Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2013 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Powering beyond 100 hours in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/powering-beyond-one-hundred-hours-in-monster-hunter-3-ultimate/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/powering-beyond-one-hundred-hours-in-monster-hunter-3-ultimate/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/15/powering-beyond-one-hundred-hours-in-monster-hunter-3-ultimate/#commentsIn his weekly column, writer Bob Mackey will alternate between two of his passions: the Japanese RPG genre and classic games. This week, Bob returns to the world of Monster Hunter.

Since I don't play MMOs, it's a rare occasion to see the timer on any of my games roll past that magical 99:59 mark. Still, it's happened more times than I'd like to admit; whenever an especially deep or content-rich RPG hits me during a particularly inactive time in my life, I'll focus on it and it alone. Since I've chosen a career path laden with vast periods of inactivity, RPGs Fallout 3, the Persona and Dragon Quest franchises, and Dark Souls have done a fine job of soaking up free time that would have otherwise gone to waste on frequent power naps or community service.

Chalk it up to fate if you want, but Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate found me in the familiar condition of "nothing better to do," and for the past six weeks, Capcom's hardcore action-RPG has given me a whole new set of complex mechanics and arcana to obsess over with thousands of my fellow monster-hunting fans. Now that I've reached that monumental 100-hour mark, it's time to ask myself one question: Did I invest my time wisely?

Short answer: no, but I'll save regrets over playing too many video games for my death bed.

Gallery: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (1/17/13)

Continue reading Powering beyond 100 hours in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate

JoystiqPowering beyond 100 hours in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 May 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsCapcommonster-hunter-3-ultimatenintendoOpinionwii-uWed, 15 May 2013 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[The troubled history of Kingdom Hearts reflects Square Enix's own]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/the-troubled-history-of-kingdom-hearts-reflects-square-enixs-ow/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/the-troubled-history-of-kingdom-hearts-reflects-square-enixs-ow/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/10/the-troubled-history-of-kingdom-hearts-reflects-square-enixs-ow/#commentsIn his weekly column, writer Bob Mackey will alternate between two of his passions: the Japanese RPG genre and classic games.

The troubled history of Kingdom Hearts reflects Square Enix's own
This Tuesday brought the announcement of Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix's American release date, and with it, feelings of ambivalence from people like me who once thought the strange pairing of Square and Disney would do more than tread water for a decade. I worked at a mall GameStop when the first installment launched in the fall of 2002, and even though I'd outgrown Disney (and had begun to outgrow Square), Kingdom Hearts felt like the first true RPG of the PS2 era, outclassing the at-the-time-recent Final Fantasy X, which relied on the same pre-rendered - albeit prettier - backgrounds that evoked the previous console generation's limitations.

Regardless of how you felt about the characters on display, turning away from our in-store TV during the Kingdom Hearts demo reel proved nearly impossible; Square's technical wizards worked overtime to ensure that an army of 2D Disney characters would look and move perfectly in real-time 3D - and they still do nearly 11 years later. For fans of Japanese RPGs and classic animation, the tag-team of Square and Disney felt like some impossible dream that somehow came true, despite the odds against it. After leaving the Capcom legacy behind in the mid-90s, the existence of Kingdom Hearts seemed like a second chance for Disney to make their games more than just cheap tie-ins sold on marketing alone.

Gallery: Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix (2/25/13)

Continue reading The troubled history of Kingdom Hearts reflects Square Enix's own

JoystiqThe troubled history of Kingdom Hearts reflects Square Enix's own originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 10 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>DisneyKingdom-Heartskingdom-hearts-15-hd-remixOpinionplaystationps3Square-EnixFri, 10 May 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mars: War Logs brings the resistance back to RPGs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/mars-war-logs-brings-the-resistance-back-to-rpgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/mars-war-logs-brings-the-resistance-back-to-rpgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/03/mars-war-logs-brings-the-resistance-back-to-rpgs/#commentsThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

Join the resistance, and make roleplaying games better!
I probably wouldn't have noticed Mars: War Logs except for the PR email I received which included a line about how it had been influenced by the French film "Army Of Shadows." This piqued my curiosity for two reasons: first, it seems utterly astonishing to me that a game would advertise itself as being based on a 45-year-old foreign film that was buried for decades due to its politics. Second, after I discovered it via a feature on cult films, I watched it and enjoyed it, and have come to cite it as an excellent example of one of my favorite types of narrative: the resistance story.

Role-playing games have a long and storied association with resistance stories. Many of the classic JRPGs of the 1990s began with the premise that an evil empire or corporation was taking over the world (and probably awakening an ancient evil), and only you and your ragtag band of spiky-haired misfits could stop it. Final Fantasy 6's Returners and Final Fantasy 7's Avalanche were two of the most famous resistance groups of their era, but they weren't alone. The Suikoden games, The Secret Of Mana, Wild Arms, and Grandia all had the equivalent of evil empires of their own. It's not limited to that era and type: there are also modern JRPGs like Radiant Historia, as well as classic PC RPGs like Ultima 5, Ultima 7 and The Magic Candle 2.

Continue reading Mars: War Logs brings the resistance back to RPGs

JoystiqMars: War Logs brings the resistance back to RPGs originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 03 May 2013 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Focus-Home-Interactivemars-war-logsmicrosoftOpinionpcplaystationps3SpidersWestern-RPGsxboxFri, 03 May 2013 20:15:00 EST<![CDATA[The spoils of Atlus RPGs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/the-spoils-of-atlus-rpgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/the-spoils-of-atlus-rpgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/02/the-spoils-of-atlus-rpgs/#commentsIn his weekly column, writer Bob Mackey will alternate between two of his passions: the Japanese RPG genre and classic games.

In recent years, Atlus' string of portable-bound RPG remakes has done an excellent job of showing off the developer's history with video games before the breakout success of Persona. Yes, if you're the type of person inclined to read a column dedicated to Japanese RPGs, you might be thinking, "Breakout success? But I've loved Atlus for years!" If that's true, then you probably remember an ugly past, making mandatory reservations thanks to the tiny quantities of Atlus games that once trickled into your local Gamestop - if they did at all - and the wallet-destroying eBay markups greeting those who didn't go to Herculean lengths just to buy a retail product.

As a result of the developer's growing fame, we're now seeing the release of games we only dreamed about playing in the 90s, and Atlus has tried their best to replicate the experiences we would have had back then - for better or worse.

Gallery: Devil Summoner: Soul Hackers (4/11/13)

Continue reading The spoils of Atlus RPGs

JoystiqThe spoils of Atlus RPGs originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 02 May 2013 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Atlusdevil-summoner-soul-hackersJapanese-RPGsJRPGsOpinionThu, 02 May 2013 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Grandia: How a forgotten JRPG solved the problem of repetitive combat]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/grandia-how-a-forgotten-jrpg-solved-the-problem-of-repetitive-c/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/grandia-how-a-forgotten-jrpg-solved-the-problem-of-repetitive-c/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/grandia-how-a-forgotten-jrpg-solved-the-problem-of-repetitive-c/#comments This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which primarily focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity. This week, however, Rowan focuses on a forgotten JRPG: Grandia.

Grandia How a forgotten JRPG solved the problem of repetitive combat
One of the core issues facing most role-playing games is how they deal with repetitive combat. Since RPGs tend to be so much longer than normal games, with a wider scope, it's much more difficult for them to create unique battles like a shorter action game can. So RPGs tend to have constant, similar, repetitive fights. These are often derided by players and critics under umbrella terms like "random battles," "grinding," or in massively multiplayer games, "trash."

Yet RPGs need those regular battles to keep the games interesting. With rare exceptions, the player skills are unlikely to be tested in terms of skill outside of combat, and most RPG stories depend on violence and its consequences. This makes combat an integral component of the pacing of RPGs. Successful RPGs tend to strike a balance between combat, exploration, and storytelling. When one of those three part is left unchecked, the game can become boring - and it's usually excessive repetitive fighting that's the issue.

