Samantha Lienhard's Blog, page 159

GameFaqs’ Best Game Ever Round 1 – My Picks

On November 5th, voting will begin for the first round of GameFaqs’ “Best. Game Ever. 20th Anniversary Edition,” in which people vote for the games they consider the best until only one remains. There are also prizes if you can accurately predict the winners.

I normally ignore these, but KoopaTV’s choices Ludwig’s choices filled me with righteous anger, and it’s time to make my stand!

Or something like that.

Anyway, let’s take a look at the round 1 contenders. Keep in mind, these are my personal opinions and some of them might not line up with yours. In fact, I all but guarantee it.

Division I

Chrono Trigger vs. Ratchet & Clank 3 – I have yet to play the Ratchet & Clank series, so I can’t directly compare these two games. However, Chrono Trigger was fantastic and I generally prefer RPGs to action platformers, so my vote goes to Chrono Trigger.

Speaking of which, do you think Square Enix will ever make another Chrono game, or will they just continue to troll us by placing its music in their E3 preview videos?

Dragon Quest VIII vs. Persona 3 – The last time I played a Dragon Quest game, it was still called Dragon Warrior and I never finished it. The closest I’ve come to playing Persona 3 is looking at it on Amazon. So I really can’t vote on this one. However, I’ve heard many strong recommendations for Persona 3, so I lean in that direction.

Batman: Arkham City vs. Mega Man X – Arkham City was a good game, even if its open-world nature makes me prefer its predecessor. I haven’t played Mega Man X, but 2D platformers aren’t my favorite. Therefore, I pick Batman: Arkham City.

But Arkham Asylum is better, although it didn’t make this list at all. I dislike open world games.

Final Fantasy X vs. Half-Life – This one is no contest for me. One of my unpopular gaming opinions, right up there with hating open worlds and enjoying Amy, is my dislike for the Half-Life series. And while Final Fantasy X was a bit too linear, it had a good story and an excellent battle system. In this match-up, I’d vote for Final Fantasy X any day.

Super Smash Bros. Melee vs. Portal – I’m sure I’ll receive some criticism for this one. Another unpopular opinion of mine is that I’ve never been able to get into the Super Smash Bros. series. However, the original Portal is an amazing game and definitely my pick.

Pokémon Gold/Silver vs. The World Ends With You – Oh. Oh. Why would you do this to me, GameFaqs??

The second generation Pokémon games got me into the series. Their remakes got me back into the series after my long hiatus. And yet… The World Ends With You is one of my favorite RPGs. Ever.

If I look at this from a purely objective standpoint, Pokémon Gold/Silver probably deserves to win, especially if SoulSilver and HeartGold are taken into account. But this isn’t an objective analysis, it’s my own thoughts on these games… and as much as I love Pokémon, I love The World Ends With You more.

Metal Gear Solid 4 vs. Kingdom Hearts II – Another match-up where I’ve played neither game. MGS has a great reputation, but after how much I enjoyed the first Kingdom Hearts, I will tentatively give this round to Kingdom Hearts II.

The Last of Us vs. Halo 3 – I haven’t played The Last of Us. I know, I should. People keep recommending it to me. On the other hand, as if last week’s ramble about the Flood didn’t indicate this enough, I love Halo. So for the time being, I say Halo 3 is the better game.

Division II

Final Fantasy VI vs. Assassins Creed II – Another one of my favorite RPGs ever versus an open world stealth game? Anyone who knows me should know this is no contest: Final Fantasy VI.

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door vs. Tales of Symphonia – WHY???

The Pokémon/TWEWY match was hard enough. Now GameFaqs has pitted two of my favorite RPGs against one another, and it’s only Round 1! Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is charming, entertaining, and a definite must-play. But when it’s up against a game I called perfect… I’m sorry, Paper Mario. I vote for Tales of Symphonia.

Tales of Symphonia should win this entire contest! It won’t, but it should. Just my opinion.

…Symphonia.

Ahem, moving on…

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic vs. Xenogears – Whoa, GameFaqs isn’t pulling any punches with these choices. This would be another really hard choice… except I haven’t played Xenogears yet. Therefore, I will lament my backlog while cheering on my beloved Knights of the Old Republic, and hope I don’t regret this in years to come when I play Xenogears at last.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker vs. Pokémon X/Y – Why… why is Pokémon X/Y on this list when Black/White isn’t? My feelings toward X/Y are less than ideal, so I’ll happily vote for my first and favorite Zelda game, Wind Waker.

