Samantha Lienhard's Blog, page 140

Top 5 Anticipated Games of 2017

Yesterday I looked back on the best games I played in 2016. Now it’s time to look ahead, to the games I’m most looking forward to in 2017.

But first…

Honorable Mention: Cosmic Star Heroine

Cosmic Star Heroine made it on my list of most-anticipated games for 2015 and 2016.

According to the developers, it is almost finished, although it couldn’t make its 2016 goal. Since it’s so close, I’m sure we’ll finally get to play it in 2017… but since it currently doesn’t have an official release date, I’m not counting it on the list this year.

Nevertheless, Cosmic Star Heroine still looks fantastic, and I can’t wait to play it.

Now, onward to my top 5 anticipated games of 2017!

5. Yooka-Laylee

Yooka-Laylee was one of my most-anticipated games of 2016, but it was delayed. My preferred version, for the Wii U, was also cancelled. But regardless of that, it looks like what modern Banjo-Kazooie would be, which is awesome.

Everything about it screams Banjo-Kazooie. It’ll be a welcome blast from the past, and it looks beautiful, too! I can’t wait to play it.

4. Tales of Berseria

Maybe I should be a little more wary of the next tales game after my disappointment with Zestiria, but from everything I’ve heard, Tales of Berseria will make up for it. People who played the Japanese version say it’s much better than Zestiria, and many say it’s the best Tales game since Vesperia.

That means many people like it more than Xillia, which I loved a lot for Gaius its characters and humor.

There has been a bit of chaos surrounding its censorship of one scene, but it doesn’t bother me and I’m interested to see where Velvet’s journey for revenge will take her. I’m also curious if it can patch up some of Zestiria’s worldbuilding issues, since they’re set in the same universe.

I won’t play Berseria immediately, since it comes out on the same day as another certain game… but it’s still one of my most-anticipated games of the year.

3. Finding Paradise

To the Moon is one of my favorite games. Some moments made me laugh out loud, and one part made me cry. The sequel, Finding Paradise, should be out this summer.

Another, smaller game called “A Bird Story” sets up Finding Paradise, and the free holiday mini-episodes for To the Moon imply interesting things ahead.

Will Finding Paradise be as emotional and exciting as To the Moon? We should know this year.

2. Muv-Luv Alternative

I finished Muv-Luv (Extra and Unlimited) on the last day of 2016, and I’m excited to play the sequel. Muv-Luv Alternative is considered one of the best visual novels ever and is ranked #1 on the Visual Novel Database.

(It also was the inspiration for Attack on Titan.)

More importantly, the ending of Unlimited left me curious about where the story will go from here.

The team originally hoped Muv-Luv Alternative’s translation would be finished in time for a winter release, but now they think it might take the entire winter. A little disappointing, yes, but it’s understandable. Apparently it has as much as 70 hours worth of content. That’s a lot of text to translate!

My review of Muv-Luv Extra and Muv-Luv Unlimited will be ready soon.

Now, what game has me more excited than even the top-rated visual novel of all time? It shouldn’t be much of a surprise…

1. Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

Kingdom Hearts 2.8 was my most-anticipated game last year, and its delay to January means it’s my most-anticipated game this year, too. Every trailer has made me ridiculously excited.

It’s a compilation of three things:

Dream Drop Distance HD
0.2 Birth By Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage
χ Back Cover

(If you’re confused about the Kingdom Hearts game order, I’ve written a guide here.)

I can’t decide which part I’m most excited for. Dream Drop Distance, the final game I need to play to be caught up on the series? A Fragmentary Passage, the game that follows Aqua after the events of Birth By Sleep? χ Back Cover, the movie focused on the Foretellers during the time leading up to the Keyblade War?

All three have plot points I’m dying to see, and that’s what makes Kingdom Hearts 2.8 the game I’m looking forward to the most in 2017.

These are my most anticipated games of 2017. What are yours?

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Top 5 Games I Played in 2016

2016 is almost over.

Earlier this year, I swore to complete at least 30 games from my backlog.

I did. In fact, I beat more than 30 games. Some were great, others were not-so-great. Let’s talk about the best of the best.

But first…

Honorable Mentions

I’d like to name three games as honorable mentions this year. First, Nelly Cootalot: The Fowl Fleet, which I reviewed for MonsterVine, is a hilarious adventure game I adored.

Second, Muv-Luv, which I just finished and will review soon, is an enjoyable visual novel that left me looking forward to the final (and, by all accounts, fantastic) part, Muv-Luv Alternative. Alternative is due out next year.

Finally, World of Final Fantasy deserves a mention because it would have won a spot on this list if I’d finished it yet. I thought I was nearing the end the other day, but it’s not over yet. I’m still loving every minute of it.

That’s it for the honorable mentions, so here we go: the best of the best, the top five games I played in 2016.

5. Xenoblade Chronicles X

Probably the most divisive of the games on this list, Xenoblade Chronicles X is exactly the sort of game I should consider lackluster: it has a fully open world and is driven more by exploration than its story. I dislike open worlds and play RPGs for their stories.

Yet Xenoblade Chronicles X won me over. As I explained in my review, it managed its open world in such away that I enjoyed it. After all the exploration was a key part of the plot.

And while the story might have been the strongest by RPG standards (not to mention that William Birkin bit), the worldbuilding was fantastic. I loved meeting different alien races and watching the city transform as they became our allies, and there were some really funny moments.

If you’ve avoided Xenoblade Chronicles X because of what people say about its story, but you like science fiction, you might want to reconsider. It’s really a fantastic game.

4. Kingdom Hearts 2

Kingdom Hearts won a spot on last year’s list, and when I moved on to the Kingdom Hearts 2.5 Remix, Kingdom Hearts 2 won itself a spot on the list as well.

Kingdom Hearts 2 did everything I loved from Kingdom Hearts and Re: Chain of Memories, but did it better. (Aside from the structure of the levels, since I preferred the less linear worlds in the first game.)

I love the original story content. It has original story content galore.

I loved Ansem. Xemnas is even better. (Sorry, Ansem.)

I loved Organization XIII. Turns out several of them were mad scientists.

You can check out my review for my full thoughts on Kingdom Hearts 2, but suffice it to say I would play it again in a heartbeat if not for my massive backlog.

(Except the Tron Light Cycle section. *shudder*)

3. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice

Not only is 2016 the year in which the first Ace Attorney takes place, it also saw the release of the fantastic sixth entry in the series, Spirit of Justice.

