long road to get here, not the least of which has been making three movies out of a single book. I've had a mostly positive outlook on such a choice, as I feel the reasoning was sound in fleshing out additional characters and stories, but even I knew after the announcement of a third movie and the eventual name change what to expect. The Battle of the Five Armies is exactly what it sounds like: a giant effin battle. It's maybe a testament to how padded out the movies have become to make an entire film out of the last few chapters of the book, but while Five Armies certainly feels like the most stretched of the trilogy, I found it to be no less satisfying. Indeed, the battle that is the film's namesake is one hell of a battle, and despite a lingering overall feel, Battle of the Five Armies does just enough right to send off the movies in a proper and dramatic fashion, even if it doesn't reach the heights of something like Return of the King.

The film picks up immediately after the events of Desolation of Smaug, with said fiery-breathing-Cumberbatch-voiced dragon descending upon Lake-Town to exact vengeance. Battle of the Five Armies literally wastes no time getting straight to the action, and it's quite a move to resolve the aftermath of Desolation in a very dramatic and exciting way before the opening title even shows up. With Erebor vacated, Thorin and his company take control of the city and its riches. Both the people of Lake-Town and the elves of Mirkwood stake claims on parts of the great treasure, but Thorin is overcome with a sickness of the mind from the treasure hoards, and becomes paranoid, obsessed, and near-mad. Strife looms overhead as the nearby city of Dale is occupied by the men and elves, who prepare for confrontation unaware of the threat of the orcs led by Thorin's nemesis Azog closing in.

Gandalf's side of the story in Dol Gulder from Desolation is also concluded right away, where the White Council comes to his aide in one stellar and crowd-pleasing scene. I mean, Saruman O.P. Oh and Galadriel don't take anybody's crap. And Elrond is just a badass. Really, it's quite a fun scene! Although I have to be honest, I'm not sure how I feel about that entire story arc. Yes, it's a nice way to connect to Lord of the Rings by showing Sauron returning, but at the expense of basically sidelining Gandalf until he can reunite with Bilbo and the dwarves. I...understand why it's the case, even though it is primarily fan service.

And speaking of fan service, goddammit Legolas! Alright, I think it's fairly safe to assume that Legolas is included primarily as another popular connecting character to Lord of the Rings that isn't Gandalf or the White Council. You know something though? I'm, personally, fine with that. I am perfectly and totally fine with that. Legolas is and always has been an audience favourite, and at the very least, it makes logical sense given he's the son of Thranduil. A minor thing I love too (SPOILER ALERT), he provides an awesome way for Thorin to get Orcrist back after being captured by the elves in Desolation. It makes for an excellent, little scene near the end of the film (END SPOILERS). Legolas also serves as a sort of proxy between Thranduil and Tauriel, and with Tauriel being a character entirely unique to the film trilogy, I was eager to see how her side of the events would unfold. Tauriel's confrontations with Thranduil prove quite interesting, and serve as a notable contrast between her eagerness to help and Thranduil's reluctance to sacrifice the lives of his kin.

As is the namesake of the film, yes, there is a battle. A large battle of which involves fewer than six and more than four armies. The action involving and surrounding the battle itself is, indeed, quite excellent. There's lots of sweeping landscape shots and up-close scenes of the armies doing battle both on the fields and in the city. I must say what a joy it is to finally see a Dwarf army do battle, as apart from the beginning of Unexpected Journey, not even Lord of the Rings featured the race in such a large number. Finally seeing them contrast (and throw insults at) the elves is a definite highlight, especially given what comes right after!

This does, however, function highly into my disdain of the overuse of CG. Particularly in Dale, there's an awkward combination of CGI and characters that interact in oft-putting ways. It makes some scenes in Dale and elsewhere simply feel too artificial. It's an issue I've had with the entire trilogy, really. CGI just doesn't do some scenes the justice they deserve. But otherwise, it all generally works. It likely won't age well, but for now it's a petty grievance, and hardly destroys the film.

Despite the CGI issues, the one-on-one fights between characters are still pretty great, and Thorin's in particular is resoundingly satisfying (yes, even with the silliness of that scene. You know the one.). I found Thorin's arc, extending from the two previous films, to be fairly gradual, and quite well done! What a wonderful comparison it is to make between Thorin and his treasure, and Bilbo or Frodo with the One Ring. It's fascinating and interesting watching Richard Armitage give Thorin such a menacing feel, and makes for engaging scenes with Thorin and either the elves, or his company. And it's certainly enjoyable watching Thorin try to fight his own sanity, and the aftermath.

There is no doubt in my mind however that Battle still feels like the most padded of the three movies. It's obvious having three movies of one book feels awkward already, but the trade-off of having added material is, well...having added material. For instance, there's a great deal of talk about the forces of Angmar to the North that Thranduil, Legolas, and Gandalf make mention of. Okay, great, I love that their talking about Angmar! It's a substantial series of events to allude to. But...this is the last of the three movies! Why must you bring it up only to have such a plot subside nearly immediately, only made mention of once more during the final scene with Legolas?

I don't agree though that other additions have the same problem. I genuinely found that other additions to the movies over the books, such as the confrontation between Thorin and Azog, paid off in a surprising and profound manner. It's more in the context of character interaction, and expanding roles rather than sidelining them. Thranduil and Bard are good examples, where the situation in Dale prior to the battle is a part of the book, but is given far more visual cues and context in the film. And having Gandalf and Bilbo there too is a plus.

