So with an e3 come and gone, you're probably wondering what will I talk about on this blog? Well first of all, I gotta say, those who know the video game industry knows that its future is constantly evolving, and constantly changing. New updates are posted all the time, and I'll be here to discuss them.
Another thing I'd like to point out is that the point of this blog isnt to provide news on the gaming world. I just comment on certain topics. And while we have a very bright, changing future, we also have a deep past, and numerous topics I can comment on.
And then there is the third alternative. I dunno how much my readers have paid attention to the site itself, but you'll notice this blog is also tailored to anime! Yes, there is a second topic this blog focuses on! And for my first anime related post, I would like to talk about one of my favorite anime ever, and that anime is called Chrno Crusade. And I know its an unusual first thing to comment on, but I do want to point out that the name is not a typo. Yes it is pronounced Chrono, but there is indeed only one O. And I know that bothers some people, and honestly I dont know what is the official spelling of the word, but this is how it is spelled in this case.
Now for the basics. What is Chrno Crusade about? Thats a little hard to explain. The story does take place in 1920's New York, however, don't let that fool you. While it takes place in the same time period as the Al Capone and his reign, it really doesn't focus on the going ons of that time period. Much like the later episodes of That 70s Show, the setting really just plays a back drop to the events at hand. The story is really about demon killing! I bet you never would have guessed just based on the setting. It follows one particular member of the Order of Magdelene, Rosette Christopher and her friend Chrno. Essentially, Chrno is a devil himself, but one without his horns. So to stay alive, he has to share the life of Rosette. Every time Chrno taps into his true power, he saps Rosette of her life.
Now Im not gonna spoil how this came to be, or a lot of details about this anime. But I do wanna talk about how this series really does something that no other show does. The drastic change in this shows emotion is just incredible. This show starts with such an emphasis on humor. The first few episodes are some of the funniest episodes in anime you'll ever watch. But as the show progresses, it begins to take such a serious turn, and by the end of the series, its one of the most drama-oriented anime's you'll ever watch.
I will warn new viewers that this isnt one of those anime you can watch just sorta in passing. Trust me, if you don't give Chrno Crusade your full attention, you will miss details and be so confused later down the road. This anime does a great job of keeping filler to a bare minimum. Just about every episodes has SOMETHING important to the plot or character development in them. Which is one of the advantages of a one shot anime like this one, vs a long, several season series like Naruto, Inuyasha, and the such (this debate too will be looked upon in later posts). This means of course, that all while watching this anime, you are almost gaurenteed to be entertained.
So would I say I wanna see a sequel to this series? No. Now while I wouldnt mind seeing more simmilar to it, I feel that the way it ended, despite the fact that they left it open for a sequel, wrapped everything up quite nicely. And its sequel possible ending actually provides for a lot better of a twist ending that leaves you thinking. Fortunately (and at the same time unfortunately), this series wasnt super popular, nor did the dvds sell very well, so i do believe that we are safe from a sequel.
However, that does not excuse you from not going and watching this series. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will make you think. I personally give Chrno Crusade a 5 out of 5.
Stay Healthy, Have Fun
Dr. Buck
Doctors Note: Im sorry for such a short post, however, next time's promises to be a very very lengthy one. And if you knew what I was going to talk about, you would know why.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
e3 Wrap-up time
So I figure I should do this while e3 is still relevant, so a lot of people wanna know, what was I impressed by? What was I not impressed by? Well I suppose I'll tell you.
First of all, I gotta say I was just impressed by e3 in general. For once, EVERYONE decided to go big, and there was a LOT to talk about this year. And so many impressive games this time around as well. This years e3 was definitely a lot better than 2009's e3.
That being said, what is there to talk about? Well I already spoke upon the two new systems introduced at e3, the 360 Slim and the 3DS. But I guess I haven't really commented on the three big companies themselves. And unlike last year, Im actually impressed by every single "big 3" company (albiet some more than others). So I guess a good place to start would be with the big 3.
Microsoft, for them, I was mostly impressed by the new X Box. I mean, I think the built in WiFi should have been something included in the original 360, however its nice to see that they're finally including it. And the fact that they kept that hardrive in there is very very nice indeed. Its quieter, smaller, sleeker, and just generally more improved than previous models.
So I bet you're wondering, what do I think of the Kinect? Personally, Im not very excited about it. Granted, I think a lot of the things they did are very impressive, and you know, maybe in a few years after this system is out for a while, it might be something Im actually interested in. The motion controls are very sleek and smooth, and the fact that it doesnt require a solid controller is nice. So maybe in a few years, when the ridiculous price drops, I might look into getting it.
And then there's Sony. Am I impressed by the Move? No. Am I impressed by the PSP2? Not at all. The BIGGEST sony related thing that Im impressed by is Portal 2. Sony claims that the PS3 version is going to be the best version of the game. So what is it that impresses me? Sony is taking that bold statement to try and propell themselves back on top. So Sony, I wanna know, what is it exactly that will make the same game better on your system?
Other than that, what am I impressed by Sony wise? Nothing. Much like the Kinect, I feel like the only reason they're doing motion controls is simply to catch up to Nintendo. But where as Microsoft is actually trying to be better than Nintendo (whether or not thats the case is up for debate), Sony can't even match them. The Wii can do everything the Move can do and more. Why should I be impressed by this hack of a concept?
And the PSP2? The only thing that stuck in my mind was... Why bother? Much like the DS vs. PSP, the 3DS is simply going to burry the PSP2. Already the 3DS is proving to be just as impressive (and in some cases more impressive) as the consoles themselves. So again I ask, why bother? Why not just save the money you're putting into this already doomed portable device and fuel it into the PS3 that desperatley needs it.