Available only from the Nintendo eShop, Spirit of Justice divides its time between Phoenix Wright in the distant Kingdom of Khura’in and Apollo Justice back at the home office. While jumping back and forth between protagonists could be tricky, it handles it well and delivers both a compelling story and several interesting cases.

For me, its story and humor fell short of Dual Destinies, but it had several welcome gameplay improvements. Take a look at my review, and then head to the eShop to buy Spirit of Justice.

(Come on, Capcom, let me have a localized Great Ace Attorney on my list next year! …Or Investigations 2.)

2. Steins;Gate

Steins;Gate is one of those games that makes it difficult to talk about how awesome it is without spoilers, but the praise I showered upon it in my review should have made its presence on this list a foregone conclusion.

I enjoyed it from the start. The protagonist was a nut who considered himself a mad scientist, the supporting cast was entertaining, and it was an enjoyable little story.

Then I reached that moment. If you’ve played, you know the moment I mean.

From then on, I remained glued to my Vita until I reached my first ending, and I immediately wanted to see the other endings after that. And when I finally reached the true ending, well… all I can say is that the pay-off was worth the work needed to get there.

Steins;Gate is brilliantly written. It’s emotional. Intense. Fantastic. It could easily have claimed the top spot on this list…

Except…

Here we go, the #1 game I played in 2016…

1. Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep

Basically, this guy stole the top spot from Steins;Gate.

Anyone who has spoken to me since I finished… or perhaps since I started Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep could probably have predicted this one.

It was the next step in my journey through the Kingdom Hearts 2.5 Remix, and it quickly became my favorite Kingdom Hearts game.

Everything about Birth By Sleep made it a delight to play: the story, the characters, the gameplay, the mini-games (and by that I really mean the Command Board; if Square Enix wants to turn mini-games into mobile games, why haven’t they released a standalone Command Board game?)…

And of all those things, the story stands out the most. I especially enjoyed Terra’s story. While I got my share of laughs out of Terra trusting Disney villains, I’ll also defend him for that. He’s not stupid, and he’s a good character.

…but of course, I love my villains, so the standout character of Birth By Sleep was Master Xehanort. It took me 75 hours to beat Birth By Sleep, and I would have happily played another 75 hours of Master Xehanort manipulating people and ranting about darkness.

If you’re a Kingdom Hearts fan, you need to play Birth By Sleep. (If you’ve only played the numbered titles and plan to go into Kingdom Hearts 3 without knowing who the sinister gentleman pictured above is, you really need to play Birth By Sleep.)

Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep was the most fun I’ve had with the Kingdom Hearts series so far, and it was the most fun I’ve had with any game in 2016.

Conclusion

Xenoblade Chronicles X, Kingdom Hearts 2, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice, Steins;Gate, and Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep are the five best games I played in 2016.

What are yours?

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Will Dragon Quest XI (PS4) Have Turn-Based or Action Combat?

Dragon Quest XI, due out for the PS4 and 3DS (and the Switch, although we haven’t seen that version yet), looks like it will be a fantastic JRPG.

However, it’s prompted many questions about whether the PS4 version will take the path of many modern JRPG series and favor action combat over turn-based.

The 3DS version of Dragon Quest XI is definitely turn-based. There’s no doubt about that. The PS4 version, however, leaves some room for doubt.

When I see the above screenshot, I see turn-based combat. The enemies are lined up, the party members are lined up, and there’s a menu.

However, some fans have said the UI present in the PS4 combat screenshot is identical to that of Dragon Quest X, the MMORPG. Dragon Quest X’s combat system is a mix of turn-based and action: you take turns, but you can move freely during your turn and turns are determined by a variation of the ATB system.

Today, Square Enix showed a tiny glimpse of Dragon Quest XI PS4 combat… but it didn’t clear anything up.

Note the sharp cut to the battle footage. We don’t get to see the transition from the protagonist running through the field to attacking the monsters.

Support for turn-based combat:

The protagonist runs forward and performs a single attack.
The second enemy immediately jumps forward before it flees, as though it’s your next target and it uses its turn to run.
The enemy disappears when it flees, suggesting that it isn’t a seamless encounter out on the field.

Support for action combat:

There is no visible menu. (Note, since we’ve already seen a combat menu for the PS4, the UI might just be removed from this specific footage.)
The protagonist doesn’t move back to his original position after attacking.

So both sides have good arguments to make.

It’s also possible that we’re seeing a turn-based combat system where your position matters, like in I Am Setsuna or Trails of Cold Steel (from what I’ve heard).

What do you think? Will Dragon Quest XI on the PS4 have turn-based combat, action combat, or a blend like in Dragon Quest X? Whatever the answer is, I hope Square Enix presents a clear explanation soon.

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Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days: Worth Playing (Even if You’ve Seen the Movie)

Although I’d already watched the movie included in the Kingdom Hearts 1.5 Remix, I decided to play through the actual Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days myself.

I’m glad I did. Although the movie covers all the major plot points, it skips some important scenes, as well as a lot of character interactions that helped me connect more to the plot.

In fact, although the movie got me a little teary-eyed, the emotional impact was much stronger when I played the game myself.

358/2 Days tells the story of Roxas’s time in Organization XIII and his friendship with Axel, and the fourteenth member, Xion.

Its gameplay is similar to that of Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, with one major difference. Your weapon, spells, items, skills, and even levels and inventory space all must be equipped through a panel system. As you progress, you unlock more panel slots.

Panels come in different shapes, and more powerful ones take up more room, which forces you to manage your panels carefully to take what you want into battle. It’s similar to the inventory system in Resident Evil 4 or the way you equip powers in Kid Icarus: Uprising.

I actually really liked the panel system! It’s the sort of inventory management I find fun, unlike what another certain game did.

The other major difference from the rest of the series is that the passage of time is measured through days, and you take on a new mission each day. Sometimes you only have one, while other days give you a list of missions to pick from. Some advance the story, but others are optional.

You can do all of them if you want, but you can skip the optional ones and continue the story if you prefer. All missions can be replayed at any time.

Unfortunately, the missions can get a little repetitive and tedious. A handful of gameplay quirks bugged me, as well:

Most missions let you choose whether to RTC (return to the castle) after you complete your objective, so you can continue to search for treasure chests and such. A few do not, and don’t warn you beforehand.
Some Heartless disappear once they get too far from their starting point. Very annoying if you almost defeated them, because they have full health when they reappear.
There are a few annoying stealth sections. (This might not count, since I just dislike stealth.)

But I mainly play these games for their stories and characters, and that’s where 358/2 Days won me over. Although I would have liked to see more of certain Organization members, the game is filled with entertaining character interactions and funny moments.