By the end, Battle of the Five Armies delivers on a satisfying and emotional level, that much can be said. No, it doesn't reach that epic feel of Lord of the Rings, and Battle certainly feels like the most stretched out, with silly moments and an over-abundance of CGI and fan-service souring the experience. And yet, the film resolved everything between narrative and action in a gratifying and substantial way; a way unique to the film trilogy. It may be a sort of give-and-take scenario here, where for every enjoyable scene there's a scene of fluff and fan-service to go along with it. However, Battle has the added benefit of being the concluding entry in a trilogy, and as such has far more weight to every scene. So, I feel it's a classic case of the good outweighing the bad. Far from perfect, and yet, surprisingly successful in concluding a trilogy, and providing closure and a full-circle to the Middle-Earth saga.


YAY

• You certainly get a battle; exemplary and gratifying action. Gets right to it!
• Most additions made to the movie from the book pay off surprisingly well.
• Narrative is wrapped up with emotion and satisfaction. As good a conclusion as could be hoped!
• A final, excellent score from Howard Shore (and excellent credits song by Billy Boyd!).
• Enjoyable crowd-pleasing moments that make for fun times! However...

NAY

• ...some of those moments feel arbitrary and silly. There's an over-reliance on fan-service. 
• Some scenes use far too much CG, and make for awkward interactions with characters.
• The most visibly stretched and padded of the trilogy.

RPG Week 2014 Day Five: Final Fantasy IX

While Dragon Quest VIII was a monster of a game, no RPG this year left as much of a lasting impression on me as Final Fantasy IX did. As such, it's fitting to me that we close out this year's RPG Week with what has essentially become one of my favourite games...of all time. I knew from the moment I heard that opening theme that this game would be something truly special.

Released on the PlayStation in North America on November 13, 2000, Final Fantasy IX marked a striking departure from the two previous Final Fantasy games on the PS. While VIII had opted for a more realistic  feel evolved from FFVII, FFIX instead looked back on earlier games and embraced, for one last time, the Fantasy of old. It's apparent from the designs of everything in this game that FFIX is truly a fond look back, and a memory of what Final Fantasy once was. The idea of crystals that shape the world returns, as does the four member battle system. Airships and kingdoms scatter the land of Gaia, and the denizens are made up of more than just humans. The world of Final Fantasy IX is vastly different from VII and VIII, and I know that fans of those games might look upon FFIX with confusion. But I was, and still am, utterly enthralled by the world, and really all that Final Fantasy IX is and represents.

Hiroyuki Ito, the original creator of the Active Time Battle System, returns as director as he was with the critically and fan adored Final Fantasy VI. Nobuo Uematsu is back with his ninth consecutive score, and Hironobu Sakaguchi himself takes a place in the writer's chair. Final Fantasy IX revolves around several characters brought together and shaped by an encroaching war, and the sinister events taking place behind the scenes. You follow the thief Zidane Tribal and his group, the Tantalus Theatre Troupe, as they attempt to kidnap Princess Garnet from the Kingdom of Alexandria. In the midst of the encounter, Zidane meets the young black mage Vivi, along with Garnet's stalwart protector Steiner, before learning that Garnet had in fact wanted to be kidnapped, so she could escape the confines of her mother, Queen Brahne, who's erratic behaviour has caused destruction across the world. The four journey far and wide in an effort to stop the mad Queen, meeting the gourmet Qu chef Quina Quen, the Burmecian dragoon Freya, the young summoner Eiko, and the bounty hunter Amarant.

Of the most magnificent parts of FFIX, the characters and their stories are my favourite. Each character exhibits a unique theme about them, and throughout the game each of the characters must come to terms with their own struggles. For example, Freya must deal with loss, Steiner must fight between his duty and his compassion, and Vivi must contend with his own mortality. There are strong and philosophical themes at play here, and there's a true and great sense of progression in the characters as you go through the game.

And the character and world designs are indeed so very inviting and varied. The translation of such designs to everything in-game is a testament to how far the series has come in a few short years since Final Fantasy VII. Character models and animations are vibrant and fluid, and the models of the buildings and sights within the game blend seamlessly together to create an almost storybook fantasy setting. And I must surmise what must be one of the greatest and emotional soundtracks of this day and age. Uetmatsu, as if there was any doubt, created an outstanding and masterful soundtrack that not only has various wonderful nods to the original Final Fantasy, but several high-profile and emotional punches of its own.

Those familiar with gameplay of previous Final Fantasy games will generally know what to expect from this entry: a huge world to explore with many modes of transport, a range of side activities to partake in, and many battles to be fought. There are many people in the world that offer you items or other rewards for simply talking to them, or for completing a certain task. FFIX also features a unique game-within-a-game of its own, in the form of the collectible card game Tetra Master, which unlike Triple Triad from FFVIII, is required to play at least once in the main story. The lovable bird creatures Chocobos make an expanded appearance in this entry, and an entire mini-game involving your Chocobo can be played where you dig up treasure in a set amount of time for a reward. This mini-game also levels up your Chocobo so it can traverse more terrain and find more treasure on the overworld as you ride it.