For decades now, RPGs have attempted to make their regular battles more interesting, and less likely to be described as trash or grinding. Japanese RPGs have historically tended to experiment with different combat forms more aggressively than their Western counterparts. Some games, like the Suikoden series, tries to avoid the combat issue by making combat smooth and unobtrusive, as I wrote about in a prior column. But not every RPG can, or should, de-emphasize combat. When combat works, even in common random battles, it can be the best part of an RPG. How can RPGs avoid having combat be too repetitive and meaningless?

Continue reading Grandia: How a forgotten JRPG solved the problem of repetitive combat

JoystiqGrandia: How a forgotten JRPG solved the problem of repetitive combat originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Game-ArtsgrandiaJRPGOpinionplaystationps3PSXSCEAUbisoftFri, 12 Apr 2013 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Decaying Dark Souls and an interest killed with kindness]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/decaying-dark-souls-and-an-interest-killed-with-kindness/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/decaying-dark-souls-and-an-interest-killed-with-kindness/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/12/decaying-dark-souls-and-an-interest-killed-with-kindness/#comments Welcome to The Level Grind, a column that asks questions about game design and industry culture from the perspective of a game player.

Decayed Souls and interest killed with kindness
A few weeks ago I wrote about Dark Souls and how my initial impression of the game was, for the lack of a better term, "wrong." I'd given the game another shot after some convincing from a friend, and since the fanatical position on the game's brilliance had transitioned from boil to simmer.

It's easy to say I fell in love with Dark Souls, yet weeks have passed and I haven't played the game at all. Though my time was focused on other games for review, I wondered why the urge to delve deeper into From Software's complex world had subsided after my gushing editorial. What I've come to realize is that kindness is to blame.

Gallery: Dark Souls (Artorias of the Abyss)

Continue reading Decaying Dark Souls and an interest killed with kindness

JoystiqDecaying Dark Souls and an interest killed with kindness originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dark-soulsmicrosoftOpinionpcplaystationproject-darkps3The-Level-GrindxboxFri, 12 Apr 2013 14:00:00 EST<![CDATA[DuckTales Remastered runs on more than nostalgia]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/11/ducktales-remastered-runs-on-more-than-nostalgia/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/11/ducktales-remastered-runs-on-more-than-nostalgia/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/11/ducktales-remastered-runs-on-more-than-nostalgia/#comments In a new weekly column, writer Bob Mackey will alternate between two of his passions: the Japanese RPG genre and classic games. This week Mackey discusses the recently revealed DuckTales revival.

Game designer Warren Spector's preoccupation with Mickey Mouse ranks up there with some of the more notable wastes of time in recent memory. You can't say Spector didn't have his heart in the right place, though; while much of his love for Disney's mascot seems to be informed largely by his generation's exposure to the character as more than just a soulless corporate brand, both of Junction Point's Epic Mickey games carried forth the noble mission of teaching a new generation about Disney's often-overlooked catalog of animated shorts.

I found myself on board after hearing the premise of Spector's original Epic Mickey, mostly because Disney held nearly all of their shorts hostage on a premium cable channel during my childhood. If I wanted to soak up knowledge about the studio's earlier works, why not do it in Spector-engineered video game form?

According to critics and consumers, the experiment didn't turn out so well. Epic Mickey didn't aspire to greater heights than "competent N64 platformer," and gamers regarded the series as such. Tragically enough, Spector had been sitting on a much better - though not necessarily more popular - property while developing Epic Mickey: Disney's Uncle Scrooge comics, best known to children of the '80s as the animated adaptation DuckTales.

Spector had written for the newly launched DuckTales comic between Epic Mickey installments, and during a PAX Prime 2012 interview, I managed to sneak in a few questions that confirmed his interest in making a game that starred Disney's crankiest curmudgeon. His vague, non-committal statements didn't exactly set the Internet on fire, but they at least gave us all a moment to pause and fantasize about what a modern DuckTales game would look like.

Continue reading DuckTales Remastered runs on more than nostalgia

JoystiqDuckTales Remastered runs on more than nostalgia originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Apr 2013 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Capcomducktales-remasteredmicrosoftnintendoOpinionpcplaystationps3WayForwardwii-uxboxThu, 11 Apr 2013 18:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Breaking in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate before it breaks me]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/breaking-in-monster-hunter-3-ultimate-before-it-breaks-me/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/breaking-in-monster-hunter-3-ultimate-before-it-breaks-me/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/04/05/breaking-in-monster-hunter-3-ultimate-before-it-breaks-me/#comments In a new weekly column, writer Bob Mackey will alternate between two of his passions: the Japanese RPG genre and classic games. "Before you register any complaints with the management, remember one thing: I'm new here," Mackey says.

Jump onto any video game forum these days, and you'll find no shortage of people willing to teach you the ropes of Monster Hunter. I'm sure a good portion of these devotees have been there for years, but - as with Nintendo's recent Fire Emblem: Awakening - this latest release has brought about a period of relevance for a series that never quite had the same impact on the States as it did in Japan. It's not as if Capcom had to try all that hard; Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate exists as a souped-up version of a three year-old Wii game, dropped into a release period where there might as well be tumbleweeds rolling across my Wii U's home screen. So even if I feel the game isn't all that great - hey, it's something to play.

I've always been a little wary of Monster Hunter, even though some of my favorite series took Capcom's particular ball and ran with it for the sake of grabbing the attention of Monster Hunter's healthy user base. Both Dragon Quest and Metal Gear picked up on Monster Hunter's loot-driven, fun-sized focus, but for the most part, still presented single-player as a viable option. Outside of grappling with the god-awful adhoc party, the only way I'd be able to make the most of Monster Hunter before 3 Ultimate could be found in less than ideal setups, like somehow organizing a group of friends with PSPs - a statistical impossibility - or convincing this same group that their Wiis could indeed be used to play games online - Super Smash Bros. Brawl's multiplayer slide show did a fantastic job of putting this rumor to bed.

Gallery: Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate (2/14/13)

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Continue reading Breaking in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate before it breaks me

JoystiqBreaking in Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate before it breaks me originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Capcommonster-hunter-3-ultimatenintendoOpinionwii-uFri, 05 Apr 2013 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo's mischievous Marvelous mixes Zelda with point-and-click PC adventures]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/nintendos-mischievous-marvelous-mixes-zelda-with-point-and-clic/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/nintendos-mischievous-marvelous-mixes-zelda-with-point-and-clic/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/28/nintendos-mischievous-marvelous-mixes-zelda-with-point-and-clic/#comments In a new weekly column, writer Bob Mackey will alternate between two of his passions: the Japanese RPG genre and classic games. "Before you register any complaints with the management, remember one thing: I'm new here," Mackey says.

Nintendo's mischievous Marvelous mixes Zelda with pointandclick PC adventures
Kicking off my new column at Joystiq, I thought I'd put my best foot forward with an article focused on a game that's gone completely forgotten over the years - a strange fate, considering the pedigree of talent involved. Of course, I speak of Nintendo's Marvelous: Another Treasure Island (Marvelous: Mōhitotsu no Takarajima), an oddball Super Famicom release from 1996, that marks current Zelda honcho Eiji Aonuma's first turn in the director's chair.

It's not surprising why Nintendo declined to bring Marvelous stateside; by 1996, the company had shifted nearly all of its efforts to launching the Nintendo 64, which led to anticipated games like the fully completed Star Fox 2 to get the axe. Funny thing, though: Marvelous doesn't seem to have much of a following in its country of origin - even the Smash Bros. series, which obsessively collects the most obscure Nintendo ephemera, doesn't give the game a single lousy trophy. It's a shame, since Marvelous hints at the future greatness of Aonuma, and provides a fantastic example of classic Nintendo at the top of their game.