On second thought, is this funny or terrifying?

The plot itself is divisive. Some fans love it. Others hate it. I enjoyed it. It’s very different from other Kingdom Hearts plots, but I like its sense of mystery… and the foreboding atmosphere as the story draws closer to its inescapable conclusion.

One of the best parts is being able to talk to members of the Organization each day in the Grey Area before you get your missions. Not only does this provide opportunities for funny dialogue and help with characterization, it also builds up the atmosphere.

(On a side note, if 358/2 Days ever gets a remake, I want to be able to explore the castle as a full hub area.)

Talking to the other members in the Grey Area gives the castle a homey feeling… which makes it that much more uncomfortable when things go bad.

And that brings me to a common criticism I’d like to address.

Click for major 358/2 Days spoilersI’ve seen a lot of people criticize the plot for having Roxas leave the Organization because of a girl. Is that really what he did?

Xemnas ordered Axel to bring Xion back in any condition, as long as she was still functional. The loudest objection came from Xaldin… who thought she should be destroyed instead.

Roxas realized the other members of the Organization would use or destroy Xion without a second thought. They didn’t view her as a person, and he had to remember the earlier incidents: everyone’s confusion over why he was upset when he thought Axel was dead, and Saix’s scorn over his concern for Xion when she was unconscious.

If they killed Xion, they’d wonder why he was upset. And most wouldn’t feel any worse if he was the one to be destroyed instead.

(He even has PROOF of how little he matters to them, since Saix set up a trap earlier intending for either him or Xion to kill the other.)

After the truth about Xion is revealed, Roxas becomes disillusioned with the Organization. On one mission, he questions why the Organization’s goals even matter to him. He wonders why he still returns to the castle when there’s no one there who cares about him.

Later, he starts questioning if he’s even human, or if he’s a Replica like Xion. If the Organization lied about her, they could have lied about anything.

When Axel refuses to tell him his origins, that just emphasizes to him that he can’t trust anyone, not even Axel. And it makes him feel even more that no one in the Organization cares about him.

Roxas didn’t leave Organization XIII “because of a girl.” He left because their treatment of that girl made him realize that they were cold, manipulative liars who would use him as a tool and discard him when he was no longer useful.

Thanks to the character interactions, I felt the transformation, and that made it much easier to empathize with Roxas’s motivations than from the movie alone.

The Disney worlds also contribute to the plot in thematic ways, particularly as Roxas learns more about friendship. And of course, there’s the conversation between him and Xion about how the Beast defends his own castle, but if someone attacked the Castle That Never Was, they’d be the ones to fight, not Xemnas.

(Also, it’s impressive that although DiZ only has a handful of lines in the entire game, he uses each of those lines to make himself as unlikable as possible.)

And although most fans say Birth By Sleep is the darkest Kingdom Hearts game, I think 358/2 Days is. Sure, the early parts are lighthearted… but it takes the disturbing themes from Roxas’s prologue in Kingdom Hearts 2 and makes them ten times stronger.

Now, I haven’t said much about Mission Mode, where you can play as any Organization member, and that’s because I played only a little of it. It was fun trying out the different characters, but I didn’t enjoy it enough to keep playing through missions as them.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days isn’t a perfect game, but it was enjoyable. I had fun with it, and I’m glad I decided to play through it myself.

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A Free Holiday Story for Christmas

Merry Christmas!

This year, I wrote a special short story featuring characters from one of my novels. They’re from my NaNoWriMo novel, so the worldbuilding isn’t quite settled yet… but for now, I’ve created a Christmas-like holiday for my characters to celebrate.

Enjoy!

Elliot sat alone in his room and paged through his newest book. The old, thin tome recounted the adventures of a family stranded in the wilderness. It wasn’t his usual sort of book, but it sounded interesting. Besides, Malachi was busy preparing for an advanced combat test. With nothing else to do on the weekend, Elliot might as well read.

Partway through the book, the family discussed whether or not they could still celebrate Tavasday despite their misfortune.

He frowned at the word. “Tavasday… Tava’s… day?”

If it had something to do with Tava, then Malachi probably celebrated it. He read a little further, but the book didn’t go into much detail about this Tavasday. The characters exchanged gifts and wished one another a Happy Tavasday, and then the story moved on.

Not good enough. A mysterious Tava holiday that involved presents? After everything Malachi did for him, he had to learn more.

Elliot closed the book and raced back to the library.

#

Two hours later, he sat in his room with a stack of books, from fiction to encyclopedias and even a songbook. Most only contained short references to Tavasday, but it was enough to give him a better picture of the holiday. Sort of.

He took notes as he went, until he had a nice list of everything he knew about Tavasday. It seemed to involve Tava, presents, a costume, and lots of bells.

More importantly, the book he currently scoured for details described it as a religious holiday celebrated by followers of Tava… tomorrow?

Elliot jumped up. If he wanted to surprise Malachi with a Tavasday celebration, he didn’t have much time!

#

Elliot walked into a small shop he’d never been in before. It was supposed to sell holiday supplies. He looked around at all the shelves in confusion, and then walked between them to the desk at the front. “Excuse me…”

The clerk straightened and offered him a kind smile. “Hello, dear. Are you here with your parents?”

Elliot blushed and tried to stand taller. “No…” He held up his coin purse to make it more obvious he was a customer. “I’m looking for stuff for Tavasday.”

“Oh! A gift for someone?”

“No, right now I need stuff to celebrate with.” He knew what to buy Malachi, that was the easy part. But getting the holiday’s tone and trappings right could be tricky.

“Follow me.” She stepped out from behind the desk and led him to a shelf near the back. “Here are our Tavasday decorations.”

The display made him dizzy. Glittering garlands, boxes of bells, colorful objects neatly packaged and stacked… Then there were the plants, mainly clusters of green leaves with red berries, clusters of green leaves with white berries, and large red flowers.

“I’ll take one of each!”

The clerk’s eyebrows flew up.

He coughed and rubbed the back of his neck. Maybe that was too much. And he probably didn’t have enough money for everything. “I mean… I’ll take one of these.” A plant. “And one of these.” A string of gold garland. “And one of these.” Another plant. “Hmm, two of these.” The colorful metal objects looked important. “And twenty of these!”

Elliot gathered as many of the bells as he could into his arms and turned to the clerk with a smile.

She looked a bit astounded. “Planning a big Tavasday celebration, are you?”

He nodded.

“In that case, are you sure you don’t need more garland?”

More garland? He hadn’t quite figured out the purpose of the garland, but he couldn’t imagine he’d need more than one string. “No, this is good.”