The Active Time Battle System, once again, makes an appearance now with four party member instead of three. As before, a meter for each character slowly builds, and when full allows a character to attack. The meter fills faster or slower depending on a characters speed, and the enemy can attack at random points during the battle. Characters are put on either the front or back row, with the front row able to deal and receive more damage, while the back row is the opposite. Limit Breaks are sadly gone, replaced by what's called Trance mode. A separate gauge fills as damage is received and can be carried over between battles. When full, a character enters Trance, where they deal more damage and are able to perform a special action. In Zidane's case, he has an entirely different set of attacks while in Trance. I confess that I miss the Limit Breaks, but I believe the Trance system is far more visible and easier to manage.

Characters can apply abilities via a limited number of Ability Points, and can swap out different abilities (with different required AP's) outside of battle, and can learn new ones by using certain weapons, armour, or accessories that contain one or more abilties. While they use the equipment, they have access to the ability in question, but cannot use the ability without the equipment until the ability is levelled up through experience gained in battle. It's an easy, manageable system that's also a far cry from the Junction system found in FFVIII. For those who played Tales of Vesperia, the system is quite similar. On that note, characters now embody specific "classes" as they did in several of the original games. Zidane is a Thief, and Vivi is a Black Mage, for example. As such, equipment, abilities and how you manage each character is dependent on your strategy, rather than just picking certain characters and giving them every spell under the sun. Such a feat is now impossible, but I am perfectly fine with that. It gives your party members, and how you utilize their specialties, much more focus. Final Fantasy IX can be quite the challenge at times, so it's important to know your party members well. Yet another reason for the welcome emphasis on characters.

Believe me when I say that I had every intention of going out with the best for RPG Week 2014.

I love Final Fantasy IX.

It is a masterpiece, in my eye. One of the greatest games ever created.

I have been waiting to talk about this game for months, and much like Chrono Trigger last year, I stumble with words to perfectly articulate this game to those who have never played it. I can only express in small ways what this game means to me, personally. I experienced this game during a period of uncertainty and strife in my life, and no words could be offered that might explain why I feel such a connection to it. It simply floated into place, like a puzzle piece gently settling in to complete a picture. I played FFIX immediately after Final Fantasy VIII, and while VIII surprised and delighted me, I simply was not prepared for how much I got out of Final Fantasy IX. It was the first game, out of ANY game in a long time, that I genuinely felt complete as I watched the credits roll after more than 60 hours exploring the game. Final Fantasy IX left me with a satisfaction reserved for some of my absolute favourite games and series. To find another game and series capable of such a feat is truly, truly wonderful. This game; the themes, the characters, the world, the story, it all just clicked. Melded together in a brilliant harmony.

And so ends another week of RPG awesomeness.

Thank you for reading if you chose to do so, and I hope you play some damn good games come the new year! I know I hope to. And I hope you play some fantastic RPG's, there's a lot of my favourite genre out there!

As a sendoff, I leave you with the incredible ending theme to Final Fantasy IX, "Melodies of Life," sung by Emiko Shiratori (who sang it in both English and Japanese). Here's the song, but if you don't mind spoilers, I'll leave a video with the song and cutscenes from the game here as well.

Enjoy! :D

RPG Week 2014 Day Four: Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

Awwwww yiss.

Behold, one of the finest RPG's I've had the privilege to experience. And also one of the longest. Along with being the year that I first played a Tales game, it was also the year I played through my first Dragon Quest game, a series I had been eager to get into for a while. Dragon Quest, created by one Yuji Horii, is a series that is in fact older than Final Fantasy, with the first game appearing in Japan on May 27, 1986 for the Famicom System, a full year and a half before Final Fantasy would make its mark (in Japan, that is). Dragon Quest, then published by Enix (now part of Square Enix, with Square publishing Final Fantasy), wouldn't hit North America until three years later in August of 1989. Its release would be the first of many that bore the moniker Dragon Warrior, rather than the original title (due to old copyrights here in North America). For many, Dragon Warrior was the first console RPG they played, as any subscriber of Nintendo Power in late 1990 received a free copy of the game (as well as the guidebook) as part of a promotion. Dragon Warrior was a huge success in Japan, but was barely an entity in North America. As a result of the promotion however, Dragon Warrior picked up, but would still never see the sales figures in the West as the Final Fantasy series would.

Dragon Quest would see a total of four entries on the Famicom, and each would be localized overseas under the Dragon Warrior name on the NES. But due to declining sales, western audiences wouldn't get another Dragon Quest/Warrior title until Dragon Warrior VII, on the PlayStation. The fifth and sixth entries were released on the Super Famicom, and wouldn't see a western localization until almost a decade and a half later, when Dragon Quest V and VI, along with IV, were ported to the Nintendo DS. After DWVII, the next entry is the topic of today's discussion, Dragon Quest VIII, released on the PlayStation 2 on November 27, 2004 in Japan, and a year later in North America, having finally dropped the Dragon Warrior title once and for all.

To give you an idea of how much time I spent on this game, I picked DQVIII up at the Portland Retro Gaming Expo in mid October, and I played it nearly every day from when I got back until about a week ago, when I completed it. The total time on my file is almost sickening, but it is the truth: 150 hours.

