Tehkella's Blog

My blog needed a facelift!

So I've moved house :)

www.tehkella.net/gamer

This week, I've joined a Final Fantasy discussion forum, and posted on a thread about the difficulty of Final Fantasy IV for the DS, a game I recently completed.

Here is my post (available at http://www.thefinalfantasy.com/forums/final-fantasy-iv/60093-ff-iv-ds-too-hard-3.html#post1246519 )

Hi everyone, I'm new :)

I was first introduced to the series through FFVII, as I'm sure a lot of people were, my next foray was FFIX which was also an excellent game (loved the card minigame).  Since then, I've been collecting the series on various platforms and have been working my way through from FFI.

I recently finished FFIV for the DS, and I agree with the original poster as to the difficulty level - I found it quite challenging in comparison to the others I'd played.  I also found it less engaging than, say, FFVII.  I can't really put my finger on the reason why this is - perhaps just nostalgia!  The minigames were good, but not as fun and interactive as the ones in later games.

I ended up having to be a naughty cheater and using Action Replay to complete the game.  I just got so sick of farming jellies for a stupid Rainbow Pudding, and also the fact that early on I stuffed up augment use (and subsequently missed out on Palom and Porom's augments) - it all just added up to a less than favourable gaming experience for me.

So my main points about the difficulty levels in FFIV relate to the "missability" of augments and some monsters, and the randomness of item drops.  0.2% for a rainbow pudding is just mean.

As I hope my blog has so far demonstrated, fantasy RPGs are extremely immersive.  The graphics and cinematics are amazing to view, and with an emotive soundtrack to complement the visuals, it's not difficult to be pulled into a fantasy world.

This got me to thinking about a recent news article, where viewers of the recent movie release, Avatar, professed to feeling depressed and even suicidal after leaving the beautiful world of Pandora, knowing that they would have to go back to their ordinary lives.  I can understand this phenomenon.  I saw the movie, and it was incredibly beautiful in its scenery; the way in which the natives lived in harmony with their world and its fellow inhabitants was strongly spiritual and moving.


I believe one can experience similar emotions of awe and loss through gameplay, particularly when the world is an exceptionally rich and fantastical one.  Today I watched the international trailer for Final Fantasy XIII, and I was struck by the likelihood of a similar sense of belief in the world portrayed.  The more stunning the visuals are, the easier it seems to be to relate to the world - even if it is a fictional world: the better the imagery, the more believable.  And if the game is full of diverse characters - as Final Fantasy games often are - how better to feel a resonance with the gameworld?  Often Final Fantasy characters are the underdogs, fighting for justice in an unjust world.  I'm sure many of us can relate to that feeling, in today's world of (arguably) powerlessness under the control of political agents.  Often the Final Fantasy stories will relate to some kind of environmental issue (e.g. government organisations exploiting the world's energy - in the form of mana or magic).  This also parallels with the Avatar world, which I feel is perhaps another reason for the strong reactions experienced by viewers of the 3D experience.  From a personal perspective, whilst the world scenery of Avatar was very moving, I think the simple, spiritual lives of the Na'vi is what resonated best with me - and moving back into the real world, that sense of spirituality may be lost when we return from the movie theatre.


Have you experienced feelings of loss or other strong emotions when you are immersed in a fantasy game world (or after you finish the game)?  I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on how you deal with this 'disengagement' from the fantasy world back to everyday life.



References:
Chong, C. (undated). The Narrative Role of Music in Role-playing Games: Final Fantasy VII. Retrieved December 13, 2009, from http://www.majorc.co.uk/NarrativeMusicGamesPDF.pdf

IGN. (2009). Final Fantasy XIII PlayStation 3 Trailer - International Trailer. Retrieved January 14, 2010, from http://ps3.ign.com/dor/objects/826843/final-fantasy-xiii/videos/ff13_trl_international_011310.html

The Daily Telegraph. (2010). Avatar perfection causing depression. Retrieved January 14, 2010, from http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/feature/avatar-perfection-causing-depression/story-e6frfnv0-1225819063598

Acknowledgement:
Michael Nycyk for his feedback about disengaging from fantasy to reality.