Continue reading Nintendo's mischievous Marvelous mixes Zelda with point-and-click PC adventures

JoystiqNintendo's mischievous Marvelous mixes Zelda with point-and-click PC adventures originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Marvelous-Another-Treasure-IslandOpinionThu, 28 Mar 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Mass Effect 3's 'Citadel' DLC demonstrates the franchise's messy, wonderful soul]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/mass-effect-3s-citadel-dlc-demonstrates-the-franchises-messy/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/mass-effect-3s-citadel-dlc-demonstrates-the-franchises-messy/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/20/mass-effect-3s-citadel-dlc-demonstrates-the-franchises-messy/#comments This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

Mass Effect 3's 'Citadel' DLC demonstrates the franchise's messy, wonderful soul
One of the reasons that the Mass Effect series has been one of the most-discussed franchises of the generation is because the games are many different things to many different people. They're science-fiction epics. They're cover-based shooters. They're dating sims. They're long-term serialized stories. They're slowly wandering through cities in space, engaging in long conversations. They're tough battles against overwhelming odds.

The core divide is between the self-serious saga of Shepard versus the Reapers that the franchise attempts to convey, and the entertaining - if slightly goofy - glorious mess that some perceive it to be. The final story-based expansion for the series, the recently-released 'Citadel' add-on, demonstrates how big that divide can be and then it bridges the gap.

Gallery: Mass Effect 3 - Citadel

Continue reading Mass Effect 3's 'Citadel' DLC demonstrates the franchise's messy, wonderful soul

JoystiqMass Effect 3's 'Citadel' DLC demonstrates the franchise's messy, wonderful soul originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>BioWareDLCDownloadable-ContentEAElectronic-Artsmass-effect-3microsoftOpinionpcplaystationps3xboxWed, 20 Mar 2013 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Remembering my favorite RPG: Valkyrie Profile]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/remembering-my-favorite-rpg-valkyrie-profile/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/remembering-my-favorite-rpg-valkyrie-profile/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/15/remembering-my-favorite-rpg-valkyrie-profile/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

Remembering my favorite RPG Valkyrie Profile
Around here, we have a bit of a tradition: If the resident JRPG columnist opts to move on, they finish their tenure by writing about their favorite role-playing game. Since this will be my last column with Joystiq, it's time to discuss how much I love Valkyrie Profile.

Valkyrie Profile has pretty much everything I'm looking for in an RPG. It has solid customization; visual flair; a strong story; great music; and a large cast. But what really takes it above and beyond for me is that little added twist; that certain je ne sais quoi that really makes it something special.

Continue reading Remembering my favorite RPG: Valkyrie Profile

JoystiqRemembering my favorite RPG: Valkyrie Profile originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>EnixJapanese-RPGsOpinionPlayStationSquare-EnixValkyrie-Profile-LennethFri, 15 Mar 2013 20:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Getting Dark Souls all wrong]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/13/getting-dark-souls-all-wrong/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/13/getting-dark-souls-all-wrong/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/13/getting-dark-souls-all-wrong/#comments This is Making Time, a column about the games we've always wanted to play, and the games we've always wanted to play again.

Getting Dark Souls all wrong
When Dark Souls first launched in October 2011, I picked it up immediately. Though that statement may seem to be tied to my love of the game's spiritual predecessor, the truth is I've never touched Demon's Souls. It was the rampant fan excitement for a new entry in From Software's action-RPG that drew me in. But Dark Souls didn't resonate with me.

It was a combination of elements that made it easy for me to shelve my copy: the continuous discussion of its incredible difficulty and the "if you don't like it, you don't get it" attitude from fanatics. I never planned to play Dark Souls again.

Early this morning, I wrapped up my fifth hour of the game on Xbox 360, after putting three-plus hours in on the (only worth playing with fan-made fixes) PC version. Dark Souls' hooks are firmly embedded under my skin.

Gallery: Dark Souls (Gamescom 2011)

Continue reading Getting Dark Souls all wrong

JoystiqGetting Dark Souls all wrong originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dark-soulsFrom-Softwaremaking-timemicrosoftNamco-BandaiOpinionpcplaystationproject-darkps3xboxWed, 13 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[At long last, Fire Emblem and Etrian Odyssey can be recommended to the mainstream]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/at-long-last-fire-emblem-and-etrian-odyssey-can-be-recommended/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/at-long-last-fire-emblem-and-etrian-odyssey-can-be-recommended/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/at-long-last-fire-emblem-and-etrian-odyssey-can-be-recommended/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

The average first-time experience with an Etrian Odyssey game goes something like this: You spend some time constructing a team; you venture into the forest for the first time, and you die. Then, unless you're a particular breed of RPG fan, you probably quit forever. Until now, anyway.

After three games worth of trial and error, Etrian Odyssey IV seems to have hit the 'Goldilocks Zone' of RPG difficulty. In other words, it's still pretty tough, but it's not impossible. And for that reason, it's finally reached the point where I can reasonably recommend it to someone other than a hardcore dungeon crawler fanatic.

The crux of EOIV's new accessibility is its casual mode, which makes it to the second high-profile 3DS RPG this year to feature such an option (Fire Emblem: Awakening was the first). The effects are relatively simple: when you die, you'll be whisked back to town, rather than having to start over. In addition, you will be blessed with an item that lets you leave a dungeon at any time.

This would seem to have the effect of making EOIV a tad too easy; but in reality, it makes it compulsive. Rather than getting frustrated by every cheap death and accidental counter with an F.O.E. - minibosses that roam the labyrinth - I've found myself simply rolling up my sleeves and trying again. The result has been much more rapid progress than I've ever experienced before, and a whole lot less in the way of cursing and throwing my 3DS.

Continue reading At long last, Fire Emblem and Etrian Odyssey can be recommended to the mainstream

JoystiqAt long last, Fire Emblem and Etrian Odyssey can be recommended to the mainstream originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Mar 2013 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsAtlusetrian-odyssey-4Japanese-RPGsJRPGsnintendoOpinionFri, 08 Mar 2013 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Revisiting Reckoning: How Kingdoms of Amalur got the single-player MMORPG right]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/revisiting-reckoning-how-kingdoms-of-amalur-got-the-single-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/revisiting-reckoning-how-kingdoms-of-amalur-got-the-single-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/03/08/revisiting-reckoning-how-kingdoms-of-amalur-got-the-single-play/#comments This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

Revisiting Reckoning How Kingdoms of Amalur gets the singleplayer MMORPG right
Recently, I decided to play Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning in remembrance of its one-year anniversary this past February, knowing I'd have to contend with two things that dominated discussion about the game: the politics and failures behind the 38 Studios disaster and dealing with a game I had been warned was filled with fantasy nonsense names and detailed lore - a model of storytelling I find quite annoying. But when I finally played Reckoning, I was surprised to learn how much I enjoyed it. I had an instant gut reaction to the game's beauty. It reminded me of the best times I'd spent in massively multiplayer role-playing games, and that was totally unexpected.

My first character in World of Warcraft, the MMORPG that consumed most of my time with the genre, was a Night Elf starting on the island of Teldrassil. What I remember of that first character's journey wasn't tied to game mechanics, player interaction or even narrative, it was the feel of that starting zone. I remember the lush setting, trees with a slightly exotic, magical tinge, luxurious purples and greens, the seemingly perpetual twilight, the hints of corruption and danger, and the music hinting at all of those things and the history of the Night Elves. Indeed, most of my best experiences while playing WoW solo took place in those verdant, corrupted provinces, with Feralas probably my favorite of the old world.

I didn't expect to ever have the same feeling again, but Reckoning delivered.