Of course I imagine over 10 of those hours were spent either gambling or grinding, but still, loooong game. And to be honest I enjoyed every waking second of it. Dragon Quest VIII has an engrossing story, and a wonderfully vibrant world to explore with plenty of memorable characters. For the character and monster designs, Dragon Quest employs the work of the amazing Akira Toriyama, the character and setting designer of Chrono Trigger, and also known as the creator and designer of Dragon Ball! His designs translate almost flawlessly into the cel-shaded, realized world of DQVIII, offering some stellar production values. Exploring the game world by various modes of transport is a delight. And like the other entries in the series, Koichi Sugiyama returns as head composer of the exuberant and superb orchestrated soundtrack, here performed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra! A curious fact about the soundtrack: the North American release featured the fully orchestrated soundtrack, while the Japanese release, surprisingly, did not, instead having a more simplistic version of the tracks.

Of all the production values however, the most surprising to me is the outstanding voice cast. Although not fully-voiced, key characters and those found in cutscenes feature some stellar voice work, like the Cockney accented Yangus, the regally Trode, or the befuddling Elmer Fudd-like Prince Charmles. The voices add an emotional layer of depth to the already remarkable story; the tale of a cursed king and kingdom, and a mysterious ancient power. You are the silent Hero, accompanied by the ex-bandit Yangus, and the Cursed King himself, Trode. Fleeing the ruined kingdom, the party embarks on a mission to find and stop the evil jester Dhoulmagus, the cause of such events. As one might expect, this is merely the beginning of a far grander tale, and the adventure takes many twists and turns as you travel around the world, over mountains and over seas.

In battle, the system is reminiscent of the most basic of RPG's. Turn-based, with no Active Time Battle or Linear Motion Battle systems to speak of, but the simplicity is where the fun lies, if that's your kind of game. Recall my entry last year on EarthBound, with a simple interface to select an attack, ability/spell, or other contextually dependent action, before each character and enemy exchanges attacks or moves. The Dragon Quest formula is generally similar, but in the case of DQVIII, several additions have been made to improve upon the 20-year old Dragon Quest combat. The most notable improvement is that battles are now fully animated, making battle in DQVIII much more visually appealing and exciting. There's also a new action called "Psyche Up" which raises a character's tension level each use. As tension builds, attack power increases, and in the late-game this action becomes imperative. As each character levels up, skill points can be assigned into several different weapon branches, which unlock Abilities at different levels, with some skills being entirely unique to each character. So for example, if you wanted the Hero to specialize in Spears, you would put your points in the "Spear" tree, or you can divide up points into more than one tree at a lower upgrade rate.

On the road and outside of combat, you can talk to your party members at any time with the push of a button, and here witty banter or helpful hints from them depending on where you are. You can also, much to my ABSOLUTE HAPPYNESS, heal your entire party at once with available magic spells, via a single option in the main menu. I can't tell you how much minor time is saved by using that one command, and even though it's such a small thing, I'm surprised more games don't make use of a similar command. But I must concede that the coolest addition (that's also a first in Dragon Quest) is the Alchemy Pot. The Pot allows you to add (initially) two items that can be combined to form an entirely new weapon, armour, item or accessory. As you progress through the game, you will learn new recipes from reading books, or talking to different people, and your Pot will be upgraded to allow a third item to be mixed in. You can also try combining items randomly, to see what results. Or...if you feel it's justified (as I had), you may simply go onto the internet and good ol' GameFAQs to acquire a giant list of possible recipes. The Alchemy Pot is undeniably useful, and several of the game's most powerful weapons and armour can only be found by creating them in the Pot. Craft-able items can be found in breakable pots (lol Zelda), by unlocking chests found throughout the world, by completing tasks, or by going to one of two casinos and gambling your day away. I have a moderate amount of shame for how much time I spent in the in-game casinos. Oh come on, you get some great stuff out of it, dammit!

It's not every day you come across such an enveloping game, and I'm genuinely surprised and saddened that I gave this game such little thought, and passed on it over these years. A mistake it truly was. Indeed, there is a lot to this game, and it carries the term "adventure" with pride. 150 hours in, and I left totally satisfied and complete. That was of course, also counting the post-game content, which is an optional new area and set of challenging battles that are unlocked after you beat the end boss once. After doing so and saving your file, you may pick up right before the final battle, and partake in several new challenging battles in a new area of the world. Completing this section of the game grants you more closure in the story, as well as some kick-ass new gear. You also get an expanded ending, which happily ties up probably the last loose end in the game. But man, talking about that post-game content here feels weird in this day and age. It makes me cringe at the thought that if this game were to be released new today, Square Enix would most assuredly secure that post-game content behind a 5-10 dollar pay wall as "DLC." Disgusting, but I wouldn't put it passed them. Hell, there are examples of other studios pulling that nonsense before.

As I mention that however, I am reminded that Dragon Quest VIII was in fact re-released not too long ago on iOS and Android devices - complete without any lost content. Although I balk at the thought of playing this on a phone...if one was interested in giving this fantastic game a look, you can find it on your respective store for phone or tablet, for I believe about 20 bucks! Oh you know what? I recommend it, wholeheartedly, no matter the platform you choose. Phone, tablet, PS2...play it!

RPG Week 2014 Day Three: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords

Given the other games that have come before in this series, this one's a bit unexpected, no? Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II- The Sith Lords, ah, too long of a damn title. To the point, I figured I'd change it up a little bit, and of the two KOTOR games, I played the sequel most recently -- this year. I very much intend to talk about the original incredible KOTOR, made by the Edmonton-based Bioware, but KOTOR II is still fresh in my mind, and warrants some discussion of its own!

