Samantha Lienhard's Blog, page 166

EarthBound: Quirky Adventures in the Land of Weird

Is “The War Against Giygas!” a part of the actual title?

For the two weeks my computer was down, I spent a lot of time browsing the Internet from my Wii U. Without Dragon Age 2 (my current in-progress PC game) or other computer activities to occupy my time, I finally finished EarthBound.

EarthBound is one of the first games I ever tried on my Wii U. I started it, enjoyed it, and took a break shortly after the first boss. When I returned to it, I started out confused, but re-familiarized myself with it quickly. Over the next two weeks, I plunged into the game and played it to completion.

I knew a few details about EarthBound from the start… mainly the infamous final boss battle. Most of it, however, was a mystery. The main thing I knew was that it’s a cult classic, often cited as one of the greatest games ever.

One thing that sets it apart from most RPGs is its use of a modern setting. As I played, I thought about that. A modern, realistic setting (minus the monsters and general weirdness) felt unusual, and it was Something in the back of my mind told me there is a prominent RPG series with a similar setting…

Pokemon.

I’m sure there are others, so chime in with other modern video game settings in the comments below.

Unlike Pokemon, which tends to be straightforward within the rules of its universe, EarthBound is quirky, silly, and often downright weird. Enemies range from animals to aliens to… sentient piles of vomit? Cranky ladies? Hippies? And while these enemies have the sorts of attacks and buffs you’d expect from an RPG combat system, they’re also equipped with moves that do absolutely nothing or even inflict negative status ailments on the enemies.

Though sometimes surprisingly dark, the game’s atmosphere falls more on the lighthearted side of the spectrum. You may be afraid of the street sign or coffee cup because it’s going to kill you, but the majority of the game doesn’t carry the sort of tension you’d expect from a desperate quest to stop a force of ultimate evil.

Whether it was the enemies, items, comments from NPCs, or just overall sense of humor, EarthBound’s tone was probably my favorite part of the game. It consistently made me smile. Then there were several little references I enjoyed.

The combat system also has some great features. First, instead of random encounters, you can see enemies on the screen. Weak enemies will run from you, while strong enemies will chase you. Second, if you’re strong enough compared to the enemy you run into, the game simply gives you the experience. While I adore how Wild Arms 3 lets you skip weak battles, EarthBound’s method of just declaring it a victory without making you fight is even better.

Third, it features a “rolling HP” system. When an enemy attacks you, you can watch your HP decrease, and this is more than just aesthetic. A fatal blow, for example, isn’t fatal until your HP hits 0. If you have 100 HP and the attack takes off 150 HP, you won’t die if you heal yourself or win the battle while it’s still decreasing. Heal as fast as you can!

Other than that, combat is a fairly simple turn-based system. You have physical attacks, “psi” powers that are basically magic and consume your PP meter accordingly, usable items, and a special ability for each character. It can be challenging, but always manageable, especially since you retain any experience you earned when you die. The general gameplay, aside from these features and the unusual setting, is standard RPG fare.

Despite what some fans would have you believe, though, EarthBound is not a perfect game. As I played, I realized there were some aspects I downright disliked, namely:

Horrible inventory management
Needlessly complicated fast-travel (you can teleport, but you need a running start)
Sudden difficulty spikes

…and more than any of these…

Spoiler for EarthBound's final battleHow the HECK was I suppose to know to use “Pray” against Giygas?

Yes, Pokey gave a vague hint by suggesting we cry out for help, but I thought that indicated a scripted event like the previous changes in the battle. I turned it into a battle of endurance and kept fighting Giygas for… I don’t even want to think about how long it was…

I’d long since dismissed “Pray” as a useless command, to the point where when I (in desperation) looked up how to beat Giygas and say people asking about “Pray,” it took me a while to realize what they meant.

Disagree that these are flaws? Present your arguments in the comments.

Now, let’s talk about EarthBound’s story.

I have a serious question for all of you. Is EarthBound a story-driven game? People talk about its story being ambitious. They also describe it as subtle. But when you think of games with good stories, do you think of EarthBound?

I loved EarthBound’s atmosphere, but I didn’t really care a whole lot about its story. It was like a Zelda game, or every Pokemon game except Black/White–there’s a story framework to guide your actions, but you aren’t going to spend time wondering what will happen next.