Gallery: Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning (7/28/11)

Continue reading Revisiting Reckoning: How Kingdoms of Amalur got the single-player MMORPG right

JoystiqRevisiting Reckoning: How Kingdoms of Amalur got the single-player MMORPG right originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>38-StudiosBig-Huge-GamesEAElectronic-Artskingdoms-of-amalur-reckoningmicrosoftOpinionpcplaystationps3Western-RPGsxboxFri, 08 Mar 2013 16:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Fantasy strategy-RPGs and the limits of 'RPG elements']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/fantasy-strategy-rpgs-and-the-limits-of-rpg-elements/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/fantasy-strategy-rpgs-and-the-limits-of-rpg-elements/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/fantasy-strategy-rpgs-and-the-limits-of-rpg-elements/#comments This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

Fantasy strategyRPGs and the limits of 'RPG elements'
In theory, fantasy strategy games should be my favorite kinds of games. I am certainly a fan of the fantasy genre generally, and role-playing games and strategy games are my favorite game genres. Fantasy strategy games combine all of those elements, so they should be a guaranteed success, right? And yet they're not my favorite games. I enjoy them, certainly, but if I were making a list of my all-time favorites, they wouldn't show up toward the top. Examining the subgenre as a whole makes me realize that combining RPGs and strategy games is part of the problem. Too many good things doesn't necessarily lead to great things.

Elemental: War Of Magic was supposed to be the ultimate fantasy strategy game. It was supposed to combine the best of RPGs with the best of strategy games with an impressive fantasy setting. Ultimately it was crushed under the weight of its own ideas and egos, went through a disastrous development cycle and launched as a broken disappointment.

Continue reading Fantasy strategy-RPGs and the limits of 'RPG elements'

JoystiqFantasy strategy-RPGs and the limits of 'RPG elements' originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Feb 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>elemental-fallen-enchantressOpinionStardockWestern-RPGsFri, 22 Feb 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Why the PlayStation 4 reveal doesn't mean much for JRPG fans yet]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/why-the-playstation-4-reveal-doesnt-mean-much-for-jrpg-fans-yet/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/why-the-playstation-4-reveal-doesnt-mean-much-for-jrpg-fans-yet/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/22/why-the-playstation-4-reveal-doesnt-mean-much-for-jrpg-fans-yet/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

As we look ahead to the next generation of games, a lot of Japanese role-playing game fans figure to be looking somewhere other than the new PlayStation for whatever the future holds for the genre.

Seven years ago, that would have been inconceivable, but times have obviously changed. It's fair to assume that Japanese developers will stick with the PlayStation 3 and Nintendo 3DS for the time being, only occasionally venturing over to the next generation.

A lot of it has to do with the fact that Japan simply doesn't digest their games in the same way they did back in 2006. Mobile platforms have come to dominate what is a centralized culture that spends a lot of its time on trains, with home consoles increasingly relegated to a nerdy niche. The Nintendo 3DS, for instance, has reached 8 million units sold in Japan, and has already surpassed the lifetime sales of the PS3 on that side of the ocean. It's only natural that developers go where the customers are going, and that isn't likely to be the new PlayStation - at least in Japan.

Continue reading Why the PlayStation 4 reveal doesn't mean much for JRPG fans yet

JoystiqWhy the PlayStation 4 reveal doesn't mean much for JRPG fans yet originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Japanese-RPGsJRPGOpinionPlayStation-4PS4Fri, 22 Feb 2013 17:45:00 EST<![CDATA[In search of a more eloquent solution to a second playthrough]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/in-search-of-a-more-eloquent-solution-to-a-second-playthrough/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/in-search-of-a-more-eloquent-solution-to-a-second-playthrough/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/06/in-search-of-a-more-eloquent-solution-to-a-second-playthrough/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

As soon as I finished Persona 4 Golden I thought hard about starting a new game. Saying goodbye to Persona 4's delightful cast after 60 hours was bittersweet to be sure, but I was also thinking about the social links I hadn't been able to complete. I felt like I could make a serious go at getting 100 percent, maybe even fuse a Persona like Thanatos. Of course, that would have required another 70 to 80 hours of my life; and sadly, I just didn't have that kind of time to spare.

So I'm packing away Persona 4 Golden for a while, even though there's plenty more to see and do. It makes me wonder: Is it a good idea to load up an RPG with a lot of content that can't easily be accessed in one playthrough? Especially when that RPG is more than 50 hours long?

My gut reaction is to say, "No, it's not necessarily a good idea." Not that I don't like extra content, or even replaying a really good RPG. It's the time commitment involved. And there are better alternatives than, say, forcing someone to keep multiple save files just so they can see every possible branching point without starting over.

Continue reading In search of a more eloquent solution to a second playthrough

JoystiqIn search of a more eloquent solution to a second playthrough originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Japanese-RPGsOpinionWed, 06 Feb 2013 19:45:00 EST<![CDATA[When sports and role-playing games collide]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/when-sports-and-role-playing-games-collide/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/when-sports-and-role-playing-games-collide/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/when-sports-and-role-playing-games-collide/#comments This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

When sports and roleplaying games collide
I'm in a tense conflict. My party of five characters faces off against another. The battle is balanced on the edge. I see a slight opening and make my move, pressing the X button and hoping that my attack succeeds. My character charges at the enemy, with his attacking stats and the enemy's defensive stats seeming to be in rough balance, which tends to favor the defender. But wait! My character has the "Finisher" perk, which gives him a 30% bonus in situations like these! That's enough for a critical hit, which gives me a massive advantage in this tense confrontation. It's a layup and foul, allowing me to take the lead in my NBA 2K13 game. But it also feels like an RPG.

That nebulous feeling of similarity to RPGs isn't one I've had with basketball games before, going back 25 years to Omni-Play Basketball. But I get that feeling here, with NBA 2K13, because, in an odd way, it aims for a realistic presentation. It wants to look and feel like real basketball. But there's a lot of difference between the intensely physical real-world sport of basketball, and the abstract form of a video game. Compromises have to be made.

Continue reading When sports and role-playing games collide

JoystiqWhen sports and role-playing games collide originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>OpinionFri, 01 Feb 2013 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GBA's Fire Emblem is a great strategy RPG for beginners]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/gbas-fire-emblem-is-a-great-strategy-rpg-for-beginners/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/gbas-fire-emblem-is-a-great-strategy-rpg-for-beginners/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/02/01/gbas-fire-emblem-is-a-great-strategy-rpg-for-beginners/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

GBA's Fire Emblem is a great strategy RPG for beginners
In 2001, Nintendo of America had a decision to make that would have a huge impact on what at the time was one of its least known properties in the U.S.: Fire Emblem.

Super Smash Bros. Melee was set for release that fall, and among its cast were Marth and Roy, whom most westerners had never heard of before. Nintendo of America weighed cutting them for a time, but eventually relented and decided to leave them in. In the early going, I had no clue who they were; soon enough, I grew to like them, just like everyone else. The stage was set for Fire Emblem to make a surprise leap to the U.S.

Continue reading GBA's Fire Emblem is a great strategy RPG for beginners

JoystiqGBA's Fire Emblem is a great strategy RPG for beginners originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>fire-emblemfire-emblem-awakeninggbajrpgOpinionFri, 01 Feb 2013 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Publish those numbers! Why RPGs must be transparent about their mechanics]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/25/publish-those-numbers-why-rpgs-must-be-transparent-about-their/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/25/publish-those-numbers-why-rpgs-must-be-transparent-about-their/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/25/publish-those-numbers-why-rpgs-must-be-transparent-about-their/#comments This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

The debate about what makes a "real" role-playing game flares up from time to time, with articles, comment threads, or message boards torn up about whether a Mass Effect or a Skyrim deserves to be treated as a true RPG. The arguments about these games tend to hinge on them being too action-oriented, or not offering enough customization. Turned on their side slightly, though, I think these arguments reveal a core value of the genre: RPGs are built on transparent, simplified abstractions of complex real-world concepts. How role-playing games have dealt with and continue to deal with transparent abstraction defines the genre in many ways.