KOTOR II, was released on the Xbox December 6, 2004, and the PC a few months later. While its predecessor was created by Bioware, KOTOR II was instead developed by Obsidian, known for Fallout: New Vegas, and the recent South Park: Stick of Truth. KOTOR II is, I think, a great game. It was however, plagued by glitches and bugs upon release (much like New Vegas), and suffered from multiple instances of cut content. Despite what feels like a splintered product, the game does offer multiple gameplay improvements over the first KOTOR, as well as a new story that connects to the first game.

Several years after the end of KOTOR (which can be one of two endings), the Jedi have slowly been eradicated by the legions of Sith forces, and now the remaining Jedi have gone into hiding, save for one who is known as the Exile: you. Meeting a mysterious woman named Kreia, with whom you develop a Force Bond, you and a continually growing group of droids, rouges, and former soldiers journey to distant planets to investigate the powers of the Sith, and find the remaining Jedi.

Compared to its predecessor, KOTOR II's story is not as strong, and lacks many of the surprises and strong moments found before. Its still not a bad story though, and the characters you meet along the way are absolutely memorable. The infamous droid assassin HK-47 even makes a return as a party member!

Gameplay remains mostly similar the first game, with you and two party members journeying around different locations in the Star Wars galaxy, completing side quests and the main storyline. The big draw of both KOTOR games is that you are given choices in dialogue and in story moments to shape your character (and your party members) either along either the Light or Dark side of the Force. Some members, including your character, are capable of wielding the Force, and the powers can differ depending on your alignment. New to KOTOR II is a more visible and dramatic change in party members should your influence affect them. It gives a more tangible and organic component to the characters, and should you choose to teach certain members the ways of the Force, the affect is even more apparent and appreciated.

Combat is made up of queuing different actions towards enemies, either in real-time or by pausing the game, and these actions consist of using different attacks depending on the character's weapon, such as a blaster, sword or lightsaber, and powers of the body or Force, as well as items. How a character deals and receives damage is based on invisible "dice rolls" that happen unseen within the game, and these rolls can be modified with stronger weapons or upgrades (which can be used at workbenches or tables found throughout the wolds). These rolls, and ultimately how combat works, is an interesting ordeal, if sometimes rather annoying. It hearkens to classic tabletop RPG's like D&D, so as to add a layer of unpredictability. Yet the rolls for weapons other than a single lightsaber or vibroblade can be just silly. If, for example, you decide to use a double-sided lightsaber early on, you'll have to pour most of the points you get when you level up from XP into the tree that allows for Two-Weapon Fighting, lest you continually see an enraging barrage of "miss" above an enemy. So there is a bit of forethought required.

Throughout the game one might recognize multiple famous themes from Star Wars, as well as some original music of the game's own. The original music found here is quite good in its own right, and makes way into the Star Wars lore fittingly. Graphically, KOTOR II has aged about as well as one might expect from a 10 year old game. The character models are rather stoic, but recognizable. The faces are saved yet by the still-strong voice acting, however. But nothing can really be saved by the multitude of game glitches and bugs, even more if the game is left un-patched. There are several known game-breaking and quest-breaking glitches that make saving multiple times in multiple slots a necessity. It's unfortunate, yet there is a ray of hope for PC users, where several fan-made patches were introduced along with the official ones to combat these glitches. In fact, on top of the patches, there are multiple fan-made mods that can improve the game in considerable and commendable ways. One famous and excellent mod actually brings back much of the content that was cut, albeit in an unofficial way. I suppose it goes without saying, then, that I recommend playing KOTOR II on the computer, along with the available patches and mods!

Indeed, despite not being as polished or original as the first KOTOR, the second game is still a solid entry and one worthy of a playthrough. KOTOR II, was, in fact, the first of the two games I played! Ha, in retrospect it did spoil a bit of the first game, so I think while I'm recommending the second game, I'll go ahead and recommend the first one as well!

RPG Week 2014 Day Two: Tales of Vesperia

In Japan, there's a third RPG series that reigns supreme next to both Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest: the Tales series. It's a series that I've known about ever since the GameCube era, when the popular Tales of Symphonia was localized, but which I never gave much thought until this year, when I had a chance to play both Symphonia, now remastered on the PS3 along with its sequel Dawn of the New World, and Tales of Vesperia, released for the Xbox 360 on August 26, 2008. I must say, the games were indeed quite unfamiliar to me, as someone who usually plays Final Fantasy and other "turn-based" RPG's. The games share a similar anime aesthetic and an innovative gameplay system that is far more involved then what you might find elsewhere. It is, most certainly, a different breed of RPG. And quite a fascinating series at that!

The most immediate and striking part of the Tales series must surely be its rather brilliant anime style. Kosuke Fujishima is the character designer who worked on both Vesperia and Symphonia, as well as other games in the series, and the designs enter the games not only through some remarkable anime openings and cutscenes, but through the cel-shaded and stylized graphics. There's an excellent score for each game, both composed by Motoi Sakaruba in partnership with several other composers. A great selection of music with an emphasis on sweeping orchestration, but also on the use of electric guitar riffs, as in the case of Vesperia. Presentation-wise, these games hold up in a great way.