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U vs. Planescape: Torment – I may not be a big Smash Bros. fan, but until I wrote this article, I thought that other game was called Planetscape. Since I haven’t played either, I can’t really vote, but from my limited knowledge I’ll give this one to Super Smash Bros. Wii U.

Super Mario Galaxy 2 vs. Mass Effect – I enjoyed the original Super Mario Galaxy, but I haven’t played the sequel yet. People say it’s great, but is it good enough to overcome my love for the original Mass Effect? I’m not so sure. For me, Mass Effect wins.

Minecraft vs. Halo: Combat Evolved – Building games like Minecraft don’t interest me at all, and I really love Halo. Therefore, my vote goes for Halo: Combat Evolved.

Final Fantasy VII vs. Journey – I can sense the fights breaking out already. I’m sure Journey is a beautiful game, and maybe fans overhype Final Fantasy VII a little… but it’s still a really great RPG. I vote for Final Fantasy VII.

And pray the remake doesn’t ruin things.

Division III

Super Mario Bros. 3 vs. Age of Empires II – I may not be in love with 2D platformers, especially older ones, but I hate the whole RTS genre. (I’m full of unpopular opinions today.) Therefore, my vote goes to Super Mario Bros 3.

Pokémon Red/Blue vs. Tetris – Tetris is more classic, but I find Pokémon a lot more fun. Pokémon Red/Blue take this one.

Portal 2 vs. Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – Remember my earlier thoughts on Portal? Well, if it comes down to the two of them, I consider Portal 2 to be the better game. Meanwhile, I never got into the Sonic games, old or new. I vote for Portal 2.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves vs. The Walking Dead – One day, I swear, I will give Uncharted 2 an honest chance even though I hated the first game so much I couldn’t finish it. However, that day has not yet come and it’s up against a dark, gripping story that wreaked havoc on my emotions. My vote goes to Telltale’s The Walking Dead.

But why isn’t The Wolf Among Us a contender? Anyone? I like it more…

Fallout 3 vs. Life is Strange – I haven’t played either of these games. I’ve heard good things about both. I’ve watched gameplay of both and been unable to stay with it. I’ll tentatively give this to Life is Strange, but I really don’t know.

Undertale vs. Mass Effect 3 – Stop reading this article and go play Undertale.

Even if Undertale didn’t win for its characters, humor, moral consequences, gameplay tricks, and overall concept, how can you argue with its amazing soundtrack?

GTA: Vice City vs. Final Fantasy VIII – Of the classic Final Fantasy games, Final Fantasy VIII might be the weakest. However, it has charm, good RPG gameplay, and memorable characters. Meanwhile, I have zero interest in the Grand Theft Auto series. It will probably lose, but I vote for Final Fantasy VIII.

Super Mario World vs. Animal Crossing: New Leaf – I haven’t played either, I probably never will play either, and I’ve heard excellent things about both. For the sake of classics, I’ll give this to Super Mario World.

Division IV

Yes, I know this picture is for the whole trilogy.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – This isn’t a hard choice for me, but it’s painful to see this match-up. What chance does Ace Attorney have against a juggernaut like Skyrim? Nevertheless, I love the Ace Attorney series. Here’s hoping Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney pulls through.

Goldeneye 007 vs. Diablo II – Another pair of supposedly-great games I haven’t played enough to compare. I’ll go with Diablo II, but my heart isn’t in it.

Metroid Prime vs. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind – Although I haven’t (yet) played Metroid Prime, you know how I feel about open world RPGs. I give this one to Metroid Prime.

Half-Life 2 vs. Demon’s Souls – Two games I’ve started and not completed… yet under different circumstances. I quit Half-Life 2 after I finished Ravenholm, because I realized I found the majority of gameplay boring. I quit Demon’s Souls because I wanted to play other games more, but still hope to return to it. My vote goes to Demon’s Souls.

Super Mario 64 vs. Mario Kart 8 – My memories of Super Mario 64 are tinged by nostalgia, since it was one of my first games. Mario Kart 8 was fun, but I only spend a handful of hours with it. The winner here should be Super Mario 64.

