Atelier Iris 2: Azoth of Destiny

If you enjoy the fun a quirky RPG (role playing game) Atelier Iris then you may enjoy the next in the series, Atelier Iris 2:  Azoth of Destiny.  This second installment features a brand new story on a completely different planet, Eden.  Eden is a land where the inhabitants coexist peacefully and use a magic known as Mana.  They can wield the Mana with the help of alchemists. 

You play with 2 main characters, orphans named Felt and Viese.  One day, earthquakes devastate the world of Eden.  It is up to the orphans to figure out what is wrong and save Eden before it is too late.  Felt gets a hold of a mythical sword called “The Azure Azoth.”  Felt is then called “the Chosen One” and sent to an alternate world called Belkhyde that seems to have some influence on the problems of Eden.  Viese stays on Eden and tries desperately to save it.

During Atelier Iris 2, you alternate between both characters on both worlds.  One is good with the sword while the other is good at synthesizing items.  Both characters have a single item pool so that you can share items between them.  If Felt needs to upgrade his sword, Viese merely needs the materials and instructions to synthesis the items needed and pass it on to Felt.  You no longer need to visit a shop in order to do this, unlike the first Atelier Iris.  This is a very nice change.  Item synthesis is needed to upgrade weapons, create equipment, make potent healing potions, and more.  Travel on both worlds is also nice.  You merely click a point on the map and you are there.

The battle system is different than in the previous edition of Atelier Iris.  Atelier Iris 2 features the new Action Cost Time Battle System.  Here, there is a gauge on the screen.  The closer your character is to the right side on the gauge, the sooner he gets to attack.  Attacks include:  charge attacks, devastating combos, break attacks, and special skills that are executed when the skill gauge rises.

The graphics of Atelier Iris 2 are simple yet colorful. The character models are highly detailed and look quite a bit like anime or cartoons!  The music is different, yet catchy.  Lastly, the controls are easy to master.

Atelier Iris 2 is available for Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of E-10.  This means the game is suitable for any one ages 10 and up.  This is because the game features fantasy violence, mild language, mild suggestive themes, use of alcohol, and use of tobacco.  A strategy guide is available for those of you who want to see all that the game has to offer.

Guild Wars: Factions

One of the most popular MMORPG’s (massively multiplayer online role playing games) on the market is Guild Wars.  The release of Guild Wars came with such stunning success that the second in the series was recently released, Guild Wars:  Factions.  This game is sure to be a success, just like its predecessor.

Guild Wars:  Factions takes place on a different continent than the first game.  It is an Asian inspired land called Cantha.  You don’t need to have the first Guild Wars in order to play Guild Wars: Factions.  But it is nice if you do have it because you can travel back and forth between Cantha and Tyria (the land in the first game).  You can play with your previously created character from the first game, or create a new one.

The story takes place 200 years after the Emperor of Cantha is murdered by his supposedly loyal bodyguard, Shiro Tagachi.  A battle ensues after the Emperor’s death and Shiro soon faces his own death.  It is said that his death wail was so full of anger and hate that the sea turned to jade and the forest became petrified.  Now, 200 years later, Shiro’s angry spirit returns to create havoc on the land of Canthu.

The land of Canthu has 2 factions that are at war between each other:  the Kurzicks and the Luxons.  The Kurzicks are highly religious and conservative.  They are made up of artisans and crafters.  The Luxons are a nomadic type people that are always on the move.  They used to dwell in the sea, but since it has been turned to jade, they travel across it on huge walking machines.  They believe only the strong survive.  You must decide which faction you wish be allied with and be at war against the other.

There are many new additions in Guild Wars:  Factions.  First, there are two new professions:  a deadly assassin and a ritualist who can summon dark spirits.  Second, there are over 300 new skills, including 90 new elite skills.  There are also 100 new creatures, 50 new locations, new pets, new weapons, new items, new armor, new guild halls, and new customizable looks for your character creation.