But there is also something to be said for the innovative and unique battle system at work here. I talk of course, once again, of both Vesperia and Symphonia. The first and most notable aspect is that in both games, more than one person can control a character in the main combat scenarios. This of course means that, if some so chose, Vesperia and Symphonia can be played with up to four players in a co-op RPG adventure. This presents an entirely different case than what some, especially myself, are used to, where combat can now be organized strategically between players rather than assigning duties. You can, however, do just that and assign a vast range of tactics to a character not being controlled by a human. However much depth you wish to put into assigning these roles and tactics is of course up for you to decide. What seperates the combat of the Tales games like Vesperia and Symphonia from the other big RPG's is that battles take place in real time in a 3D environment, unlike the turn-based style found in other series. You control a character either in a straight line, or in free roam, and can approach enemies and use a variety of attacks and special abilities to defeat opponents. This form of battle is known as a Linear Motion Battle System, with some variance depending on the game. Characters can be assigned abilities to a button and control stick-direction, in order to pull of a special attack, known as an Arte. In both Vesperia and Symphonia, there is an Over Limit, not unlike Limit Breaks found in Final Fantasy, that can be built up via a meter and depleted to perform powerful attacks.

Let it be said that...I'm not very good at this form of combat, hehe, as those whom I played Vesperia with can attest to. I believe it to be a fascinating and highly in-depth system, however, and it gives both Vesperia and Symphonia an added layer of complexity and nuance.

Indeed, it was and still is quite a treat to be able to experience an RPG with a group of people, and have us all be engaged. Being able to play Vesperia with a group of friends, at least for a moderate period of time, was a unique endeavour, and proved to be an amusing, if befuddling, time.

Tales of Vesperia has, like many other RPG's, an extensive amount of content. There's a vast open world to explore with many impeccably designed cities to be found. Monsters are visible on the overworld, and can be directly avoided so as to not engage in combat. Like previous games, you can find ingredients in the world to use towards cooking and creating food and items to either be used or sold. Weapon abilities are gained by using certain weapons and gaining experience with them. By doing so, you unlock abilities with enough given experience, and can then swap out for another weapon with a different set of abilities, if you so chose. These level up via Skill Points, and Learning Points.

Vesperia tells the story of a world reliant on blastia, a form of energy from a long since passed civilization that powers infrastructure and protects the cities. Blastia is also used as a powerful enhancement to members of the Imperial Knights, and others who can successfully wield it. Yuri Lowell, a former Knight, investigates a missing Blastia Core and comes into contact with one Estellise, or Estelle as she is later known, and together they venture out to locate not only the Blastia Core and its theif, but also an old friend of Yuri's, Flynn. There are other characters met along the way, such as the pipe-smoking dog Repede, the mage Rita, the (annoying) young hunter Karol, and more. You will find that Vesperia has a positively substantial voice cast, with a near fully voiced game. Character interaction is one of the highlights of the adventure, and characters interact and talk with one another not only in cutscenes, but uniquely in combat, as well as in "skits," minor events that are triggered when given a prompt on the controller while exploring the overworld. These skits are delightful mini-scenes between the characters via their portraits, and it's all fully voiced! You may of course recognize the voice of Yuri as one Troy Baker, quite a popular voice actor these days!

For my first tours into the different worlds of the Tales series, I come away very impressed indeed! There is an excellent and reliable sense of presentation and production values found in these games, and I can understand why some swear by these games and their combat systems. It is very, very, anime, so take that as you will, but that art style is something to behold, let me say. There's plenty of these games around, many having been finally localized here in the West, and I'm eager to locate and play the first entry in the series, Tales of Phantasia, either on its original Super Famicom platform, or its re-release on the Game Boy Advance.

RPG Week 2014 Day One: Final Fantasy VIII

The end of 2014 is soon upon us! So, as I did last year, I intend to relate to you, the ever-so gracious reader, five RPG's that I had the utmost pleasure and excitement playing this past year. Each day until Friday, a new game, and with each comes some history about the game itself, as well as thoughts about my own experience with the game. The role-playing genre in gaming is vast and engrossing, and as you can probably tell, I love talking about some my favourite ones! Consider this all a small Christmas gift to you wonderful folk (perhaps to distract you from my lack of reviews and other such silly things, because of my fervent procrastination...ahem)! So I do hope you check in each day, and I hope you learn a little thing or two!

But of course, on to the main event!

Today's game is Final Fantasy VIII on the original PlayStation. You may or may not remember my bits on Final Fantasy IV and particularly Final Fantasy VII from last year, but this is one that was bound to happen as well! Final Fantasy VIII was released in the West on September 9th, 1999, a full two years after VII, and was the fastest selling Final Fantasy game until only recently. As I hope I mentioned before, each Final Fantasy game, save for ones with a distinct "-2" in their title, are stand-alone entries with varying differences in core mechanics. Meaning, each game is it's own self contained story with its own gameplay focus. Yoshinori Kitase was once again given the task of directing the project, as he did with the two previous entries. The development of VIII aimed for a more realistic feel graphically, compared to the aforementioned VII, and the story was ultimately a noted departure from what fans knew, with a "school-days" feel and aesthetic, compared to the medieval or technological steampunk found before. The graphics received a substantial improvement in the way of character models: now, instead of a range of different character models between the overworld and combat like in VII, each character had one, fully-scaled model used across all situations. The stunning motion cutscenes returned, as did Nobuo Uematsu as the lead composer, and he brought with him another stellar soundtrack, complete with a chart-topping single sung by Chinese singer Faye Wong, "Eyes on Me." As if it needs to be said, I'll get to the soundtrack soon...