Final Fantasy Tactics vs. Resident Evil 2 – I’ve never played Final Fantasy Tactics and I probably never will. Resident Evil 2, on the other hand, is one of my favorite survival horror games. This is probably another controversial opinion… but I choose Resident Evil 2.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess vs. Skies of Arcadia – This is a surprisingly tricky one. Do I vote for a good game I enjoyed, or for a game I haven’t played but desperately want to because of all the good things I’ve heard about it. If Skies of Arcadia ever becomes easier to find, I’ll be able to give an answer. For now, I abstain.

Persona 4 vs. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors – I’ve heard amazing things about both of these games, and I hope to play both of them in the future. Although both sound great, I lean slightly toward 999 and name it my pick in this match-up.

Division V

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time vs. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft – I’ve never been much of one for cards. While Hearthstone is entertaining, I got more enjoyment out of Ocarina of Time, even if I didn’t play it until the 3D remake. Therefore, my vote goes to The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

Suikoden II vs. Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate – Once again, I haven’t played either game. However, the Monster Hunter series doesn’t appeal to me and I like what I’ve heard about Suikoden. From this pair, I vote for Suikoden II.

Okami vs. Warcraft III – Warcraft III is a game I’ve never played in a genre I dislike. Okami is a game I keep trying to play and just can’t enjoy as much as I want to. I abstain.

Final Fantasy IX vs. Kingdom Hearts – It’s been a while since we had one of these. As I mentioned earlier, I really loved Kingdom Hearts when I played it over the past few months. If it were up against something else, Kingdom Hearts would win. But it’s up against one of my first RPGs, a game I truly love. I’m sorry, Kingdom Hearts. I have to go with Final Fantasy IX.

Xenoblade Chronicles vs. Donkey Kong Country 2 – I might come under fire for this one, but I can’t get into the Donkey Kong games. And I loved Xenoblade. While I’m still uncertain about the upcoming spiritual successor, my vote here goes to the Xenoblade Chronicles.

Fire Emblem: Awakening vs. Super Mario Maker – This is a tricky one. I haven’t played either, both have been recommended to me… I say Super Mario Maker. Of the two, it looks more fun. It also produces fun fan tributes, as we discussed before.

Banjo-Kazooie vs. Baldur’s Gate II – Banjo-Kazooie is one of my favorite games of all time. I don’t care how good Baldur’s Gate II is (I might play it someday). Banjo-Kazooie wins.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials & Tribulations – What are you trying to do to the Ace Attorney series?? Although it has been placed up against a game considered by many people to be the greatest game of all time, I stand by my personal choice of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Trials & Tribulations.

Division VI

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past vs. Cave Story – It’s one of my great gaming shames, but I’ve never finished A Link to the Past. On the other hand, I’ve never played Cave Story at all. Is it worth trying? For now, my vote goes to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

Deus Ex vs. Final Fantasy IV – I might try the Deus Ex series someday, but when it’ll have to be out of this world to overcome a classic turn-based RPG on my list. That said, I still need to actually play Final Fantasy IV, for while it is my vote, I’ve only played the beginning.

Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain vs. Perfect Dark – These are two more games I’ve never played. Let’s think about this. MGS V is open world, and while it’s in a highly story-driven series, many players say its story feels sparser. Perfect Dark is a shooter from Rare. I’ll tentatively give this one to Perfect Dark.

Dark Souls vs. Civilization IV – No contest. I’m not positive I’ll enjoy the Souls games, but their overall gameplay appeals to me more than that of the Civilization series. Dark Souls wins.

Super Metroid vs. Call of Duty 4 – Moving on, while I’ve played neither (I know, I know…), I like Metroid gameplay and have little interest in the Call of Duty series. This one goes to Super Metroid.

Still the best golem ever.

Super Mario Galaxy vs. Dragon Age: Origins – I’m sorry, Mario. I really am. Super Mario Galaxy was a fantastic game, fun to play and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes 3D platformers. Yet it can’t compete with one of the best games I played in 2013. Here, my vote goes to Dragon Age: Origins.

Bloodborne vs. Final Fantasy XII – Another contest made tricky by virtue of the fact that I’ve played neither game. Two RPGs that come highly recommended, one which oozes Lovecraftian horror and one from a time-honored RPG series. Worst of all, I fully intend to play both of these games in the future.

You know what? I abstain.

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask vs. Valkyria Chronicles – This one gets even trickier. I’ve heard enough great stuff about Majora’s Mask to make me feel it’s perfect for me… but also enough criticisms to make me worry I’ll hate it. I’ve heard a lot of praise for Valkyria Chronicles… but tactical RPGs tend to be hit or miss for me.

