The NEW Game Journal

[Klutz64]

Grim Grimoire, short.

How come every time someone mentions that game I have a desire to go back and play through it again, despite not enjoying it very much?

[Dice]

There are a bunch of issues that made Eternal Sonata not that fun for me to play, but generally the aesthetic is indeed quite good and so is the core battle system. Other issues drain some fun out of the latter though, like low enemy variety, low exp gain, limited access to the combo system and weird positioning that ends up wasting your time. Grinding in this game is the antithesis of fun.

Anyway, I decided to start playing Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Cool stuff, but not at core my kind of game. No complaints really, I've just been used to more handholding games, though I hate to admit it and some OCD tendencies are pestering me to find all secrets. Oh well, as long as I can get through it once that's enough. It shouldn't take too long.

Symphony of the Night would probably be better as a handheld these days.
I can't really sink my teeth into it (I suck at it for whatever reason), but I love the stuff it does do.  The Action/RPG elements in a Castlevania game give it great mileage.

And I agree, ES has a ton of faults.  I was more bashing its nonsense narrative.  In general, I felt too many RPGs focused on "big action" than times to just "sit and chat" and flesh out the story.  Tales of Vesperia was great for "low action" (ie; pretty shitty 'major event' cutscenes) but a lot of dialogue that worked to flesh the world and its characters.  For the most part though, I had a blast with the battle system -- grinding aside (using items was never something I particularly "got used to" either).

Grim Grimoire, short.

How come every time someone mentions that game I have a desire to go back and play through it again, despite not enjoying it very much?

The pressure, and the desire to overcome hardships amongst some really pretty graphics?  And it's short, so there's few problems with a replay taking up much time.

Ocarina of Time

Visited Dampe as an adult... that whole bit is so weird and random; the thing you DO kinda of expect of games of that era I guess.

I'm the Gravekeeper Ghost, let me give you my treasure if you beat me in a race!
*connect to fucked up Windmill man because ???*
Oh, um, ok.

The Sacred Meadow's angry charging pigs still give me the heebie-heebies.  But I love the Forest Temple.  Almost trying to epitomize "becoming an adult" in the game, this dungeon definitely tests the player in a way none of the first three dungeons do.

[Klutz64]

Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are just plain terrifying, especially for younger folks.

Forest Temple? Eerie
Graveyard/Skulltula House? Creepy
Like-Likes? Unsettling
Shadow Temple Boss? Spooky as hell
Being frozen by those zombie things I can't remember the name of? Just plain freaky.
Sound effect when a Wall Crawler is about to ruin your day? NO! Just. No.

[Aeolus]

Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are just plain terrifying, especially for younger folks.

Forest Temple? Eerie
Graveyard/Skulltula House? Creepy
Like-Likes? Unsettling
Shadow Temple Boss? Spooky as hell
Being frozen by those zombie things I can't remember the name of? Just plain freaky.
Sound effect when a Wall Crawler is about to ruin your day? NO! Just. No.

You mean Redead?

Additionally....
Stone Temple: Neat
Snowhead Temple's Boss: Sweet
Spirit Temple(past): Petite

[MeshGearFox]

Played Noitu Love 2 briefly. Did most of the first level with my eyes closed.

Eeeeeargh.

[Dice]

Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are just plain terrifying, especially for younger folks.

Forest Temple? Eerie
Graveyard/Skulltula House? Creepy
Like-Likes? Unsettling
Shadow Temple Boss? Spooky as hell
Being frozen by those zombie things I can't remember the name of? Just plain freaky.
Sound effect when a Wall Crawler is about to ruin your day? NO! Just. No.

You mean Redead?

Additionally....
Stone Temple: Neat
Snowhead Temple's Boss: Sweet
Spirit Temple(past): Petite

Love the Spirit Temple addition there.

Shit, ReDeads are pretty creepy even in a cartoon form (WW).

I think the Moon still takes the cake for Creepiest Zelda Things.  Why the hell is it the way it is?

[Aeolus]

Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are just plain terrifying, especially for younger folks.

Forest Temple? Eerie
Graveyard/Skulltula House? Creepy
Like-Likes? Unsettling
Shadow Temple Boss? Spooky as hell
Being frozen by those zombie things I can't remember the name of? Just plain freaky.
Sound effect when a Wall Crawler is about to ruin your day? NO! Just. No.

You mean Redead?

Additionally....
Stone Temple: Neat
Snowhead Temple's Boss: Sweet
Spirit Temple(past): Petite

Love the Spirit Temple addition there.

Shit, ReDeads are pretty creepy even in a cartoon form (WW).

I think the Moon still takes the cake for Creepiest Zelda Things.  Why the hell is it the way it is?

Because they needed a Ganondorf Expy somewhere, and what better than a natural disaster on an Armageddon scale.

[Dice]

Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask are just plain terrifying, especially for younger folks.

Forest Temple? Eerie
Graveyard/Skulltula House? Creepy
Like-Likes? Unsettling
Shadow Temple Boss? Spooky as hell
Being frozen by those zombie things I can't remember the name of? Just plain freaky.
Sound effect when a Wall Crawler is about to ruin your day? NO! Just. No.

