40)Valkyria Chronicles [Ps3] Reviews

Buy Valkyria Chronicles
"Best SRPG since Final Fantasy Tactics"

Story/Characters (9/10)

Playing out in a storybook fashion you will cycle through pages to select your upcoming missions and scenes. Setting the stage in the fictional world of Europa, you follow the protagonist and friends who are part of Squad 7, a small militia squad under the country of Gallia. Now the name Europa is designed to resemble Europe, as this game has a real life militaristic 'World War' feel blended with fantasy role-playing elements. Gallia is a small country that eventually gets caught up in the battle for Europa, little does Squad 7 know why.

The story has some cliches yes, but its 2009, what doesn't? Need not worry though, they are few and far between. The story is executed to almost perfection anyway that they aren't even bothersome.

The characters are simply deep and wonderful. If you ever played Skies of Arcadia and felt those characters lovable, you will love them here too! Vyse, Aika, and Fina return! Vyse and Aika come rushing back in this game as playable characters. Even Fina makes an appearance, although not playable.

You will probably fall in love with most of the story-based characters, if not all of them. Everyone in Squad 7 is just very likable. Largo screaming "VEG-TA-BLES!" in mid battle is just a small part of the laughs you will get out of these guys.

Gameplay (10/10)

Tossing away the standard SRPG grid-map placement, Valkyria Chronicles introduces something new to the genre. No more choosing tiles, you can roam anywhere once a unit is selected. Adding a twist of real time to the already turn based style, enemy units will shoot at you whilst running around the battlefield. No worries though, your units will do the same to theirs.

Now choosing to move a unit will cost Command Points (CP), which you have limited supply of. The more you move the same unit per turn, the less they can move each time, so be careful. When you have selected a unit, it will pan from the flat overhead map-view of the battlefield, to Action Mode, a third person behind the back view of that unit. From there you can move wherever you please until your movement gauge is drained or you decide to stop, as well as getting one time to attack.

As stated above, everything outside of battles and scenes is done in the storybook. Here you can recruit new members, upgrade equipment, upgrade classes, examine the glossary, etc., this is where all your management is done.

Your units consist of 5 general classes, as well as having a tank commander. The classes are as follows -

-Scouts: have the highest movement range

-Shocktroopers: general firepower, strong versus infantry

-Lancers: anti-tank units

-Engineers: they can repair your tank as well as resupply any other unit, second highest movement range

-Snipers: well, their title says it all, they nail infantry from the backlines, go for the headshots!

Now characters do not level up individually, each unit type levels up. As the unit level gets higher (MAX level of 20) each character unlocks their own unique potentials. Potentials are innate abilities each character has that can be good or bad.

All battles you complete receive a ranking at the end, A being the best. The higher your ranking, the more money and experience you will get. All the ranking depends on is how fast you complete your mission, meaning the least amount of turns the better. In most people's opinion this is VC's weakest spot, I think not.

While rewarding you for finishing the missions quickly, you are inclined to blow through all obstacles and enemies to go straight for the objective. While this is not easy, it is definitely possible on some missions, but not all, so be careful. I do not warrant this as something negative. While rankings rate your quickness, killing special enemies, called 'aces,' rewards you with unique weapons, unattainable at shops. There is one ace in each chapter. All in all, it's up to you to how many enemies you want/need to kill. Obviously the less you kill, the harder it will be to reach your objective; the more you kill, the longer it will take you to complete the mission.

The difficulty in VC is definitely there. While it may seem easy the first few missions, if you have not been battle-tested by Chapter 7, prepare to be! The game ramps up its difficulty from here there on out.

Artwork/Graphics (10/10)

This game boasts beautiful cel-shaded graphics in an anime style with a wonderfully drawn out world/environment. The world is a odd mix of your real world military and not so 'real world' fantasy. From the battle maps, to the amazing views, to the laugh out loud funny characters, the presentation is simply astonishing. At this time, there is no better looking cel shaded game.

You definitely feel drawn into the atmosphere while playing.

