Samantha Lienhard's Blog, page 167

Broken Age is Charming, but Falls a Little Short

Broken Age is Charming, but Falls a Little Short - Samantha Lienhard

I enjoyed Broken Age. Let me get that out of the way in case my later complaints give the wrong impression. Broken Age is a point-and-click adventure game from Double Fine, the developer behind such amazing creations as Psychonauts. I like both adventure games and Double Fine’s humor, so even though I didn’t participate in the Kickstarter (and consequently never took much note of the delays or anything), I was quite interested in Broken Age.

Due to financial woes, the game was split into two parts. Act 1 was released last January (January 2014), which is when I first played it. It was short, only 3-4 hours long, but I really enjoyed it. Broken Age: Act 1 had simple puzzles but a strong sense of humor.

Its story was where it excelled. Players could swap between two different characters whose stories seemed to have no connection: a headstrong girl named Vella who doesn’t think it’s such an “honor” to be sacrificed to a monster and decides to fight the system her society is based around, and a boy named Shay who is tired of his monotonous, danger-free life aboard a spaceship. Exploring the worlds of these two very different characters and trying to figure out how their stories intersected was fantastic, and Act 1 ended with a brilliant twist and cliffhanger.

We had to wait until this April to finally see the rest of the game, but Broken Age: Act 2 didn’t satisfy me as much as I’d hoped.

Go on, what does the knot look like?

Mechanically, it may be the better of the two. It’s longer, its puzzles are trickier, and some parts require you to swap between characters in a way that makes no sense from a narrative perspective but is clever from a game perspective. I got stuck on puzzles a few times, but usually it was just because I missed something I could interact with.

Then there was the knot puzzle. That was just mean.

Some players criticize Act 2 for its trickier puzzles, but I don’t think it’s a gameplay flaw. Some parts may have been a little tedious, but overall they felt in line for an adventure game. The story, however, disappointed me a little.

Maybe it’s because of how good Act 1’s twist was, but the revelations and conclusions in Act 2 fell short of my expectations. Even though the story remained interesting, the explanation of what’s going on didn’t live up to the first half. Some oddities are handwaved, while others just raise too many questions.

Click for spoilersThe behavior of Shay’s “Mom” made sense for a computer programmed to protect him. For an actual human who really is his mother, though… ehhh…

And if you pay attention to Shay’s dialogue in the first act and his shock at seeing his father in the second act, he really believed they were computers. Great parenting, there.

Some fans think that in the long gap between the release of Act 1 and Act 2, the story was changed. I don’t know if it’s true or not, but that would go a long way toward explaining the discrepancies. Either that, or it was a PLvPW-style incident of writing a wild story without guarding against plot holes.

Do I recommend Broken Age? Yes… just be aware that the second half of the story doesn’t deliver on the potential promised by the first half.

The post Broken Age is Charming, but Falls a Little Short appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

May the 4th and Other Odd Holidays

May the 4th and Other Odd Holidays - Samantha Lienhard

May the 4th be with you!

…In case you didn’t get it, Happy Star Wars Day! May the Force be with you. And if that wordplay makes you cringe, just wait until I try to explain the holiday based on a Japanese pun. Oh yes, I’ve got a couple holidays to share with you that make May the 4th seem downright normal.

So let’s start with today and head through the calendar to take a look at the odd holidays I’ve taken to celebrating over the years!

Even major retailers like Amazon celebrate this one!

May the 4th, or Star Wars Day

When: May 4th, obviously

Why: “May the 4th” sounds enough like “May the Force” for Star Wars fans to give one another a slight variation on the famous, “May the Force be with you.” While it isn’t officially recognized as Star Wars Day, it’s popular enough and celebrated by enough people to give it some legitimacy.

How to celebrate: This is an easy one! Watch the Star Wars movies, dive into the (no longer canon) Extended Universe novels like the Thrawn Trilogy, or play one of the great Star Wars video games like Knights of the Old Republic or Republic Commando.

True diehard fans may want to engage each other in simulated lightsaber duels, and don’t forget to greet everyone with, “May the 4th be with you.”