Or really caring about the characters. Don’t get me wrong, I liked EarthBound’s protagonists, but they didn’t have a lot of dialogue or do much of anything except be party members.

I know a lot of older JRPGs are like that, back when the genre began to emerge, but EarthBound came out in Japan in 1994. That’s the same year as Final Fantasy VI, a game with excellent storytelling and characters, and three years after Final Fantasy IV, which I still need to play.

After I finished EarthBound, I read stuff online about its plot. Now I feel as though I would have cared more if I went into it familiar with the plot of the first Mother game. Granted, since Mother was never released in North America, most EarthBound fans never experience it… but it would have given me more insight into Giygas other than “evil,” and you know how I feel about villains.

But maybe it’s just that the storytelling it subtle, and it needs to sink in before you can really appreciate it. Let me know your thoughts on EarthBound’s story. For now, I’ll leave you with my closing thoughts on EarthBound: it’s an entertaining game and a worthwhile experience, but not necessarily one of the greatest games ever.

Still, if any others were localized, I’d play them.

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

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Pigeons and Pirates: Two New Most-Anticipated Games

Pigeons and Pirates: Two New Most-Anticipated Games - Samantha Lienhard

You already know my most-anticipated games coming out this year, as well as the wilder announcements I want from E3. Now we have two new games to consider, recently-announced titles that have vaulted to the top of my list.

Holiday Star

On Thursday, Devolver Digital announced that Holiday Star will be coming to the PC, PS4, and PS Vita this fall. Holiday Star is the sequel to Hatoful Boyfriend, one of the greatest games I played last year.

After I finished Hatoful Boyfriend, I looked into the rest of the series. Among other things, I learned about the Absolute Zero manga (which I read and loved), and Holiday Star. While it’s possible to play Holiday Star already, I hoped it would receive the same sort of remastered release that Hatoful Boyfriend got.

So, I reacted to the Holiday Star news about like you’d expect.

Not only is it coming, but it’s being released this fall? YES!

Unlike Hatoful Boyfriend, Holiday Star is more a visual novel… but since arguably the best part of Hatoful Boyfriend, the BBL route, was a visual novel, that’s hardly reason for disappointment. It is episodic, with 4 main episodes, 6 shorter episodes, and apparently a radio show. It features both new characters and old favorites.

Holiday Star is described as a sequel to Hatoful Boyfriend, but it is an alternate universe sequel where the BBL storyline never happened. Interesting.. I can’t wait to see what twists and turns Holiday Star has in store.

There are a few, select series I consider “priority” games. If a new Ace Attorney game comes out, for example, I play it even if I’ve had other games lined up. If a new Professor Layton game comes out, I do the same thing.

Well, when Holiday Star releases this fall, I don’t care what PC game I’m in the middle of or about to start–it’s time to play Holiday Star.

Tales of Berseria

Earlier this year, when Bandai Namco trademarked three new Tales names, including Tales of Berseria, I hoped one of them would be a prequel to Tales of Symphonia starring the Kharlan heroes, one of my many video game pipe dreams.

Well, at this year’s Tales Festival, Bandai Namco announced Tales of Berseria. I doubt it’s a disguised Symphonia prequel, unless there was a large nautical element to the Kharlan War never mentioned. You see, Tales of Berseria is about pirates.

A Tales game with pirates? Both are part of the geeky holidays I celebrate, so how could I not be pleased? Plus, if this game involves pirates and sailing… maybe Berseria heralds a return to the classic world map!

Very little has been revealed about the game, but we did get a glimpse of the main protagonist, Velvet.

Many fans are excited that this is the first Tales game where the sole main character is female (Milla shared the spotlight with Jude, although really, I think Milla was much more the main character regardless), but I’m more interested in her being a pirate!

(World map? Please?)

Tales of Berseria hasn’t been confirmed for a Western release yet, as far as I know, but there’s still plenty of time for an announcement. Tales of Zestiria isn’t even out here yet. I’m still looking forward to Zestiria, and I have many other Tales games to catch up on, but that doesn’t make me any less excited for the newly-announced Tales of Berseria.

Have your own hopes for Tales of Berseria? Curious about Holiday Star? Share all your thoughts on these upcoming games in the comments below.