Music/Sound (9/10)

From the composer most known for his epic music in Final Fantasy Tactics, Hitoshi Sakimoto fails to disappoint. Probably one of the best orchestral video game composers out there(Tactics Ogre, Ogre Battle 64, Vagrant Story, Final Fantasy XII, are some of his best works),his scores all fit perfectly here. All the music during the games scenes is done nicely; coming in at the right time, and creating that needed emotion during important scenes. There is even a beautiful lyrical sung song in the middle of the game that is very emotional.

The voice actors also did a fantastic job. I know many anime enthusiasts complain about your everyday English-speaking voice actors, but this game is an exception to even them.

Overall (10/10)

A truly hidden gem, much like SEGA's predecessor Skies of Arcadia. This game does not have the recognition it deserves. Much of that probably has to do due to many factors such as no advertising, small amount of game copies, and the Western audience having a lack of taste of anything anime-styled.

Just do yourself a favor and ask anyone who has played the game what they think about it; very few, dislike it. Everybody I know that has played it loves it! I played this every chance I got over the course of a week until I completed it, it's that good! There is even a new game plus mode for when you are finished.

In a time where video games are filled with a plethora of shooters, you cannot go wrong with this original title, it will not disappoint. If you are a fan of RPGs in general this is a must buy. If not, at least download the demo and give it a try, you have nothing to lose.

While Valkyria Chronicles changes some aspects of your general SRPG, it is for the better. While also staying true to the genres roots, it delivers.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 01/29/09

Game Release: Valkyria Chronicles (US, 11/04/08)

39)Monster Hunter Freedom Unite [Sony PSP] Review

Monster Hunter! Giving you ulcers and making you love it since 1999!

Monster Hunter[sony psp], more then any other series, has two distinct lives. It's life in Japan is one of luxury. Monster Hunter games are their equivalent of Grand Theft Auto, the game enjoys an amazing level of love and respect that few other franchises enjoy. Then, there is the American life. It started as a very cult hit, and still is, but now instead of being like that vampire cult that meets in your friend's basement, it's become the Rocky Horror of games. Her fans can't get enough, they continuously grow in number and dedication, experiencing something the outside community fails to appreciate.

And fail to appreciate they do. I will not name names here, but many "professional" reviewing sites run into the same problem most Monster Hunter (hereafter MH) newbies do. This game is hard. It will kick your ass and throw you against a wall, then kick your ass again. Instead of getting past these "walls" (using guides like Darksun45230's amazing work will help), they chalk their difficulty up to a problem with the game instead of a problem with themselves. This problem is much better then it used to be (look at some review for old MH games), but people still can't get a handle on the game, and decide that Capcom is at fault.

Anyone who has read one of my reviews knows what follows. I go through the game's basic areas, then get into some subjective stuff. I will break down the game into graphics, gameplay, control, longevity, and overall experience. Enjoy hunting fans!

Graphics: 9/10

One look at this game and it would be hard to imagine that this is a PSP game. The graphics are sharp, detailed, and run at a smooth framerate. Go ahead, check again. Satisfied that this is a PSP? Alright, moving on. Each environment has a very distinct look to it, and its hard to account for all the detail the developers were able to cram onto a UMD. The monsters themselves look beautiful (until they try to eat your face), and each have their own little eccentricities that make them unique. With graphics this sharp, it would be expected that the load times would be horrendous. There was a time where loading left a lot to be desired, but not anymore. MHFU has the best loading times of the series, and for those who have a high capacity memory stick (they're only 20 bucks or so, get one, its worth it) you can install the game onto the stick, decreasing the times even further. With all this smexy greatness, some will ask why a 9 instead of a 10. The main issue revolves around some odd blurs and graphical hitches that are common issue when it comes to fast moving PSP games. It's not a major issue, but it does keep the graphics from being "flawless".

Gameplay: 10/10

The meat and potatoes of any game, the MH series is known for it's ability to be a slow and fast paced game at the same time. Players go into battle with one of eleven weapons, each providing a drastically different experience. If you want to do hit and run style attacks, a Sword and Shield or Dual Sword is your best bet. If you want to go deep and hard (that's what she said), take a Great Sword or Lance. For those who like to snipe from a distance, a Light or Heavy bowgun is your best bet. Then there are weapons for everything in between (Long Sword, Hammer, Hunting Horn, Gunlance, Bow). I'll wait a sec so everyone can pick their jaws off the floor. All good? Alright, anyway creating these weapons requires materials. Some materials you get from gathering at the farm or in the field, but most require the player to hunt down monsters.