In similar fashion, just a few weeks from now is…

Geek Pride Day

When: May 25

Why: This is sometimes celebrated as an alternate Star Wars Day, because the first movie was originally released on May 25, but it’s also Towel Day (originally recognized to honor The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Douglas Adams two weeks after his death) and the Glorious 25th of May (from the Discworld novel Night Watch).

How to celebrate: Celebrate Star Wars, celebrate Douglas Adams, celebrate Terry Pratchett… if it’s anything that might get you named a geek or nerd, it should fit the theme. This is the most open-ended of all the holidays on this list. In fact, celebrating most of the holidays on this list probably qualifies you to celebrate Greek Pride Day…

So let’s move on, all the way to July, with…

Bungie Day

When: July 7

Why: Bungie has a fascination with the number 7. Therefore, 7/7 is the perfect day for them. The very first Bungie Day was 7/7/07, but since then the company decided to celebrate it every year.

How to celebrate: The best way to honor Bungie Day is by playing Bungie’s games! Whether it’s Destiny, Halo, or you have one of their older games like Marathon, devote this day to the developer you love. (And if you don’t love Bungie… why are you looking for advice on how to celebrate them?)

Next, September gives us…

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

When: September 19

Why: According to the official site, September 19 is one of the founders’ “ex-wife’s birthday, and the only date he could readily recall that wasn’t taken up with something like Christmas or the Super Bowl or something.” Now, people celebrate it all across the world.

How to celebrate: Another easy one. The name of the day tells you what to do–talk like a pirate. For most people, this means spending the entire day saying “ye” and “me” for “you” and “my,” addressing people as “mateys” or “hearties” and threatening to make them walk the plank, and tossing in the occasional “arr” and “yarr” for good measure. Feel free to dress as a pirate or drink grog if it helps you get into the spirit of things.

Back when I was in high school, one of our teachers decided to talk briefly about silly holidays. She mentioned Talk Like a Pirate Day and said, “Believe it or not, people actually celebrate a holiday this absurd. It’s on September 21 or something like that.” Very quietly at my desk, I said, “September 19,” much to the delight of the girl sitting next to me. That’s right, I was celebrating back then, and I’m still celebrating now–here’s to ye, me hearties!

We could stop in October for Mole Day, but I don’t really celebrate. Mole Day fans, please join me in the comments if you’d like to shine a spotlight on your day. Let’s continue on to the month of November, starting with…

N7 Day

When: November 7

Why: November 7 = N 7 = N7. The N7 designation marks you as a graduate from the Systems Alliance’s Interplanetary Combatives Training special forces program, but for the majority of fans it’s just a symbol of Commander Shepard and the Mass Effect series. BioWare started celebrating N7 Day on the first game’s 5th anniversary.

How to celebrate: Playing Mass Effect is a great place to start, although there are also novels and other tie-ins if you want to deepen your knowledge of the lore. This is also a popular holiday for cosplay and fan art, and Bungie sometimes holds its own sales and contests.

But we all know what I really look forward to in November…

Walter Sullivan Day

When: November 21

Why: To explain with as few spoilers as possible, when Silent Hill 4 antagonist Walter Sullivan is described as the “11121 man,” that’s a misinterpretation on the character’s part. It’s really “11/21,” which makes 11/21, or November 21, the perfect time for a holiday! Every year, I faithfully wish my friends a Happy Walter Sullivan Day, and every year the majority of them look at me like I’m out of my mind. Rather appropriate, really.

How to celebrate: If you can find a copy, give Silent Hill 4: The Room a chance. It may be somewhat maligned by Silent Hill purists, but it’s actually my favorite game in the series.

It’s also recommended that you be cautious around spoons on Walter Sullivan Day, and if you have an apartment, be kind to it.

Silent Hill 4 spoilerIt might be someone’s mother.

Riiiight, okay, let’s hurry out of crazy-ville and flee into March to see what we can oh no…

Mithos Day

When: March 13

Why: Okay, I’m taking this one on faith, but as far as I can understand, “3 10 3″ can be read in Japanese as “mi to su,” or Mitosu, the Japanese name for the character Mithos in Tales of Symphonia! I missed it this year, because I only learned about it the other week, but next March I plan to join the few crazy diehard Symphonia fans who recognize it.