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Igavania Wii U, RE Zero, Bravely Second, and More

Igavania Wii U, RE Zero, Bravely Second, and More - Samantha Lienhard

I missed a lot of news during my reluctant break, so let’s take a look at some of the recent video game announcements!

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Heads to the Wii U

The night my computer broke down, I intended to start a blog post about the possibility that Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night (aka “Igavania”) had an upcoming stretch goal to bring it to the Wii U.

Well, fervor for this game’s Kickstarter is so strong, not only has its Wii U stretch goal been revealed, but it already crossed it. With seven days left in the campaign, its chances of meeting the PS Vita stretch goal look pretty good as well.

Ritual of the Night not being on the Wii U caused disappointment among fans, so this news was welcome indeed.

Resident Evil Zero Will Be Remastered

After the remaster of the remake of the first Resident Evil game (or as I like to call it, the REmake remake), I’d hoped Capcom would create a full REmake-style remake of Resident Evil 2. However, remastering Resident Evil Zero is a more logical follow-up.

Resident Evil Zero is the newest of the classic main-series titles. Like the Resident Evil “REmake,” it was released first on the GameCube and later ported to the Wii under the “Resident Evil Archives” name. And like REmake, it is now being remastered for the PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC.

The lack of a Wii U version is disappointing, but I fully expected it when I saw it was Resident Evil Zero. REmake and RE Zero’s Wii versions are both playable on the Wii U, so these remasters bring the Nintendo-exclusive Resident Evil titles to the other consoles.

Now, if a Resident Evil 2 remake is announced for everything but Nintendo, I’ll be less understanding… but there are many reasons to worry about the much-requested “RE2make” already.

For the time being, let’s show some optimism and take this to mean Capcom tested the survival horror waters with the REmake remaster and is ready to try it again!

Nintendo Humble Bundle

Humble Bundle is a great way to get games at a low price while supporting charity. Some bundles are better than others, but I’ve gotten some fantastic games from Humble Bundle… always PC games.

Until now! This new “Nindie” bundle features eleven indie games available on the 3DS and Wii U:

Pay Any Amount

Guacamelee! Super Turbo Championship Edition (Wii U)
Woah Dave! (3DS)
Mighty Switch Force! (3DS)

Beat the Average

The Fall (Wii U)
OlliOlli (Wii U and 3DS)
Moon Chronicles: Episode 1 (3DS)
Sportsball (Wii U)
Gunman Clive (3DS)
Bit.Trip Presents… Runner2: Future Legend of Rhythm Alien (Wii U)

Pay $10+

Stealth Inc. 2 (Wii U)
SteamWorld Dig (Wii U and 3DS)

That’s a nice selection of games, and they make the bundle pretty tempting. (Except Runner2. I hate that game. …Sorry, Bit.Trip fans.)

Bravely Second Localization Confirmed

In a 17-minute “Nintendo Direct Micro,” Nintendo confirmed that the sequel to Bravely Default: Flying Fairy, Bravely Second: End Layer, will be localized in 2016. After Bravely Default’s positive reception, localization of Bravely Second seemed likely, but it’s good to have positive confirmation.

Bravely Default is one of the many games I still need to play. Hopefully I’ll get it done before Bravely Second comes out.

Final Fantasy Updates

My feelings toward Final Fantasy XIII are less than stellar, but I’ve tried not to let that dampen my enthusiasm toward the series. Final Fantasy XV looks pretty cool, even if I am unhappy with how open it is.

(I know, I complained about FF XIII for being too linear, and now XV for being too open? Yes. Semi-linear is my favorite style. …I also miss world maps.)

Yesterday, Final Fantasy XV’s director, Hajime Tabata, revealed new details about changes to the game, such as the removal of the character called Stella. When Luna started to appear in trailers, some fans worried Stella had been cut. It seems their worries were founded.

According to Tabata, Stella was created for Final Fantasy Versus XIII. With the shift to Final Fantasy XV, and the story changes that involved, she no longer fit as well, so they decided to use a different heroine. On the surface, it may seem silly to replace her instead of simply changing the character, but as a writer, I understand.

To be honest, when I first saw Luna, thought she was the same character shown previously, but several fans who followed Versus XIII more closely are disappointed by the loss of Stella.