The actual hunting is a joy once you get used to the control scheme (discussed later), but once the learning is out of the way, nothing stands between you and hunting glory.... except for Yian Kut-Ku. I won't lie, this game is hard as hell. It makes players cry and throw their (overly fragile) PSP across the room, hopefully landing on a soft object. Once you get into a fight, a knowledge of the enemy and quick reflexes are all that will keep a hunter in one piece. Upon facing your first beast, you will die, a lot. There is a definite learning curve to overcome here. Once the player overcomes the curve (and it will happen, guaranteed) hunting becomes second nature. Each enemy is unique, and mastering them will be challenging, but victory is genuinely rewarding. Too many games these days rely on hand-holding the entire way through. Take Call of Duty 4. A player could select "Easy", rip though the game, and that's it. If they select "Veteran", the fight will be frustrating, nigh unfair, but in the end the feeling of satisfaction will be much greater. That's what MHFU is all about, hard fights, but great satisfaction when GREAT SUCCESS is achieved.

And always remember, hit them is the weak point for massive damage.

Control: (Initially, 6/10; after practice 8/10)

Controls almost always an issue for PSP games. Unless the game starts with "L" and ends with "oco Roco" packing in every control necessary without the luxury of a second stick is hard. The individual component of the MHFU scheme are solid. Camera and movement is controlled on the left of the system, and combat on the right. The left face buttons are for camera, the stick for movement, and the left bumper for re-centering the camera. On the right, triangle and circle are for attacks, square is for item use, the cross is for evasion, and right bumper for special attacks.

All good right? The first quests are fine, but when wyvrens start rearing their heads, it becomes an issue. Controlling movement, combat, and the camera at the same time is a hassle. Players will have a hard time adapting, and the inability to smoothly move the camera leads to many a death. Eventually, players will adapt with a technique called "fingerhooking". This involves hooking the left index finger to hover over the d-pad, and adjusting the camera that way. It is not a replacement for a second analog stick or a lock-on system (I do not support a lock-on, I think everything is fine the way it is, but it is something that has been mentioned in the past), but rather a way of compensating. It takes a lot of practice, but it will eventually become second nature.

Longevity: 10/10

Each Monster Hunter game has enough content contained within to survive an entire console generation. Even so, Capcom continues to give the fans new content, quests, and weapons to enjoy. MHF2 and Unite added downloadable quests, further extending the life of each game, and with eleven weapons to master, and hundreds of quests, don't expect the death of the series any time soon. Another thing to note, although the game only officially supports ad-hoc play, using a WiFi Max (or comparable equipment) and Xlink Kia allows players to hunt online with other players worldwide. I know, it costs money to get the equipment, and not everyone wants to pay extra money just to play online. Just think of it as a one-time investment that will bring hundreds of hours of more playtime. A couple of bucks now seem tiny in comparison.

Overall Experience:

This game is nothing but choices. With countless different weapons to choose from, dozens of monsters to hunt, and hundreds of quests to choose from, the player has countless options. Sure, controlling the game takes some getting used to, and hunting down the baddies is a struggle, but the reward is great. Every monster killed is just more materials to beef up weapons/gear and only aids the player. Take into account downloadable quests and online play, and the possibilities are endless. The Monster Hunter series is finally coming into it's own in America. Reviewers are no longer automatically shooting down every game that comes along (cough, IGN, cough Gamespot, alright I lied about not naming names), and one can actually see advertisements for the games cropping up. This is truly a masterpiece of a game, and one that should not be missed by any gamer. If you have a PSP, get this game. If not, get a PSP, then get this game. The economy may be in the crapper right about now, but a $200 investment for hundreds of hours of enjoyment (that would be $1000 dollars for a hundred hours of going to the movies) is great for the long run. Great for everyone but this reviewer, who had to type this with one hand after getting the other bit off by a Rathalos.