Most all games abstract some manner of real-world behavior. Press the jump button in a game that allows it, and it'll make your character leap into the air in an animated approximation of how humans jump, but that's usually it - the rest of the jump has more to do with the needs of the game's level design than anything else. Even those aspects that aren't real, like casting magical spells, have consistent in-game rules, which often abstract other concepts, like a mage theoretically chanting magical words in a way irrelevant to the player.

What separates RPGs from most other genres in terms of abstraction is the style's origins in pencil-and-paper games. You want to punch an orc? You can punch that orc, but game rules simple enough to work with a couple of die need to exist in order to make that orc-punching workable for a group of people playing a game. Players need to know what the numbers are in order to make informed decisions. So you have things like 'strength statistics,' 'unarmed damage skills,' 'orc hit points,' 'dexterity rolls,' and so on. Shifting to the computer may have allowed these mechanics to be calculated faster as well as potentially more complex. But critically, even though those mechanics could have been masked, RPGs generally kept the numbers transparent and public.

Continue reading Publish those numbers! Why RPGs must be transparent about their mechanics

JoystiqPublish those numbers! Why RPGs must be transparent about their mechanics originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 25 Jan 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>OpinionWestern-RPGsFri, 25 Jan 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Project X Zone and a new beginning at Namco Bandai]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/24/project-x-zone-and-a-new-beginning-at-namco-bandai/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/24/project-x-zone-and-a-new-beginning-at-namco-bandai/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/24/project-x-zone-and-a-new-beginning-at-namco-bandai/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

Project X Zone Signal and a new beginning at Namco Bandai
Out of all Namco Bandai's crossover strategy games (and there are even more than you think), I can honestly say that I wasn't expecting to see Project X Zone announced for a North American release.

I knew that it was anticipated in some quarters, mainly for its solid sprite art and crossover with Sega and Capcom. I knew that it would enjoy solid word of mouth with hardcore RPG fans. But Namco Bandai has always been coy with the crossover strategy games, no matter how much buzz they would generate. Seeing one actually get announced kind of makes my head spin.

Now, before I get into why Project X Zone has a chance to be pretty good, I think it's fair to temper expectations a little bit. Namco Bandai has been down this road before, most notably with Namco X Capcom on the PlayStation 2. That game, which is basically the predecessor to Project X Zone, wasn't very good. It had a nice cast, but it took too long to clear individual maps, and it was really repetitive. It had plenty of flash, but no substance to speak of.

Project X Zone borrows a lot from Namco X Capcom, so it's fair to wonder if it will have the same failings. Frankly, the jury is still out on that front. I did, however, get a chance to play it a little bit last week, and I enjoyed what I saw. It may even be a signal of good things to come for Namco Bandai.

Continue reading Project X Zone and a new beginning at Namco Bandai

JoystiqProject X Zone and a new beginning at Namco Bandai originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsnintendoOpinionproject-x-zoneThu, 24 Jan 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[For the love of leveling]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/for-the-love-of-leveling/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/for-the-love-of-leveling/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/01/18/for-the-love-of-leveling/#comments This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

For The Love Of Leveling
I gained one thousand seven hundred and twenty-one levels in the last year. Around the end of 2011, fellow game writer and RPG fan Phil Kollar asked his Twitter followers how many levels they thought they'd gained over the course of the year. The idea of calculating my progress seemed fascinating and throughout 2012 I decided to keep track of my earned levels.

The levels were earned from a variety of different sources. Some levels came easily: I played two BioWare games, for example, both games have a large casts of characters and 30 or 40 levels to gain. Allies in those games gain levels alongside the protagonist, so if those characters ever made it into my rotation, I counted each level. Some levels were more difficult to earn: the post-30 levels in the immediate aftermath of Star Wars: The Old Republic's launch, when repetition, lack of motivation, and some nasty bugs slowed my progress and eventually drove me away. Some games featured both: In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim my pyromaniac mage torched her way through 15 levels easily, but upgrading to fireballs in the game's odd skill system brought her leveling to a screeching halt.

Continue reading For the love of leveling

JoystiqFor the love of leveling originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>OpinionWestern-RPGsFri, 18 Jan 2013 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Three interesting trends found in 2012's JRPGs]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/three-interesting-trends-found-in-2012s-jrpgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/three-interesting-trends-found-in-2012s-jrpgs/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/21/three-interesting-trends-found-in-2012s-jrpgs/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

As both a columnist and a fan, I've felt relatively lucky this a year with plenty of JRPGs to play and enjoy in 2012, including Persona 4 Golden, Xenoblade Chronicles, and The Last Story.

I'm not exactly drowning in RPGs or anything, but this is probably the happiest I've been since 2008 or so, which was the year I discovered Valkyria Chronicles. I don't want to say that there was something for everyone, because it's a lousy cliché, and not really true either. But for those who were willing to look, it was a good year.

Is this the beginning of a return to form for Japanese developers? Well, maybe not. The accelerated growth of mobile gaming, an aging population back home, and outsized budgets are all substantial obstacles for Japanese studios. But a few interesting trends are taking hold that could have a substantial impact on the industry in the near future:

Continue reading Three interesting trends found in 2012's JRPGs

JoystiqThree interesting trends found in 2012's JRPGs originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 21 Dec 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Japanese-RPGsJRPGJRPGsOpinionFri, 21 Dec 2012 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Waiter, waiter! There's an RPG in my FPS!]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/14/waiter-waiter-theres-an-rpg-in-my-fps/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/14/waiter-waiter-theres-an-rpg-in-my-fps/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/14/waiter-waiter-theres-an-rpg-in-my-fps/#comments This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.

Waiter, waiter! There's an RPG in my FPS!
It would be easy to say that many of today's first-person shooters are more RPG-like than ever before. Between the Borderlands franchise, Dead Island and the recent Far Cry 3, several high-profile FPS games have included quests, experience points, and skill trees. The mix seems like a great match - first-person shooters are built around perspective and interface, whereas role-playing games rely more on mechanics and statistics. Nothing says they can't go together.

Indeed, they traditionally have gone together. Many RPGs during the 1980s and into the 1990s used the first-person perspective for dungeons or the entire game, although it was usually tile-based (you moved forward, sideways, or backward one large step at a time). In the early 1990s, there was a race between the shooter Wolfenstein 3D and the RPG Ultima Underworld to become the first free-movement first-person game. As the FPS genre became increasingly popular, deviations from simple shooting became more common, like Strife, a game that used the Doom engine but added non-player characters and branching quest lines involving player choice, or Jedi Knight, which included Force skills to develop.

At the end of the 1990s, the superb Deus Ex managed to fuse both role-playing games and first-person shooters into a coherent whole. This wasn't an RPG with shooter bits, nor was it a shooter with RPG elements; it was both genres, in their totality, together at once. This was a neat trick, and one that hasn't really been duplicated, not even by Deus Ex's sequels.

Continue reading Waiter, waiter! There's an RPG in my FPS!

JoystiqWaiter, waiter! There's an RPG in my FPS! originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 14 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>OpinionWestern-RPGsFri, 14 Dec 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The real danger in Dark Souls 2 is not 'accessibility']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/12/the-real-danger-dark-souls-2-is-not-accessibility/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/12/the-real-danger-dark-souls-2-is-not-accessibility/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/12/the-real-danger-dark-souls-2-is-not-accessibility/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

The real danger Dark Souls 2 is not 'accessibility'
It was only four years ago that From Software's "Souls" series couldn't even find a publisher in the US. It was roundly dismissed by Sony Computer Entertainment America for being too difficult, seemingly dooming it to the status of import gem and not much more. Then Atlus got it at a pittance, saw it sell dozens of times more units than they could have ever expected, and the hounds descended upon what was suddenly a profitable property.