Stella Nox Fleuret

Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, a completely different character

Keeping the same last name makes me wonder if Stella is secretly still in the game, just in a new role… but for now, I’ll take their word for it. Stella is out, Luna is in.

I have not played the Final Fantasy XV demo, Episode Duscae, in part because I don’t have a PS4 or Xbox One to play it on. Well, it may not be coming to any other systems, but the game Episode Duscae accompanied is! Final Fantasy Type-0 HD is coming to Steam.

What I’ve heard about Type-0 has intrigued me, but I’m still a little uncertain. It gets mixed reviews, and I’ve heard it has some RTS elements.

On the other hand, it has a world map!

That’s it for this round up of important announcements I missed during my absence. Of course, there’s been other gaming news as well–Fallout 4 and the like. Let me know in the comments below any other recent video game announcements you would have included in this list, and stay tuned for an announcement that made me so excited, it deserves its own blog post.

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Without a PC, I Used my Wii U

Without a PC, I Used my Wii U - Samantha Lienhard

I am back!

As you probably know, I went from anticipating the Wild Hunt to not having a functional PC. Now its cooling system (the actual culprit) has been replaced, my new graphics card is installed, and I’m back in action!

So, what did I do during my time without a PC? I used my Wii U.

I’ve enjoyed my Wii U since I got it, especially after the release of Bayonetta 2 (no, I’m not tired of talking about how great it was). I loved Bayonetta 2 so much, it alone was justification to have a Wii U.

But after this computer debacle? I love my Wii U more than ever.

See, I can get a wi-fi signal in my usual haunt, but it’s weak and unstable. Wired Internet connections are my friend. I’d just bought an ethernet adapter so I could take the Wii U online, and this meant I could get a better connection with my Wii U than with my iPad. The Wii U’s Internet browser can’t do everything–but it can do a lot.

That blog post announcing my delay? I wrote it from my Wii U. I used my Wii U to help me stay on track with my freelance writing. I used it to chat with friends while I worked on stories. I used it to keep up to date with gaming news–and all the exciting announcements I couldn’t share here.

All this quality time with my Wii U also gave me reason to finally return to EarthBound, which I played a tiny bit of back when I first got my Wii U and then abandoned for other things. In between writing and working, I played EarthBound… and finished it.

So stay tuned for a catch-up article on video game news, my thoughts on EarthBound, and maybe a few E3 predictions before the big event arrives! In the meantime, tell me if you use your Wii U for more than just gaming… and if you don’t have one yet, why not?

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Delayed Due to Technical Difficulties

Delayed Due to Technical Difficulties - Samantha Lienhard

Technology is great…
…until it turns on you.

If you’ve been following my blog long enough to know that I post regularly these days–usually three times a week outside of special circumstances–you might be wondering what happened to me this week.

Technology turned against me.

I thought I would be greeting you from a PC with a brand new graphics card installed… instead, I’m dealing with a PC that can’t run for more than a few minutes without the fans going crazy. Then it shuts down, most likely to protect itself from overheating.

Sure, this is nowhere near as bad as what happens when fictional machines turn on you, but for a writer, blogger, and gamer, not having a working machine is a pain.

So, my usual posts will be delayed until further notice. With any luck, I’ll be up and running again soon.

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The Wild Hunt is Almost Here

The Wild Hunt is Almost Here - Samantha Lienhard

All right, so when I said I wouldn’t talk about The Witcher again until I played the first game, I was mistaken. And despite my plan to catch up on the entire series in time for The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, I’m not going to make it. I haven’t even started playing The Witcher yet.

And Wild Hunt comes out today.

I know, its release date is actually tomorrow, but digital copies will become available at 1 AM in Warsaw, which is this evening in the United States. But even if I consider tomorrow as the actual day, I can’t play through The Witcher and The Witcher 2 in a single day.

But I’m still excited. Even though I planned to not even order Wild Hunt until I finished the previous games, speed-reading the fan translations of The Tower of the Swallow and The Lady of the Lake over the past couple of days left me even more excited than I was already.

I know what the Wild Hunt is, and why they want Ciri (probably).

I know how the books end, and how the games begin (sort of).

