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Temperance's Comments - Page 7

A General Update Laced with Frustration


Posted on 05/06/2013 at 09:02 PM | Filed Under Blogs


I've been very selective of the digital games I listed, too.  While I did place some of the major ones I have for the PS3, like Double Dragon Neon and Dungeon Hunter, I avoided listing any of the PS1 Classics, Minis, and even Virtual Console games.  If I were playing on an iOS device I wouldn't list them, either.  I've already taken a look around the site and poked around at some of the larger backlogs (I wonder if there are anymore 1up/Pixlbit users there?), and I've noticed some people listing homebrew and Flash games.  That's a bit much, even for me.  That would be the equivalent of me listing every game I found on Nonags or Download.com back in late 1990s.

A General Update Laced with Frustration


Posted on 05/03/2013 at 09:03 PM | Filed Under Blogs

Forty dollars!?  Granted, it's not THAT much, but I can't pick it up on a whim.  I'm sure the shipping will add a substantial amount to it, too.  Anyway, I'm glad to hear that your son is fine and energetic as always.  I hope he relents so you can finish up those blogs Tongue Out.

Also, I signed up for Backloggery today.  I sent you a PM and added both you and Aaron to my Multitap.  Right now I'm adding my entire game collection, weeping all the way as I come across even more games I have yet to finish.  I do find it rather amusing that I can add all the other games I played, but don't or no longer own.  That would take a very long time to list, unfortunately, and I'm not sure I want a reminder of every game I have ever played since the early 1980s.  I did place some games in my Now Playing section, too, and I'm hoping the site is able to make me feel guilty about letting them remain unfinished for too long.  I'd be happy if I can at least get those finished before I let the site determine my fate amongst the hundred+ games that remain.

A General Update Laced with Frustration


Posted on 05/02/2013 at 08:06 PM | Filed Under Blogs

I've had my eye on a few of the GameSpite books, including the new Anatomy of a Game series that Jeremy is putting out.  I've always enjoyed reading detailed break downs of classic games, so I hope he continues producing them for a while.

I was wondering if there were any sites that tracked iOS game releases.  The trouble I ran into was having to closely examine each and every game to discern if it was an rpg or not.  Between companies mislabeling their games and not understanding the genre, it's not an easy task.  Still, as much as I don't like the idea of games getting lost in the shuffle, that's what happens in an open environment like the PC or iOS where the volume of software is just too great to be properly catalogued.

We can try, though.  At least a little bit.  There really isn't that much discussion about iOS games here to begin with, so you should try it out and see how it goes. 

And, I'm glad to hear your wife is feeling better, despite the nagging cough.  That's what I have at the moment and I wish it would fade already.  Also, if you only had a slight discomfort of the throat and nothing came after it immediately, that's about all you're going to get.  You probably had time to build up an immunity to whatever your wife was carrying.  Has your child been able to avoid it, too?

As for Backloggery, I've looked into it a few times.  It does some odd things with my browser and I'm not sure where the incompatability is coming from.  But, I suppose I could try again.  Perhaps I updated something recently that might clear up the glitches or they updated some stuff on their end.  Anyway, I could use the site's organization tools to help me plan things out.  It took some doing, but I finally moved beyond the biggest hurdle (which was a mental one), and I'm ready to start playing some of my longer single-player games.  I need to figure out which ones are a priority, though.  I know I said I started God Eater, but that's a separate task because I'm playing that exclusively in the mulit-player mode.  On the solo front I just have dozens of options, which range from multiple Final Fantasys and Dragon Quests, to the entire Star Ocean series and a ton of Tales.  Does Backloggery have a random select option?

Community Poll #1


Posted on 05/02/2013 at 10:42 AM | Filed Under Blogs

This is one heck of a question.  I'm going to do my best to answer it, though, despite having thirty years of gaming experiences to draw from.  I would have to say the toughest boss I ever faced was the second Fabricator fight from Bionic Commando Rearmed during my Super Hard playthrough.  This fight was particularly tough because of all the junk that was stacked against me.  Spencer could only take two, maybe three, hits before dying; Losing all your lives returned you to the start of the incredibly brutal Furnace level; The boss itself had a nasty series of attacks and a hard-to-hit weak point.  The fight was so nerve wracking and the stakes were so high, and it took me dozens of tries before I got it right.  Mercifully, the remaining bosses in the game were not as difficult (the stages were still brutal, though). 

The Fabricator attacks by randomly firing one of seven control arms at you, three in a row.  Before they fire they light up, which gives you a chance to locate it and deflect it with your Bionic arm.  If you get hit at any point in the sequence, it resets and you have to block three more.  Once you've successfully blocked the arms, the machine has to recharge which gives you a chance to counterattack.  That's easier said than done, though, because the arms come out incredibly fast and it can be difficult to spot which ones are going to fire.  Other times you'll fire your arm in the wrong direction, take the hit, and be one step closer to death.

All in all, it's a rough fight and one I'm not eager to replay.

A General Update Laced with Frustration


Posted on 05/01/2013 at 08:49 PM | Filed Under Blogs

Demon's Souls is definitely one of the least friendly action-rpgs available.  Whereas some of the more traditional ones, like Tides of Destiny, would allow you to power-level out of a tight spot, Demon's Souls offers no such crutch (which is where the "adapt or die" phrase comes in that so many like to use).  Anyway, perhaps I'll be able to join in on the combined playthrough this summer; although I started the game back in 2010, I realized I wasn't prepared for it and shelved it indefinitely.

