January 30 – February 3

Section: 

I tried to play Final Fantasy XIII when it released last year, and I made it a good 15 hours into the game, which is to say I made it about halfway through the tutorial section. After that nearly 2 full work days of effort here is what I can say for certain, Final Fantasy XIII is a game on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. That's about it.

I can't say it was terrible, but I can't say I enjoyed my time either. I can't really say anything about the story, because as far as I understand it, I had read basically the first few paragraphs of the first chapter, though I again can't say I really cared for what I'd seen up to that point. I suppose I could say that I didn't care for the characters, but honestly I don't remember any of them, except for the vague, nagging sense that there was one character who was basically a young, annoying girl stereotype.

And, now Square-Enix is releasing Final Fantasy XIII-2, which I really don't know whether it is a sequel or an expansion or what. Again, what I can say with relative certainty is that it is a game on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, and beyond that not much, except that the likelihood that I will ever play it is extraordinarily low.

Which is all to say that I'm giving game of the week to Soul Calibur V.

PC
- Pineapple Smash Crew (download)
- PixelJunk Eden (download)

Xbox 360
- Final Fantasy XIII-2
- NeverDead
- Soul Calibur V
- Rhythm Party (XBLA)

PlayStation 3
- Final Fantasy XIII-2
- NeverDead
- Soul Calibur V
- Puddle (PSN)

Nintendo 3DS
- GO Series: Undead Storm (eShop - $2)
- Sakura Samurai: Art of the Sword (eShop - $7)

Nintendo DS
- GO Series: Undead Storm (DSiWare - $2)

Comments

Got an eye on SC5, but honestly MK 2011 elevated my expectations pretty darn high for single-player modes in fighting games (not interested in online or couch co-op...crazy, I know).

SC2 got it right with "Mission Mode", a new standard at the time for solo play, but oddly this excellent mode was scrapped in later releases. Not sure why, as it was a game-selling feature for me.

Oh snap, PixelJunk Eden on PC? I played that game so much on PS3. Are they adding any features or is it a straight port?

I am a Final Fantasy fan. At least, I was until Final Fantasy XIII came out.

Demo for XIII-2... I think this game signed the death-knell for this series. For this, I am truly saddened, but at least Mistwalker games carries the torch.

God bless Sakaguchi-san.

http://www.mistwalkercorp.com/en/

Not exerting yourself to shed your "hater" mantle, I see.

Raelic wrote:

I am a Final Fantasy fan. At least, I was until Final Fantasy XIII came out.

Demo for XIII-2... I think this game signed the death-knell for this series.

Just the same silly stuff that emo "fans" have said about every installment in the series since about FFIV.

XIII-2 seems to be quite different from its predecessor from what I've read. Maybe that's still not going to do it for you (heck - I hated XII), but that's hardly signing (?!? you mean sounding, right?) the death knell for the franchise.

Didn't realize that FFXIII-2 was coming out this week. This is going to be the first FF game, that I do not buy at launch. Maybe when it drops down to $20 or $30 in a few months, I will pick it up.

AndrewA wrote:
Raelic wrote:

I am a Final Fantasy fan. At least, I was until Final Fantasy XIII came out.

Demo for XIII-2... I think this game signed the death-knell for this series.

Just the same silly stuff that emo "fans" have said about every installment in the series since about FFIV.

XIII-2 seems to be quite different from its predecessor from what I've read. Maybe that's still not going to do it for you (heck - I hated XII), but that's hardly signing (?!? you mean sounding, right?) the death knell for the franchise.

I believe FFVII sounded the death-knell, FFVIII seconded the sounding, FFIX recorded the motion of the sounding passing, FFX forwarded the motion to the review task force, FFX-2 reviewed the motion, FFXI amended the motion for massive multiplayer, FFXII drafted the revision, FFXIII notarized it, and FFXIII-2 is simply signing off on the sounding of the death-knell in its final form.

Aaron D. wrote:

Got an eye on SC5, but honestly MK 2011 elevated my expectations pretty darn high for single-player modes in fighting games (not interested in online or couch co-op...crazy, I know).

SC2 got it right with "Mission Mode", a new standard at the time for solo play, but oddly this excellent mode was scrapped in later releases. Not sure why, as it was a game-selling feature for me.

I think you're talking about Soul Calibur on the Dreamcast, right? I absolutely loved "Mission Mode" in Dreamcast SC and the fact that they haven't replicated that has made me cool on every Soul Calibur release since. They even remove if from the ports of Soul Calibur to other platforms like XBLA and iOS.