So then that leaves Nintendo. And especially comparing to their dismal display last year, Nintendo did everything right this year. They kept that bit of mystery to keep people guessing with the 3DS, but now they've created a fan frenzy with the multitude of games coming back (i.e. Donkey Kong, Kid Icarus, Kirby, ect.), a new Metroid game, Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword (which has numerous fans in a frenzy), and of course, Mario did not go forgotten with new Mario Sports Mix, a new Mario Kart, and a New Paper Mario game (a game Im personally excited about). Plus a new Dragon Quest game, more Professor Layton, and several Pokemon games in the works. Nintendo showed us exactly what e3 was about: giving the fans what they want. My only hope is that all of this measures up to the hype it generated.
So what about everything else? What individual games am I excited about? Well as a personal favorite, Im excited about Smackdown vs Raw 2011. Of course, that becuase Im a wrestling fan. But what game am I most excited about, even more so than some of the previously mentioned games? Simply put, Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Its been soo long since Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was released, and I cannot wait to put my hands on this new one. Hopefully some of my favorite characters come back, like Cyclops, Storm, Gambit, War Machine, Ruby Heart, and Amingo to join the ranks of new characters like Deadpool (BEST NEW CHARACTER IN THIS GAME. SCREW DANTE. DEADPOOL > EVERYONE). Also from Capcom, Okamiden, a sequel to the original Okami on the DS, and Street Fight 4 on the 3DS. And trust me, if you've seen Street Fighter 4, you'd understand why its such a huge deal that this game is on this handheld system.
EA I was surprisingly dissapointed in. I mean, I love EA, but they mostly did a huge revealing of a lot of sports games, which Im not really interested in (although I did love NBA Stree 3). I mean, I guess Dead Space 2 and Crysis 2 were big deals to some people, but seeing as I havent played the original version of either game (though I hear I should, but thats hard without the proper system), Im not too excited.
Namco can suck it. I waited ALL of E3 to hear about some of the many Tales games in limbo (i.e. Tales of Graces and Tales of VS.), only to really hear about a Dragon Ball game, a Naruto game, and Pac Man Party. No Soul Calibur. No Tales. I love Namco, and I guess these are games they should talk about, so I suppose its not really fair for me to get TOO mad. I just really really wanted to hear about a Soul Calibur 5, or a new Tales game for the US.
Various other games Im looking forward too include Mortal Kombat (SO F*CKING HAPPY THAT KUNG LAO IS BACK). It looks like a really nice mix of the more recent 3D games, and the 2D games that launched the title of the ground. Pretty much, this is to to Mortal Kombat series as Street Fighter 4 was to the Street Fighter series.
Seeing as i loved The Conduit one (and if anyone out there has it, lemme know. I'll get a FC for you), Im really excited for The Conduit 2. I just hope they fix all the problems with The Conduit 1's online play (like the lame ass hackers that make themselves invincible), and make a more detailed story. Which it looks like they're definatley looking at that, seeing as this game takes you all over the GLOBE. And Sega said they were looking to improve online play, and the new graphics look incredible. Almost as if they were on an X Box 360.
Im also hoping at least ONE of the new Sonic Games don't suck (Sonic Colors has promise, just saying, Sega). Little Big Planet 2, Infamous 2, LoTR Aragorn's Quest, Super Scribblenauts, Fable III (Two words. HELL YES), and Animal Crossing 3DS are all games Im personally excited about. Any games you wanna talk about? Displays you were excited/disappointed about? Lemme know on Twitter (ghostpiratedj), Facebook, or right here!
Stay Healthy, Have fun
Dr. Buck
First of all, I gotta say I was just impressed by e3 in general. For once, EVERYONE decided to go big, and there was a LOT to talk about this year. And so many impressive games this time around as well. This years e3 was definitely a lot better than 2009's e3.
That being said, what is there to talk about? Well I already spoke upon the two new systems introduced at e3, the 360 Slim and the 3DS. But I guess I haven't really commented on the three big companies themselves. And unlike last year, Im actually impressed by every single "big 3" company (albiet some more than others). So I guess a good place to start would be with the big 3.
Microsoft, for them, I was mostly impressed by the new X Box. I mean, I think the built in WiFi should have been something included in the original 360, however its nice to see that they're finally including it. And the fact that they kept that hardrive in there is very very nice indeed. Its quieter, smaller, sleeker, and just generally more improved than previous models.
So I bet you're wondering, what do I think of the Kinect? Personally, Im not very excited about it. Granted, I think a lot of the things they did are very impressive, and you know, maybe in a few years after this system is out for a while, it might be something Im actually interested in. The motion controls are very sleek and smooth, and the fact that it doesnt require a solid controller is nice. So maybe in a few years, when the ridiculous price drops, I might look into getting it.
And then there's Sony. Am I impressed by the Move? No. Am I impressed by the PSP2? Not at all. The BIGGEST sony related thing that Im impressed by is Portal 2. Sony claims that the PS3 version is going to be the best version of the game. So what is it that impresses me? Sony is taking that bold statement to try and propell themselves back on top. So Sony, I wanna know, what is it exactly that will make the same game better on your system?
Other than that, what am I impressed by Sony wise? Nothing. Much like the Kinect, I feel like the only reason they're doing motion controls is simply to catch up to Nintendo. But where as Microsoft is actually trying to be better than Nintendo (whether or not thats the case is up for debate), Sony can't even match them. The Wii can do everything the Move can do and more. Why should I be impressed by this hack of a concept?
And the PSP2? The only thing that stuck in my mind was... Why bother? Much like the DS vs. PSP, the 3DS is simply going to burry the PSP2. Already the 3DS is proving to be just as impressive (and in some cases more impressive) as the consoles themselves. So again I ask, why bother? Why not just save the money you're putting into this already doomed portable device and fuel it into the PS3 that desperatley needs it.