I know that the Witcher series still has plenty of surprises in store for me, and I can’t wait to see how the games continue the story. Now, the author of the books considers the games to be non-canon. In his eyes, the story ended with The Lady of the Lake. Right now, I can see both perspectives. Lady of the Lake had an unusual ending, one I’m not wholly satisfied with. It concluded the main plot well enough that, if there was nothing else in the series, I think I’d be content with it.

On the other hand, since the games do continue the story (canon or not), I’m happy that it isn’t over yet. I wouldn’t want to end here, without playing the games.

Now I’m starting to ramble. The point is that even though I won’t be ready in time for The Witcher 3, I still intend to play the games soon. My new goal: finish the Witcher series by the end of the summer. If you also need to catch up on the series, the order is…

The Last Wish – This short story collection has a different tone than the rest of the series, but it sets the main events of the saga into motion. Take a look at my review for more information.
Sword of Destiny – This is also a short story collection. Like The Last Wish, some of its stories tie into the overarching plot.
Blood of Elves – The first novel centers around Ciri and truly begins her story. I also reviewed this one.
Time of Contempt – The plot really begins to pick up in this next novel, which also introduces the Wild Hunt. As I indicated in my review, it has the most self-contained plot in the series.
Baptism of Fire – The last novel translated into English continues the story and introduces some memorable characters, along with a brief interlude of bizarre humor. Once again, you can take a look at my review if you want.
The Tower of the Swallow – This felt like one of the darkest novels in the series (though they all have some pretty dark moments), but also one in which we really learn more about Ciri and what she is capable of.
The Lady of the Lake – Old enemies are confronted, new enemies reveal themselves, and everything comes to a climax in the last novel.

The first game picks up a few years after the last book, and that’s where I’ll be headed next.

What about you? If you’re interested in The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, are you planning to play it right away or wait a while? How familiar are you with the rest of the series? What do you think about Ciri and the Wild Hunt?

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E3 2015 Pipe Dreams

E3 2015 Pipe Dreams - Samantha Lienhard

Will this be our year at last?

It’s almost that time of year again! E3 2015 press conferences will begin in just under a month. While I don’t suspect the gaming companies are plotting something huge, like I did last year, I can’t help but dream of what could be.

Are these E3 predictions? Nope. While some are possible, these are my less plausible wishes, my E3 2015 pipe dreams.

Ace Attorney Investigations 2

As usual, I hope this E3 is the time Capcom will finally announce an official localization of Gyakuten Kenji 2, or Ace Attorney Investigations 2. The more time passes, the less likely it seems… but on the other hand, DS games are finally appearing on the Wii U virtual console. Ace Attorney is one of my favorite series, and this is the one game I’m unable to play.

Fatal Frame V is being localized, so maybe this will finally be AAI2’s turn.

(I’d add in my wish for Dai Gyakuten Saiban localization, but that is perfectly possible and not a pipe dream! …Please?)

Ace Attorney Investigations 2 localization needs to happen. Not only does it include Gregory Edgeworth, the return of Shelly de Killer, and a storyline that many fans claim is the best in the series, but it also has some incredible music!

The World Ends With You 2

Remember when Square Enix created a teaser site that got everyone excited for a sequel to The World Ends With You? Remember the disappointment when it turned out to be an iOS port of the original, instead? Remember the renewed excitement when the iOS port ended with an image of a brand new character and the message “New 7 Days”?

Blatant sequel tease

That was in 2012.

Since then, the iOS port broke and was pulled from the store, and there’s been no sign of a sequel. That’s a shame, because TWEWY is one of my favorite DS games. I poured more hours into it than into any other game. Not only that, but it ended with clear hints of a potential sequel or series, especially if you unlocked the secret ending.

TWEWY Secret Ending - MAJOR spoilers

Not to mention a couple other loose ends…

Square Enix is having a dedicated E3 press conference this year, so maybe it’ll finally announce the game it teased almost three years ago.

More Bayonetta

Bayonetta and Bayonetta 2 (which includes the original) were such amazing games, I can’t help wanting more. Bayonetta was amazing, I liked Bayonetta 2 even better, and PlatinumGames already expressed interest in creating a Bayonetta 3 or a 3DS spin-off.

