Persona 3 Review

Hey… I have a gun and a monster is about to attack me! I Know! I’ll shoot myself in the head!

Ah, the Persona series. The very reason that I haven’t been making any new blog entries. I actually played this game about two years ago, when it first came out, but I’m going to talk about now… to prepare people for the MASSIVE FREAKING PERSONA 4 Review that I’m going to write. Until that time though, I’m so freaking addicted to Persona 4 that it’s ridiculous.

Persona 3 is a very… unique game. It’s part dating sim, and part dark RPG. ….yeah, those two we’re definitely meant to go together. This weird combination creates a wonderful gaming experience that is relatively unforgettable, although it comes with some flaws…. Some expected, some aren’t.

First thing I like is the gameplay. In many games you get to be a super powered-person, but you don’t really get to control what that person does in everyday life. This one let’s you cover every aspect of your character’s identity. It’s not as open ended as say, Morrowind, but for a Japanese RPG, there is little competition. The other part, the combat, is also pretty interesting. It’s very deadly, where a single mistake could send you back to the title screen. Hence, you are always thinking on your toes. Unfortunately, this means if you get hit by a Death attack, you will lose a few hours of playing. Also, it has an intense combo system that enemies will employ against you. Every time you or an enemy uses an attack that the target is weak against, you get a free attack. Some enemies are merciless about this. Worse yet, you get a game over if the main character dies, regardless of whether or not the rest of the party is still standing. You can employ these tactics against your enemies though, making this one of the most hard-core RPG’s I’ve ever played.

The Persona system: I’m not going to discuss shooting yourself in the head to cast spells here. By the end game, it becomes about as significant as any other spellcasting animation. What’s more interesting is your ability to gather several different monsters known as “Personas” and fuse them into other monsters. Combining these allows you to create versions of monsters with all kinds of weird abilities. It’s fun, and will keep you busy for a while.


The S-Links: The dating sim part of this game is known as S-Lnks…. Or the people your character is friends with. By building relationships with people, you can get various bonuses, mostly in the form of EXP while fusing personas.Some of the people are pretty interesting, others are less so. If you build a strong enough relation with somebody, you can create even MORE powerful Personas. Yes, this game has mechanical benefits for using the power of friendship.


The characters: Best overall cast ever. At least on the hero’s side. You work with an entire team of characters who are likable, developed, and interesting. And it gets better! You know how in RPG’s they railroad the main character into a relationship? This game doesn’t do that? Go ahead; date one of the NPC girls for all it cares! This game may not have any character that sticks out as the best, but the cast is well rounded enough that together, they compete with the party in Xenosaga. Well, most of the cast…. Koramaru doesn’t count.

The problem with having a great cast of heroes is that you need a cast of villains to match them. These villains are not present. There’s a few guys who try to match you, but they sort of start sucking towards the end. Then…. Ugh… don’t get me started on the last boss. Every bit as exiting as wet cardboard…. She has a nice theme song, but she does NOTHING to earn it. At the end it’s all like “uh yeah, we need a main villain, so this big mean thing is bringing the apocalypse.” OH NOES…. *sigh* C’mon, these guys needed the Joker or something, not what was given.

Should you buy this game? Heck yeah, since it’s pretty unique and interesting. If you want an RPG that leaves the Final Fantasy mold, by all means try this one. It started at 40$ and has only gotten cheaper. It may drag for a few parts, but it does give you your money’s worth, and it is a really refreshing experience.

Now, I’m going back to play Persona 4. Imagine everything good about Persona 3, but MORE of the good stuff. Expect the fanboy infused report soon.

Related:
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 review
Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne review

You heard me! Buy this game! Fes version is cheaper and comes with post game content. Original version is cheaper and comes with an art book

Ryan and Sean’s not so Excellent adventure Review

Oh. Em. Gee. go see this movie!

Ah, one of my favorite Youtube celeberties made a big time movie. If you aren’t familiar with them, go watch their channel now, and if make sure you watch How to be Ninja.

Ryan and Sean is about the character in the title’s adventures. It’s like a two hour long version of their youtube channel, except with an ongoing plot that sort of ties it together. More importantly, they parody popular ideas, and act like ninjas. They manage to make a gay joke that’s actually funny. Half the female cast is actually men in drag. They break into song repeatedly, and dance provocatively. All in a classic Nigahija fashion.

Is it worth your time? Definitely, assuming you like their youtube channel. It’s full of quick cuts and WTF moments. The cast is excellent, although it contains a lot of jokes about Asians and midgets. Most of the gags revolve around visual humor and the characters acting really dumb. I loved the insane fan guy with his shrine where he worships Ryan and Sean. The special effects are terrible, in a home video fashion. Sometimes they are so freaking bad it’s good. It’s definitely hilarious if you’re into internet humor. That is a bit of a problem though. For those of you who don’t get internet humor, this movie will appear flat-out dumb. It’s nothing if not niche. If you like these guys’s Youtube channel go see it. I was exited as soon as I heard a remix of The Ninja Glare.