Guild Wars:  Factions has the same controls as the first game so if you have played it before, you will have no problem.  The soundtrack is quite nice to listen to and not too repetitive.  All of the lush environments are highly detailed and colorful.  This is to be expected because of how great the previous game looked.  Expect to be playing long hours for many months.  This game is sure not to bore you.

Guild Wars:  Factions is only available for your PC.  It has an ESRB rating of T for Teen.  This is because the game features the use of alcohol, violence, and suggestive themes.  A strategy guide is available for those of you who need a bit of help.

Kingdom Hearts II

Fans of Kingdom hearts will be glad to know that the second in the best selling game series has been released.  In Kingdom Hearts II, Disney elements are combined with Final Fantasy elements to make a truly excellent game!

The story starts one year after the events of the first Kingdom Hearts in a place called Twilight Town.  You follow the actions of a young and troubled boy named Roxas.  Sora, Donald, Goofy, and more characters return.  This includes appearances by many Final Fantasy characters, along with many Disney characters that were not in the previous game.  Visit old and new locations from Disney movies including:  Mulan, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Beauty and the Beast.  Sora must look for clues as to who the Heartless are and what is behind Organization XIII.  The plot is very well written and will leave you guessing until the end… when all is finally revealed.

Kingdom Hearts II has adapted many changes.  One is an all new combat system that is probably one of the most thrilling of any game.  There are new summons, limit breaks, new combos, co-op attacks, and the ability to perform devastating attacks with the right timing of button pushes.  And yes, Donald still has hilarious tantrums and Goofy is just as dumb as ever.

Some other changes are that the new transportation system allows you to ride among famous Disney theme park attractions.  The camera system has also been redone.  The last change, Sora can now use the “Drive” ability, but you will have to play to see what that is.

The voice acting is very well done.  The musical score is also excellent, but you should expect that from anything made by Square Enix!  The character models are also very nice to look at.  The Disney characters look like they came right out of the cartoon!

The only downfall to the game is that some parts are repetitive and repeated from the last game.  One instance is that of boss fights with the same enemies.  But other than that, it is a great game and highly amusing.

Kingdom Hearts 2 is available on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of E-10.  This means it is suitable for anyone age 10 and older.  This is because the game features blood, use of alcohol, and violence.  A strategy guide is available for you cheaters out there!

Grandia III

Good RPG (role playing games) are sometimes hard to find.  But many times, if the RPG is in several series, odds are that it is quite popular.  One of the lesser known but good RPG series is that of Grandia.  Recently, Grandia III was released.  If you enjoyed the first 2 in the series, you are sure to love this one.

Grandia III begins in a peaceful and quiet village.  The lead character, Yuki, is inspired by the long forgotten: Sky Captain Schmidt, to build and fly his own airplane.  Sky Captain Schmidt once flew further and faster than anyone and Yuki wishes to beat him.  One day, Yuki attempts to fly his newly built airplane with his mother, Miranda.  (Miranda looks like she could be his sister).  He soon crosses paths with a young lady named Alfina and her not so nice brother, Emelious.  Alfina is a Communicator.  Communicators can talk to ancient creatures.

Grandia III features a semi real time combat system. You are able to combine all of your player’s abilities to perform devastating attacks and even aerial finishing moves.  You also have the ability to perform sneak attacks that will that stun and delay your enemies.  This is nice when you need to heal up or revive a fallen ally.  You can also perform chain attacks that are visually impressive to watch. Magic can also be used in battle based on the four elements:  fire, earth, water, and wind.

A new feature not offered in previous editions of Grandia is the Strategic Advise System.  This system allows the AI characters to make suggestions to you during battle.  These suggestions can aid you at defeating enemies, finding enemy weaknesses, and more.

There are of course flaws.  One flaw is that you have no control over where the characters go in the battlefield.  Some of the moves and attacks you perform can only affect certain areas of the battlefield.  This can be very annoying when a character decides to run to one side of the battlefield and you want them on the other.  Darn AI!

Grandia III has a very linear progression which gets boring at times.  The music is also a bit cheesy. But don’t let that get you down because the story is gripping and quite compelling.  The dramatic cut scenes and expansive environments are absolutely beautiful.  Lastly, the voice acting is also quite good, which is rare in many games. 