How to celebrate: Play Tales of Symphonia. Watch the anime! Read the tie-in manga! I mean, you should do this stuff regardless of what day it is, because Symphonia is one of the best games ever, but this day just gives you the perfect excuse!

And treasure your loved ones on this day.

…Ahem! The fun doesn’t end there, because one day later, we get to enjoy…

Pi Day

When: March 14

Why: March 14 = 3/14 = 3.14, the first three digits of pi>. Notably, this year saw 3/14/15, which made it a special Pi Day. True Pi devotees honored it at exactly 9:26:53.

How to celebrate: Even though it’s a math-themed holiday, the majority of people celebrate by eating pie. Yes, we couldn’t get out of this without more wordplay, now could we? So eat some pie and chat about math if you’re so inclined. The gamers among you might want to fire up The World Ends With You to hear some math gibberish spouted by the wacky Game Master Sho Minamimoto.

And… can it be…? That takes us all the way back to…

May the 4th Be With You!

Have a great Star Wars Day, and join me in celebrating all these other delightful holidays. Have you added any of these to your calendar? Do you know any I missed, especially in that massive gap between November and March? Let me know in the comments!

Hmm… I think we fans need to get together and make some new holidays. Why isn’t there an Ace Attorney Day? Shouldn’t we be celebrating the date of DL-6 or seeing if we can make any date puns from the main characters’ names? No Professor Layton Day, either? Descole is just dying for his own holiday, folks!

Apparently there is an International Raistlin Majere Day faithfully celebrated every year on April 8, though it doesn’t seem to be widely recognized. (On the other hand, it’s probably still more popular than Mithos Day.) The holiday’s creator has several entertaining recommendations on how to celebrate. Should I add it to the list?

The post May the 4th and Other Odd Holidays appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Puzzle & Dragons 3DS Demo Only Shows Basic Combat

Puzzle & Dragons 3DS Demo Only Shows Basic Combat - Samantha Lienhard

Yesterday saw the release of the Puzzle & Dragons demo on the 3DS eShop. While the full game is a dual pack including both Puzzle & Dragons Z (which seems to be the more interesting of the two, as it’s a full RPG with its own story) and the Super Mario Bros. Edition, the demo is only for the Mario part.

Even so, I was looking forward to this demo. I had no interest in the game at all when it was first announced, but the footage eventually shown in a Nintendo Direct caught my attention. I tried the mobile Puzzle & Dragons game and found it to be enjoyable, though frustrating due to its time limits and microtransactions–so a version without these things sounded great to me!

Combat in Puzzle & Dragons is based on matching colored tiles to form combos. Unlike traditional match-3 games like Bejeweled, you can move a tile anywhere on the board, but you’re on a timer. Once the timer expires, you drop the piece and any matches you made are taken. It took me a little bit to get used to this. Instead of quickly making a match, like I initially wanted to do, it was often better to sweep the tile around the board, knocking other matches into position first. Once I got the hang of it, I enjoyed that additional piece of strategy.

To my disappointment, that’s really all there is to the demo. It doesn’t let you capture enemies to use on your team like you will in the main game. It doesn’t even let you customize your team. Instead, it just lets you play through a few encounters with pre-set teams. I managed to squeeze almost an hour’s worth of gameplay out of it, but only because I kept dying before I fully understood the gameplay.

I’m still interested in Puzzle & Dragons for the 3DS, but much like the demo for Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, this one left me saying, “That’s it?”

The post Puzzle & Dragons 3DS Demo Only Shows Basic Combat appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Forget Layton 7, Give Us Layton Brothers 2

Forget Layton 7, Give Us Layton Brothers 2 - Samantha Lienhard

I almost titled this blog post “What IS Layton 7?” because really, why is a card game about fortune-telling and vampires being stamped with the Layton name? When Level-5 said Azran Legacy would be the last to star Hershel Layton, I thought any future games would at least keep a similar gameplay style.