“Well, all right…”

She helped him carry everything to the counter, and he paid for it. Then he closed his eyes and concentrated—he didn’t show off with magic often, but he didn’t want her to think of him as a poor little boy struggling to carry it all—and crystalized the air between his hands.

With a little effort, he created a tray of ice. It was cold against his skin, but mages usually had extra resilience to any elements they specialized in. He piled his purchases onto the tray and smiled.

“Thank you again!”

“Any time. And have a Happy Tavasday!”

#

After two more trips into the city, he had almost everything he needed. Elliot stood in his room and frowned at his assortment of treasures. Aside from the wrapped present, it was one big mystery.

Someone knocked.

He jumped. “Who is it?”

“It’s me,” Malachi said from the other side. “I’m done.”

Oh no. One look at the bells, and the surprise would be ruined. Elliot stared at the door. Maybe if he stayed silent, Malachi would think he wasn’t there. Except he’d already said something. He could say he felt sick? No, then Malachi would worry.

“El?”

“Just a minute! I’m, uh…” He looked around desperately for a place to hide everything. “I’m… getting dressed.”

He dashed to the wardrobe. No good, it was full of clothes. Under the bed? With his luck, Malachi would drop something and have to crawl around on the floor. Elliot shifted from foot to foot. Some of those books talked about Tava’s blessing coming at dawn, so he didn’t have much time to spare, either.

There was only one solution. He threw open the door, dashed into the hall, and closed it behind him before his friend could see inside.

Malachi frowned. “Everything okay?”

“Oh yes, fine!” Elliot stood between him and the closed door and smiled as though this was a perfectly natural interaction.

“Is something wrong in your room?”

He shook his head and continued to smile. “I thought it would be nice to talk out here for a change!”

Malachi glanced around the hallway. “Uh…”

“Also, I’ve been busy studying.”

“Need any help?”

“No!” He blushed and lowered his voice. “I mean, it’s magic. I need to study my magic. And it takes a lot of concentration.”

Malachi’s shoulders slumped. “I see.”

From his tone, he didn’t see at all. To him, it had to sound like exactly what happened when they first met. “We’ll hang out tomorrow!”

“But… not today.”

“Right.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Funny, huh? You were busy earlier, and now it’s my turn.”

“Well, when you take a break to eat, we could—”

“Not today.”

“You’re too busy to eat?”

“I—”

The door next to his flew open and hit the wall with a loud thud. Myra stuck her head into the hall. “Can’t you take a hint, Malachi? He’s made it pretty clear he wants you to go away.”

Malachi scowled. “Fine.”

“Wait,” Elliot said, “I didn’t mean—”

“See you tomorrow.” He hurried down the hallway back toward the other wing.

Elliot glared at Myra. “Thanks a lot.”

She shrugged. “Then chase after him and argue down in his hall, not here where people are trying to study.” Then she shut her door.

He sighed and retreated into his own room. Once Malachi saw his surprise tomorrow, he’d understand…

But that meant Elliot had to get it right. He stared at his pile of supplies. He needed help, and he couldn’t ask Malachi. That only left one option.

#

“So what do you need help with?” Diana asked, once Elliot closed the door to his room.

When he’d found her, he only explained the basic situation—he needed help with a surprise for Malachi—because he didn’t want to linger and risk being caught on the fourth floor. Finally, it was safe to talk.

“Okay,” he said. “Tomorrow is Tavasday. I want to give Malachi a Tavasday gift in the authentic Tavasday style.”

She tilted her head. “But I don’t know anything about Tavasday.”

“Me neither.” He sat down on the edge of his bed and gestured to his pile of books. “But I’ve been reading, and I’ve got a few things figured out. Okay, so Tavasday is about Tava.”

“Oh yes, I guessed that one right away!”

“But there’s also lots of stuff about exchanging gifts. So here’s how I’ve got it figured. Tava came to give people his blessing, so when you give someone a Tavasday gift, it symbolizes Tava giving his blessing!”

“That makes sense!” She sat beside him.

He dug through his books to find the ones focused on religion. “Now, in one of the stories, a kid was disappointed to learn that the gift-giver was just her father in a costume, so I think you’re supposed to dress up like Tava to make it more symbolic.”

Diana blinked. “You mean Tavasday parties are a bunch of people all dressed like their god? That’s weird.”

“Maybe they pick one person to be Tava or something.” He found the books and opened them to the correct pages. “Anyway, these are the most common depictions of Tava I found.”

She leaned closer to see. “That’s what you want to look like?”

“Right.” He sighed. “The only problem is the robe. See, he wears a white robe, but I couldn’t find one.” He checked the entire marketplace, too. No one sold godly white robes. Such a big city should have a robe shop.

Her eyes lit up. “I have a white dress!”

“Is it like a robe?”

“It’s made of silk and it has puffy little sleeves and flowers embroidered down the sides!”

Not quite what he needed for Tava’s robe. He sighed.

Diana jumped to her feet. “Up! Up!”

“Aah!” Elliot leaped off the bed. “What’s wrong?”

“Your bedsheet!” She clapped her hands together. “You can make a white robe out of a bedsheet!”

“Yeah!” His excitement lasted for a few seconds, and then he shook his head. “Except my sheets aren’t white.”

“What?” She threw back his blanket and gaped at the blue sheet.

“Ugh…”

She folded her arms. “I have wonderful, luxurious white sheets. One of those will make the perfect Tavasday robe.”

He brightened. “Really? You don’t mind?”

“Of course I don’t. The whole idea sounds charming.”

“Thanks!” He sat down again.

She narrowed her eyes.

“What?”

“I am not dragging a sheet down here before I know if you’ll approve it. You’re coming with me.”

#

The sheet was perfect, possibly a little larger than he needed, but that gave them more cloth to work with. Elliot bounced with each step as he carried the sheet down the stairs after Diana. This would be the greatest Tavasday surprise ever.

Once they reached the second floor and could speak safely again, he said, “So, you know how to turn a sheet into a robe?”

“What?” Diana frowned. “Of course not.”

“You don’t?”

“Why would I?”

“It was your idea!” They stopped in front of his door, and he groaned. “You know what? I bet Malachi could do it.”

Malachi’s voice came from the other end of the hall. “Malachi could do what?”

“Agh!” Elliot hid the sheet behind his back and turned to face his approaching friend. “W-what are you doing here?”

“I was on my way downstairs for dinner when I heard my name.”