And since I’m absolutely going to play both games in the future… I abstain again.

Division VII

Grand Theft Auto V vs. Shenmue – My interest in the GTA series is so low, the choice would be obvious even if I hadn’t watched Game Informer’s hilarious Shenmue playthrough. As it is, Shenmue won my heart and deserves this win.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion vs. Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars – By now, I’ve probably made my feelings on the Elder Scrolls games clear. I haven’t played Super Mario RPG yet, but I can’t wait to see what it’s like. Therefore, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars gets my vote.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas vs. Shovel Knight – Shovel Knight. See previous GTA comments.

World of Warcraft vs. Chrono Cross – I’m not a fan of MMORPGs. And the one MMORPG I got into, I already quit. So WoW has a distinct disadvantage here. Who knows, maybe Chrono Cross will disappoint me when I finally play it, but for now, that’s my pick: Chrono Cross.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt vs. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth – The subject matter of The Binding of Isaac doesn’t appeal to me at all. If you’ve followed my numerous Witcher posts, however, you know I can’t wait to play Wild Hunt! (Yes, I really got sidetracked from my plan to catch up on the series before the game came out…) Even though it’s an open world game, I vote for The Witcher 3.

Let’s take another look at the awesome trailer that made me interested in the series. It takes on so much more meaning now that I’ve read the books…

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty vs. Resident Evil – I’m not entirely sure if this means the original Resident Evil only, or if the REmake (which was released for the Gamecube, re-released for the Wii, and then remastered for non-Nintendo players because it’s just that awesome) counts as well. Either way, sorry MGS, I’ll vote for the survival horror masterpiece, Resident Evil.

Fallout: New Vegas vs. BioShock: Infinite – I haven’t played either of these games, but of the two, I’m more interested in the BioShock series. I even started the first game once, but I didn’t get far. I’ll give this one to Bioshock: Infinite.

Resident Evil 4 vs. Paper Mario – Hahahaha, the game that began Resident Evil’s descent into action up against one of my favorite RPGs? No contest. I’m certain I’m in the minority, but I’ll vote for the original Paper Mario without hesitation.

Division VIII

Metal Gear Solid vs. Splatoon – What an intriguing match-up. I haven’t played either game, but I watched Derangedband’s LP of Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. I found the story quite interesting. And while Splatoon seems bright and colorful and fun, I don’t see it having as strong as legacy as MGS did. Therefore, I think this one has to go to Metal Gear Solid.

EarthBound vs. Borderlands 2 – When I reviewed EarthBound, I considered it a quirky and fun RPG. I haven’t actually finished Borderlands 2 sometime. Borderlands has its charm, but I say Earthbound is better… not to mention more influential.

Shadow of the Colossus vs. Team Fortress 2 – Although I haven’t played Shadow of the Colossus yet, multiplayer-only games like TF2 aren’t high on my list. For now, I’ll tentatively stand by Shadow of the Colossus.

Red Dead Redemption vs. Bayonetta 2 – What kind of contest is this? The answer is Bayonetta 2. Bayonetta 2.

Picture added for emphasis, in case you aren’t sure what my vote is.

This puts an open-world action adventure game up against an amazing stylish action game that’s fun, funny, exciting, challenging, and the best game I played last year. Bayonetta 2 deserves to win.

Metal Gear Solid 3 vs. Mother 3 – How am I supposed to judge a match-up when one of them hasn’t been officially released in English yet? Does GameFaqs know something we don’t about Nintendo’s plans? Abstain.

Bioshock vs. Silent Hill 2 – Maybe I’ll love BioShock when I play it, but will I love it more than my favorite survival horror game? Doubtful. And while Silent Hill 2 isn’t my personal favorite in the series, because I prefer the more cult-focused games, it is the most famous and influential.

It also taught us about cans of lightbulbs. I vote for Silent Hill 2.

Starcraft vs. Destiny – Can it get any worse for me than an RTS up against an online multiplayer game? You know, because I’m such a Halo fan, I was actually really interested in Destiny before it came out. I thought I might give it a try. From what I’ve heard, I’m glad I didn’t. On the other hand, although real-time strategy is my least favorite genre, I like Starcraft’s story. So, ironically, this isn’t a hard decision: Starcraft.