Final Verdict: Just buy it already!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10

38)Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions [PSP games] review

Buy Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Brillance... sheer brillance

I think the first thing that should be mentioned (for the benefit of the uninformed), is that Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions[psp] is a remake on the Playstation Portable of the original Final Fantasy Tactics by Square Enix, made for the original Playstation. Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions is a grid-based, turn-based, strategy role-playing game.
I feel that I should also mention that I loved the original Final Fantasy Tactics. War of the Lions took every minor mistake in the original, and perfected it. This is also the first game that I have reviewed, that has received a "perfect 10".

Background:
The main character Ramza (you can name him whatever you please) enlists in the military as part of his family heritage. Political and Religious turmoil cascade the land of Ivalice into despair and war. After a whirlwind of espionage and murder, Ramza is caught up in a quest to stop the temple knights, in their quest to control the world and it's inhabitants. This is the basic story, minus the nail-biting, amazing plot twists and turns. You'll meet friends, and make many enemies. In my opinion, this is easily the most in-depth role playing game out of every role playing game on the market.

Music and sound effects: 10/10
There is only one thing that bothered me in this area from the original game, and alas, it was not fixed in Final Fantasy Tactics: War of Lions. The yell humans have when they die. It's pretty annoying, but it's not big enough to affect the score given. The music from the original Final Fantasy Tactics, conducted by Hitoshi Sakimoto and Masaharu Iwata was amazing. The wonderful part about Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, is that Square Enix decided to take the original score and use it for the Playstation Portable version. The music is essentially the same (with a few new tracks) and that's perfect. A nice, new feature is there is now voice acting in the cut-scene's (more to come), something that wasn't released with the Japanese version. As far as the music goes, why fix what's not broken? Very nice Square Enix.

Graphics: 10/10
For a grid-based, turned-based role-playing game, the graphics are top of the line. They also, like the music, needed very little to improve. Edges are smoother and not as choppy from the original. The reason I gave this category a 10 is, Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions features something the original Final Fantasy Tactics did not offer. Cut-Scenes. No, I don't mean the grid-based cut-scenes. I mean full frontal, 3-D cinematics. The characters are wonderfully done, and every detail, from the Chocobo feathers, to the individual leaves on the trees, is done splendidly.

Gameplay 10/10
I would give this category 1,000,000 out of ten if it were possible. The grid-based combat is still amazing, and there is so much more. In Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions, you start each battle choosing from 5 of your available units (you can have up to 24 units). These units vary in class and species. For example, you can have Chocobos, Humans, or even tame creatures in battles (if you have the right class). Each unit has a class (except the non humanoids). All of the classes from the original are in the game (with the exception of Lancer. It's been changed to Dragoon), and even a few new ones to play as. In each battle, you have certain criteria, or an objective, that must be done in order to complete the battle. How you go about doing that objective is the fun part. Also included in Final Fantasy Tactics: War of Lions, are new weapons and items, and a new script (the script from the original Final Fantasy Tactics was by no means "chivalrous"). Some characters have also been renamed. Simon (the priest from the beginning battle) is now just "priest". Delita's sister is now Tietra, Gafgarion is now Gaffgarion, and Algus has been renamed Algath. These just name a few. The game play was perfected in every category.

Replay Value: 10/10
Wow. That's all I can say is wow. There is SO much to do in this game. Try getting all of your party members to level 99. Take on the deep dungeon. I've spent hours on one level of the dungeon before. If you don't have 180 hours of spare time, don't even think about maxing out every character with their best weapon. Did I mention the new, secret characters? Did you get EVERY relic, and EVERY hidden town and or village in treasure hunting? Have you linked with a friend yet, and fought him? What are you waiting for? I don't see how it's possible to even consider giving Replay Value anything lower than a 10.

Pros
Replay value is just disgusting (in a good way)
New cut scenes
New weapons, armor and items
New Characters
Amazing Soundtrack
Voice Acting (US version)
Improved script and character names

Cons
Characters still have a ridiculous yell when they die

If you have a Playstation Portable, why are you still reading this review? Go buy this wonderful work of art NOW.

Overall 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10