Most of the Dynasty Warriors games are lengthy affairs.  Between leveling all the characters and finding all the gear (which is no easy task), it takes quite a bit of time.  With Strikeforce, that one followed a slightly different format (and gameplay system) that allowed you to focus on a single, highly customizable character, which made it feel more like Monster Hunter.  It wasn't so bad going after all the gear and trophies, however, thanks to the multi-player aspect.  I spent most of my time playing with my brother and a friend, and we had plenty to discuss which makes the grind less noticeable.

HG101 is so easy to get lost in.  It's one of those situations where you go to read one article and then another one catches your eye.  Before long, you have ten tabs open in your browser and you've lost two hours.  Anyway, I remember you telling everyone you got the PC adventure guide from HG101.  I actually wanted to get both that one and the Sega one, too, but (and forgive me if I already made this comment) I was bummed out that no editing was done for the books and many typos, spelling errors, and grammatical mistakes went uncorrected.  With a little luck that won't impact your enjoyment of the book.

As for the iOS games, I suppose as long as they have support for unlimited continues it's easier to forgive the controls.  I can't imagine anyone trying to do a single credit clear or no-death run with the touch interface, though.  It's hard enough to do pixel-perfect maneuvering with a d-pad without the added bonus of having your fingers on the screen and potentially blocking the action.  By the way, speaking about digging through the App Store, here's a staggering bit of information for you: Between January 1st and March 1st of this year, 5052 games were released.  Before we all left 1up, I was planning on doing my yearly rpg list, but I was going to add PC and iOS games to it.  Unfortunately, that plan crashed real hard because of the massive volume of games I had to wade through (seriously, I would require funding in order to do that kind of work).  I did get that little nugget of data, though Smile.

Finally, thanks.  I am feeling much better today now that the fever has gone, although I still have some chest and head congestion.  At least I can think straight now.  Other than that, I wish your wife a speedy recovery (because sinus infections are pure misery) and I hope it's not linked to something you might catch.

A General Update Laced with Frustration


Posted on 05/01/2013 at 02:01 AM | Filed Under Blogs

I think you should wait before jumping back into Demon's Souls.  If you're trying to organize a playthrough, it might help to motivate you and push you past the game's rough spots.  Also, as strange as this may sound, don't worry too much about losing souls; while having a higher level character might make some areas more manageable, this game can still be completed (and quickly, too) even at a low level.  So, don't focus on the loss, but rather what you can do to push ahead.  You can always return to an area later if you want to focus on just leveling your character.

And, it's a good thing you had Uncharted 2 to fall back on (as well as Mega Man).  Even with myself, I have to find something to shift my focus away from the grind or a roadblock.  It doesn't have to be a game, either.  Just recently I finished up Dynasty Warriors Strikeforce, which took around 80 hours, and I also started up God Eater Burst, which simply tossed me from one grind to the next.  Before I would play either one I would watch something or play a little Contra or Mega Man to break things up.

That is an odd sampling of Raiden games in that set.  While I can understand the omission of Raiden III and IV (although, I'm sure the iPhone can run them), Raiden II should have been there by default.  Still, at least it includes the three games from Raiden Fighters: Aces, which are arguably the best games in the series.  It's interesting what you said about the controls, though; there is a whole portion of HG101 devoted to iOS shooters that might interest you.  There's a great deal of discussion about how well the games play and how well they were ported, so take a look at it when you get the chance.  I'm just amazed as to how many shoot-em-ups are available for the device.

Finally, I had hoped to respond to you a little faster than this.  But, the cold I have at the moment is beating me down (two days in a row now) and it has made it difficult to keep up with site.

Thoughts on the New Xbox and some updates etc


Posted on 04/28/2013 at 01:55 AM | Filed Under Blogs

The rumors about the online requirement are testing everyone's patience with the next Xbox.  While I have no doubt that the hardware will be competent, the reveal of the system could be disastrous if the rumors are true.  Although it is a bit premature, that's why everyone is saying the PS4 will be the system of choice, because so far it doesn't have the same restrictions.

Anyway, we'll all find out the truth soon enough.

Etrian Odyssey IV: Legends of the Titan Review


Posted on 04/27/2013 at 08:15 PM | Filed Under Review

I'm hoping this game is still available when I pick up a 3DS (which should be sometime this year if I'm lucky).  Although I haven't finished the previous three games, I've played enough to know these games are worth picking up.  And, from all the praise I've read about the fourth game it looks to continue the tradition.  I do need to hurry up and get through this series, however, especially now that the fifth game is in the works.

Also, I got a chuckle out of the "Embarrassing Anime" tag.  The odd bits of dialogue and the art style do add to the charm of the series, though.

Part 2 of my ps2 find


Posted on 04/27/2013 at 05:42 PM | Filed Under Blogs

Ah, so you did get the anime DVDs with them.  Did they also happen to come with the dual-DVD tray case?

The Wii U And The Power Argument


Posted on 04/27/2013 at 05:32 PM | Filed Under Blogs

I agree: Nintendo still has a number of options to explore to build interest in the Wii U.  They might be on their own again, however, so they'll need to find ways to speed up software development, while also discounting the hardware (perhaps bringing the Deluxe system down to the original Wii's launch price).  Also, more games and cheaper systems will make it easier to promote it.  As for the issue over weaker hardware, it hasn't been an issue for years now (the tremendous popularity of the handhelds attest to that).  There's a big market out there with different needs and budgets, and I'm certain Nintendo will find a way to leverage that.

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