FFVIII received substantial improvements to presentation over its predecessor, and yet, it does happen to be one of the more controversial of the Final Fantasy games (well, when you don't count XIII...or the mobile games...or some of the spin off games...or the online games...). In the case of what makes it so mixed opinion-wise, I can see it being boiled down to two prime factors: the story, and the Junction system. Final Fantasy VIII is, at the end of the day, a love story. The great ballad of Squall Leonheart, and Rinoa Heartilly. It is not solely about them, of course, Squall and Rinoa are joined by school mates Zell, a martial-artist, Selphie, an expert of the nunchaku, Quistis, a teacher at their school Balamb Garden, and Irvine, an expert marksman. Their school, Balamb Garden, trains them and their peers to become members of SeeD, an elite group of mercenaries and soldiers, who are hired out to different locations of strife in the world. Through a series of random encounters, Squall meets Rinoa on a mission, and the two begin a relationship that encapsulates much of their respective motivations, and which further story events revolve around. The group also must contend with and learn about visions of a man named Laguna, who as it happens, has some relationship issues of his own.

The Final Fantasy games have always had romantic sub-plots, but to make an entire story revolve around one? It is unusual, especially for long-time fans. I'm sure it divides the fan base on whether or not they like the story...but for myself? I actually quite liked it! It was different, I'll give it that, but it was also not as strange or as thin as I was led to believe. Indeed, there are also plenty of other stories and sub-plots to be found in FFVIII that make it feel like like a familiar title. Squall is certainly a moody protagonist, but he's a character that I felt had some progression, even if it was more subtle. I won't spoil so much of the plot, but let it still be said that there were some great parts that had little to do with either Squall or Rinoa. In fact, the story of Laguna in particular might even be as good if not better than Squall's and Rinoa's! My one issue, however, is that the other supporting characters do not receive as much attention and backstory as I felt they should. That's a huge change of focus from other games, where other party members or characters usually receive a whole section of the game dedicated to their backstory. Those parts are still here, mind, but they're somewhat...lessened, mostly for the focus to be on Squall and Rinoa.

Now the Junction system, yes...a fascinating mechanic.

The Junction system is the "big deal" about the gameplay, which otherwise is quite similar to VII's, in that you have a party of three attack via the Active Time Battle system, with Limit Breaks also returning. The Junction system functions by allowing players to "equip" entities known as Guardian Forces, which are VIII's version of the famous "summons" the series is known for. GF's, like for example Ifrit or Shiva, grant either spells or abilities for the character, while also improving (or diminishing) stats, as well as being able to summon the GF itself. This extends to the use of magic, which also saw a significant change. Magic power/mana is gone, and is replaced by instead stocking different spells individually, acquiring them by "drawing" from different enemies. Basically, any character can use any spell, as long as they have the "Magic" ability from a GF, and any quantity of the spell in question, up to a maximum of 100.

It is, indeed, one of the most unique systems in Final Fantasy, and really any other RPG. It is also, however, one of the most confusing. Trying to learn the best combinations of spells and GF's, as well as constantly switching out certain combinations with different team members, is not only time consuming, but also heavily based on trial and error. That being said, I found it to be an extremely empowering system once I gathered more GF's later in the game, and the battle system is altogether quite excellent. As I said, Limit Breaks are back, and are once again wonderful. They are now randomly received at low health, can select from more than one depending on a character's given weapon, and now have a level of interactivity via timed button presses.

Time to talk about the soundtrack?

Time to talk about the soundtrack.

It's fantastic. It's amazing.

It might also be, in my opinion, one of the best in RPG history. In fact for a lot of people, it was better than the actual game! The hit single "Eyes on Me" is played throughout the game at various parts, and is a great companion piece. But the other incredibly popular theme from the game is the opening cinematic's score: "Liberi Fatali". Damn. There's "Don't Be Afraid," "Force Your Way," and "Maybe I'm A Lion." And oh man, come on, "The Man With the Machine Gun!" Uematsu, at the top of his game! Pure, orchestrated, good times.

Final Fantasy VIII, like VII, is a fairly sizable RPG, with my own total time around 60 or so hours. It follows the usual fair, with a vast world to gradually explore, as well as numerous side activities and quests. One of these is Triple Triad, which is a unique card game that you can play against various people throughout the game world. It's a surprisingly in-depth and elaborate game within a game, involving card-collecting that can also translate into the rest of the game by using certain GF abilities. Bit of a learning curve, but quite cool!

The world itself has some great designs, especially a certain late-game city. The cities and locales are quite extravagant, and still have that...well, that PlayStation feel of pre-rendered backdrops. Haha it's a bit silly, really, but I still think its an aesthetic that looks both unique and memorable! I do think FFVIII has aged a little better than VII, if only because of the character models, but those backgrounds (in both games) are intriguing to me on both a visual and graphical level. The way the game transitions between cutscenes and the game world is fun, if a bit rudimentary, in its own right.

