A Green Mushroom

Final Fantasy VI is really good.  It's the first Final Fantasy that I can see myself going back and replaying for fun.  The setting and game systems are good but the true heart of this game is the story.  Just FYI, there will be some spoilers in this review. FFVI is set in an industrial world that exists generations after a magic war caused all magic to be lost from the world.  It's the first Final Fantasy to get out of the classic medieval fantasy setting.  I didn't realize how ready I was to get out of that setting and see something different and in this regard FFVI is a breath of fresh air.  And the world isn't just about going from point A to point B like so many Final Fantasy games up to this point.  There is really a world to explore, especially once the story causes it to change irrevocably. Worth mentioning is the Mode 7 in this game.   Mode 7 is a technique used on the SNES to fake 3D with 2D.  It has a very distinct l...

I've been taking a break from Final Fantasy games to play through Bravely Default, a new release for 3DS.  I just finished it up in the last few days and wanted to get some thoughts out there. Honestly, this is the best Final Fantasy game that has been released since XII.  It's really funny that this isn't truly a Final Fantasy game.  I can definitely tell that it started out as one.  The job system, crystal story, items, and spells are all taken, almost directly, from Final Fantasy.  It started out as a sequel to Final Fantasy Four Warriors of Light but at some point in development it got to break away and become it's own brand.  Maybe that's why it's so good, because it doesn't have the weight of the Final Fantasy name on it's shoulders. I love, Luxendarc, the world of Bravely Default.  Everything from the art direction to the music is top notch.  My god, the music!  I haven't enjoyed a game soundtrack this much since I played Final Fan...

Tiny Wings is about momentum, reaction time, flying, and an adorable bird all at the same time.  It's a fun experience and it only takes one button to play.  Well, one touch at any rate. In Tiny Wings the world is made up of islands and each of these islands has a series of hills on it.  Your goal is to help the bird cross as many islands as possible in one day.  With a touch of the screen the bird folds his wings and gains momentum downhill.  When you release your touch the bird flaps his wings and tries his best to soar majestically with the momentum he's gained. Stringing together hill jumps makes the bird go exponentially higher and farther.  It's a simple gameplay mechanic that I can't seem to get enough of.  The sense of accomplishment I get from executing jumps successfully is amazing. The game not only has cute graphics, but they're procedurally generated too.  The hills and islands change colors and designs every day.  That's...

I've been writing a lot of mini reviews lately because I've been playing a ton of games but have found most of them wanting.  I can shoot off a quick paragraph and give you an acurate assessment of the sub-par game and then move on to more interesting topics.  While digging through all of the flash games and gamefly rentals I found a surprising diamond in the rough, Super Mario Galaxy 2. I wasn't expecting much when I put Super Mario Galaxy 2 into the disc drive.  I've played almost every Mario game that's been released since I was 5 years old.  That's 20ish years of Mario experience.  Since Mario games are traditionally geared towards a younger audience their level of difficulty is fairly low.  This helps inexperienced gamers get into video games, which is a great thing, but it bores people like me who need a tougher challenge to stay interested. I went into this game with my normal expectations for a Mario platformer but I was surprised - and thri...

After experiencing a little writing burnout from the blogathon last month I think I'm ready to get back to it.  Since I didn't post much last week I thought I'd do a couple quick mini-reviews based on my recent virtual endeavors.   Trine is a Standout Among Indie Games I've Played Recently Trine A delightfully original indie game .The game involves controlling three characters that can switch in and out of the action at any time.  I love using a combination of their unique skills to overcome puzzles and challenges.  Each character plays differently but they all complement one another.  Swinging as the thief, brawling as the warrior, and manipulating objects as the wizard are all fun in their own right.  Spend a few minutes with the free demo .  You won't regret it. StarCraft 2 Beta The beta is coming to a close tonight and I'm so sad to see it go.  It's been my main fallback game and I've been sacrificing my time on the altar of S...

I spent 7 solid hours with the Splinter Cell Conviction Co-op mode just now.  I wanted to write a post right away even though it is 3:45am and I should sleep instead.  I'm shooting from the hip with my thoughts, but here it goes. This game is fun!  The Splinter Cell Conviction Co-op campaign is worth your time if you are interested in playing a co-op stealth game.  The campaign is only 6-8 hours but it is entirely separate from the single player campaign, which adds value in my mind.  I played the entire campaign without taking a break and I was never once bored.  From me, that is huge praise.  I get bored of games quickly when I feel like they have nothing new to offer.  Splinter Cell Conviction delivers. Part of the reason I liked it so much may be that I could never really get into the other Splinter Cell games.  I struggled with the controls and generally got frustrated/bored.  I am coming to Splinter Cell as completely new expe...

Ugh.  Man.  Final Fantasy XIII had so much potential when I started playing it.  What went wrong?  I really don't know where to start.  Oh, yes I do. Don't buy this game if you aren't a Final Fantasy diehard.  You won't like it. Ok, that's a good start.  There is no way I would have finished this game if the Final Fantasy name wasn't attached.  I've beaten Final Fantasy 7 through 12 with a handful of others thrown in for good measure.  So, I finished 13, but won't be picking it up again ever.  I come to this conclusion after investing 44 hours of my time in the game. Besides little annoyances, the things that I hated the most about this game were the characters, situations, and battles.  They all had potential, but it wasn't realized. Let's start with the characters.  They are one dimensional.  Where are the character flaws?  Where are the little things that make them feel human?  Where is the character g...