So then that leaves Nintendo. And especially comparing to their dismal display last year, Nintendo did everything right this year. They kept that bit of mystery to keep people guessing with the 3DS, but now they've created a fan frenzy with the multitude of games coming back (i.e. Donkey Kong, Kid Icarus, Kirby, ect.), a new Metroid game, Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword (which has numerous fans in a frenzy), and of course, Mario did not go forgotten with new Mario Sports Mix, a new Mario Kart, and a New Paper Mario game (a game Im personally excited about). Plus a new Dragon Quest game, more Professor Layton, and several Pokemon games in the works. Nintendo showed us exactly what e3 was about: giving the fans what they want. My only hope is that all of this measures up to the hype it generated.
So what about everything else? What individual games am I excited about? Well as a personal favorite, Im excited about Smackdown vs Raw 2011. Of course, that becuase Im a wrestling fan. But what game am I most excited about, even more so than some of the previously mentioned games? Simply put, Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Its been soo long since Marvel vs. Capcom 2 was released, and I cannot wait to put my hands on this new one. Hopefully some of my favorite characters come back, like Cyclops, Storm, Gambit, War Machine, Ruby Heart, and Amingo to join the ranks of new characters like Deadpool (BEST NEW CHARACTER IN THIS GAME. SCREW DANTE. DEADPOOL > EVERYONE). Also from Capcom, Okamiden, a sequel to the original Okami on the DS, and Street Fight 4 on the 3DS. And trust me, if you've seen Street Fighter 4, you'd understand why its such a huge deal that this game is on this handheld system.
EA I was surprisingly dissapointed in. I mean, I love EA, but they mostly did a huge revealing of a lot of sports games, which Im not really interested in (although I did love NBA Stree 3). I mean, I guess Dead Space 2 and Crysis 2 were big deals to some people, but seeing as I havent played the original version of either game (though I hear I should, but thats hard without the proper system), Im not too excited.
Namco can suck it. I waited ALL of E3 to hear about some of the many Tales games in limbo (i.e. Tales of Graces and Tales of VS.), only to really hear about a Dragon Ball game, a Naruto game, and Pac Man Party. No Soul Calibur. No Tales. I love Namco, and I guess these are games they should talk about, so I suppose its not really fair for me to get TOO mad. I just really really wanted to hear about a Soul Calibur 5, or a new Tales game for the US.
Various other games Im looking forward too include Mortal Kombat (SO F*CKING HAPPY THAT KUNG LAO IS BACK). It looks like a really nice mix of the more recent 3D games, and the 2D games that launched the title of the ground. Pretty much, this is to to Mortal Kombat series as Street Fighter 4 was to the Street Fighter series.
Seeing as i loved The Conduit one (and if anyone out there has it, lemme know. I'll get a FC for you), Im really excited for The Conduit 2. I just hope they fix all the problems with The Conduit 1's online play (like the lame ass hackers that make themselves invincible), and make a more detailed story. Which it looks like they're definatley looking at that, seeing as this game takes you all over the GLOBE. And Sega said they were looking to improve online play, and the new graphics look incredible. Almost as if they were on an X Box 360.
Im also hoping at least ONE of the new Sonic Games don't suck (Sonic Colors has promise, just saying, Sega). Little Big Planet 2, Infamous 2, LoTR Aragorn's Quest, Super Scribblenauts, Fable III (Two words. HELL YES), and Animal Crossing 3DS are all games Im personally excited about. Any games you wanna talk about? Displays you were excited/disappointed about? Lemme know on Twitter (ghostpiratedj), Facebook, or right here!
Stay Healthy, Have fun
Dr. Buck
Friday, June 25, 2010
Pokemon: Generation V
Seeing as Im a massive PokeNerd, a lot of people wonder what my opinion on the next generation of Pokemon is. First of all, seeing as this is my first Pokemon related post, I gotta start it like this.
There is a group of Pokemon fans that I like to call "Original Purists". These are people who will tell you "All the Pokemon past (insert number here)" or "Nintendo should have stopped at (insert number here)". Usually these people refer to the first 151, but I know some people that opened up into Generation II, and some into Generation III even. But either way, these people don't seem to care for newer Pokemon.
Putting it in a more polite way than I originally typed it, these people seriously piss me off (and yes, that is the censored way of putting my original thought). Why? Simply because,
#1: Most of these people haven't even given the new Pokemon a shot. A lot of them complain becuase they were either A) Unable to keep up, therefore, sad that everyone else left them in the dust B) So convinced that nothing could ever stack up to the originals, they didn't even need to bother.
#2 Pokemon, albeit very loosely, is based on our own Animal Kingdom. Between insects, birds, fish, and other wildlife on our big blue earth, there are countless numbers of animals all over the globe. So wouldn't it be fair to say that #151 seems ridiculously small? I mean, in comparison to the near 500 we have now, I don't believe I could even play Pokemon anymore if they had stuck with the original #151. Thats not to say I want them to delete the first generations, but I think Genereation II-IV (although not a lot of Generation III) were great additions to it. So if Nintendo still has good ideas for new Pokemon, why stop them?
And Im not listing it as an official reason because its my own personal opinion (becuase thats not what this whole blog was built on or anything lol), but I think another reason I get pissed when I hear people say this is simply becuase, and I know it may be blasphemous, but I personally prefer Generation IV Pokemon to the generations before it (although Pidgeotto is still my favorite Pokemon ever). So many cool pokemon like Infernape, Dusknoir, Garchomp, Palkia, Arceus, and so on and so on were introduced in this generation. But people fail to realize this, meerly because for whatever reason, they're all tied up in moaning and complaining about their mear existance.
Anywho, now that that rant is over, it actually provides a decent segway into the topic at hand. Having read what I said, you are probably inclined to believe that I'm excited about this next generation. And if you believe that... then you're aboslutely correct. BUT, before you jump down my throat, keep in mind I did state this one thing: "If Nintendo still has GOOD ideas for new Pokemon, why stop them?"