Grandia III was developed by Square Enix, who are well know for great RPG’s.  It is available on Playstation 2.  Grandia III has an ESRB rating of T for Teen.  This is because it features fantasy violence, mild language, and the use of alcohol.  Sorry, no children can buy it!  For those of you who like to cheat, you can get your hands on the official strategy guide.

Suikoden V

The 108 stars of destiny are back!  Fans of the Suikoden Saga get ready for number 5!  Suikoden V offers many of the saga’s common themes, along with some new, but much welcomed changes.

The story begins in the land of Farlena.  Because of civil unrest, the Queen of Farlena is forced to use the Sun Rune… but at a terrible price.  The story unfolds as a silent hero rises.  Typical of Suikoden.

The story of Suikoden V has to be one of the best things going for it…once you get to it.  The beginning of the game is its biggest downfall.  About 7 hours drag on as the plot slowly unfolds through tons of dialogue and cut scenes.  You get to explore and watch characters develop, but with few battles.  But after this initial boredom, Suikoden V explodes with a gripping story and fast paced game play.  You won’t want to put your controller down or take your eyes off the screen!  The story is the longest ever in all of the Suikoden games and it offers multiple endings!

Suikoden V has many similarities as the previous editions.  You still recruit the 108 stars of destiny by exploring the vast world and various enormous towns.  Some off the recruits are from previous editions of the saga, while others are new.  50 of the characters are playable in battle while all 108 are available to aid you during the massive area map wars that take place against other armies!  These military battles are one of the best parts of the Suikoden saga, along with the duals, and the ability to customize and build your headquarters.

Some changes include the new 20 battle formations.  There is also a new skill system and a change in the ways you upgrade and customize you weapons.  Hundreds of items are available.  Many are old favorites and many are soon to be new favorites!

The controls and battle system is very similar to the previous editions of the game, so for those of you who have played them before, you will have no trouble at all.  The character models are quite good.  Each of the 108 stars of destiny has a look of their own.  The landscapes are just beautiful to look at and the lighting effects are done quite well.  The soundtrack can be a bit annoying, however.  It tends to get a bit repetitive.

Suikoden V is available only on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of T for teen.  This is because the game features partial nudity, violence, mild language, and the use of alcohol.  But it’s nothing worse than what you may see on cable television.  A strategy guide is available for those of you who can’t seem to find all 108 stars of destiny.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

When the Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind game came out for the PC, consumers were delighted. As the Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion title was announced, consumers could hardly hold their applause. Much like the Morrowind game, Oblivion takes on another world. The game throws you into an enormous world to explore, complete with missions, quests, items, and literally thousands upon thousands of other activities for you to spend your precious time on.

With enriched graphics and literally one of the largest game environments ever created, the game throws you into the shoes of an abandoned unknown character. You get to choose from a dozen different types of characters, all complete with different looks and abilities. From there on half the fun is choosing your unique abilities you will be using throughout the rest of your adventure. Once your character is set you are thrown to explore the world as you please. You may start right through the main quest, or never even touch it and become a farmer or entrepreneur. The choice is up to you.

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion throws over 400 hours (yes, you read that correctly) of game play at you with improved graphics, physics and story line from the previous cousin Morrowind. Whether you have been with the Elder Scrolls series from the beginning or just starting off, come late March you will be hooked on one of the best RPGs to ever come out on the PC.

MMORPG: The Future?

If you don’t know what MMORPG stands for, don’t worry-you’re not alone. MMORPG stands for massive multiplayer online role playing game…and now you can see just why MMORPG is shortened! It sounds fascinating and it is, players play in a constantly evolving virtual world online simultaneously with other online gamers.

What can be so exciting about a MMORPG? Lots!

The Internet age has brought us so much that’s available instantaneously right in our fingertips, MMORPG’s aren’t like Nintendo’s or even PlayStation’s because there is far much more interactive things going on. When a player plays one of the traditional forms of gaming like the Nintendo and etc., it’s not the same because you’re only limited to your environment and you can’t tell anyone if no one is home plus who cares if you beat a machine?