So why do I consider this announcement unlikely? First, because Bayonetta 2 just came out last year and it feels too soon for a sequel. Second, I expect Platinum to be focused on Scalebound, which it announced last E3.

Still, even a hint of Bayonetta news would be great.

Tales of Symphonia Prequel

Tales of Symphonia Chronicles, because anything related to the prequel would involve spoilers.

I loved Tales of Symphonia, I’m going to try its much-maligned sequel, and I really want it to get a prequel.

And I don’t mean any old prequel, I mean one starring the Kharlan Heroes.

I really want this game. I mean, I really want it. When Bandai Namco trademarked new Tales names, my first reaction was to wonder if one of them could be a Symphonia prequel. Tales of Symphonia has a backstory just begging to be turned into a video game, and some of the key details were left vague enough to allow it twists and turns despite the details Symphonia players already know.

Of course, such a prequel does come with one big problem: it spoils some of Tales of Symphonia’s plot twists by its very nature. For the actual game, I think that could work fine (and make the original game a very different experience for anyone who plays the prequel first), but marketing is another matter. I think bait-and-switch protagonists could work, but then even if it was announced at E3, we wouldn’t know that’s what it was…

I’d actually love that. A new Tales game that’s actually a Symphonia prequel in disguise.

So there you have it, the games I most want announced at E3 2015 that probably won’t be: Ace Attorney Investigations 2, The World Ends With You 2, a Bayonetta 3 or spin-off, and a stealth Tales of Symphonia prequel.

What are your E3 pipe dreams?

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Why I Don’t Blog About Writing

Why I Don’t Blog About Writing - Samantha Lienhard

Welcome to the world of writing?

One of the many reasons I started a blog was so I could promote my writing. I also wanted to talk about video games, which is why my first blog post was about Resident Evil.

As time went on, two things happened. First, I learned that keeping a blog is an important part of building an author platform. This made me blog more frequently (until I achieved the regular schedule I use today). Second, I became worried that I slipped into blogging about videos games too often, and that I needed to focus on writing topics instead.

Then, in my search for strategies to help me with my blog, I read Why Writers Blogging About Writing is Bad.

I’d never thought about it before, but it’s true–a blog about the craft of writing will appeal to other writers, but if you want to find an audience for your books, you need to appeal to readers. The majority of readers aren’t writers.

Another article (which I’ve been unable to find again, so if you know what it is, please let me know!) made similar points, but went on to mention that authors looking at writing blogs probably know a lot of other authors. The average blog reader interested in video games/knitting/gardening/etc., however, probably does not–which means the non-writers are more likely to be excited to meet an author and check out that person’s books.

Granted, the majority of readers probably aren’t gamers, either, and I’m not crazy enough to think that everyone who comes here wondering what Professor Layton game to play first or if Bayonetta is anti-Christian is going to read my fiction. (Not that I’d complain if they did.) But for those of you who like my style and my taste in games, I hope it encourages you to check out the stories I’ve written.

If I tried to blog about the craft of writing, I’d have run out of ideas a long time ago. So I picked something else I’m passionate about, something I can talk about often, and made it my primary focus.

Today, I have over twice as many posts about video games as about writing. Most of my writing posts are announcements, such as when I revised The Accidental Zombie, rather than discussions of writing itself. I think that’s the right direction for my blog to take.

Now it’s your turn. What do you think? Should writers blog about writing?

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Igarashi’s Castlevania Spiritual Successor Now on Kickstarter

Igarashi’s Castlevania Spiritual Successor Now on Kickstarter - Samantha Lienhard

Castlevania: Symphonia of the Night producer Koji Igarashi caused a stir among fans last week when he created the “Sword or Whip?” website that seemed to hint at a Castlevania-like game. Today, he unveiled his new project, Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is being developed with Inti Creates, and Michiru Yamane will provide the music. It also coins the term Igavania, “a gothic, exploration-focused action platformer.” I’m not sure if this will catch on as a subgenre name the way Metroidvania has, but it does make for a much easier hashtag than the game’s full title.

The main appeal is the gameplay, which focuses on exploration, crafting, and RPG elements. It’s a 2.5D Gothic-style game clearly inspired by Castlevania, although it uses its own lore rather than classic figures such as Dracula. In Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, you play a girl named Miriam who is suffering from a curse that slowly crystallizes her skin. She has been summoned to the hellish castle by Gebel, who survived the curse but has gone insane due to its effects.