He laughed nervously. “Oh, we were just saying that you could… um…”

Diana smiled. “He was telling me about how you… uh…”

“That thing you did the other day!” Elliot nodded rapidly. “Remember when you deflected my magic with your daggers? I told her about it, and she wants to see it.”

“I do?” She blinked. “I do.”

Malachi ran a hand through his hair. “O…kay… we can do it again…”

“No,” Elliot said, “she wants to see you do it against her magic.”

“She does?”

Diana bobbed her head in a quick nod. “I’d love to.” She looped her arm through Malachi’s. “Shall we? Is this all right?”

“Um. Sure?” He glanced at Elliot.

“I’m still busy.”

“Oh…”

Once Diana got Malachi out of sight, Elliot retreated into his room and let out a long breath. That was a close one, far too close.

Inside, he spread out the sheet. Turn it into a robe. This shouldn’t be difficult. He looked at his pictures of Tava. He looked at the sheet. He closed his eyes and imagined people wearing robes.

Right. Nothing to it. But first, that special Tavasday touch.

#

Diana still wasn’t back. While she was gone, Elliot transformed the sheet into a Tavasday costume by sewing his collection of bells onto it. He also had a set of jingle bells attached to a stick, but he’d carry that.

Once he attached all the bells, he wrapped the sheet around himself. At first, he only got it to cover one shoulder, but since it was so long, he managed to twist the other side up around his back to cover his other arm as well.

That left him with a problem.

While he stood puzzling over his robe, a knock came at the door. “It’s me,” Diana said. “Don’t worry, I’m alone.”

Finally. He opened the door and she swept inside. “What took you so long?”

“After Malachi’s demonstration, I ate dinner. I’m sorry.”

He shook his head. “Well, here’s how far I got. But the sleeves are way too baggy, and I’m pretty sure it could fall off at any minute.”

“Didn’t your research tell you how to make the costume?”

“No, the stories assumed you knew what it looked like. I… Wait a minute!” He grinned. “That’s it! That must be what the garland is for!”

“Oh?” Diana picked up the glittering string of golden garland. “So we use this to tie your robe?”

“Yeah!”

Together, they fastened the garland around his waist, and then tied his right sleeve so it wouldn’t billow when he moved. From there, Diana looped it across his chest to tie the other sleeve. The end result made it tricky to move his arms, but that was the price of a good costume.

Elliot sat on the edge of the bed and looked at the rest of his supplies. He picked up one of the colored objects, a shiny red ball. “What do you suppose these are for?”

“They look like earrings to me.”

He clapped his hands over his ears before she tried anything. “N-never mind!” Not only would he have to stab bits of metal through his ears, but they also looked heavy. Malachi would understand him not going that far.

“Are we done, then?” she asked.

“Well, I got all these Tavasday plants, but I don’t know what to do with them.”

Diana picked up a cluster of green leaves with red berries. Then she let out a delighted laugh. “Do you remember my fourteenth birthday, when Father wove me a holly crown?”

“Yeah.” A pang of sadness struck him. He’d asked why he never wore a crown on his birthday, and Lord Andress promised to make him one when he turned fourteen. One more thing that would never happen…

If Diana noticed his change in mood, she didn’t comment on it. “This is holly. It must be for a crown.”

“Oh yeah!” The revelation cleared away his gloom. “Kings wear crowns, and gods are like super kings, and Tava’s also about life and stuff, so I’m probably supposed to wear a crown made of plants!”

“And this,” she said, “I know how to do.”

She gathered up his collection of Tavasday greenery and wove it together into a beautiful crown. Then she handed it to him, and he put it on.

It slid down onto his forehead. He pushed it back into place, but it only slid down the back instead.

“Now what?” he asked.

She studied him with pursed lips. Then she lifted the crown from his head and began to undo it.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

“I think we should weave your hair into the crown,” she asked. “Your hair is long enough, and then it won’t fall off.”

“That’s a great idea!”

#

“Well?” Elliot stood up carefully. The robe was tied to his body with garland, bells jingled and jangle with every movement, and the holly wreath was woven into his hair so well he couldn’t shake it free if he wanted to. “How do I look?”

Diana clapped her hands together and laughed. “Oh Elliot, you’re adorable!”

Heat rushed to his face. “I’m not supposed to look cute, I’m supposed to look godly. Do I look like Tava?”

“Yes.” She giggled. “The most adorable little Tava ever!”

He groaned. At least it was something.

“It’s getting late,” she said. “I should leave soon.”

“That’s okay. All I need to do now is wait for dawn.”

She blinked. “Why?”

“I found a few different references to Tava coming at dawn. It sounded important.”

“You’re going to sit around in your costume the whole time? Shouldn’t you take it off to sleep, and put it on again when you’re ready to go?”

Elliot glanced down at his costume. “I… don’t think that’s possible.”

#

At last, dawn on Tavasday!

Elliot felt stiff after sitting up all night in his costume, but it was worth it. With his present in one hand and his stick of jingle bells in the other, he snuck into the hall. Due to Myra’s ill temper the previous day, he tried to make as little noise as possible. Not an easy task with all the bells attached to him.

He jingled his way down the hall, past the landing, and into the other wing. Then he walked to Malachi’s door, took a deep breath, and shook the bells as hard as he could.

After a moment, the door opened. Malachi blinked at him with a wild-eyed expression, clad in shorts and a shirt and looking as though he leaped straight out of bed to see what the noise was.

“Surprise!”

The door slowly swung shut.

What? No, that wasn’t how it worked. He rang his bells more insistently.

Malachi opened the door again and stared at him.

“Surprise! Happy Tavasday!”

His friend rubbed his face and blinked. “So I didn’t imagine it the first time.”

Apparently, he was still half asleep and didn’t quite figure it out yet. Elliot rang the bells again and held out his present. “I said, Happy Tavasday!”

Malachi accepted the gift with a dazed expression. “Thank you… Wait, is this why you were acting so weird all day?”

“Yep!” He grinned. “I learned about Tavasday, and I wanted to surprise you. Are you surprised?”

“Very.”

He jumped up and down in glee, which shook all of the bells on his costume.

“So,” his friend said when the ringing quieted, “you’re… dressed up. Is this a tradition here? What are you supposed to be?”

Elliot stared at him. “I’m Tava!”

Malachi made a choked sound. Then he retreated into his room and burst out laughing.

“Hey!” Elliot ran after him, jingling with every step, and whacked him on the shoulder with his bells.

“Ow!”

“Don’t laugh! This took a lot of work, you know!”

Malachi looked at him and his lips twitched. “El, you’re a treasure.”

That… sounded like a compliment, if an odd one. “Thanks?”