So in simpler terms, what does that mean? It means, I fully acknowledge that this next generation could suck, and suck horribly. But, I would like to keep an optimistic view on it. Even with the near 500 we have now, I feel like I need more Pokemon, as if I wanna go until their is a new Pokemon for every animal that exists in our world. Now granted, do I want that? No. Even I'll admit there has to be a point where we stop adding new Pokemon, however, I dont believe we've hit it yet. But, how do we make sure this next new batch of Pokemon don't suck? Well I have 2 tips for Nintendo
Tip #1: When picking Pokemon types, focus on the smaller type groups this time.
A bit of trivia. To date, Ghost Pokemon are the smallest type, with only 18 pokemon, where as Water is the most abundant, with 92 Pokemon, meaning it takes up about 19% of the total number of Pokemon. Other types small in number include Ice type, which has only 4 PURE ice types, two of which are from the same evolutionary line, Dark Type, and Fire type. And believe me Nintendo, it was SUPER frustrating playing through Pearl, and having only Rapidash as a fire type option, since I chose to go with the grass starter like I always do. So rather than pumping a lot of attention into Water types, Bug types, and the such, why not add a good handful of the types mentioned above, and a few others like the Steel type and surprisingly low Electric type? Also on that same note, as a personal favor to me, try to create a Flying/Fighting type, for that would make Flying the first and only type to be matched with every other type =)
Tip #2: Cut back on copy Pokemon.
Even I have to admit, not every Pokemon created is an original idea. And a lot of complaints I hear about Generation III pokemon is how a lot of them were simply copies or slight remakes of older Pokemon (i.e. Corphish/Crawdaunt = Krabby/Kingler, Beautifly = Butterfree, ect). And while you did do a good job on originality in Generation IV, don't think that means you can go ahead and recycle old ideas again. I mean, sure there are bound to be simmilarities, I understand that. Much like our Animal Kingdom, many animals are similar after all. But outright rehashes of older Pokemon are just unacceptable. So far, from what you showed us, you don't seem to be having that creativity problem, however, we don't know all the Pokemon you have in store for us, so we don't know how many remakes may or may not lie in waiting.
So there you have it. Thats my personal opinion on the Pokemon themselves. However I do have a few things to comment on Pokemon Black and White themselves.
As far as at the root gameplay, what should you change? Absolutely nothing. Here you have a system that has withstood the test of time, so why change it now? Personally, unlike some others, I was in favor of changing the special/physical move system into being based on individual moves. And I think that was the last bit of core gameplay that you needed to change. I mean, a few add-ons would be nice, like a general challenge system online, simmilar to the one used in Pokemon Battle Revolution, but other than that, keep core gameplay the same.
As far as the visuals go, all I have to say is this: milk the hell out of the new 3D Anyone who played Pokemon Platinum was surely impressed by the amount of 3D put into the distortion world. Now expanding on that, I wanna see you push the 3DS to its very limit, and show off everything this little handheld system can do. And I know you guys can be creative, so get creative, and show off the full might of the 3DS.
And for the rest of the Pokemon world as we head off into Generation V? Well, go ahead and make your Pokemon Rangers and Mystery Dungeons, I probably won't play them. However, I do wanna see another Pokemon Battle Revolution/Pokemon Stadium. Just a few things to improve on might include:
1) Allowing you to use your full team in random online battles
2)Bring back the mini games
3) A more in-depth character customization
4) Bring back the Pokemon Stadium announcer please...
Number three I do believe would apply nicely to Black and White as well. I would love the ablility to chose what my character wears, what color those things are, their hair/eye color, ect. A fully customizeable character would be nice, rather than saying "Oh look, there's my twin!" every time you battle/trade with someone of your character's same gender.
And as for Number four, I know it was a bit of a blast from the past to have the original Pokemon anime narrator be the announcer in this game, but he's so unexciting, and kind of annoying. Every time he does play-by-play, you just wanna scream at him "I know my Pokemon just fainted. Im here actually battling, idiot". But the old announcer was always so excited about everything going on, and made you feel like you were really surrounded by a ton of fans watching you battle. His constantly screaming voice was one thing I loved about the original Pokemon Stadium. I miss the old "HOLY SH*T! ELECTRODE F*CKING EXPLODED!", becuase then you were like "YEAH! MY POLYWHIRL JUST FAINTED! THIS IS AWESOME! Oh wait..."
And of course, the last thing I have to touch upon are console adventure games, like Colleseum and Gale of Darkness. Personally, I don't see a point in releasing another one, especially with the next pokemon games having the potential to be in full 3D themselves, but, if you are going to release another, then go big with it. I cant tell you how sad it was to find that, becuase of the system in place, you were pretty much told what Pokemon you could potentially catch, and when you could catch them. And if you were holding out for one of your favorites and accidentally beat it? Well, you were screwed, becuase most Pokemon, you only had the chance of catching it once. Part of the enjoyment in the Pokemon games is hunting through the different areas to find the different Pokemon. When the only ones you can catch are the shadow ones, and you're pretty much told when you can catch them, a lot of the fun is taken away. And on a personal note, even though it was for a good cause, I still felt like a theif every time I "snagged" someone elses Pokemon. I mean, the main series has always told you not to throw Pokeballs at other people's Pokemon, but now we're encouraging it? I mean, maybe in a game where I played as Team Rocket (HINTHINTHINT), I wouldnt feel so bad, but seeing as Im still the hero, it just doesnt feel right.
So in a nutshell, thats my opinion on Generation V pokemon. You guys wanted it, so you got it. Was it what you wanted to hear? Maybe not. But I guess thats just my nature to be optimistic. And if I offended anyone in the above statements about Original Purists, Im sorry, however, my opinion still stands.
Stay Healthy, Have Fun
Dr. Buck.