MMORPG’s are played head to head against real people, real competitors and relationships are formed via Internet to talk about it or players can write user reviews about the games they’ve played. The bottom line is, it’s fun!

MMORPG’s have showed the gaming industry what players want. Will MMORPG’s be the future of gaming, will other forms of gaming be obsolete or will we see a birth of something even better than MMORPG’s? Keep an eye out because the sky is the limit with gaming and I think the companies are just starting to explore their real possibilities, MMORPG could simply be the beginning!

Radiata

Any fan of the RPG genre (role playing game) knows that captivating characters and a catchy story line are some of the most important factors that make a good RPG.  That is why all of you RPG lovers should take a crack at Radiata stories.  Radiata Stories has an intriguing story line that will leave you laughing right at the beginning.  In fact, I have almost wet my pants laughing at the quirky comments and events that take place throughout the game!

You begin as a young hero who oddly enough is named Jack Russell.  Jack has a smart mouth that often gets him into trouble. He dreams of joining the legendary Radiata Knights.  Unfortunately, he is not very good and is only allowed into the Radiata Knights because his father was once a member.  The story then moves on to a much bigger picture, that you will just have to see for yourself. The main storyline does take a bit to get to, but once it does, you will be pleasantly surprised.

This game has a huge list of 177 playable characters.  If you ever played Suikoden, you will find that this game is quite similar… except that it Suikoden only has 108 playable characters.  Each character has its own schedule that changes throughout the day.  An example:  a shopkeeper may be open from noon to 4 pm.  Then he goes to the church to pray from 4 to 6.  Next he’s off to the bar for a drink, later to return home.  Then he’s off to the shop again!

Interaction with the world is quite amusing as time never stops.  You can kick almost any object, including people!  This can often lead Jack into getting beat up!  It is quite amusing.  Kicking objects also helps you find items…but that is not as fun as kicking people!  This game is free style.  You can go any where and do anything at random.  This does make it difficult to figure out the objective and to progress throughout the story.  But the free style does allow you a broader sense of playability that doesn’t let you get bored.  If you want a game that moves along quickly, then this is not the game for you.

The replay value of this game is quite high.  Once you beat the game, you can play again to get some characters you may have missed.  You also get to play with the skills and money you already have.  The best benefit is that there are two completely different endings.  The ending you get depends on what path you take during the game.  You have to play twice to see the two endings.  Who wouldn’t?  Kicking people and objects never gets old!

This game has an ESRB rating of “teen”.  So sorry kids…you can’t buy it without mommy and daddies help.  It has a teen rating because of violence, language, suggestive themes, and use of drugs and alcohol.  It is available on Playstation 2.

Radiata Stories is probably one of the most comical RPG’s I have played in a long time.  I must say that I was highly entertained throughout the entire game.  I honestly wasn’t expecting so much from it.  Overall, I give it a 9 out of 10.

Magna Carta: Tears of Blood

If you are looking for an RPG (role playing game) that is a bit different than the traditional RPG’s then you are in luck!  Fans of the RPG genre have been taking a swing at the newly released Magna Carta:  Tears of Blood. 

The story starts out in the land of Efferia.  Here, humans and the native Efferians co-exist only because they have to.  This is a time of endless war.  A young man has a hatred for some of the native Efferians and wants revenge.  He meets a young girl who has lost her memories.  This is where the dramatic story unfolds.  If you are concerned that this story has a cute and lovey-dovey theme, you are in for a great surprise.  The tale is quite dark with some unexpected twists.

The characters in Magna Carta were designed by world renowned Korean artist Hyung Tae Kim.  Each character has its own unique look and is quite impressive to look at.  In fact, most of the artwork in the game is very beautiful and compelling. 

The soundtrack of the game is not the best.  However, there are various cut scenes that include voice dialogue.  The dialogue is very easy to understand and clearly spoken.  Even though the music isn’t the greatest, the dialogue from the characters more than makes up for it.