This will be an ongoing blog entry of video game news that I come across.

23/12/09
Woman calls the cops on her son because he was still playing PS at 2.30 in the morning - honestly, what a waste of police resources!!

15/1/10
Man marries video game character and takes her on a honeymoon.  Yup, she is now his wife, and just only exists in his DS. 

Fantasy Role-Playing Games

Do you enjoy a good dungeon crawl?  Get a thrill out of rescuing the damsel in distress?  Feel a great sense of satisfaction from trouncing monsters and raising your experience level?  If you answered yes to these questions, it's likely you are a fantasy RPGer.

Fantasy RPGs are among the oldest computer games, having been translated from traditional tabletop pen and paper gaming like Dungeons and Dragons, to the epic cinematic experiences we have come to expect from the genre on today's video game consoles.

Although argued that fantasy RPGs haven't had as great success in Western society as in Japan, a look at the latest offerings from the big names in fantasy RPGs will perhaps demonstrate that the genre still has a great following in the Western world.

Square Enix
Square Enix is probably the most well known game software development company that specialises in fantasy RPGs.  They are most famous for their Final Fantasy series, as well as other popular titles like Kingdom Hearts and Dragon Quest.

The game to look for from Square Enix is most definitely Final Fantasy XIII - just do a Google search on the title to see the level of hype generated by this game.  It is already out in Japan, but here in Australia, we'll have to wait until March.   However, it will no doubt be worth the wait.


Black Isle/Blizzard/Bioware
Yes, these are three companies, but they often work together.  There is even a Facebook group dedicated to this "holy trinity".  The three companies have dominated the fantasy RPG market, initially in the PC arena, with strong Dungeons & Dragons influences.  Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Diablo, Fallout, Neverwinter Nights are some of the best known titles.  And let's not forget World of Warcraft.  Dragon Age: Origins is a recent console release with high acclaim.


Nintendo
Nintendo alone is a huge developer that covers the breadth of videogames generally, however, their classic entry into the fantasy RPG market is the hugely successful Zelda franchise.  The latest adventure (Spirit Tracks) was released on DS and the upcoming Wii title is confirmed to be out later this year.  The Zelda series is reported to have sold in excess of 50 million copies worldwide.


As you can see, there are some huge games coming out to strengthen the fantasy RPG market in the Western world.  With console and graphics power ever-increasing, it will be exciting to see what the future holds for this very enjoyable gaming genre.

Just so you know, I've gone back through my posts to provide references to the images I have used.

Well I finished my second run through of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves on Saturday.  Despite playing on the next difficulty (Normal), I found the final boss fight easier than the first time.  I expect this is because I knew what to do, and had worked out a good strategy (run away, occasionally shoot the blue resin to explode over the bad guy, run away again).

I thought I'd go back through a few chapters to get the final achievements I needed (about 15 medals/trophies) but after an hour of replaying the same scenario and messing up the "five headshots in a row" medal, I was jack of it all, and decided to call it a day.  So, I consider Uncharted 2: Among Thieves done and dusted.  Gosh I hope they make another one soon!


Afterwards, I went off to the flicks to see Avatar.  It was fabulous!  A lot of the traversal scenes made me feel like I was playing Uncharted LOL!  So I'm going to do a bit of research into the Avatar game on PS3 and see if it is worth picking up.  A lot of movie games are pretty crap - they seem more like a way of making money than actually having decent gameplay.

Hmm... decided I would check it out now, rather than talking about it.  I took a look at this review on Gamespot for the XBox 360 version, and it ranked 5.5/10 with a player average of 7/10.  I judge my games based on Gamespot reviews because I consider them a pretty credible source (although I have seen some discussion recently about their lack of objectivity due to paid reviews, but the player average scores are a good indicator of further credibility).  If the GameSpot review is low, but the player score is 7 or more, I usually will get the game if I want it.  However in this case, I will get it only if it is cheap!