You mean Redead?

Additionally....
Stone Temple: Neat
Snowhead Temple's Boss: Sweet
Spirit Temple(past): Petite

Love the Spirit Temple addition there.

Shit, ReDeads are pretty creepy even in a cartoon form (WW).

I think the Moon still takes the cake for Creepiest Zelda Things.  Why the hell is it the way it is?

Because they needed a Ganondorf Expy somewhere, and what better than a natural disaster on an Armageddon scale.

That's probably it.

[Kevadu]

So I finished the Muramasa Rebirth DLC.  Well, the regular ending anyway.  I guess there are other endings to get, and you can challenge all the bosses from the original game with the new character, etc.  It only took a few hours, but I quite enjoyed it.  Honestly in a way that's a plus since it didn't drag as much as the original game.  The new character is a lot of fun to play as and the story is simpler but very well told and I actually really liked it.  This might actually be one of my favorite pieces of DLC I've ever purchased.  And it was just $5.  If you have the game then by all means get this.

[Ranadiel]

So I've been playing Guided Fate Paradox....and I am enjoying the story a lot more than I was expecting. I think I am on the second to last dungeon at the moment. Really hate the optional dungeons though. 50 freaking levels with no breaks (at least for the first one). >.>

[Klyde Chroma]

Got through the first act/story arc of Tales of Vesperia two days ago and still can't stop running around exploring!

In regard to the story itself, the start of act 2 in Dahngrest and actions taken by Yuri solidify him as probably one of coolest and unconventional protags ever for me. I can't think of one other main character in any other JRPG that would have handled things like Yuri did (without getting into spoilers).


On a gameplay note, the non-linear exploration coupled with the linear progression of the story in this game is like a match made in heaven for me. Just the right amount of incentive on both ends to keep me interested in searching every nook and cranny without ever getting bored.

I immediately fell in love with Yuri while playing but now I gotta say the whole cast is proving very engaging to me. Even Karol, whom I fully expected to hate, is pretty alright in my book.

In other news, I'm altering my gaming routine based on some advice that the community here offered. Instead of doing two RPGs at once like I have in the past (one current, one retro) I'm going to play one RPG and one non-RPG. I don't EVER play anything other than RPG's really and I feel I need to try and broaden my horizons. The other appeal of this is I will, hopefully,  become more immersed in whatever RPG I am currently entertaining.

And so, for my first non-RPG for 2014 I pick Mario 3d-World. I tried it a month ago and enjoyed it. I can't imagine it detracting from my focus on the tales narrative ATM and I haven't really given a mario title an honest effort since Mario 64.

CONFESSION: I secretly suck at everything but RPGs. I would be retarded proud of myself if I could ever play through and finish a Megaman game or some platformers. I have actually evaded playing some that have appealed to me based on this fact.

[Mickeymac92]

So I finished the Muramasa Rebirth DLC.  Well, the regular ending anyway.  I guess there are other endings to get, and you can challenge all the bosses from the original game with the new character, etc.  It only took a few hours, but I quite enjoyed it.  Honestly in a way that's a plus since it didn't drag as much as the original game.  The new character is a lot of fun to play as and the story is simpler but very well told and I actually really liked it.  This might actually be one of my favorite pieces of DLC I've ever purchased.  And it was just $5.  If you have the game then by all means get this.

That's definitely something I'm gonna do once I get up the urge to play Muramasa again.

[Aeolus]

If you have the game then by all means get this.

I have the game, but I don't think the Wii supports DLC.

[Kevadu]

If you have the game then by all means get this.

I have the game, but I don't think the Wii supports DLC.

I like how you edited out the part where I said "Muramasa Rebirth".  You know, the title of the Vita version...

[Dice]

If you have the game then by all means get this.

I have the game, but I don't think the Wii supports DLC.

I like how you edited out the part where I said "Muramasa Rebirth".  You know, the title of the Vita version...

Aaaand I laughed xD

Ocarina of Time
I dun fucked and was all too eager to put the sword in take the out of the stone.  So YOU HAFTA do the Forest Temple before you can become a kid again.  So I did that and now I can catch up on some shitty sidequests....like masks!  I dream of an alternate scenario where Link just stabs him to death in OoT to prevent MM from happening, then living his youth in Hyrulian jail and dooming the future because he was rotting in a prison cell instead. *mumble mumble*

Anyways!  I love the Forest Temple.  It actually is a definitive dungeon for when "the boy becomes a man", and Link probably grew the hair on his chest during it.  It's a lot harder, the puzzles are trickier, and the enemies more.  It's a strange indoor-outdoor galleria too....ie; it's not a temple.

I hate how vague the events surrounding "Sages" are.  I do like that one theory that says they die.  It makes sense as they're usually seen briefly in a dungeon then vanish into fat air.  ...But I doubt that's the case.  Also vague is how Ingo goes from asshole to humble pushover because you stole his horse while Pseudo-Mario comes back into his righteous position. 
...I feel like there is no moral to be learnt from this.