The original Layton 7 announcement sounded bizarre and out of place in the series. This sounds nothing like that… but it still doesn’t feel like a Layton game, especially with the “7” in its title implying it’s the next main-series entry. (Note: if it is, I fully expect the fortune-telling to be an elaborate deception, the vampire to be a normal human, and the explanation for how and why this was accomplished to be so convoluted it makes fortune-telling and vampirism believable in comparison.) Why?

If Level-5 really doesn’t want the next game to have classic Layton gameplay, fine. But why Layton 7? Why not a sequel to Layton Brothers: Mystery Room?

Layton Brothers: Mystery Room came out in 2013. Like Layton 7, it came out only for iOS and Android devices. Like Layton 7, it doesn’t play anything like a Professor Layton game. Like Layton 7, it is often maligned and ignored by fans.

Mystery Room’s gameplay isn’t fantastic. It plays like an ultra-streamlined Ace Attorney game, with no penalties or other consequences. Yet I still named it an Honorable Mention when I listed the best games I played in 2013, even though I acknowledged it as “mediocre.” Despite its flaws, it won a place in my heart–mainly because of its characters.

Mystery Room puts you in the shoes of Lucy Baker, a rookie detective constable at Scotland Yard assigned to work in the “Mystery Room,” where the strangest and most serious crimes are sent to be solved. This makes her the assistant of Alfendi, Professor Layton’s estranged son.

(No, it’s never even hinted at who Alfendi’s mother might be. Some fans even believe he might be adopted, although personally…

Spoilers for Mystery Room AND Azran LegacyI can absolutely see Alfendi “Potty Prof” Layton as a blood relative of Descole and Bronev.

It makes so much sense!)

While Lucy is a fun protagonist, Alfendi Layton is the story’s shining glory. The mild-mannered, socially awkward inspector is considered brilliant for his crime-solving skills, but put him in the presence of an evil criminal and another side of him will emerge…

Warning: this video contains spoilers for an early case in the game.

Alfendi’s split personality is one of the most interesting parts of the game and contributes to the overarching plot, which gets stronger in later cases. It seems a shame to consign Alfendi and Lucy to a single game many fans probably haven’t even tried–especially since it ends with a clear sequel hook!

There is so much a sequel could explore: the mystery introduced at the end of the first game, Alfendi’s relationship with his father, his brother (if he even has one), and of course, more delightful interactions between Alfendi, Lucy, and the wacky cast of witnesses and suspects. A sequel could also expand upon the gameplay mechanics to add more depth so it wouldn’t rely so much on the strength of its story.

Ideally, I’d love to see a Layton Brothers: Mystery Room 2 released for the 3DS, maybe with the first game included Bayonetta-style.If it’s mobile-exclusive like its predecessor, I’d still buy it. I just want a sequel–much more than I want Layton 7.

But hey, maybe Layton 7 is a brilliant gem waiting to be uncovered. Maybe the vampire-revealing card game is only the start of a larger mystery. I won’t give up hope just yet.

The post Forget Layton 7, Give Us Layton Brothers 2 appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

No More Silent Hills

No More Silent Hills - Samantha Lienhard

Last October, I wrote a post looking at my top 5 most-anticipated survival horror games. Two of the games from my list, the Resident Evil HD Remaster and Alien: Isolation, have already been released. Fatal Frame V has been confirmed for localization, Routine is (as far as I know), still happening, and that just leaves my #1 upcoming survival horror game, Silent Hills…

…and it isn’t good.

The new Silent Hill game was supposed to be a collaboration between Hideo Kojima, Guillermo del Toro, and Norman Reedus. It was revealed through P.T., a teaser disguised as an indie horror game. Players who tried P.T. have described it as one of the most terrifying experiences ever (if, like me, you haven’t played it, you might want to head over to the PlayStation Store to link it to your PSN account before it disappears on April 29) and it increased the hype surrounding Silent Hills.

Sure, some fans had doubts, particularly with P.T.’s first-person perspective and the controversial receptions of recent Silent Hill games, but most people had high hopes for Silent Hills.

However, you might have heard about the recent trouble surrounding Kojima and Konami, which included the Kojima Productions logo being removed from the Silent Hills website. There have been a lot of rumors, but it seems certain that Kojima is leaving Konami after Metal Gear Solid V is complete. MGS fans have their own worries about that, and the news left a lot of people asking, “What’s going to happen to Silent Hills?”