I really love the character designs shown so far.

Miriam, the protagonist

Gebel, the antagonist.

Johannes, a support character.
Also the only Alchemist who thought summoning demons was a bad idea.

Although it hasn’t seen the insane success of Yooka-Laylee (the Banjo-Kazooie spiritual successor that destroyed its funding goal almost immediately), Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night is already well on its way to being funded. (Update: within two hours since I wrote this, it met its goal.) You should still check out the Kickstarter, though, if not for the backer rewards then to learn about the special backer achievements. New things will be added to the game or as backer rewards when people follow the game on Twitter, create fan art, etc.

The Kickstarter video is also pretty cool.

It’s planned for the PC, PS4, and Xbox One, in both digital and retail formats. This is great news for all Castlevania fans, and even those of us who have gotten into the series slowly (I’ve played… one). Spread the word, and then let me know in the comments what your favorite Castlevania game is! Tweet

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Fantasy Life: Cute, Charming, and Addictive

Fantasy Life: Cute, Charming, and Addictive - Samantha Lienhard

Let’s talk about Fantasy Life.

As an RPG created by Level-5 with music by Nobuo Uematsu of Final Fantasy fame, Fantasy Life sounded like a dream come true from the moment I first heard of it. Even better, while I mainly know Level-5 from the Professor Layton series, I was already familiar with the Fantasy Life concept. Professor Layton and the Last Specter included an RPG side game called Layton’s London Life, which let Level-5 test the framework they’d eventually use for Fantasy Life.

But while Layton’s London Life was simple, Fantasy Life is not. You might find yourself overwhelmed at the start, especially if you have an aversion to open-world games, like I do. Fantasy Life isn’t open-world, but has a structure somewhat like the first Xenoblade Chronicles–large areas to explore with numerous side areas, a constant stream of side quests, and a story that unlocks new areas as you advance.

Yes, a story. Between exploring, completing side quests, and completing challenges for each Life, it’s easy to lose track of the story entirely. Once you settle down and follow the plot quests, however, it does have a definite story. It may not be the deepest story by RPG standards, but it’s cute, with some genuinely interesting moments.

Some players may be put off by the sheer amount of dialogue in the game, especially when the story doesn’t seem to be the major focus. Even though I love plot-heavy games, there were times I got a little annoyed and just wanted them to shut up. The story’s humor and sense of charm, however, were enough for me not to mind too much.

Combat is fairly basic. It’s an action RPG system with a basic attack and a couple special attacks. As you progress the story or a Life, you gain allies you can invite to join your party. You can also invite your pets. Two party members can be with you at a time, and as your friendship increases by spending time together, they become more inclined to use their own special attacks. Your character will level up, and each level will let you distribute points to increase your various stats.

The Life system is one of the game’s strongest points. You Life is more or less your class or job, and you can switch between them whenever you want. Each comes with challenges that let you level up, and they vary based on Life. For example, a Paladin might have a certain type of enemy to defeat, while a Cook would need to prepare a certain meal. My only criticism of the Life system is that I found the crafting Lives to be a little tedious. I preferred the ones that sent me out into the world to fight enemies, mine gems, chop down trees, etc. On the other hand, if there’s a Life you don’t find enjoyable, you can just ignore it.

That was another marketing point of the game, that you could be any Life you wanted. You can complete the entire story as a Tailor if you want. The main campaign doesn’t force you into any battles you couldn’t win as a non-combat Life, so it’s possibly to play without fighting.

Completionists, however, will want to try everything, and Fantasy Life is a completionist’s dream. It is extremely addictive, especially if you’re exploring or working on quests. I got tired around the 60-hour mark, but players who want to max out every Life and complete every side quest have reported 100-200 hours of playtime. Fantasy Life will never leave you with nothing to do.

I haven’t completed the Origin Island DLC expansion yet. I started it, but decided to take a short break in order to play another game. When I return to Origin Island, I may review it separately if it’s long enough.

As far as the main game goes, however, check out Fantasy Life if you’re looking for a lighthearted RPG adventure with tons of stuff to do.

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