“Here.” He picked up something from his desk and held it out. It was a wrapped present.

“For me?”

“Happy Tavasday.”

Elliot accepted it, but didn’t open it. “You first.”

Still inexplicably amused, Malachi unwrapped his present to reveal the leather dagger sheaths Elliot bought for him in the city. “Thanks!” He grinned. “Now I can look dangerous and cool.”

It wasn’t in his best interest to look dangerous, but Elliot didn’t comment. If he did, it would take time, and he’d have to wait even longer to open his present. It felt like a book.

“Your turn.”

He tore off the wrapping paper as quickly as possible and uncovered a thin book about the viability of traveling into space.

“I know fiction is your favorite,” Malachi said, “but since you—”

“It’s the best!” He clutched the book tightly and jumped up and down, which set off another round of jingling. “Thank you!”

“You like it?”

“I love it!”

“I’m glad.” Malachi took his daggers out of the plain sheaths he usually carried and slid them into the new leather ones. Then he lowered his head and wiped his eyes.

Elliot blinked. “Are you crying?”

“No. Yes.” He laughed and shook his head. “When I bought your gift, I figured you didn’t know anything about Tavasday.” His lips twitched as he glanced over the costume. “And now I have positive proof of it.”

“Hey!”

“You know, this is my first Tavasday away from my family… away from anyone who celebrates it… I thought I’d wish myself a Happy Tavasday alone and wonder if I’d ever belong here.”

Elliot lowered his head, startled by this unexpected display of emotion. His friend always seemed confident, dismissive of what other people thought. He had no idea he felt so lonely and out of place.

“But… that’s not what happened.” Malachi placed his hand on the dagger sheaths and smiled. “You learned about Tavasday, you knew it meant something to me, and you…” He looked at the costume again and shook his head with another laugh.

“I wanted to give you an authentic, traditional Tavasday celebration!”

“I’m not sure I’d call it that, but…” He wiped his eyes again. “This is the nicest Tavasday I’ve ever had.”

Embarrassed, Elliot stepped forward. “And it’s just beginning. We’ll sing, or string lights, or do anything else you do for Tavasday.”

“Thanks.”

“Let’s go!”

Malachi held up his hand. “At least let me get dressed first.”

“Oh, right. I’m afraid I don’t have any extra bells, but I could unsew—”

“No, no, that’s okay!” He held up his hands. “You keep the bells. I’ll be ready in a minute.”

“Okay.” Elliot grinned and jingled his way back out into the hall.

“Oh, and El?”

He glanced back.

“Next year, let me plan the Tavasday celebration.”

Did that mean next year’s holiday would be even better? Hard to believe, but if he had something in mind… “It’s a deal.”

Elliot couldn’t wait to see what the next Tavasday would bring.

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Kickstarter Launches for Dies Irae Localization

A new Kickstarter has begun to localize the highly-acclaimed visual novel Dies Irae.

Dies Irae is described as “an urban fantasy battle opera,” although I’ve also heard people say its tone is quite literary.

From my understanding, a secret group of men and women known as the Longinus Dreizehn Orden perform a dark ritual during Berlin’s fall in 1945. Several decades later, in the modern era, they return and start the apocalypse.

It sounds very crazy and very interesting, and people say the villains (who are… superpowered Nazi sorcerers/demons?) are one of the game’s main highlights.

The Kickstarter is to translate the game and release it on Steam in two parts. Part 1 will have Kasumi and Marie’s routes, and Part 2 will have Kei and Rea’s routes. It takes 60+ hours to go through the whole thing, so each half will be quite substantial. According to the Q&A, choices will not be altered. You can still make choices in Part 1 that relate to a route only in Part 2, even though the Part 1 routes are your only options.

It will uncensor the violent scenes that were censored in the Japanese release, and there will also be an 18+ patch released later if you’re concerned about that. Finally, they’re hoping to release a digital PS Vita version as a stretch goal.

Currently, the Kickstarter is a bit over halfway to its funding goal.

I haven’t backed it yet, because I’m a little wary of those “literary” comments. Literary fiction and I often don’t get along. On the other hand, it sounds cool and I watched (read) some of the prologue and it seemed interesting.

What are your thoughts on Dies Irae? Are you going to back its localization? And if you’ve already played it, share your thoughts on it in the comments below. Convince me!

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2016 Writing Goal Progress

Last year at this time, I was approaching the end of my Writing Popular Fiction degree. For one of our class assignments, we set writing goals for the next year.

I said that by 2017, I would:

Complete my final revisions of Penteract of Blood and have a new reader critique it.
Complete my revisions of The Nightbringer and turn it over to someone to critique.
Complete my final revisions of Agent of the Relari.
Search for an agent, both by looking for agents in my genre and by participating in events like #PitMad, for Penteract and Agent.
Have at least 3 short stories which have either been accepted or I’m actively submitting to markets.
Complete my role in at least one video game project.
Take steps to double my blog traffic.
Learn how to manage subscribers to my blog.
Seek opportunities to give a presentation to a class at my undergraduate school.
Participate in at least one community event, such as my town’s fall festival.

So, how did I do?

Penteract of Blood was my thesis novel. As I vowed, I finished editing it and had a new reader critique it.

The Nightbringer remains on hold, however, because when I looked at Agent of the Relari, I realized it needed far more than a few simple revisions.

Therefore, I devoted quite a bit more time to Agent of the Relari than I expected, turned it over to a new reader to critique, and decided to start working on revising the sequel. In short, my goal for The Nightbringer was replaced by a different goal.

However, it did mean I was able to spend the year searching for an agent for my two completed novels. No luck yet, but I keep trying!

My next goal focused on short stories. One of my short stories was published this year, “The Artist,” available in the anthology Final Masquerade.

Although that was my only new publication this year, I’ve been actively submitting three other short stories as well. I also spent some time on writing new short stories.

On the other hand, my video game project goal went very well. I worked as an editor for The Chronicles of Noah’s Ark, The Trials of Olympus II, and similar puzzle games that are not yet available. I also wrote the script for an upcoming puzzle game in the same style.

I also worked as an editor for the RPG/RTS Megamagic: Wizards of the Neon Age and the visual novel Anime Studio Simulator, both of which came out this year.

(Don’t worry about Parachronism: Order of Chaos. We’re still working on it, and it’s one of my current projects.)

My next two goals concerned my blog. I hoped to learn how to manage subscribers (which I did, and you can subscribe!) and double my blog traffic. I didn’t succeed in doubling my traffic, although I did increase it.