Meanwhile, I finished Mystery Stories on DS.  It was an easy distraction from some of the more hardcore games I've played of late (e.g. Final Fantasy IV!), but I found the storyline too ridiculous really to take it seriously.  Oh well, that's one more game I can mark as completed on my GameCollector database.  Which by the way, is such a cool tool.  I recommend buying it if you have a decent sized game collection (no, I'm not affiliated with them, I just find it really handy).  They have an online version now that I'm considering using on my iPod Touch so I can check my games list when I'm in a store - to make sure I don't buy something we already have LOL!

Gosh this is a long post LOL... so now that I have finished Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, I have decided I should get back into Little King's Story on the Wii.  This is a cute looking game, but really hard!  I am about a quarter through and keep getting my butt kicked.  I'll just have to persevere!

The first game that drew me in to the fantasy RPG genre was Final Fantasy VII.  I hadn't played anything remotely like it before, although I did thoroughly enjoy adventure and fighting games like Tomb Raider and Tekken.  Final Fantasy VII was a whole new ballgame for me, however.  This was the first game that sucked me right in to an amazing fantasy world, with weapons and magic and colourful characters.  I think this is where I became a crazy completionist gamer, bent on eking out every little scrap of detail from my gameplay experience. 

Since those days, I have encountered many different series, but Final Fantasy is the one I hold with highest regard.  I like being the hero, exploring a world rich with mythology and fantastical elements, beating the big bad guy (especially in overly dramatic and showy fashion), and searching out items that make my character more powerful.  I also like the team environment that is common in the Final Fantasy series, where you command multiple characters beyond the main protagonist, allowing you to mix and match characters to suit your specific needs e.g. having a couple of strong fighters, a healer, and a black mage to cast devastating magics.


Another beautiful thing about the Final Fantasy series is cinematics.  These often drive the story and give a further way of drawing you into the game.  As the series progresses (we are up to #13 now, along with a few different spinoffs), and the technology advances, these cinematics become more and more breathtaking.  I can't wait to see what the future holds.

Ultimately there are a few reasons I chose fantasy RPGs as my research topic, such as:

• an excuse to pursue my hobby academically was an opportunity I couldn't let pass me by; and
• I love games in general and have a lot to say about them.

But primarily, I feel a strong reverence and deep-seated sense of spirituality from the fantasy and myth elements in this genre of gaming.  My pagan beliefs resonate particularly with the pantheistic mythology that Final Fantasy games explore (primarily Norse in origin).  There is just something primal that rises in me, particularly during summons - nothing beats the excitement of calling on Odin to ride down your enemies on Sleipnir, raising his Gungir spear and tearing apart the firmament at your command.  Okay, yes, there is also an egotistical God element to it all too!

Fantasy RPGs are a great escape for me, and I find their immersive nature just the respite I need from the daily grind :)

Well about half an hour ago, I finished Uncharted 2: Among Thieves on PS3.  Only on Easy mode, but still... a champion effort.  16+ hours gameplay (not counting my many deaths LOL!)

This has got to be one of the most immersive, beautiful games I have ever played.  The seamlessness from cutscene, to cinematic, to gameplay, was just astounding.  Never have I experienced such ... well... awesomeness.  I can see why this game was rated so highly on the gaming scene - even better than the first one, and I loved that too (would put it in my top 5 games of all time).


I still have a lot of gameplay left - I only found about 45 or so of the treasures, so I have another 30 odd to go.  Plus lots of medals and trophies to unlock.  I plan to get on to playing it at the next difficulty level tomorrow (oops! later today!)  I won't mind playing it through again, the witty dialogue alone is enough to keep me keen!

Without giving too much away, my favourite line is where Drake and Tenzin are in the ice cave and Tenzin goes to throw a grappling hook up to this tiny eyelet... Drake's all "yeah, right, that's practically impossible.... oh he did it".   I LOLed.


Anyway, that's it for today :)  Off to bed (but not before a bit of Style Boutique on the old DS!)

The highly anticipated Final Fantasy XIII is now out in Japan and the US very soon (we have to wait *hmpf*)

For the 10 year anniversary of FFVII, a new chapter (Crisis Core) and limited edition PSP was released - I had to have it.  I haven't even played it much yet, but at least I know it's there on the shelf waiting for me...