The best part of this game is also what makes it so unique from most other RPG’s.  Magna Carta features a battle system in which you must time your attacks perfectly in order to execute them against an enemy.  If you do not press the buttons just right, you miss your chance to hurt the baddies!  It is quite similar to that of the timed attacks you had to execute in the games Legend of Dragoon or Shadow Hearts.  This takes some time to learn, but it is very efficient once you master it.

Magna Carta features a real time battle system that allows you to place your characters anywhere on the battlefield.  The battles are not just about perfect timing and killing enemies.  You also consume energy with each attack, so you need to learn how to properly utilize your energy and strategically plan your attack methods.  You also must focus on learning new techniques and attacks.  Aside from this, you can upgrade your weapons and participate in various side missions.

The only downside to Magna Carta is that it loads often in between each and every attack during battle.  Also, each time you defeat an enemy, it does not return for quite some time.  This makes it difficult to gather experience and develop characters.  But aside from all this, the captivating storyline and the unique battle system makes up for it all!

Magna Carta is available on Playstation 2.  It has an ESRB rating of T for Teen.  This is because the game features fantasy violence, language, and suggestive themes.

Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows

The Gauntlet games, on a whole, tend to have quite a rough track record. On one hand, the games can be incredibly fun and interesting, especially when played with a group of friends, and have proven to be excellent in the arcade. On the other hand, each new game tends to be much too similar to the last game and the experience can get boring and repetitive very quickly. Although Midway must know this, their newest game, “Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows,” repeats many of the mistakes of previous titles and, on the whole, appears to be very uninspired.

The gameplay in Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows is exactly the same as all previous iterations. Essentially, players are involved in a less than gripping storyline that has them running around various worlds and killing all the enemies they come into contact with, as would be expected in a hack-and-slash game. Truly though, the storyline is practically non-existent and adds to the game in no measurable amount. Similarly, not only is the concept of the game similar to the previous Gauntlet’s, but the whole design and dynamics are just recycled from previous games.

Players can choose from one of various types of characters, including Warriors and Warlocks, and then set out on their “epic quest.” Each character has a unique hand to hand attack and combo set-up along with the ability to cast certain magical spells. Albeit the fact that the spells can be quite useful and the attacks can be built up to be strong, the game is simply too repetitive and the same attacks from the beginning will be used in the end as well. The game changes in almost no fashion as it progresses, making it an extremely repetitive and boring experience.

The only forgiving factor included in the game is the fact that it has four-player cooperative mode. This mode, when played with friends, can be very enjoyable (although a little hectic) since all four will be attacking and unleashing havoc on the enemy at the same time. Additionally, certain parts of the game can almost only be beaten by multiple players since having help definitely makes the gameplay a whole lot easier. Truly, without this cooperative multiplayer mode, there would be absolutely no reason to play Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows at all.

Even the visuals match the lackluster gameplay. Although Seven Sorrows, thankfully, boasts a new, completely reworked graphics engine, it still doesn’t look like that. The graphics engine, despite offering some snazzy special effects and smooth animations, simply does not look as good as many other modern games. It runs smoothly, of course, but it just doesn’t look all that great.

One good addition, however, is the reworked camera system. Previous Gauntlet titles were plagued by an absolutely horrifying camera that would leave players hopeless since they couldn’t even see the enemy many times. The new camera has its problems at times, however on the whole it tends to follow the characters very well and adapts to the battles in an acceptable fashion.

The audio aspect of the game might as well not have even been included. The effects of swords clanging and magic spells are all the exact same and sound very bad after a very short while. The voice-overs are equally as terrible. Not only were they not done very professionally, but characters can be found repeating the same lines over and over and over again. The musical score is equally as mediocre and unimpressive. Simply put, the game might have been better without audio at all.

Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows truly does not do justice to the series. Gauntlet started out to be an amazing and incredibly fun arcade game that translated into a decent console game. However, each new game appears to only get worse due to a lack of any significant additions or improvements, not to mention the fact the problems of previous titles seem to not be worked out by sequels. Maybe Midway should just sell the Gauntlet license already and let another company bring the famed series back to prominence.

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