As for my last two, I didn’t manage to give a presentation, but I did hold a successful book signing at the local fall festival!

All in all, it was a successful year. I didn’t meet all my goals, but I met most of them, and my video game writing especially was a success. What will next year bring?

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How Does Kingdom Hearts Hold Up as a Novel?

I’m no stranger to video game novelizations, but I have to admit there’s something odd about reading a book where Sora, Donald, and Goofy visit Disney worlds.

Kingdom Hearts: The Novel is exactly what it sounds like, a novelization of the first game in the Kingdom Hearts series.

It follows the game faithfully, including content exclusive to the Final Mix, with its events and dialogue intact no matter how silly it looks on paper.

“It’s made of a particular material called Gummi blocks. And this material–”

“Quack!”

Not everything occurs 100% as it does in the game, but it doesn’t change anything earthshattering, either. For example, instead of Ansem’s Report being found in 13 pieces, it combines them into larger sections.

(It also presents them to the characters in order, so it skips my favorite Kingdom Hearts twist, but to be fair, finding the pages out of order would feel weirder in a book.)

The translation is slightly different from that used in the games. It refers to the area between worlds as the “Other Sky,” and some parts of Ansem’s Reports use a noticeably different translation, as well.

I’ve seen people say the novel’s translation is more accurate, which makes sense, since a few sections are clearer than they are with the game’s translation.

In particular, the start of Ansem’s Report 12 stands out to me:

Click for early Kingdom Hearts 1 spoiler

Existing only as a heart, I have returned to the Heartless, and yet there is no hint of a transformation.

The body is certainly gone. But its memories remain, and I have yet to take the form of a Heartless. Much is still unknown.

compared to the game’s

The body is gone; the heart should have returned to the Heartless. And yet, nothing.

This one is unlike any other. Its memories remain, and it has yet to take the form of a Heartless.

A close eye must be kept on the situation. Much is still unknown.

The game’s translation is a bit confusing. (I once thought he was talking about Kairi not becoming a Heartless, which in retrospect makes less sense.)

The novel’s version makes it much clearer that he is talking about himself, and that he is not technically a Heartless yet.

Overall, it was an enjoyable read. Should you read it? I recommend it if you:

love the Kingdom Hearts story so much you want to re-experience it in any form you can
want to refresh your memory on the first Kingdom Hearts game’s story
want to know the story of the first Kingdom Hearts game without actually playing it.

Kingdom Hearts: The Novel faithfully retreads the entire story of the first Kingdom Hearts game. It’s a light and entertaining book, and I look forward to reading the rest.

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Nintendo Switch Presentation Announced for January 12

It’s been some time now since Nintendo unveiled the Nintendo Switch, and now we know when we’ll learn more.

A special Nintendo Switch presentation is planned for January 12 at 8 PM PT / 11 PM ET.

The presentation will be streamed at the official site (and probably sites like Youtube, as well, like with Nintendo Directs).

From what Nintendo has said previously, this will be the event where we learn the Nintendo Switch’s price, launch date, and current lineup of games.

So far, we only know a handful of confirmed Switch titles, but of course, we all have hopes based on the Switch reveal (I’m still hoping for a Mario game in the style of 64/Sunshine).

Meanwhile, Yooka-Laylee is the latest game to drop its promised Wii U version, although it sounds as though they ran into a technical difficulties with the Wii U that they can’t overcome. Instead, they’ll try to bring Yooka-Laylee to the Switch.

Are you excited for the Nintendo Switch? What announcements are you most hoping for from the January 12 presentation?

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Holiday 2016 Video Game Shopping Guide

It’s that time of year again!

If you’re shopping for someone who loves video games, here is my video game shopping guide for this year’s holiday season.

You can browse through the guide page by page, sort it by genre/system/etc., or search for key terms.

GameGenreSystemDescriptionLinks




Tales of Symphonia ChroniclesJRPGPS3While the original Tales of Symphonia for the GameCube is difficult to find these days, it was re-released (along with its sequel) for the PS3 as Tales of Symphonia Chronicles.



This game is amazing. Great story, fantastic characters... I recommend it to all RPG fans.



Read my review.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Tales of XilliaJRPGPS3If you've already played Tales of Symphonia, or you'd prefer a more modern game, Tales of Xillia is an entertaining game with a great sense of humor and one of my favorite RPG characters.



Read my review.Buy from


Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 RemixJRPGPS3Once upon a time, someone said, "Let's make a game with Disney and Final Fantasy characters!"



It shouldn't have worked, but it did, and the result was a bizarrely excellent series called Kingdom Hearts.



The 1.5 Remix includes the Final Mix of the first Kingdom Hearts, Re: Chain of Memories, and the cutscenes from 358/2 Days.



Read my review of Kingdom Hearts.

Read my review of Re: Chain of Memories.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 RemixJRPGPS3The Kingdom Hearts saga continues and kicks the plot into high gear in second collection.



The 2.5 Remix includes Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Birth By Sleep Final Mix, and the cutscenes from Re:coded.



Read my review of Kingdom Hearts II.

Read my review of Birth By Sleep.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia.


Xenoblade Chronicles XJRPGWii UXenoblade Chronicles X isn't as story-driven as many JRPGs, but it makes up for it with an exciting alien world to explore.



With a sci-fi story through and through, it places you in the midst of humanity's struggle to survive in a strange new world. If science fiction, exploration, and endearing alien races interest you, be sure to check out Xenoblade Chronicles X.



Read my review.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


UndertaleRPGPCUndertale is hard to describe without spoiling the things that make it so great.



It's an RPG (sort of) in which you don't have to kill your enemies. It also has a fantastic sense of humor.



My full review is coming soon. For now, if you're shopping for someone who likes RPGs and/or funny games (and/or games with moral consequences), consider Undertale.



Read my review.Buy from Steam


The Witcher: Enhanced EditionRPGPCThe excellent Witcher video games continue the saga from the novels and begin right here, with The Witcher.



Although it can seem a little dated, The Witcher remains an excellent RPG.



Read my review.Buy from Steam


Phoenix Wright: Ace AttorneyAdventure/Visual NovelDSIf you have a friend who loves games with humor, you can't go wrong with the Ace Attorney series.



Part point-and-click adventure, part visual novel, these games make law exciting and ridiculous.



Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney is the first game in the series.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Justice for AllAdventure/Visual NovelDSJustice for All is the second game in the Ace Attorney series.



Although one of the weaker entries, it's well worth playing... preferably after the first game.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Trials & TribulationsAdventure/Visual NovelDSTrials & Tribulations is the third Ace Attorney game and my personal favorite.