Mass Effect 2 vs. Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward – Here’s a weird one. I played Mass Effect 2. I liked Mass Effect 2. Yet I’m going to vote for Virtue’s Last Reward, a game I haven’t played. Why? Because while ME2 was fun, I didn’t enjoy it as much as the other games in the series, and everything I’ve heard about the Zero Escape series tells me I need to play it ASAP so I can fall in love with it before the third game comes out. So, cautiously and curiously, I’ll vote for Virtue’s Last Reward.

There you have it: my personal picks for Round 1 of GameFaqs’ Best. Game. Ever. competition. Will Bayonetta 2 see the credit it deserves? Does Ace Attorney stand a chance? We’ll learn soon enough.

Whether you agree or disagree with my picks, share your thoughts in the comments below. What games will you vote for?

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post GameFaqs’ Best Game Ever Round 1 – My Picks appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Celebrating All Things Spooky 2015 Winner

This year, to enhance our celebration of horror and spooky events, I held a simple contest to give away one of my favorite survival horror games, one of the few modern games to embrace the classic gameplay mechanics, Alien: Isolation.

This contest saw greater participation then some of our past events, which is great!

Since October has ended, I selected the winner this morning. The prize of Alien: Isolation (or an equivalent game reward) goes to Ludwig Von Koopa. Congratulations! I’ll be in touch so you can receive your prize.

Thanks again to everyone who participated. To those who didn’t, stay tuned for further events. And everyone, let me know in the comments what you’d like to see in future contests.

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Celebrating All Things Spooky 2015 Winner appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Celebrating All Things Spooky: Costume Quest

What better way to conclude our celebration of Halloween than with a game all about Halloween?

Costume Quest isn’t a horror game. Instead, it’s a turn-based RPG from Double Fine Productions. When your twin is kidnapped by monsters on Halloween, you go on a quest to save them and stop the monsters.

With charm typical of Double Fine games (and much better than Broken Age, which disappointed me), Costume Quest includes many different aspects of Halloween.

To track down your twin’s location, you need currency. The currency here is candy, so you need to go trick-or-treating (while also exploring and completing side quests to get more candy). However, some of the doors you knock on will be answered by monsters, at which point a battle begins.

Your battle form is determined by the costume you have on. For example, if you wear the robot costume, you’ll appear in battle as a giant robot. Combat is turn-based, but includes quick-time events for certain moves. As you progress, you’ll meet party members and find parts to make new costumes. Each costume has its own unique attacks.

It’s a short game, only about 6 hours long, but those 6 hours are filled with humor and Halloween charm.

If you enjoy Costume Quest but want a change of scenery, it has one DLC episodes, the winter-themed “Grubbins on Ice,” which adds a few new gameplay features but otherwise plays the same.

Costume Quest and Grubbins on Ice are available for PC, Mac, Linux, PS3, Xbox 360, iOS, and Android.

Its sequel, Costume Quest 2, expanded its console availability and can be played on PC, Mac, Linux, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Wii U. However, I haven’t played the sequel, so I can’t vouch for it.

I love the original Costume Quest and consider it one of the most Halloween-y of Halloween games we could look at. What Halloween-themed games are your favorites?

(And don’t forget, you only have two days left to boost your chances of winning Alien: Isolation!)

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Celebrating All Things Spooky: Costume Quest appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

What Could “Tales of the Best” Be?

Yesterday, Gematsu reported the news that Bandai Namco registered four new trademarks, including “Tales of the Best.”

Tales of the Best? What in the world could that be?

First, we have to accept that it might be nothing. Bandai Namco seems to enjoy trademarking lots of Tales names and then only using a few. When Tales of Berseria was trademarked, two other trademarks accompanied it: Orfellia and Alestia.

Back in 2013, they trademarked : Zestoria, Creales, Castora, Link, Jin, Ansis, Zestiria, Zestias, Bibliotheca, Memories, and Favorite.

(Are we seeing how Bandai Namco comes up with Tales names? Do they trademark all their ideas just in case?)

From those eleven, two (Tales of Link and Tales of Bibliotheca) became Japan-exclusive mobile games, and one (Tales of Zestiria, which I’ve been LPing) became a mothership title.

So Tales of the Best might be the next Tales of Orfellia or Tales of Favorite, unused forever.

If it isn’t, though, what could it be? Several theories have been suggested:

Another mobile game
A crossover that includes the “best” characters from multiple Tales games
A fighting game, like the Japan-only Tales of VS.
A collection of popular Tales games bundled for a new system, such as the PS4, Xbox One, or PC
A collection of previously-unlocalized Tales games brought West for the first time

And of course, fans half-jokingly suggest a remake of their favorite game, because it’s the best Tales of.