A disappointing answer surfaced yesterday, with the report that Guillermo del Toro said the project was cancelled.

"It's not gonna happen and that breaks my greasy heart." -Guillermo del Toro on #SilentHills. #sfff #sffs #sffilmfest #fb

— TV's Matt Hackney (@tvsmatthackney) April 26, 2015

Right on the heels of that news, Norman Reedus expressed his disappointment.

Super bummed about this was really looking forward to it. Hopefully it'll come back around. Sorry everyone

Alien: Isolation – Persistent Dread and Tension

Alien: Isolation – Persistent Dread and Tension - Samantha Lienhard

It’s been a long time since I started playing Alien: Isolation. I liked it immediately, but a personal hiatus from horror caused a massive delay. Now, at last, I’ve beaten it… and I can say without hesitation that every survival horror fan should give Alien: Isolation a try.

For fans of the original Alien movie, Alien: Isolation is a tribute at its finest. Instead of feeling like fanservice or a successor in name only, it captures the tone and aesthetics of the film with startling attention to detail.

When it comes to survival horror, Alien: Isolation provides a modern spin on classic mechanics. Unlike modern survival horror games like Amnesia and Slender, you don’t play a helpless protagonist. You have weapons, and you can fight–but pick your fights wisely, because you’re far from a powerhouse and too much noise could attract the Alien’s attention. It brings back the fight-or-flight elements many horror games have lacked lately. Locked doors, backtracking (oh, it feels so good to return to an older area and see a locked door you now have the means to open), minor puzzles, and scattered notes to help tell Sevastopol Station’s story all revive the mechanics of classic survival horror without feeling dated.

And what Alien: Isolation accomplishes best of all is instilling a persistent sense of dread and tension. Maybe it isn’t the scariest game. Something like Amnesia (or Justine) might have it beat for brief moments of sheer terror. But if you want a game that will gnaw at you, leave you feeling anxious and unsafe, and torment you with quiet, unrelenting dread, Alien: Isolation is the one for you.

The Alien, the xenomorph itself, is the same sort of menacing presence from the original film. It can kill you in one hit, don’t even think about running from it, and its ability to travel through the space station’s vents means it can get around very quickly and pop up just about anywhere.

You’ll spend a lot of time hiding, sneaking, watching your motion tracker (but be careful the noise doesn’t attract it!), and possibly using distractions, but if you try the same trick too many times, the Alien will eventually catch on. Yeah, it’s smart. Just what you wanted to hear, right? Conventional weapons don’t work on it… molotov cocktails and the eventual flamethrower will make it back off, but only for a short period of time. Everything about the Alien is designed to make you feel vulnerable and paranoid.

I mentioned combat earlier, and that’s because the Alien isn’t your only enemy. Many other human survivors are hostile, and Sevastopol’s resident androids, the Working Joes, are out to politely kill you. They’re also deliberately in the Uncanny Valley.

A lot of the Joes’ dialogue falls somewhere between black humor and pure nightmare fuel. As they calmly say, “You are becoming hysterical” while throttling you or remind you of proper safety protocols while hunting you down, they remind me of the Taken’s bizarre lines in Alan Wake… but much more sinister. As I crawled into a vent and listened to the android outside tell me how patient he is, I was almost as tense as if the Alien was after me.

Almost. At least Working Joes can be killed, if not easily.

In addition to standard weapons, Alien: Isolation has a crafting system. I devoted most of my crafting resources to making medkits, molotov cocktails, and EMP mines, because my lack of stealth skills made it easier for me to risk taking damage than to try to use distractions. Still, the number of craftable items means you can approach different situations in a variety of ways.

So the gameplay is brilliant survival horror and the atmosphere is perfect… what about the story?

As a standalone experience, Alien: Isolation doesn’t have the strongest storytelling. You play as Amanda Ripley, who goes to Sevastopol Station after it obtains the Nostromo’s flight recorder. Her search for her mother is the game’s premise, but even that is overshadowed by the survival story. As a sequel to Alien, however, the story’s little touches and shout-outs make it more notable, but the plot still isn’t its strong point. None of the characters were particularly memorable aside from Amanda’s sheer will to survive, but all the same, it has some moments that resonated with me.