This game is best experienced after the first two.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Phoenix Wright TrilogyAdventure/Visual Novel3DSIf you know a 3DS owner who wants to get into the Ace Attorney series and doesn't mind digital-only games, the Phoenix Wright Trilogy is the best way to go.



This collects all three original games into a single package and is the perfect starting point.Available from the eShop


Apollo Justice: Ace AttorneyAdventure/Visual NovelDSThe fourth Ace Attorney game isn't available on the 3DS yet, but you can still find the DS copy.



This is the best gift for someone who has already played the trilogy.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Dual DestiniesAdventure/Visual Novel3DSThe fifth Ace Attorney game is a digital-only release.



I found it to be an exciting, entertaining game with all the humor you should expect from Ace Attorney.



Read my review.Available from the eShop


Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of JusticeAdventure/Visual Novel3DSThe sixth main-series Ace Attorney game is also digital-only, and it's a journey worth experiencing.



Filled with humor, familiar characters, and gameplay improvements over Dual Destinies, Spirit of Justice is a game no Ace Attorney fan should miss.



Read my review.Available from the eShop.


Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles EdgeworthAdventure/Visual NovelDSInvestigations is a spin-off, so it's not critical to the series. Nevertheless, it's still a great game for Ace Attorney fans... especially Edgeworth fans.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace AttorneyAdventure/Visual Novel/Puzzle3DSAlthough the game's storytelling is flawed, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright is a fun game for fans of either series.



It's also a great way for Ace Attorney fans to see if they'd like Professor Layton, and vice versa.



Read my review.Buy from Amazon or Nintendo


Professor Layton and the Curious VillagePuzzleDSFor fans of puzzle games, the Professor Layton series is a must. Challenging puzzles, wacky stories, charming characters... and it all started here, with Curious Village.



Compared to later entries, Professor Layton and the Curious Village isn't as polished. However, Professor Layton is a series best experienced in order.Buy from Amazon


Professor Layton and the Diabolical BoxPuzzleDSThe second Professor Layton game is an enjoyable game, though I consider its story the weakest.



If you don't mind the plot holes in Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, you won't mind them in Diabolical Box.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Professor Layton and the Unwound FuturePuzzleDSProfessor Layton and the Unwound Future is where the series really hits its stride. Considered by many people (including me) to be the best Layton game, it's an epic, emotional story with plenty of puzzles.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Professor Layton and the Last SpecterPuzzleDSLast Specter begins the Professor Layton prequel trilogy, set before the original games.



Since it is first chronologically, Professor Layton and the Last Specter is a viable place to start the series.



It also includes a side RPG called "Layton's London Life" in all but the European versions.Buy from Amazon


Professor Layton and the Miracle MaskPuzzle3DSThe first 3DS entry in the series, Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask continues the overarching plot begun in Last Specter.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Professor Layton and the Azran LegacyPuzzle 3DSThe Layton saga concludes in epic form with Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy.



This puzzle-solving adventure sends you on a quest around the world to finally solve the mystery of the lost Azran civilization. It also is the final game to star Professor Hershel Layton.



Read my review.Amazon


Layton Brothers: Mystery RoomAdventure/Visual NoveliOSThis Professor Layton spin-off plays more like a streamlined Ace Attorney game than its parent series.



It stars Layton's son, Alfendi, and his new partner Lucy Baker. It's a little too easy, but quite enjoyable nevertheless.Available from the iTunes app store


Rhythm Thief & the Emperor's TreasureAdventure/Puzzle/Rhythm3DSRhythm Thief & the Emperor's Treasure isn't your average rhythm game. In fact, it's a lot like a Professor Layton game, with rhythm games in place of puzzles.



A story-driven adventure about a thief searching for his father while fighting an undead Napoleon... if that sounds fun, then check it out--even if rhythm games aren't your favorite.



Read my review.Available from the eShop.


Hatoful BoyfriendVisual Novel/Dating SimPC/PS4/VitaRecommendations of Hatoful Boyfriend require a disclaimer: this is not a joke!



Despite its ridiculous premise of a human student at an all-bird school finding romance, it is surprisingly interesting and deep. If you like visual novels, play Hatoful Boyfriend. It's not what you're expecting.



Read my review.Buy from Steam or PSN


Hatoful Boyfriend: Holiday StarVisual NovelPC/PS4/VitaRepeat: this is not a joke.



Yes, Hatoful Boyfriend has a Christmas-themed sequel, Holiday Star. Unlike the first one, this is a pure visual novel, with stories told across several episodes.



Read my review.Buy from Steam or PSN


Steins;GateVisual NovelPS3/VitaSteins;Gate is a funny and thrilling visual novel about an endearing group of characters who accidentally make a time machine.



It starts out slow, but stick with it. Once the plot gets going, you won't want to put it down until you see every ending.



Read my review.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


BayonettaActionPS3/Xbox 360/Wii UThe original Bayonetta is wild, crazy, over-the-top action fun starring an amnesiac witch on a search for the truth about her past.



This game blew me away when I played it. If you like stylish action, convoluted stories, and a game that's over-the-top in everything it does, get Bayonetta.



Read my review.Buy from Amazon, Play-Asia, or the eShop


Bayonetta 2ActionWii UBayonetta 2 takes everything the original does, and makes it better. While this makes it slightly less of a challenge, it's still amazingly fun, and the two games' stories work together incredibly well.



It even starts at Christmas. What more can you ask for?



Read my review.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


Alien IsolationSurvival HorrorPC/PS4/Xbox One/PS3/Xbox 360Survival horror has diminished in the mainstream market, but Alien: Isolation held true to the genre's core mechanics.



It's also very true to the atmosphere of the first Alien movie.



If you're a fan of Alien or survival horror, check out Isolation.



Read my review.Buy from Amazon or Play-Asia


The Starship DamreySurvival Horror3DSThis downloadable title is very short, but it's an enjoyable and atmospheric game if you miss classic survival horror gameplay.



Read my review.Available from the eShop.

This is not a complete list of games, but a selection of top recommendations. For more, browse all of my reviews.

Additionally, I worked as an editor/writer on a few games that are currently available, including Anime Studio Simulator, a visual novel/management sim.

Finally, if you’re looking for Professor Layton, Ace Attorney, or Kingdom Hearts games as presents, but aren’t sure which ones you should buy, here are my guides to the gameplay order for Professor Layton and Ace Attorney and the gameplay order for Kingdom Hearts.

Need any more help with video game holiday shopping? Have any questions about the games on this list? Let me know in the comments!

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