I tried hard, but even though I managed it for the last batch of trademarks, I can’t think of a way Tales of the Best could be my Tales pipe dream, a Tales of Symphonia prequel.

I mean, unless it’s Tales of the Best Heroes Ever and the characters are now allowed to name their own games. But that would be silly. With that option out of the way, I hope it’s a collection of unlocalized or rare Tales games.

What do you think Tales of the Best is? What do you want it to be? Let me know in the comments.

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post What Could “Tales of the Best” Be? appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

NaNoWriMo 2015 is Almost Here

October (and our Alien: Isolation giveaway) is almost over. That means it’s almost time for NaNoWriMo.

And I have no idea what I’m doing.

Unlike last year, when I had solid plans for The Nightbringer and couldn’t wait for NaNoWriMo to begin, I haven’t given it much thought this year. I’ve been too focused on other writing projects… and now it’s almost here.

I do have one thing, though: a MAP!

Pictured: one of my better maps

I made this map during Maria V. Snyder‘s Map Quest module at my June 2015 Writing Popular Fiction residency. At the time, I was excited, because I had a great idea for a story. My only regret was how many other stories would take precedence before I could work on it.

Well, I forgot the story idea, although I think it involved an imperial elven army and Lovecraftian horrors. So I have no plot, no characters, and no plan.

But I have a map!

NaNoWriMo 2015 might be a struggle, but maybe November will bring new inspiration. If you’re participating, what are your NaNoWriMo plans this year?

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post NaNoWriMo 2015 is Almost Here appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Celebrating All Things Spooky: The Flood (Halo)

Because he wasn’t scary enough before.

After I finished the Forerunner Saga, this post was inevitable. It’s not often we focus on a particular aspect of a story rather than the entire thing, but like with Pokémon, you can’t say Halo itself is spooky.

The Flood, though? Oh yes.

Halo: Combat Evolved introduced the Flood as a plot twist partway through, and suddenly this wasn’t just a game about shooting aliens anymore. It got a lot creepier.

On the surface, the Flood is Halo’s version of zombies. Infected creatures twist and mutate into undead monstrosities. But as the series progressed and the lore expanded, they became more. They are not zombies.

The Flood is a Lovecraftian nightmare.

After the first game’s implications that the Flood became so dangerous the Forerunners had to wipe out the galaxy to stop it, Halo 2 introduced the Gravemind: an intelligent, sinister manipulator in control of the Flood hive mind. His cryptic verses and sinister presentation were damaged by his rather plant-like appearance, even if he was still intimidating, so the Master Chief Collection altered his design to more closely resemble his canonical description as a massive conglomeration of corpses. Thanks for that, 343.

Meanwhile, the first game’s Anniversary Edition (also present in the MCC) incorporated the best parts of the first game’s novelization to demonstrate what even a Proto-Gravemind can do.

It gets worse. The Flood can infect AI.

This is demonstrated most notably in the corruption of Mendicant Bias and the Gravemind’s interrogation of Cortana, but the Forerunners considered it a plague. Infected AI could spread it to others.

To go back to the zombie comparison, imagine if the zombies created a computer virus that made your electronics do what they wanted. And since the Flood are intelligent, suddenly you have Gravemind messages appearing on your phone, with all his usual psychological torment and manipulation.

It gets worse.

The Flood we saw in the original Halo trilogy was comparatively weak to what it was in the Forerunners’ time. Graveminds are only the second-highest known form of the Flood. If they spread enough, the Flood form Key Minds, essentially Graveminds on a planetary scale.

Remember, they’re telepathic and/or a hive mind. Key Minds controlled military strategy. They coordinated ship attacks. Fleets of Flood-infected ships surrounded Forerunners and invaded their systems! These are far from mere zombies.

And it gets worse.

Spoilers for the Forerunner Saga The Forerunner Saga was epic, especially the third book, Silentium. And while it tells the story of the Forerunners’ final days, the Didact and the Librarian, and even 343 Guilty Spark, it’s really about the origin of the Flood.

These three books toy with the reader as they slowly uncover parts of the truth.

First, they reveal that the Forerunners destroyed their creators, the Precursors.

Then, they explain how humanity found an ancient powder that caused disease and mutations… with the strong implication that the Precursors developed the Flood as a biological weapon.