It was a cult hit. It had currency among the so-called hardcore gamer. Other publishers simply had to have it. In the end, it was Namco Bandai that came away with the right to publish more From Software titles in the series across multiple platforms, thanks to the minor name change from Demon's Souls to Dark Souls.

Fast-forward to 2012, and Dark Souls 2 has enough cachet to warrant a debut trailer at the Spike Video Game Awards. Namco Bandai is cashing in on the success of Dark Souls and fans have a bona fide franchise on their hands.

Gallery: Dark Souls 2 (VGAs 2012)

Continue reading The real danger in Dark Souls 2 is not 'accessibility'

JoystiqThe real danger in Dark Souls 2 is not 'accessibility' originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 12 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dark-souls-2microsoftOpinionpcplaystationps3xboxWed, 12 Dec 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Still finding love in turn-based Japanese role-playing games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/09/still-finding-love-in-turn-based-japanese-role-playing-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/09/still-finding-love-in-turn-based-japanese-role-playing-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/12/09/still-finding-love-in-turn-based-japanese-role-playing-games/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

When Japanese role-playing games come up in casual conversation, one word that I hear a lot is "nostalgic." As in, it's a genre that brings people back to a childhood spent playing old SNES RPGs, or maybe PlayStation classics like Final Fantasy VII. Traditional JRPG storytelling and gameplay tropes are seen as outdated, none more than the turn-based battle systems that drove all those 8 and 16 and 32-bit RPGs.

It's a sentiment shared by many in the industry itself. Responding to the repeated drumbeat for change, for example, Square Enix has broadly hinted that the next numbered Final Fantasy will be an action RPG. In Japan, the action-based co-op RPG Monster Hunter has become something of a holy grail for the industry - the series that everyone aspires to emulate.

This is where I take a stand though. Much as I like Ys and a handful of other action RPGs, I like good old-fasionhed turn-based RPGs that much better. Not every RPG has to be as frenetic as a Call of Duty. In fact, I rather prefer it when they're not. Case in point? The turn-based Persona 4 Golden, which remains as relevant now as it was when it first arrived on the PlayStation 2 in 2008.

Gallery: Persona 4 Golden (9/18/12)

Continue reading Still finding love in turn-based Japanese role-playing games

JoystiqStill finding love in turn-based Japanese role-playing games originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 09 Dec 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Opinionpersona-4-goldenplaystationplaystation-vitavitaSun, 09 Dec 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Struggling with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim one year later]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/struggling-with-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-one-year-later/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/struggling-with-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-one-year-later/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/30/struggling-with-the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim-one-year-later/#comments This is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity. This week Rowan explores the one-year anniversary of Skyrim, a game that - despite critical and commercial success, including a 5-star review from Joystiq - he still can't get a good handle on.

Skyrim's birthday love is easy acceptance is hard
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim hit the first anniversary of its 2011 release this month. Despite a year's worth of play, criticism, mods, and add-ons, I still don't have a good handle on Skyrim in its entirety. It's a game that I'm happy to have played, and recommend highly to anyone who might enjoy it and can afford it. But it's also a game that I give up on fairly quickly, every time I start a new character.

The reason I want Skyrim to hold my interest is because I have a strong, positive gut reaction to much of what Skyrim does. Some of my favorite occasions in games occur when you come to an overlook and catch a moment of sheer beauty. When you wander into a snow-covered town and the music gently plays in the background. When game systems combine and something new emerges from what had been previously predictable. In these moments the experience feels just right. Moments like this help to enhance the experience, unfolding into something grand.

And Skyrim is full of these occasions. Bethesda's latest title in the longstanding franchise has the relative beauty of Ultima VII, the magic of Daggerfall, and the emergent narrative of Far Cry 2. I get sequences in Skyrim where I'm faced with an impending dragon attack, introducing a beast much too powerful for my character. Worried about my survival, I duck into a tomb for safety only to be greeted by the most powerful undead adversary I've yet to meet. Stuck between both, and at the edge of a cliff, I fall and hope to catch tiny ledges on my way down. If I survive, the music calms and I can limp into town to lick my wounds and consider my next step.

Continue reading Struggling with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim one year later

JoystiqStruggling with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim one year later originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Bethesda-Game-Studioselder-scrolls-5microsoftOpinionpcplaystationps3skyrimthe-elder-scrolls-v-skyrimxboxFri, 30 Nov 2012 18:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Recommendation shortlist for rookie JRPG players]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/recommendation-shortlist-for-rookie-jrpg-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/recommendation-shortlist-for-rookie-jrpg-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/28/recommendation-shortlist-for-rookie-jrpg-players/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

It used to be so easy to get people to try Japanese role-playing games. If they asked where they should start, all I had to say was, "Let me tell you about this little game called Final Fantasy VII." In the end, I would almost always have a convert.

But times have changed. Many of the old PlayStation standbys have aged rather poorly, and modern RPGs are more complicated and time-consuming than ever. There are more high-quality JRPGs out there than the average person might think, but many of them are tough to recommend to newcomers.

But from time to time, I'm approached by a gamer who has barely even played Pokemon, let alone Xenoblade Chronicles, and they ask me to recommend a good JRPG. It's a moment that can be every bit as delicate as recommending a good entry point into something like Star Trek. The goal is to recommend something that starts fast and makes sense, but also highlights the genre's relative strengths.

Continue reading Recommendation shortlist for rookie JRPG players

JoystiqRecommendation shortlist for rookie JRPG players originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>JRPGOpinionWed, 28 Nov 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Nintendo's Wii U may be an attractive device for Japanese RPG fans]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/22/nintendos-wii-u-may-be-an-attractive-device-for-japanese-rpg-fa/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/22/nintendos-wii-u-may-be-an-attractive-device-for-japanese-rpg-fa/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/22/nintendos-wii-u-may-be-an-attractive-device-for-japanese-rpg-fa/#comments This is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.

I didn't manage to get a Wii U over the weekend. By the time I got around to ordering one, pre-orders were closed, and I wasn't willing to camp outside in the rain or add my name to the wait list. I'm still getting a Wii U though, and not because of Nintendo Land, New Super Mario Bros. U, or even The Legend of Zelda. I'm getting a Wii U because I'm intrigued by the potential of its RPG library.

[Ed. Note: For more on the Wii U, check out Joystiq's comprehensive coverage.]

As I've discussed before, this is not a new development for Nintendo. Toward the tail end of the Wii years, it made a concerted effort to woo RPG developers. The result was the "Operation Rainfall" games - Xenoblade Chronicles, The Last Story, and Pandora's Tower. Last week, I listed the Wii's Top 10 RPGs for 1UP, and I didn't even have to include Shiren the Wanderer or Tales of Symphonia 2. That platform's RPG selection is deeper than many people know.

Continue reading Nintendo's Wii U may be an attractive device for Japanese RPG fans

JoystiqNintendo's Wii U may be an attractive device for Japanese RPG fans originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Nov 2012 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsjrpgnintendoOpinionrpgwii-uThu, 22 Nov 2012 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The future of the Western role-playing game]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/the-future-of-the-western-role-playing-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/the-future-of-the-western-role-playing-game/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/the-future-of-the-western-role-playing-game/#commentsThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
The future of the Western roleplaying game
Here in November, we're nearing the end of the current console generation, as the Wii U kicks off the next gen by replacing the Wii. That particular change may not affect western RPG fans - then again, with Mass Effect heading to the Wii U, it may - but it does mean that it may be worth thinking about what the future holds for role-playing games. Even for those of us who are PC gamers, console generations still work well as historical markers. The era of Diablo and Baldur's Gate evolved into The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, for example.