EDIT: So I've come to realize that I read a bit of information wrong. Pokemon Black and White are still on DS, not the 3DS. Is it a big mistake? Yeah, and I apologize to my readers. However, I think it only goes to further my point. If you wanna make a big splash with this next generation, and you knew you were making the 3DS anyway, why not just wait and release it on the 3DS and take advantage of all that power? Either way, I apologize about the mis-information, but my above opinions still stand.
There is a group of Pokemon fans that I like to call "Original Purists". These are people who will tell you "All the Pokemon past (insert number here)" or "Nintendo should have stopped at (insert number here)". Usually these people refer to the first 151, but I know some people that opened up into Generation II, and some into Generation III even. But either way, these people don't seem to care for newer Pokemon.
Putting it in a more polite way than I originally typed it, these people seriously piss me off (and yes, that is the censored way of putting my original thought). Why? Simply because,
#1: Most of these people haven't even given the new Pokemon a shot. A lot of them complain becuase they were either A) Unable to keep up, therefore, sad that everyone else left them in the dust B) So convinced that nothing could ever stack up to the originals, they didn't even need to bother.
#2 Pokemon, albeit very loosely, is based on our own Animal Kingdom. Between insects, birds, fish, and other wildlife on our big blue earth, there are countless numbers of animals all over the globe. So wouldn't it be fair to say that #151 seems ridiculously small? I mean, in comparison to the near 500 we have now, I don't believe I could even play Pokemon anymore if they had stuck with the original #151. Thats not to say I want them to delete the first generations, but I think Genereation II-IV (although not a lot of Generation III) were great additions to it. So if Nintendo still has good ideas for new Pokemon, why stop them?
And Im not listing it as an official reason because its my own personal opinion (becuase thats not what this whole blog was built on or anything lol), but I think another reason I get pissed when I hear people say this is simply becuase, and I know it may be blasphemous, but I personally prefer Generation IV Pokemon to the generations before it (although Pidgeotto is still my favorite Pokemon ever). So many cool pokemon like Infernape, Dusknoir, Garchomp, Palkia, Arceus, and so on and so on were introduced in this generation. But people fail to realize this, meerly because for whatever reason, they're all tied up in moaning and complaining about their mear existance.
Anywho, now that that rant is over, it actually provides a decent segway into the topic at hand. Having read what I said, you are probably inclined to believe that I'm excited about this next generation. And if you believe that... then you're aboslutely correct. BUT, before you jump down my throat, keep in mind I did state this one thing: "If Nintendo still has GOOD ideas for new Pokemon, why stop them?"
So in simpler terms, what does that mean? It means, I fully acknowledge that this next generation could suck, and suck horribly. But, I would like to keep an optimistic view on it. Even with the near 500 we have now, I feel like I need more Pokemon, as if I wanna go until their is a new Pokemon for every animal that exists in our world. Now granted, do I want that? No. Even I'll admit there has to be a point where we stop adding new Pokemon, however, I dont believe we've hit it yet. But, how do we make sure this next new batch of Pokemon don't suck? Well I have 2 tips for Nintendo
Tip #1: When picking Pokemon types, focus on the smaller type groups this time.
A bit of trivia. To date, Ghost Pokemon are the smallest type, with only 18 pokemon, where as Water is the most abundant, with 92 Pokemon, meaning it takes up about 19% of the total number of Pokemon. Other types small in number include Ice type, which has only 4 PURE ice types, two of which are from the same evolutionary line, Dark Type, and Fire type. And believe me Nintendo, it was SUPER frustrating playing through Pearl, and having only Rapidash as a fire type option, since I chose to go with the grass starter like I always do. So rather than pumping a lot of attention into Water types, Bug types, and the such, why not add a good handful of the types mentioned above, and a few others like the Steel type and surprisingly low Electric type? Also on that same note, as a personal favor to me, try to create a Flying/Fighting type, for that would make Flying the first and only type to be matched with every other type =)
Tip #2: Cut back on copy Pokemon.
Even I have to admit, not every Pokemon created is an original idea. And a lot of complaints I hear about Generation III pokemon is how a lot of them were simply copies or slight remakes of older Pokemon (i.e. Corphish/Crawdaunt = Krabby/Kingler, Beautifly = Butterfree, ect). And while you did do a good job on originality in Generation IV, don't think that means you can go ahead and recycle old ideas again. I mean, sure there are bound to be simmilarities, I understand that. Much like our Animal Kingdom, many animals are similar after all. But outright rehashes of older Pokemon are just unacceptable. So far, from what you showed us, you don't seem to be having that creativity problem, however, we don't know all the Pokemon you have in store for us, so we don't know how many remakes may or may not lie in waiting.
So there you have it. Thats my personal opinion on the Pokemon themselves. However I do have a few things to comment on Pokemon Black and White themselves.
As far as at the root gameplay, what should you change? Absolutely nothing. Here you have a system that has withstood the test of time, so why change it now? Personally, unlike some others, I was in favor of changing the special/physical move system into being based on individual moves. And I think that was the last bit of core gameplay that you needed to change. I mean, a few add-ons would be nice, like a general challenge system online, simmilar to the one used in Pokemon Battle Revolution, but other than that, keep core gameplay the same.
As far as the visuals go, all I have to say is this: milk the hell out of the new 3D Anyone who played Pokemon Platinum was surely impressed by the amount of 3D put into the distortion world. Now expanding on that, I wanna see you push the 3DS to its very limit, and show off everything this little handheld system can do. And I know you guys can be creative, so get creative, and show off the full might of the 3DS.
And for the rest of the Pokemon world as we head off into Generation V? Well, go ahead and make your Pokemon Rangers and Mystery Dungeons, I probably won't play them. However, I do wanna see another Pokemon Battle Revolution/Pokemon Stadium. Just a few things to improve on might include:
1) Allowing you to use your full team in random online battles
2)Bring back the mini games
3) A more in-depth character customization
4) Bring back the Pokemon Stadium announcer please...