Then Silentium brings it all together and reveals the terrible truth:

Some adopted new strategies for survival; they went dormant. Others became dust that could regenerate our past forms; time rendered this dust defective. It brought only disease and misery; but that was good, we saw the misery and found it good.”

Yes, in a failed attempt to protect themselves from the Forerunners’ genocide, the Precursors turned themselves into the Flood.

I’m pretty sure it’s no coincidence the wording of that chapter echoes the Book of Genesis. The Precursors are essentially gods. They created the Forerunners and countless other species, and when they decided to pass the Mantle (in general terms, responsibility for all life) to humanity instead, the Forerunners opposed them.

We are the last of those who gave you breath and form, millions of years ago.

We are the last of those your kind defied and ruthlessly destroyed.

We are the last Precursors.

And now, we are legion.

Forerunner technology is far beyond what humans the Covenant are capable of, but Precursor technology borders on incomprehensible even to the Forerunners. For example, Silentium shows us the Star Roads, roads the Precursors used to bridge planets and possibly move stars. The Flood weaponizes the Star Roads and uses them to surround enemies, crush planets, and prevent slipspace travel.

All Precursor technology operates on the principle of “neural physics,” which believes the universe itself is a living organism beyond our limited understanding of life.

That’s pretty cool, until you remember what the Flood does. The Didact suggests the Flood is capable of infecting the universe itself. Whether or not that’s true, it’s at least implied they can manipulate space and time with tech like the Star Roads.

As for the Didact, a good part of his Halo 4 insanity came from a “conversation” with the Gravemind. (The other part came from being locked in silence for millennia, because while he should have been in contact with the Domain, the firing of the Halos destroyed the Domain because it was secretly a Precursor construct.)

That all sounds Lovecraftian, but there’s one big difference from the sorts of horrors H.P. Lovecraft wrote about. Lovecraft’s cosmic horrors often aren’t actively malicious. We’re just like bugs to them. Insignificant. They’ll destroy us and drive us mad, but not because they hate us.

The fallen Precursors, on the other hand, have a single hate-filled goal: that “all creation will tailor to failure and pain, that never again shall the offspring of the eternal Fount rise up against their creators” (175).

So, what sort of enemy do we have in the Flood?

Twisted gods whose only goal is pain and destruction and revenge, who share a collective consciousness and collective memory, who have the power to subvert human and machine alike and possess technology beyond our understanding.

Yikes.

I believe the Flood will return, if not in Halo 5 then in a future game. When they do, we might finally see them at their full strength.

And that will be terrifying.

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Celebrating All Things Spooky: The Flood (Halo) appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

All Gas! – No Brakes Allowed

Yes, we’re back with another requested review of an iOS app, this time the game All Gas! – No Brakes Allowed.

As the title suggests, this is a game about driving, but it isn’t a racing game. You control the lone vehicle on the track, and it gradually accelerates as it moves. The vehicle drives by itself, and the player’s job is to steer it left and right… which becomes more difficult the faster it goes. Your goal is to reach as high a speed as possible, without crashing into the wall. If you hit the wall, it’s game over.

All Gas! includes three different tracks to pick from, which lets you change the difficulty due to their shapes. (For example, navigating a course with frequent turns is much harder than one with long stretches of straight driving.)

There are also four different vehicle shapes you can pick between: a rectangle, a car, a rocket ship, and a star. All appear quite delighted to be racing around the track, if their happy faces are to be believed. The only in-app purchase it features is the ability remove ads from the game, but it seems like an ideal candidate for purchasable (or unlockable, often the preferred option) tracks and vehicles.

If you tire of the main mode, it also features an Arcade Mode, which heightens the difficulty by placing bombs on the track, but balances that with defensive power-ups. While it’s only a minor shift in gameplay, it can be a nice change of pace.

Finally, unlike the recent iOS apps we’ve looked at, All Gas! has background music. It’s a pleasant, calm melody a bit at odds with the fast-paced action, but it fits with the game’s overall aesthetic of pastel colors and smiling vehicles.

Despite its simple gameplay, or perhaps because of it, All Gas! – No Brakes Allowed has an addictive appeal. As you become more familiar with the tracks, you become better at navigating them, which makes it easy to keep playing in order to beat your prior score (high speed). Best of all, the basic game is free. Although it never achieves great complexity of gameplay, All Gas! is a good way to pass the time if you’re in the mood for something simple.

