Developer: Nihon Falcom Release Date: June 24th 2004 Platforms: PC, PSP, PSVITA, PS3 (Japan) ESRB: T MSRP: $19.99 Written by Zachary Sevcik When faced with an enemy, do you call for peace, do you take peace through war, or do you defend what peace you have left. Is there a clearly defined good and evil? Are both sides justified in their relative convictions, or is there a single truth that one has that leaves the other wanting? These are foundation questions many leaders have had to ask throughout history, and, interestingly enough, this is akin to the leaders throughout the world in Nihon Falcom’s, The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky. With this hidden gem, Nihon has been able to engross me into this world and characters more so than any other game I’ve played. Among others, this is a paramount reason why this game stands above most within the jrpg landscape that could also be said with most AAA games. Now, how can a small team at Nihon Falcom develop a top-down RPG that rivals AAA games, you may ask? A competent story, a cast of amazing characters, and an obsession with building a realistic living world.
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Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112 Last week, I shared my favorite boss fights. While I’m happy to have made that list, shortly after I realized that there was plenty of ground to cover when it comes to the opposition found in video games. This time, I’m going to share my all-time favorite recurring, regular enemies. Sure, these five groups of cannon fodder may lack individual names and personalities, but they’re used so well in their respective games that they’re just as memorable as the larger foes.
Developer: Telltale Release Date: 1/23/2018 Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC (played on PS4) ESRB/PEGI: M/PEGI 18 MSRP: $4.99 USD (episode)/$24.99 (season pass) Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112 I’m someone who has thoroughly enjoyed this season of Batman, but having played many of Telltale’s games, I couldn’t help but feel less excited than usual when I started “What Ails You”. Even in their best work, Telltale has consistently struggled in one area: their fourth episodes. With so many different ongoing plotlines, the writers must work hard to connect them. Though they usually succeed, that success comes with a cost: a noticeably short episode that feels like little more than setup for the series finale. Does The Enemy Within suffer from this same fate, or does it subvert the troublesome trend?
Written by Diclonius Games
Regarded as one of the most-hyped and most-anticipating games of the past 5 years, Persona 5 came and went with a storm of controversy from both the publisher/developer Atlus and the whole of the gaming community. Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112 Boss fights are a feature of many video games, but the emphasis placed on these fights often differs from one game to the next. There can be one, final boss, or a series of the memorable large encounters. The fights can be an afterthought if poorly done, and on the flip side, they can be unforgettable if done well. The Dark Souls series is known for its iconic boss fights, and games like Shadow of the Colossus and Furi exist that are made up of nothing but boss battles. The mechanic is so strong and so timeless that nearly every game, from platformers to shooters, has boss fights in some form. These battles are one of the most enjoyable aspects of gaming, and this week, I’m sharing my favorites.
Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112 Last week, I explored 5 solar systems and found dozens of unique creatures. I took dozens of photos of the gorgeous world around me. I became allies with an alien race, and destroyed my relationship with another through space piracy. I survived radiation storms, I completed missions, and I built my own base filled with workers. I even fought an evil hopping plant. After all of this, I unlocked platinum trophy #152: Total Perspective Vortex.
Last week, I played forty hours of No Man’s Sky. Developer: Bennett Foddy Release Date: 10/6/17 Platforms: PC ESRB/PEGI: Everyone MSRP: $7.99 USD Written by ALFA Overlord
Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy is a rage-based game. You are a man in a pot, and must climb up areas using a sledgehammer. "Oh, we know, we've seen it." Well, there's a bit more to it than what the streamer lets on. When I watched people play "Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy", I first thought, "Man, these people are bad at this game." On the outside, it looks easy. It really does. I was imagining the hardest part being the chimney section, and it would be a cool Winter breeze afterwards. It is not so Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112 While artists and writers have key roles in making the characters in a game come to life, voice actors have the potential to make those characters special. A good performance can elevate a story to another level, and a great performance can make that story a classic. When a skilled voice actor takes a role, they make their character their own and fill them with personality. With this list, I’ll be sharing five actors who do this on a consistent basis. Take a look!
Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112 As soon as I finished the last top five and began writing up the honorable mentions, I realized that there were far more underappreciated games I’ve played than I originally thought. Once I reached five, I decided it was time to make a second list. Take a look!
Written by Rick Warren / Gfn2112 2017 was a year packed full of great games. In fact, there were so many that whenever it comes to choosing my favorites, I’ve struggled to limit myself to only a few of them. I end up listing a dozen titles when asked, and even then there are still games that I forget to mention. With this weeks' top five, I’d like to put a spotlight on some of the forgotten games that have released over the past few years. Whether it was due to a poor release date, bad marketing, a year where there were an abundance of great games, or something else, these are five games that deserved more attention than they received.
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