Number three I do believe would apply nicely to Black and White as well. I would love the ablility to chose what my character wears, what color those things are, their hair/eye color, ect. A fully customizeable character would be nice, rather than saying "Oh look, there's my twin!" every time you battle/trade with someone of your character's same gender.
And as for Number four, I know it was a bit of a blast from the past to have the original Pokemon anime narrator be the announcer in this game, but he's so unexciting, and kind of annoying. Every time he does play-by-play, you just wanna scream at him "I know my Pokemon just fainted. Im here actually battling, idiot". But the old announcer was always so excited about everything going on, and made you feel like you were really surrounded by a ton of fans watching you battle. His constantly screaming voice was one thing I loved about the original Pokemon Stadium. I miss the old "HOLY SH*T! ELECTRODE F*CKING EXPLODED!", becuase then you were like "YEAH! MY POLYWHIRL JUST FAINTED! THIS IS AWESOME! Oh wait..."
And of course, the last thing I have to touch upon are console adventure games, like Colleseum and Gale of Darkness. Personally, I don't see a point in releasing another one, especially with the next pokemon games having the potential to be in full 3D themselves, but, if you are going to release another, then go big with it. I cant tell you how sad it was to find that, becuase of the system in place, you were pretty much told what Pokemon you could potentially catch, and when you could catch them. And if you were holding out for one of your favorites and accidentally beat it? Well, you were screwed, becuase most Pokemon, you only had the chance of catching it once. Part of the enjoyment in the Pokemon games is hunting through the different areas to find the different Pokemon. When the only ones you can catch are the shadow ones, and you're pretty much told when you can catch them, a lot of the fun is taken away. And on a personal note, even though it was for a good cause, I still felt like a theif every time I "snagged" someone elses Pokemon. I mean, the main series has always told you not to throw Pokeballs at other people's Pokemon, but now we're encouraging it? I mean, maybe in a game where I played as Team Rocket (HINTHINTHINT), I wouldnt feel so bad, but seeing as Im still the hero, it just doesnt feel right.
So in a nutshell, thats my opinion on Generation V pokemon. You guys wanted it, so you got it. Was it what you wanted to hear? Maybe not. But I guess thats just my nature to be optimistic. And if I offended anyone in the above statements about Original Purists, Im sorry, however, my opinion still stands.
Stay Healthy, Have Fun
Dr. Buck.
EDIT: So I've come to realize that I read a bit of information wrong. Pokemon Black and White are still on DS, not the 3DS. Is it a big mistake? Yeah, and I apologize to my readers. However, I think it only goes to further my point. If you wanna make a big splash with this next generation, and you knew you were making the 3DS anyway, why not just wait and release it on the 3DS and take advantage of all that power? Either way, I apologize about the mis-information, but my above opinions still stand.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Underrated Games: House of the Dead: Overkill
I was gonna talk about e3, but I decided to leave that for later, since I have a lot I wanna say, but not the conciousness to say it. So i figured seeing as I just started this blog, it would be a good idea to talk about some of my favorite games, favorite game characters, or favorite game series. Well, I decided Im too tired for that too (plus that would make a nice special post later >.>). So, i decided to go ahead and introduce a new, continuing segment in this blog.
Have you ever played a game that you thought was just so great, but overshadowed by all these other games that people talk about all the time? Well, between the Halos, and the Call of Dutys, and the Final Fantasies, and the like? I have a plethera of games I feel that way about, and hopefully I will cover one you feel is underrated too. Have a suggestion for me? Then send it to me via facebook (www.facebook.com/djghostpirate), or my email (djdomino999@yahoo.com)
Before I start, I wanna add a bit of a disclaimer. This is not a formal review of the game, however, just a highlight of it (although I do do reviews).
Now then, House of the Dead: Overkill is the latest game in the House of the Dead series. Technically speaking, however, its the very first game story wise. It centers around Detective Issac Washington and Agent G (the only character to appear in every House of the Dead game to date), on their zombie destroying adventure.
What is it that attracts me about this game? Well I definatley love the Grindhouse-esque style they bring to the game, a Wii game, no less. If you've ever seen a Quentin Tarantino film, then you'll enjoy this game. The game feels much like an interactive movie as well. And everything flows together in this style they presented, a concept that a lot of games have failed to grasp.
The characters in this game are also a large attraction to it. Washington and G play off of each other perfectly. I don't believe there has been such a perfect video game duo since Mario and Luigi. The banter between these two is so over the top, but at the same time, natural, in an odd sense of the word. Our two villians, Clement and Papa Cesar have got to be two of the best villians to ever exist in video game history. There's something very bizzare and mysterious about Clement, but at the same time strangly, and almost uncomfortably loveable about him. And Papa Cesars broken speaches and odd analogies make him a very tough character to hate. But I know what you're asking: What about the female sex symbol? Well, she's here too, under the name of Varla Guns. Ironically enough the only good character not playable, she's a very enjoyable character, and you get everything you would expect out of her (additude, clevage, more additude, and more clevage), but she's actually taken out of the story near the end, meaning if there is a sequel, she wont be present unless they use some sort of cheap way to bring her back. However, since this game really has no shame, I don't think anyone would mind a cheezy ressurection.
So do I have any problem with this game? Just one. ITS TOO SHORT. Easily beatable in one sitting, you enjoy the ride so much, you feel cheated when you get so little of it. You find yourself wanting, craving, desiring, begging for more, and unfortunately, its not there. But what you do get, is a can stuffed full of pure awesome.
So if you own a Wii, and are looking for a really good game to play, you owe it to yourself to at least rent House of the Dead: Overkill. Trust me, you wont be sorry. And Im a doctor.