Click for spoilerFor example, I actually felt pretty sad when Samuels died.

Now, one of the biggest complaints about Alien: Isolation is that it drags on a bit. That, I have to agree with. Near the end, its plot twists started to feel less like plot twists and more like forced setbacks to make the game go on longer, which was a little aggravating. I don’t think it should have been much shorter, but a couple of the final chapters could probably have been cut to the game’s benefit.

Even so, this was a great experience and I’m happy I played it. It’s one of the most enjoyable survival horror games I’ve played in a while, and I’d love to see The Creative Assembly explore the genre further. If you’re a survival horror fan looking for a new game that lives up to the classics, I have no qualms about recommending Alien: Isolation.

The post Alien: Isolation – Persistent Dread and Tension appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Tales of Symphonia: Perfect from Start to Finish

Tales of Symphonia: Perfect from Start to Finish - Samantha Lienhard

At last, I’ve completed my second-ever game from the Tales series, Tales of Symphonia. And if I considered Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright to be “almost perfect,” then Tales of Symphonia is perfect.

Friends recommended the JRPG Tales of Symphonia to me for years, but I never really acted on it. For one thing, the original Gamecube version is rare and expensive. So when the Chronicles collection came out for the PS3, I finally decided to give the game a chance. That just left me with my other reason for hesitating: it couldn’t possibly be as good as my friends say it was.

Yes it could.

I started playing Tales of Symphonia sometime in January, just finished it on Saturday, and loved every moment in between. The last game I felt that much love for as I played it was… well, Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright, and we know how THAT turned out, even if it was still a great game. Tales of Symphonia, I’m happy to say, did not betray my expectations. I loved everything about it.

Let’s start with its gameplay. A lot of people will tell you that Tales of Symphonia is “aged” or “outdated.” Well, maybe it is, in which case I adore aged, outdated mechanics. Sure, the combat wasn’t flashy, but it was easy to learn and oddly relaxing (save for the boss battles that got me so upset I forgot basic concepts like how to use menus). Some of its sidequests are kind of obscure and easy to miss, which on one hand annoyed me but on the other hand pleased me because I felt I really had to work to find everything the game had to offer. Best of all, it had a World Map!

I want World Maps back in RPGs. Classic overworld style, bonus points if I get to manually fly some sort of airship around. Really, when I started Symphonia, I was thrilled to death to have a World Map.

Next, let’s talk about its plot, which I loved. I knew next to nothing about Tales of Symphonia going into it, so I really didn’t know what it was about. I expected a lot of plot twists and had fun thinking up theories–some of which were spot-on accurate and others of which were dead wrong. I liked that. It had enough foreshadowing for me to pick up on some things, but enough surprises to keep me guessing.

Its plot twists were great, and they never felt forced. After a while, I started to dread plot events, because they always left me feeling drained… which takes us to the characters!

The character interactions endeared me to my first Tales game, Tales of Xillia, and they were even better here. Overall, I like the cast of Symphonia better than the cast of Xillia. Even those I started out disliking, I liked by the end.

Genis Sage.

Anyone who messes with Genis will feel my wrath.

Sure, it had some characters that were just awesome (*cough*Kratos*cough*), but it also had characters I just became really attached to. I really cared about Symphonia’s characters. I grew to love them so much, Tales of Symphonia became the fourth addition to the ranks of video games that have made me cry.

…I’m STILL not over that scene!

And while Tales of Symphonia’s cast was working its way into my heart, I had to give serious credit to the villains. Villains can make or break a story for me, and Tales of Symphonia’s helped make it. Unlike in Tales of Xillia, where I had consistent trouble picking someone out as a true villain, Symphonia gave me villains it was easy to hate–and love, even at the same time!

Everything I want in my villains was there, even a mad scientist! Only one thing disappointed me…

Click for spoilerI so wanted the main villain to be redeemed in the end…

On the other hand, if this is still upsetting me, I can’t say the game did a bad job with him, now can I?

Besides, there was subtle implied redemption, maybe, a little bit…

These characters, good and bad, have all taken up residence in my head for the time being. They’re up there with the best of the best!