I am not anticipating immense changes, for two reasons. First, RPGs are more resistant to change than most other genres. Second, as a general historical rule, I tend to bet on "things staying roughly the same" over "things changing dramatically" unless there's reason to believe otherwise. And right now, I don't think there is. Video game tech seems to be getting shinier, faster, and smaller, but I don't see anything potentially disruptive in the way that CD storage was on the horizon. Moreover, I'd say that in general, the pace of change has slowed. Today's games are closer in looks and play than to KOTOR and Morrowind than those were to Ultima VII and Arena roughly a decade before.

This doesn't mean that there won't be changes - I'm much happier with RPGs today than I was during the early 2000s - but rather, that they won't necessarily be technological changes. Still, there are some trends that I expect to see continue, or falter.

Continue reading The future of the Western role-playing game

JoystiqThe future of the Western role-playing game originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>OpinionWester-RPGsFri, 16 Nov 2012 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How RPGs can avoid descending into early game hell]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/how-rpgs-can-avoid-descending-into-early-game-hell/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/how-rpgs-can-avoid-descending-into-early-game-hell/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/16/how-rpgs-can-avoid-descending-into-early-game-hell/#commentsThis is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.
Whenever I want to get in some quality procrastination, I turn to one of two sources. Either I while away the hours messing around with my team on Pokemon Online, or I start hitting "random" on Television Tropes & Idioms. The other day, I went in for the latter, and I came across an article titled "Early Game Hell."

Early Game Hell, as you might imagine, refers to games that are really difficult at the outset, but eventually get easier. Fire Emblem, for example, is even tougher than usual in the early going due to the main characters' lack of hit points and skills. In fact, almost every entry in the Early Game Hell page is an RPG. That's not exactly a surprise - every fan has struggled through the early game of an RPG at least once. But I also wonder if an RPG can't be entertaining and deep without being excruciatingly difficult to get into.

To wit, as you may recall from my previous entry, I'm currently playing Persona 4 Golden - an RPG that is well-known for being a slow starter. It's a good 90 minutes before anything of note occurs; and when the action finally arrives, it doesn't pull any punches. For the unprepared, the Avenger Knight mini-boss is quite capable of knocking out the main character in one or two hits. And without the Fox to offer any meaningful healing, it's not easy to grind.

Gallery: Persona 4 Golden (9/18/12)

Continue reading How RPGs can avoid descending into early game hell

JoystiqHow RPGs can avoid descending into early game hell originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>JRPGsOpinionFri, 16 Nov 2012 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Persona 4 Golden takes an interesting page from Dark Souls]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/persona-4-golden-takes-an-interesting-page-from-dark-souls/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/persona-4-golden-takes-an-interesting-page-from-dark-souls/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/07/persona-4-golden-takes-an-interesting-page-from-dark-souls/#commentsThis is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.
It's always around the month of May that I take a look at the lengthy list of daily decisions in Persona 4 and start to sweat a bit.

"Should I be going to the sports club so much? Shouldn't I be building my relationship with Yukiko?"
"Crap, I forgot to buy a book to read."
"Exams are coming up and I still haven't hit the first Knowledge threshold. I'm screwed."

More than most RPGs, Persona 4 is about the long game. It's set over the course of a full Japanese school year - from April to December - and there are important decisions to be made almost every day. Most of the time, you end up hanging out with various non-player characters, some of whom won't become friendly until you get to know a specific character. It's big, complicated, and stressful.

Gallery: Persona 4 Golden (Making Decisions)

Continue reading Persona 4 Golden takes an interesting page from Dark Souls

JoystiqPersona 4 Golden takes an interesting page from Dark Souls originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Nov 2012 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>AtlusDark-SoulsJRPGsOpinionpersona-4-goldenplaystationplaystation-vitavitaWed, 07 Nov 2012 19:15:00 EST<![CDATA[Which RPGs are a good fit for mobile devices?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/02/which-rpgs-are-a-good-fit-for-mobile-devices/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/02/which-rpgs-are-a-good-fit-for-mobile-devices/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/11/02/which-rpgs-are-a-good-fit-for-mobile-devices/#commentsThis is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.
Between Final Fantasy XIII-2, Xenoblade Chronicles, and The Last Story, it's been a surprisingly good year for RPG enthusiasts who prefer the home console experience. It's been nice to sit on the couch and really dive into a console RPG outside of the Mass Effect and Elder Scrolls franchises.

But it's November now, and things are getting back to normal. I've put more than a hundred hours into Pokemon Black 2/White 2 and I've just downloaded Persona 4 Golden. As usual, I will be playing a lot of handheld RPGs through the holidays.

And yet, not all handheld RPGs are created equal. Depending on the sub-genre, it can be a great fit for your mobile device of choice, a better fit for home consoles, or both. I got to thinking about the differences while downloading Persona 4 Golden, itself an odd fit for handhelds, and decided to break them down a bit.

Continue reading Which RPGs are a good fit for mobile devices?

JoystiqWhich RPGs are a good fit for mobile devices? originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>androidiosipadiphonemobileOpinionFri, 02 Nov 2012 20:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Killing terror with technology]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/killing-terror-with-technology/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/killing-terror-with-technology/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/31/killing-terror-with-technology/#commentsWelcome to The Level Grind, a column hell-bent on asking questions about video game design from the gamer's perspective. This week we examine scary games, in celebration of Halloween!
One of the main points stalwart defenders of Resident Evil 6 seem to be making in comments of many reviews is that we - as reviewers - should have adjusted our expectations. We wanted something classically scary but got an action game, and that was a reason for our staunch dismissal of the game, some have claimed. Though I disagree with that assessment and think what I've played of the game was a mess, it makes me wonder how much advancements in technology have mutated the survival horror genre.

In the PlayStation era, games like Silent Hill forced you to baby-step around the world out of genuine fear for what was around the next corner. That game's signature fog helped create an atmosphere such that, even if you knew exactly where to go, you had little idea what to expect on the way to your destination. Though the effect added tension, which in turn morphed into fear, its primary use was in response to processing power issues of the era. Distance Fog, as it is referred to, obscures objects in the distance and loads higher resolution (not high-res, mind you) textures as players approach them. The fog, one of the signature elements of the original Silent Hill, was used to ease limitations of the hardware and Konami brilliantly used it as a narrative device.

But as tech has grown more powerful, major developers have typically expanded games. With limitations abandoned, it seems they have no incentive to make reserved experiences. And with that, survival horror games of this generation have lost all mystery.

Continue reading Killing terror with technology

JoystiqKilling terror with technology originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 31 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>HalloweenOpinionScary-GamesThe-Level-GrindWed, 31 Oct 2012 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[How RPGs colonized some of 2012's best games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/19/how-rpgs-colonized-some-of-2012s-best-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/19/how-rpgs-colonized-some-of-2012s-best-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/19/how-rpgs-colonized-some-of-2012s-best-games/#commentsThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
2012 may not be remembered as a fantastic year for pure western role-playing games (especially without a Skyrim to sweep the end-of-year awards) but it's been a great year for me as a video game fan. Why? Because many of the "best games of the year" may not be RPGs, but they've adapted some of the best components of RPGs to become stronger games.

XCOM: Enemy Unknown, for example, is one of the best-received games of 2012, due in part to its use of RPG mechanics. Tactics games are often associated with RPGs (especially Japanese-style tactics games) but the connection isn't always so concrete with "western" games. For example, I don't really qualify the original X-COM: UFO Defense as an RPG, due to its too-large squads filled with personality-free squaddies, whereas Jagged Alliance 2 certainly fit the mold.

XCOM tweaks the initial game's form in ways that align with traditional role-playing games. The squad size is limited to 4-6 characters, traditional RPG numbers, and only having one base means you rarely need large numbers of squaddies - I never had more than 15 at once, and even that was high due to playing on "Classic" difficulty. It also slightly decreases the importance of the strategic decision-making level, putting the focus on the characters in the field.