Stay Healthy, Have Fun
Dr. Buck
Have you ever played a game that you thought was just so great, but overshadowed by all these other games that people talk about all the time? Well, between the Halos, and the Call of Dutys, and the Final Fantasies, and the like? I have a plethera of games I feel that way about, and hopefully I will cover one you feel is underrated too. Have a suggestion for me? Then send it to me via facebook (www.facebook.com/djghostpirate), or my email (djdomino999@yahoo.com)
Before I start, I wanna add a bit of a disclaimer. This is not a formal review of the game, however, just a highlight of it (although I do do reviews).
Now then, House of the Dead: Overkill is the latest game in the House of the Dead series. Technically speaking, however, its the very first game story wise. It centers around Detective Issac Washington and Agent G (the only character to appear in every House of the Dead game to date), on their zombie destroying adventure.
What is it that attracts me about this game? Well I definatley love the Grindhouse-esque style they bring to the game, a Wii game, no less. If you've ever seen a Quentin Tarantino film, then you'll enjoy this game. The game feels much like an interactive movie as well. And everything flows together in this style they presented, a concept that a lot of games have failed to grasp.
The characters in this game are also a large attraction to it. Washington and G play off of each other perfectly. I don't believe there has been such a perfect video game duo since Mario and Luigi. The banter between these two is so over the top, but at the same time, natural, in an odd sense of the word. Our two villians, Clement and Papa Cesar have got to be two of the best villians to ever exist in video game history. There's something very bizzare and mysterious about Clement, but at the same time strangly, and almost uncomfortably loveable about him. And Papa Cesars broken speaches and odd analogies make him a very tough character to hate. But I know what you're asking: What about the female sex symbol? Well, she's here too, under the name of Varla Guns. Ironically enough the only good character not playable, she's a very enjoyable character, and you get everything you would expect out of her (additude, clevage, more additude, and more clevage), but she's actually taken out of the story near the end, meaning if there is a sequel, she wont be present unless they use some sort of cheap way to bring her back. However, since this game really has no shame, I don't think anyone would mind a cheezy ressurection.
So do I have any problem with this game? Just one. ITS TOO SHORT. Easily beatable in one sitting, you enjoy the ride so much, you feel cheated when you get so little of it. You find yourself wanting, craving, desiring, begging for more, and unfortunately, its not there. But what you do get, is a can stuffed full of pure awesome.
So if you own a Wii, and are looking for a really good game to play, you owe it to yourself to at least rent House of the Dead: Overkill. Trust me, you wont be sorry. And Im a doctor.
Stay Healthy, Have Fun
Dr. Buck
Debut post? Not one you might expect
Yeah I know, I suppose you all wanna know, who am I? Sure I like anime and video games, seeing as thats what this blog centers around, but what exactly do I like? Personally, I think you'll find out enough about me as I post, but here is a little basics.
As a gamer:
Genre: Mostly rpgs. But i really have to be interested both storyline wise and gameplay wise. Also I like 2d fighting games, and fps.
Specific games: Most mario games, Pokemon, the Tales series, Guilty Gear, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, most Street Fighter games, The Conduit (though not for much longer >.>), Punchout, old Banjo-Kazooie games, ect, ect, ect.
Consoles: Pretty much any Nintendo System, and the XBox 360
Companies: Nintendo, Microsoft (usually), Namco, and Capcom
As an Otaku:
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, and Comedy
Specific Titles: Case Closed, One Piece, the list goes on and on and on.
Specific Characters: Conan Edogawa, Monkey D. Luffy, again, the list goes on.
Cons Ive been to (yes I am a con goer and cosplayer): Anime Nebraskon (x3), Naka Kon, Minneapolis Anime Convention
Now then, for things actually important to this blog. As most people who are reading this blog would know, we just wrapped up e3. And while there is a lot to talk about, like the Kinect, whatever the hell Sony is doing with their motion control, and the plethera of returning franchises that Nintendo is reviving, mostly I wanna talk about two new consoles, the X Box 360 slim, and the Nintendo 3DS.
X Box 360 Slim: http://g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/gadgetpr0n/71167/The-New-Xbox-360-Review.html
I think that video sums up the technical side of this new system. So I guess that really leaves my opinion on it. Simply put, Im very, very impressed. As anyone who is on my facebook knows, I've been dying over this new system since Microsoft announced it (and yes, I was very very jealous who got one there for free). So why am I impressed with it? I just might have something to do with the fact that I dont own one. I mean, the design is impressive sure, but personally, I like the look of the Elite a bit more (the system I was originally trying for). Personally, I believe that its the fact that now, I don't have to save up and buy a hardrive, or a wireless adaptor, and all of those things needed to get the full xbox experience. Now Im free to use the money for an account, and games, and what not. I really do like the idea of online play, and as much of a Nintendo fanboy I am, even I have to admit that the Wii doesn't really have a lot of online capability. So personally, I think its exactly like Kevin said: If I had an Xbox, would I buy this one? Probably not. But, seeing as I dont, this is the one I want to go with. Plus, if I ever do decide to get the Kinect (which honestly I don't foresee it happening right now), then then this Xbox is already ready. So Im all ready to get online and start playing on this wonderful system. Hopefully I will have my hands on one by Saturday.