Yeah, I'm talking about Dreamcast SC.

Guess I got the sequence mixed up 'cause I thought 1 & 2 both released on DC.

Either way, I'm like you in that I've been cooling on the franchise myself. I purchased the first 3, but fell out of touch after that.

Too bad, 'cause the weapon combat was pretty ace, esp. for the genre as a whole.

Well, the marketing departments are going to love me this week. I'm picking up both SC5 and FFXIII-2.

I've never run into a ridiculous, overwrought mess I didn't like. And the other one is a jRPG.

THE SOUL STILL BURNS!

You'd think they'd have a cream for that.

I'll probably wait for Soul Calibur to drop in price, as I do for every release.

As for Final Fantasy:

(...)

Demiurge wrote:

THE SOUL STILL BURNS!

You'd think they'd have a cream for that.

That it does. Still, gotta wait and play FFXIII-2. Why?

[size=32][color=red]I DON'T KNOW!!![/color][/size]

Oh, wait! Because I love the series! That's why.

On the FFXIII-2 count, I'll wait until after I've actually gone through XIII, first. I'm a bit burned out on most fighting games in general and have decided that it's too much of a time investment to get any good at them... time which I simply don't have. So a pass on SC V. Not much else on the list there to pique my interest, thankfully!

Not exerting yourself to shed your "hater" mantle, I see.

My days of trying to shed that mantle are over. I know who I am.

Elysium wrote:
Not exerting yourself to shed your "hater" mantle, I see.

My days of trying to shed that mantle are over. I know who I am.

Something, something, something, Dark Side.
Something, something, something, complete.

Elysium wrote:
Not exerting yourself to shed your "hater" mantle, I see.

My days of trying to shed that mantle are over. I know who I am.

Embracing your inner demiurge?

Joystiq reported that the new DLC for Iron Brigade (formerly Trenched), Rise of the Martian Bear, was coming out this week, but I hadn't heard anything else so I looked around at various other sites and can't see anything. So, anyways, maybe that?

FFXII-2 for the pile this week, Pineapple Smash Crew for the wishlist.

Concave wrote:

As for Final Fantasy:

(...)

There needs to be a Half-Life JRPG. Gordon is a shoe-in for your average hero.

No love for Double Fine's Happy Action Theater?

AndrewA wrote:
Raelic wrote:

I am a Final Fantasy fan. At least, I was until Final Fantasy XIII came out.

Demo for XIII-2... I think this game signed the death-knell for this series.

Just the same silly stuff that emo "fans" have said about every installment in the series since about FFIV.

XIII-2 seems to be quite different from its predecessor from what I've read. Maybe that's still not going to do it for you (heck - I hated XII), but that's hardly signing (?!? you mean sounding, right?) the death knell for the franchise.

I must be young, because when my siblings and I saw that at the rental place we were amazed the game got a sequel at all.

Then we were like "why the Hell did they make the box pink?"

Then we played the game and were like "OMFG LVL 40 I GOT A MOUNT"

Well, not quite, but you get the idea.

NeverDead comes out this week? Huh. That'll be in the bargain bins by March.

I tried to play Final Fantasy XIII when it released last year, and I made it a good 15 hours into the game, which is to say I made it about halfway through the tutorial section. After that nearly 2 full work days of effort here is what I can say for certain, Final Fantasy XIII is a game on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. That's about it.

I can't say it was terrible....

Psst.

Spoiler:

That paragraph is the same as saying it was terrible.

Don't be facetious about it. Just own it.

hbi2k wrote:
I tried to play Final Fantasy XIII when it released last year, and I made it a good 15 hours into the game, which is to say I made it about halfway through the tutorial section. After that nearly 2 full work days of effort here is what I can say for certain, Final Fantasy XIII is a game on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. That's about it.

I can't say it was terrible....

Psst.

Spoiler:

That paragraph is the same as saying it was terrible.

Don't be facetious about it. Just own it.

Sorry, he's given himself over to the Minnesotan Language Virus. He can only speak negatively in the most indirect ways.

Looks up from PC, playing Skyrim...

Oh, there are other games being released? That's nice.

... Turn back to PC, playing Skyrim.

Oh, looks like we're supposed to be getting a Metal Gear Solid HD pack (360 & PS3) over here today - (containing HD versions of MGS2, Snake Eater and Peacewalker).

Might be interesting...only every played MGS2 out of those games.