I have a personal story about this game, actually. I'll preface this by saying that the events did occur rather late in the game, although I won't spoil much. At a certain point in the game, you gain opportunities to explore the ocean, and you may explore an off-shore platform in a corner of the map. This facility houses several floors, before extending to a massive underground cavern, that goes deeper beneath the surface. It is within this facility and cavern that you may face multiple enemies, some of which give you powerful Guardian Forces, items and magic spells. Save points are rare, so if you decide to brave the depths, you must be prepared. The prize(s) you can receive by defeating the boss at the end, however, make it very much worthwhile. After entering the facility, you must immediately face a boss, which I did. I was successful, so I left to save, and returned to proceed below. Within the facility, you must use units of energy to power up the various ways leading you the bottom. However, you are only given a set amount of units, and you need a minimum to face the end boss. After facing several more random enemy encounters, I reached a point where I had the opportunity to preserve some of my units involving a party member, Zell, smashing a jammed door. Thinking I'd need all the units I could get, I chose to do so. The door led deeper into the caverns, so I thought it would be a good idea to go and save the game, so I went back to the save point and overwrote the current save slot.

This would prove to be a significant mistake.

I returned to the entrance I had just opened, and proceeded down. Not two steps did I take before I was thrust into what I thought was a random enemy encounter. The encounter was against a set of enemies of which were not terribly difficult, but were time consuming to take out, and could leave annoying status effects on my party. Tough luck, I thought. I finished the battle, and took a few more steps before encountering another battle. I uttered a bad word. Battle complete, I continued down the steps. Just then, another battle. At this point, the madness was real. This was arduous, and ridiculous. I had barely moved around. What the hell was going on? I consulted a handy wiki to make sense of this crap, and was horrified to find out what I had done. By having Zell smash the door, I unknowingly changed the way monsters would appear in the cavern. Essentially, unlike the random encounters I faced every little while above the surface, every battle below here was scripted, and had to happen. And these scripted battles occurred almost immediately after one another, after I took several steps in-game. This was not a good situation, as I feared how long it would take to reach the bottom. And to seal my fate, I realized I had overwritten the save file that could have prevented this. The other save file I had? It was 20 hours previous. Not gonna replay all of that.

Well...shit.

I decided to do it. To commit. To brave the struggle and fight my way to the bottom.

It took me one hour. One hour to reach the bottom. If I had no enemy encounters, it could have taken me a couple of minutes to reach the bottom. But with all the scripted encounters? One hour. Oh, but we're not done.

At the bottom, there was no save point. At least, there was none I could activate. So this was it. Balls to the wall. All or nothing. This was where the fruits of my labour would be made apparent. The end boss is a creature known as Ultima Weapon. Yes, that is the name. It's a behemoth. It is an optional boss. And it is, I think, as difficult if not more so then the final boss of the entire game. Using the "Draw" command, a party member can extract from Ultima Weapon the single most insane, dramatic and powerful Guardian Force in the entire game, Eden. When I say powerful, I mean, freaking powerful. Seriously, watch that video.

The battle begins. I immediately lose party members left and right, and am only saved by some quick healing and resurrection. I felt like it would be a long process of slowly widdling away at the boss's health, all while making sure I can heal/resurrect party members. Ultima Weapon has an occasional attack that effectively decimates every party member, pretty much guaranteeing a death. The Limit Breaks are a saving grace to be sure.

But...he got me.
I lost the battle.
It had barely just begun.
In one gigantic attack, I lost everybody at once.
Game Over.

That was a defeat of the most enraging variety.
I was not going to give up, however, so I regrouped and moved around some Junctions, making some adjustments. I decided to immediately try again. Another hour, spent getting to the bottom.
A slightly easier trek, I must admit, since I had went and gained a few levels outside the facility before trying again. I also got a bit smarter with the Junctions, so that assuredly would have helped. I had a new strategy this time, focusing on different party members and different abilities. I proclaimed I would not lose again.

I do battle with Ultima Weapon once more. This battle is drawn out tremendously. Many close calls, but I was able to resurrect quickly, and keep some members with limit breaks. I did not have the other best Guardian Forces at the time, nor did I have other powerful spells, but I did have one thing: Squall's best weapon, Lion Heart. It allows for the best limit break, next to maybe Rinoa's, and can be a force to reckoned with when used after various effect spells...something I neglected the first time. It wasn't an easy battle, but between Speed, Limit Breaks, and some lucky heals...

I beat him.
I defeated Ultima Weapon.
Victory was mine...

That is, until I realized I had made a crucial error, and had forgotten to draw Eden from Ultima Weapon. I...was not happy. Not at all. I shut the game off for the day, and walked away. Of course, the next day, I had to try again. And so I did.

Everything I said previous? It applies once more. An entire hour of my day, dedicated to getting to the bottom, with no save points in between.

Yet again, the rumble calls to battle between myself and Ultima Weapon. Another hour spent getting here. I had won before, and I knew what to do. One close call at the beginning was not enough to deter me. Of course, I had not forgotten to draw Eden, and I did so at a cost of a turn, and a near death. Yet, I came back. And I let loose all hell on Ultima Weapon. And as if by some sheer poetic justice, I finished off Ultima Weapon for a SECOND TIME with Squall's limit break, Lion Heart. It was utterly, utterly epic. With the final swing of his limit break, Ultima Weapon was no more.

I had won.

And I had Eden.

That...was immensely satisfying.

I don't know if the other entries this week will take this long to read (or write, haha), but I hope you liked the story here. So...Final Fantasy VIII? I think it is profoundly underrated. An excellent game, that is perhaps overshadowed by its other fellow PlayStation entries. However, yes, I understand why this game has seen so much division over the last decade and a half. And yet, when I finally finished the game, it brought a wonderful sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Something I was not wholly expecting, I will admit. I came into FFVIII with some middling expectation, but I found a quite surprisingly stellar game to be had instead.