Nintendo 3DS: http://g4tv.com/videos/46913/Sesslers-Soapbox-Maybe-3D-Isnt-So-Bad/
Now Adam Sessler (one of the most intelligent men in this industry) has one opinion on the 3DS, and others might have a different one. Personally, Im very excited for it. One thing Nintendo is becoming incredibly infamous for being that sort of mysterious entity at e3, and the 3DS is that source of mystery. There was a trailer video, however nintendo opted not to focus on it in thier demonstration (http://mynintendonews.com/2010/06/24/nintendo-wii-nintendo-explain-the-lack-of-3ds-game-reveals-at-nintendo-e3-press-conference/). However, what we do know is, we're already talking about ports of both Legend of Zelda: Ocaraina of Time and Star Fox 64 to this system. Which, admitably enough, is very very impressive for a handheld system, a feat that I admit to never believing was possible. But appearantly, it is. And of course one of the most talked about 3DS games are Pokemon Black and White (which I'll talk about more in detail in a soon to come blog), and if you've seen the pictures, they look very, very impressive. Truly, it seems to me that Nintendo is the leader in innovation, which admitably doesnt always lead to a positive outcome, but I do like how Nintendo is attempting to be trend setters in the gaming industry. They created a system centered around motion control, and now Microsoft and Sony both are attempting their take on it, and now we have the very first, fully 3D handheld system, and I personally am very excited. Hopefully this system won't be all bark and no bite like the DSi (Im sorry, but I don't believe there was enough about the DSi to warrant buying it unless one didnt have a DS. Which is why, to this day, I still have a DS lite, and thats only becuase I traded my original DS for his DS lite). So my personal opinion on it? This handheld has all the potential in the world, Nintendo just has to realize it. And after seeing what they did with the Wii, im not too worried. Personally, I think Sony should leave the PSP alone, and invest that money in the PS3 (which desperatley needs it), becuase its never going to top the Nintendo 3DS.
Agree? Disagree? Or an unrelated comment? Comment here, or find my on Twitter @ghostpiratedj, or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/djghostpirate.
Stay Healthy, Have Fun
Dr. Buck
As a gamer:
Genre: Mostly rpgs. But i really have to be interested both storyline wise and gameplay wise. Also I like 2d fighting games, and fps.
Specific games: Most mario games, Pokemon, the Tales series, Guilty Gear, Marvel vs. Capcom 2, most Street Fighter games, The Conduit (though not for much longer >.>), Punchout, old Banjo-Kazooie games, ect, ect, ect.
Consoles: Pretty much any Nintendo System, and the XBox 360
Companies: Nintendo, Microsoft (usually), Namco, and Capcom
As an Otaku:
Genre: Fantasy, Mystery, and Comedy
Specific Titles: Case Closed, One Piece, the list goes on and on and on.
Specific Characters: Conan Edogawa, Monkey D. Luffy, again, the list goes on.
Cons Ive been to (yes I am a con goer and cosplayer): Anime Nebraskon (x3), Naka Kon, Minneapolis Anime Convention
Now then, for things actually important to this blog. As most people who are reading this blog would know, we just wrapped up e3. And while there is a lot to talk about, like the Kinect, whatever the hell Sony is doing with their motion control, and the plethera of returning franchises that Nintendo is reviving, mostly I wanna talk about two new consoles, the X Box 360 slim, and the Nintendo 3DS.
X Box 360 Slim: http://g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/gadgetpr0n/71167/The-New-Xbox-360-Review.html
I think that video sums up the technical side of this new system. So I guess that really leaves my opinion on it. Simply put, Im very, very impressed. As anyone who is on my facebook knows, I've been dying over this new system since Microsoft announced it (and yes, I was very very jealous who got one there for free). So why am I impressed with it? I just might have something to do with the fact that I dont own one. I mean, the design is impressive sure, but personally, I like the look of the Elite a bit more (the system I was originally trying for). Personally, I believe that its the fact that now, I don't have to save up and buy a hardrive, or a wireless adaptor, and all of those things needed to get the full xbox experience. Now Im free to use the money for an account, and games, and what not. I really do like the idea of online play, and as much of a Nintendo fanboy I am, even I have to admit that the Wii doesn't really have a lot of online capability. So personally, I think its exactly like Kevin said: If I had an Xbox, would I buy this one? Probably not. But, seeing as I dont, this is the one I want to go with. Plus, if I ever do decide to get the Kinect (which honestly I don't foresee it happening right now), then then this Xbox is already ready. So Im all ready to get online and start playing on this wonderful system. Hopefully I will have my hands on one by Saturday.
Nintendo 3DS: http://g4tv.com/videos/46913/Sesslers-Soapbox-Maybe-3D-Isnt-So-Bad/
Now Adam Sessler (one of the most intelligent men in this industry) has one opinion on the 3DS, and others might have a different one. Personally, Im very excited for it. One thing Nintendo is becoming incredibly infamous for being that sort of mysterious entity at e3, and the 3DS is that source of mystery. There was a trailer video, however nintendo opted not to focus on it in thier demonstration (http://mynintendonews.com/2010/06/24/nintendo-wii-nintendo-explain-the-lack-of-3ds-game-reveals-at-nintendo-e3-press-conference/). However, what we do know is, we're already talking about ports of both Legend of Zelda: Ocaraina of Time and Star Fox 64 to this system. Which, admitably enough, is very very impressive for a handheld system, a feat that I admit to never believing was possible. But appearantly, it is. And of course one of the most talked about 3DS games are Pokemon Black and White (which I'll talk about more in detail in a soon to come blog), and if you've seen the pictures, they look very, very impressive. Truly, it seems to me that Nintendo is the leader in innovation, which admitably doesnt always lead to a positive outcome, but I do like how Nintendo is attempting to be trend setters in the gaming industry. They created a system centered around motion control, and now Microsoft and Sony both are attempting their take on it, and now we have the very first, fully 3D handheld system, and I personally am very excited. Hopefully this system won't be all bark and no bite like the DSi (Im sorry, but I don't believe there was enough about the DSi to warrant buying it unless one didnt have a DS. Which is why, to this day, I still have a DS lite, and thats only becuase I traded my original DS for his DS lite). So my personal opinion on it? This handheld has all the potential in the world, Nintendo just has to realize it. And after seeing what they did with the Wii, im not too worried. Personally, I think Sony should leave the PSP alone, and invest that money in the PS3 (which desperatley needs it), becuase its never going to top the Nintendo 3DS.
Agree? Disagree? Or an unrelated comment? Comment here, or find my on Twitter @ghostpiratedj, or on Facebook: www.facebook.com/djghostpirate.
Stay Healthy, Have Fun
Dr. Buck
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