I loved the music, too. I loved everything about this game!

If you haven’t played Tales of Symphonia… you really should. If you HAVE, there’s a good chance you played on the Gamecube, so did you know that Tales of Symphonia Chronicles (because it is based on Japan’s PS2 port), has some new stuff?

Here are two of the new additions I consider to be the most notable. …I didn’t actually find either of them in my own playthrough, because you have to go out of your way for one and beat an insane bonus dungeon for the other.

Note: both of these scenes contain major spoilers.

Important backstory clarification



Memories from the past
Make sure you watch the scene after the battle, too, for the maximum amount of heartbreak.

Genis, just be glad it wasn’t an even worse question like, “So what am I like these days?”

I haven’t talked about Tales of Symphonia nearly enough. Honestly, I could go on all day about it. Don’t even get me started talking about it in comparison with Ace Attorney (really), Silent Hill (seriously), or Professor Layton (more for laughs). I played it for over 90 hours, and I consistently loved it during that time. I can’t let go of it. As usual, when I enjoyed a story this much, I want to write fanfiction about it… but I don’t know where to start. I don’t want to disrupt something so wonderful. I’d feel bad turning to my old habit of forcing redemption through a psychological beatdown, because Symphonia as it stands was great!

Right now… I would name Tales of Symphonia as my favorite game of all time. I liked it that much. And that’s why I consider it to be “perfect.”

So again, give this game a chance if you haven’t. Chime in with all your Symphonia thoughts in the comments and let me know if you loved it and its characters as much as I did!

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to get back to figuring out my Symphonia cosplay…

The post Tales of Symphonia: Perfect from Start to Finish appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Baptism of Fire: The Start of a Journey

Baptism of Fire: The Start of a Journey - Samantha Lienhard

Our journey through the Witcher saga meets a journey in the Witcher saga, in the third full novel (and currently the last one with an official English translation), Baptism of Fire.

If you’re mainly interested in reading the Witcher series for Geralt of Rivia, this might be the novel (excluding the short story collection) you enjoy the most. Where Blood of Elves focused on Ciri and Time of Contempt balanced its story between the major characters, the third Witcher novel centers around Geralt’s search for Ciri, with only a few deviations.

The Time of Contempt left Ciri in a bad situation, and Geralt knows he has to find her before it’s too late. Despite his initial attempts to go alone, he is joined by the ever-amusing bard Dandelion and the fierce archer Milva, along with other companions the pick up along the way.

Character interactions are the strongest part of this book, and that alone is reason enough to recommend it. They’re a weird, dysfunctional band of heroes, almost like a party you’d see in an RPG. Their differences, conflicts, and loyalties are what make the journey so interesting–more so than the plot itself.

To my dismay, Baptism of Fire is more like Blood of Elves in the sense that its plot feels too much like a part of something larger. The journey is the core of the story, and while subplots are resolved, the main plot is left for the next book to complete. While the novel ended with quite a striking scene, it didn’t feel as conclusive as it should have.

It also features some major mood whiplash, as the fairly dark story about war, corrupted innocence, and other grim topics transitions from a serious moral discussion on vampires’ right to exist to… a story that sounded more like it belonged in Discworld than The Witcher. Lines like “I finally began to do absolutely unacceptable things, the kind of things no vampire does. I flew under the influence” left me unsure if it was a parody of vampires, anti-alcohol PSAs, or both.

I mean, what was that scene? Why was it here?! Dandelion’s comic relief fits the universe, but this took the weird fairy tale retellings of The Last Wish and dove even further into the surreal.

With that said, as long as you don’t mind the sense that this is just part of the overarching story (and try not to think too hard about the vampire story), Baptism of Fire is a great dark fantasy book with entertaining characters and some intriguing developments.

So, as a quick recap, we have:

The Last Wish , a collection of short stories that set up the earlier part of the overarching plot.
Sword of Destiny (English release forthcoming), the second short story collection which provides key plot points and really gets Ciri’s story going.
Blood of Elves
Time of Contempt
Baptism of Fire

The final two novels are The Swallow’s Tower and Lady of the Lake (as well as a newer book in the universe unconnected to the main saga), currently available in English only as fan translations. I’ll take a look, but the next time I talk to you about the Witcher, it should be about the first video game!