Have you played All Gas! – No Brakes Allowed or a game like it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Full disclosure: I was compensated for this post, however the thoughts and opinions given here are my own.

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post All Gas! – No Brakes Allowed appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Flappy Dodo Bird 2

We talked about Impossible Flappy, and now I’ve received a request to discuss another game created in the style of the lost-but-not-forgotten Flappy Bird. This one is Flappy Dodo Bird 2.

(The full name is “Flappy Dodo Bird 2 – Best, Better Than The Original Classic,” so right away we have to give it credit for confidence. I tried to learn more about whether or not there was a Flappy Dodo Bird 1, with little success.)

There are two versions of Flappy Dodo Bird 2. One is free and contains in-game ads. The other costs $1.99 and is ad-free. For the record, I played the free version, so if I miss any elements present in the paid version, let us know in the comments.

Its gameplay is pretty close to the original Flappy Bird. If you (like me) never played Flappy Bird, the goal is to tap the screen to make the bird flap his wings and rise into the air. Then, you want to maneuver him through the gaps between the green pipes that extend from the top and bottom of the screen. Since the gaps are small, it requires careful timing and precision. Wild tapping and bad aim will just send him crashing into a pipe and earn you a “game over” screen.

Flappy Dodo Bird 2 is slightly more difficult, because the gap between pipes is narrower. This gives you less room to make mistakes. The bird’s model also seems a tiny bit larger.

As with Impossible Flappy, there is no music in Flappy Dodo Bird 2. You’ll just hear the sound of the bird’s wings, a happy chime when you cross a pair of pipes, and a loud crash when you… well, crash. Some players might prefer background music, but it’s certainly not necessary for this type of game.

Overall, it’s a fairly simple game, best for players addicted to basic Flappy Bird gameplay. I don’t quite understand how fans can play for hours, but there are probably people equal confused as to why I’m obsessed with Ace Attorney. Give your own thoughts in the comments: what makes Flappy Bird clones so popular with so many people?

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a straightforward Flappy Bird experience so you can flap your way past more obstacles, have a look at Flappy Dodo Bird 2.

Full disclosure: I was compensated for this post, however the thoughts and opinions given here are my own.

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Flappy Dodo Bird 2 appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Screenshot Let’s Play: Tales of Zestiria

Tales of Zestiria is now available on the PC. Despite some lackluster reviews, I can’t wait!

For some time now, I’ve been tempted to try a play log or Screenshot Let’s Play… a Let’s Play conveyed only through screenshots and text. What better to try it with than one of my most-anticipated games of the year?

Since (if all goes well) this will be a full playthrough, there will be spoilers as we get into the later parts of the game.

For now, let’s meet Sorey and start our adventure in Tales of Zestiria!

Part 1
Our first challenge was to overcome a slow Internet.

…The real part 1 is coming soon, I promise.

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Screenshot Let’s Play: Tales of Zestiria appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Celebrating All Things Spooky: The Starship Damrey

People say you shouldn’t trust reviews, but make your own decisions about games.

I’m not entirely on board with that (reviews can be quite useful), but I like several games that received medicore or bad reviews. For example, Fragile Dreams, Amy…

…and The Starship Damrey.

The Starship Damrey is part of the Guild series, smaller games with no connection to one another released by Level-5. With a style reminiscent of survival horror, The Starship Damrey interested me from the start, and I bought it shortly after it released on the 3DS eShop.

It begins with a warning that “This game contains no tutorials or explanations,” and gives you no further guidance throughout the game. The puzzles never become overly complex, although one optional puzzle required to unlock additional dialogue in the ending might give you some trouble.

While not explicitly horror, The Starship Damrey has a tense, unsettling atmosphere and simple mechanics straight from the survival horror genre.

You’ll solve puzzles, open doors, and backtrack with items to open new paths. Through it all, you slowly learn the story of what happened on the ship.

One downside is that the game is short. You can complete everything in 3 hours or less. However, the concept intrigued me and I wanted to learn more. I played the game in a single sitting, although I went back later for the bonus ending.

It’s short and simple, but its unguided presentation and creepy plot should appeal to many survival horror fans. If you’re in the mood for a few tense hours with your 3DS, go to the eShop and delve into the mysteries of The Starship Damrey.

Did you enjoy this post? Be sure to share it with your social networks!

The post Celebrating All Things Spooky: The Starship Damrey appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.