Continue reading How RPGs colonized some of 2012's best games

JoystiqHow RPGs colonized some of 2012's best games originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 19 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2K-GamesFiraxis-GamesmicrosoftOpinionpcplaystationps3Subset-GamesTelltale-GamesThe-Walking-DeadxboxXCOM-Enemy-UnknownFri, 19 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[A call for a U.S. release of Guild01's shopkeeping RPG]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/18/a-call-for-a-u-s-release-of-guild01s-shopkeeping-rpg/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/18/a-call-for-a-u-s-release-of-guild01s-shopkeeping-rpg/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/18/a-call-for-a-u-s-release-of-guild01s-shopkeeping-rpg/#commentsThis is a column by Kat Bailey dedicated to the analysis of the once beloved Japanese RPG sub-genre. Tune in every Wednesday for thoughts on white-haired villains, giant robots, Infinity+1 swords, and everything else the wonderful world of JRPGs has to offer.
Whenever I sit down and read an ostensibly hilarious article about JRPG cliches, I can always count on someone making a snarky observation about the in-game economy.

"Isn't it funny that shops actually charge heroes trying to save the world? Don't they get a hero's discount?"

These sorts of observations are as cliche as the JRPG tropes they try to skewer, but there is a kernel of truth to them. Hence my interest in Rental Bukiya de Omasse - a Yoshiyuki Hirai-developed "fantasy rhythm" RPG which unfortunately may end up being the odd game out in the upcoming eShop release of games from the Guild01 collection. We have enough snarky fan observations to last us a lifetime. Self-awareness and a real sense of humor on the part of developer is something far more rare.

Continue reading A call for a U.S. release of Guild01's shopkeeping RPG

JoystiqA call for a U.S. release of Guild01's shopkeeping RPG originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3dsguild-01JapannintendoOpinionThu, 18 Oct 2012 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Stiq Flicks: Dishonored and Leon The Professional]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/14/stiq-flicks-dishonored-and-leon-the-professional/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/14/stiq-flicks-dishonored-and-leon-the-professional/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/14/stiq-flicks-dishonored-and-leon-the-professional/#commentsStiq Flicks - from film and video game industry freelance writer Kevin Kelly - examines video games and attempts to pair them with matching films. It's like wine and cheese, but with more aliens.
Stiq Flicks Dishonored and Lon The Professional
Dishonored puts you into the shoes (and mask) of a mysterious bodyguard who has been framed for the murder of his Empress employer. Saved from death by a band of insurgents, he becomes an assassin who stalks in the shadows and kills silently ... or with extreme noise, depending on how you play the game. Whatever way you decide to go at it, Corvo's ultimate goal is to find and protect the Empress' daughter, Emily.

Which brings us to our film pairing for the game. In 1994, Luc Besson wrote and directed Léon, which was called The Professional in the United States. It starred French actor Jean Reno as a Léon, a skillful hitman "cleaner" working for the mob who takes a very young Mathilda (Natalie Portman) under his wing after her family is murdered by crooked cops.

The character of Léon is a fleshed-out version of a similar cleaner character that Jean Reno played in La Femme Nikita, and Besson himself has said, "Now maybe Jean is playing the American cousin of Victor. This time he's more human." Which is an understatement. Although Léon is a hitman, he's more human than plenty of the heroes of cinema.

Gallery: Dishonored (4/26/12)

Continue reading Stiq Flicks: Dishonored and Leon The Professional

JoystiqStiq Flicks: Dishonored and Leon The Professional originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 14 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dishonoredmicrosoftOpinionpcplaystationps3Stiq-FlicksxboxSun, 14 Oct 2012 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Failing the NHL 13 academy]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/13/failing-the-nhl-13-academy/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/13/failing-the-nhl-13-academy/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/13/failing-the-nhl-13-academy/#comments Failing the NHL 13 academyI love sports, but I know next to nothing about hockey. Maybe my lack of NHL love has something to do with my Wisconsin upbringing, a sort of "no-man's land" for professional hockey. The Milwaukee Admirals AHL team doesn't excite me, and picking between the Chicago Blackhawks, Minnesota Wild and Detroit Red Wings is an uncomfortable proposition.

My knowledge of the sport itself is even more limited. Aside from the terms "icing" and "line changes," hockey is alien to me. Joystiq recently ran an editorial discussing how simulation sports games don't do enough to assist people like me in learning the ropes in the sports they feature. To test that theory, I attempted to learn more about hockey through NHL 13.

Gallery: NHL 13

Continue reading Failing the NHL 13 academy

JoystiqFailing the NHL 13 academy originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>accessibilityEAEA-CanadaEA-Sportshockeymicrosoftnhlnhl-13Opinionplaystationps3xboxSat, 13 Oct 2012 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[How Torchlight 2 gets character progression so right]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/12/how-torchlight-2-gets-character-progression-so-right/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/12/how-torchlight-2-gets-character-progression-so-right/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/12/how-torchlight-2-gets-character-progression-so-right/#commentsThis is a weekly column from freelancer Rowan Kaiser, which focuses on "Western" role-playing games: their stories, their histories, their mechanics, their insanity, and their inanity.
How Torchlight II gets character progression oh so right
Here's the moment I realized I loved Torchlight 2: It's the screenshot right above this. This is an Engineer. He's actually my second engineer, and probably the sixth or seventh character I made - although most of the others had only been played for a few minutes. In this case, I created him because my previous main character, around level 40, was running into extreme, frustrating difficulty in the third act. He was also intended to be used primarily in multiplayer, built upon the Engineer's more supportive skill tree (Construction) for which hand cannons are the ideal weapon.

Then I bought him a helmet that looked like a mask, and I realized: I'd just made a Big Daddy from BioShock. And playing my Big Daddy was some of the most fun I'd ever had in an action RPG.

Aesthetically, it's good to look at. It's not just the excellent paper doll effects, it's also the way the Engineer carries the cannon and the recoil when firing. I actually found the original Torchlight's aesthetics off-putting, but tweaks in setting, tone, and graphics did just enough that my distaste turned to enjoyment. While that's a necessary component of what made me enjoy my 'Construction' Engineer, it's not the most important aspect.

Gallery: Torchlight 2

Continue reading How Torchlight 2 gets character progression so right

JoystiqHow Torchlight 2 gets character progression so right originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Oct 2012 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>macOpinionpcRunic-Gamestorchlight-2Fri, 12 Oct 2012 21:30:00 EST<![CDATA[It's time for a new history in video games]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/11/its-time-for-a-new-history-in-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/11/its-time-for-a-new-history-in-video-games/http://www.joystiq.com/2012/10/11/its-time-for-a-new-history-in-video-games/#commentsWelcome to The Level Grind, a column hell-bent on asking questions about video game design from the gamer's perspective.
A History of Violence War games and the history of the world
Stay with me here: If an extraterrestrial being landed on earth and attempted to learn about the history of our world based on video games, things could go awry. This outlandish situation illustrates the fact that games made with the intent to share our planet's rich history - for the vast majority - boil down to battles. Video games are war's biggest fan.

Video games require some semblance of conflict to remain entertaining, however. From the war-torn battlefields of first-person shooters to the internal fear and pressure found in indie horror games, there's always a driving force that pushes players forward.

But it's war between countries or different sides of a coin that are the primary focus in historical games. Shooters have featured World War II and other great (as in large) battles countless times, strategy games help us relive gripping tales of land-grabbing conflict and even games that use history as its tapestry - Assassin's Creed for example - are all threaded through a story of a war. A story about killing.

Our planet's past is made up of much more than words of war. Rich, amazing stories are littered through our history books, yet video games have mostly ignored these tales. If you look at the history of art, film, music and books, adaptations about our past beyond the scope of war exist. Video games need to take this plunge.

Continue reading It's time for a new history in video games

JoystiqIt's time for a new history in video games originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 11 Oct 2012 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>OpinionThe-Level-GrindThu, 11 Oct 2012 16:15:00 EST