Editor’s Favorites (Games)
This title has long had my vote for best game of all time. Dynamic characters, uniquely interactive gameplay and an intricate narrative give this title an allure like magic. I’ve never felt more immersed in a SF world.
The gamer controls Cloud Strife, who has unknowingly assumed someone else’s identity through implanted memories. He’s hired by a group called Avalanche, whose sworn mission is to save the planet Gaia from the mega corp., Shinra Electric Company, who are sucking up the planet’s Lifestream for power and material gain.
In the city of Midgar, where the game begins, I was fully sucked in by the characters. Upon reaching the point where Cloud and his companions leave Midgar to go after Sephiroth, the main antagonist, I was amazed that there was an entire virtual globe to explore, with a GPS map that marked all the places I could eventually go.
The game lets you fully navigate the planet. You visit various towns and other interesting places; cross oceans to other continents; and even take a sky rail to an amusement park in the sky.
The groundbreaking story delves into some deep philosophical and scientific ideas (check out this essay) from mind control and experimentation with alien genetics to transmigration of souls.
Did I mention the characters? The best part about this game is how they come alive at your fingertips. Each character has unique motivations and a detailed past. These mesh together to form some interesting relationships and character conflicts.
Is there a downside?
Unfortunately, this title isn’t for everyone. The reading the gamer must absorb is comparable to a very lengthy graphic novel, and VII doesn’t feature voice acting like the later titles. Some gamers despise the classic RPG style of fighting time-based (or turn-based) battles for long stretches of time in order to advance in the game. I’ll even admit to being somewhat bored playing through the first sequence of the game, but once the story got going, I was totally sucked in and couldn’t let go.
The game takes time, patience, and skill to get through, but this one’s well worth it, especially if you’re into Cyberpunk and Science Fantasy.
Designers of the Zelda series never fail to make the old feel new. This time, Link is from a peaceful village above the clouds called Skyloft. After winning the wing ceremony, he and his best friend Zelda, mount their loftwings for a cruise one night when a sinister wind sweeps Zelda and her bird away. Once she’s vanished, Link must find a way to Earth, a fabled land below the clouds, in search of her.
The flying, controlled by tilting the Wii remote, adds a nice new flare. Swinging the remote and nunchuck executes a wind range of sword attacks, making the battles more fun than ever. Links new companion, a programed hologram from the future that appears from his sword sheath, gives the game more of a sci-fi feel than previous installments.
With such a fresh perspective and lots of new features, I label this a must-have for fans of the series. It’s also a great title for any RPG gamer.
This is an interesting installment for the series. Developers at Square Enix drop the classic RPG style of play that blended so well in the past for a more linear approach, much like an Action RPG (i. e. God of War, Heavenly Sword). I thought the narrative was engaging, though it took me some time to become immersed.
There are six main characters, all with some rather tense relationships. In short, they’re forced to face their differences head on as a supernatural, machine-like being called a Fal’Cie has branded them with strange tattoos that instill them with mystical powers. They are labeled L’Cie, creatures feared and despised by society on Cocoon, and must stick together to survive. While the army is hunting them, they must somehow discover the task the Fal’Cie has given them and must complete it to avoid being transformed into mindless monsters.
The visuals in this game are stunning. Over the years, the series has become renowned for its beautifully rendered cinematic cutscenes. Developers of XIII use the PS3’s high-def capabilities to extend this visual quality to the gameplay itself. I genuinely enjoyed navigating the characters through some of the most exquisitely detailed SF environments I’ve seen. Eden is an awesome depiction of a futuristic city in the sky, and Gran Pulse was a journey through exotic wilderness on an alien planet.
On the downside, I must agree with several critics of the game that the linear gameplay was an issue, especially given the length of sequences between plot points, where I had to fight constant, redundant battles for long stretches of time. Not that the battle system isn’t cool, which it certainly is -- but navigating through much of the game was like being stuck on that lame amusement park ride with the cool antique cars you can’t steer off the track.
Repetitive time-based battles is characteristic of the Final Fantasy series. In previous installments, though, there is a world to explore, or there are interesting people along the way. With XIII, developers are relying on the game’s visuals, a few lines spoken at random by the characters here or there, and the next cutscene alone to pull gamers along.
Personally, I enjoyed the game overall. The story is interesting (though the dialogue can be cheesy at times), the characters are cool, the battle/upgrading system was fun and innovative, and the visuals were pretty enough for me to will myself through some of these long stretches, but as a cult follower of the series, I’m always interested to see what happens to the characters. Gamers who aren’t hung up on narrative and characters in RPGs might find the gameplay far too linear.
Being able to clear map areas would have added just a bit more incentive. I hated having to fight the exact same enemies every time I had to retrace my steps.
If you’re a fan of the series, or if narrative and characters are what you like most about RPGs, you should definitely pick up XIII. Otherwise, titles like Elder Scrolls (Oblivion or Skyrim), Dragon Age: Origins, or Star Ocean might prove more enjoyable.
Wow! I haven't loved Sonic this much since playing the originals. Actually, this is the best Sonic game I've ever played. Generations is a special treat because it mixes the old and new, alternating between classic, side-scrolling Sonic and the more modern version.
The writers were even savvy enough to blend this concept into the narrative. A new, mysterious enemy is disrupting the balance of time, putting modern and classic Sonic face to face. The two Sonics must team up to stop the chaos being rent upon the universe.
The best part is, old-school favorites like Chemical Plant Zone get a smooth makeover in both the new-age and classic styles. The game is gorgeous, and the soundtrack is nothing short of classic. This is a definite buy for old and new Sonic fans alike.