And speaking of video games, stay tuned for my upcoming review of Tales of Symphonia…

The post Baptism of Fire: The Start of a Journey appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Tales of Zestiria Set for Fall 2015

Tales of Zestiria Set for Fall 2015 - Samantha Lienhard

As if there hasn’t been enough exciting video game news lately (Fatal Frame V localization, Yo-kai Watch localization, Star Ocean 5, etc.), Bandai Namco has released new information about Tales of Zestiria.

Tales of Zestiria is one of my most anticipated games this year, and that hasn’t changed despite some controversy over the Japanese release of the game.

In addition to a handful of screenshots, Gematsu has a list of details about the game, including a quick description of the plot premise:

Two nations fight for supremacy and the fate of the realm lies in the hands of Sorey, an inquisitive young adventurer who takes on the burden of becoming the Shepherd, the one the legends foretold would become the savior of all. Together with Lailah, the Lady of the Lake, who guards the Sacred Blade, and his best friend Mikleo, Sorey soon discovers a powerful force rising in the shadows.”

Tales of Zestiria has a medieval fantasy setting, seamless battle transitions, and dual-audio, which should please fans who prefer to play their games with the original Japanese voice acting. The story/setting is also said to take cues from classic literature–so maybe that Lady of the Lake/Sacred Blade bit is a shout-out to Arthurian legend? If so, I can’t wait to see what else it draws on for inspiration!

Finally, here is the first English trailer for Tales of Zestiria.

It’s set for Fall 2015, unlike the summer release originally expected, but I’m fine with that. It’ll give me time to catch up on the Tales series and my backlog in general, so I’ll be ready to play it when it comes out!

Tales of Zestiria can already be pre-ordered, although it doesn’t have a definite release date yet. A Collector’s Edition for the West has yet to be revealed, but since the past few Tales games have had one (that was quickly sold out), Zestiria probably will as well.

Now… back to waiting in anticipation for the “massive surprises” promised to us. *crosses fingers for a Symphonia prequel*

The post Tales of Zestiria Set for Fall 2015 appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.

Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness Looks Pretty Cool

Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness Looks Pretty Cool - Samantha Lienhard

Last week, Square Enix launched a teaser site with a countdown for a new project. At the time, opinions were divided over whether it was a new Star Ocean game or if Square Enix intended to troll fans by making it look like way.

No trolling today! Square Enix and Famitsu have revealed that Star Ocean 5 is under development by tri-Ace for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4. Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness is set on a distant planet called Feycreed, it is inspired directly by Star Ocean 3 (Till the End of Time), and the subtitle’s meanings will become clear when you play the game. Its producer, Kobayashi, hopes to make more Star Ocean games after this. (Thanks, Gematsu, for these details and more!)

From the few story details that have been revealed, along with the new series trailer, Star Ocean 5 looks pretty cool.

The prologue has been translated by Kotaku:

Do the depths of space forbid peace for mankind—

Centuries after leaving Earth, after a multitude of trials, with the creation and spread of the ‘Galactic Federation’, humanity was on the verge of unified order and peace.

But the embers of conflict have begun to burn again.

Over 6,000 light years from Earth, on the unsettled planet, ‘Faicreed.’

Just as so many times before, the waves of history begin from a remote planet.”

That sounds pretty interesting to me. I’ve never played a Star Ocean game, although I have Star Ocean: Till the End of Time. I’ve heard mixed things, but fans seem generally positive toward the series, especially that game. So far, reactions to Star Ocean 5’s announcement have also been positive.

New screenshots, as well as several scans, have also been revealed.

Star Ocean 5 is set in between the second and third games. From what I understand, it’s possible to play Star Ocean games on their own because they all have separate plots, but I’d still like to have more familiarity with the series before I really get excited for this one. Like a majority of my anticipated games, then, Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness has reminded me to get to work on my video game backlog!

How do you feel about Star Ocean 5?

The post Star Ocean: Integrity and Faithlessness Looks Pretty Cool appeared first on Samantha Lienhard.