The Dark Knight Review

(Taken from my myspace, decided it was relevant with the DVD release)

What are dense? Are you retarded or something? Of course I had to see the Dark Knight. This was the story about a comedian in a dark and hypocritical society, while some guy dressed as a bat ruins his fun.

A bit after Begins, everybody feels much braver. A lawyer named Harvey Dent is even pushing criminals off the streets. This is causing problems, as the criminals are on their last legs. Things are looking up for gotham. However, there are those who are against gotham being redeemed. That's where our good friend the Joker sets in. Now, Batman ends up getting an appropriate opponent. Ah yes, this is where this movie really shines. Now, Batman must deal with a genuine psychopath, who is out for a bit of fun. What is really great is how we get to know this Joker. We get to learn how he feels about things, and why he lives the way he does. It's all deliciously sick. Your stomach will turn while you enjoy yourself. Really, Ledger steals the show with his performance. It is delightful.

Why was this movie good? It was dark and twisted. That, and it was a bit funny for all the deliciously wrong reasons (Watch me make this pencil disappear!) That, and it is one of those sequels that trumps the original. Since this had a good original, that is really saying something. The acting is quite good, and everybody does a believable job. This is quite a feat when the movie is about a guy dressed as a bat chasing a clown who loves the way people scream when you stab them. Anyway, this film is quite enjoyable, as suspending disbelief is incredibly easy, which is always good for a fictional film.

Anyway, I do have a few nitpicks. I really think that subplot they introduce towards the end could have used its own movie. Honestly, it felt a little tacked on, and any antagonist was bound to be overshadowed by the Joker. Also, the action wasn't that great. Well, a few scenes were, but mostly it felt like car chases for having car chases. Also, the hype. It obviously did not live up to it. It was a great movie, but with this hype, the only way it could live up to it would be if Jesus came back to see the movie (credit to Itsjustsomerandomguy.) And it dragged a little. Like I said previously, if they left that subplot at the end for it's own movie, it would have been much better.

Should you watch the movie? If you haven't, I want you to turn off your computer and go see it right now. RIGHT NOW. It is incredibly entertaining, and reminds us why we watch movies. It's entertaining, the dialogue is good, and it overall leaves you pretty satisfied. Well, or a little sick. Either way, it's all good fun, right. Lets put a smile on that face….

Star Trek- The Manga Kakan Ni Shinkou review

Well, I’m still borrowing as many comics from the library as they have. Leading me to Star Trek the manga….

Wow, this must be the dorkiest thing I’ve ever laid hands on. C’mon, both Star Trek and Manga? Honestly though, when I think about it, it appears to be a GREAT idea, hypothetically. Manga is a medium known for high fantasy, Trek is high fantasy (IN SPACE) Both have fantastic creatures, characters, locations, really they should get together much better than they did…

Anyway, I accidentally started with the second volume, which didn’t make a difference, as this manga is every bit as episodic as the original series of Star Trek (which usually didn’t require that you watch any previous episodes) I actually didn’t like that aspect of Star Trek, as I thought it would do great as a serial….

…. And that problem is inflated here. I was hoping for a serial, and instead I see a bunch of disconnected chapters that have nothing to do with each other. Yep, this feels just like watching an episode of the original series. Everybody manages to stay in character, and I could picture most of them saying this stuff. The plots… I could totally see them happen in the original series. Which means they range in quality, have tons of cheese, and have all kinds of crazy instances. This is both good and bad, as it doesn’t get better than the original, and it doesn’t alienate the fans of the original. However, I would have preferred for a plot that was much more connected.

Art Style varied between chapters, as this was a collaborative project. I liked some of it but other parts were a little…. eh. I noticed the tradition of having tons of one-shot characters dieing continues. I wonder where the federation gets people for these missions, seeing as they die so often. Another gripe is that the individual stories seem far too short, and could have used a little more development. Although flawed, this manga is still readable, but comes off as a lighter version of the Trek universe.

Overview: Get it if you want a quick introduction to Trek, or need a quick Trek fix, but if you aren’t into Trek, you should probably pass.

5/10

Twilight Review

(Yeah, I know, not anime or manga)

Twilight. If I didn’t want to see this movie, my sister would have tied me up and made me watch it anyway. So I went quietly, and actually found it to be a pretty entertaining film. It definitely was not the best vampire story I’ve ever seen, and it wasn’t exactly perfect, but it was a fun watch.

Characters: Main character, Bella Swan, is blah. I don’t really have any reason to understand her actions…. She just doesn’t make sense. She’s way too trusting of people… like right after a vampire admits he’s the perfect hunter, with every tool to bring down a human from super seduction to super speed, she COMPLETELY trusts the guy. What the hell? Other than that, she’s the standard teenager. Kinda boring. Then we have Edward, Mr. Sexy guy who’s in every movie. He’s handsome, strong, smells nice, so dreamy he makes me wanna vomit. Also, he’s a vampire…. Which is AWESOME… but he doesn’t suck human’s blood, which makes him a bit less awesome. He has some funny moments. Then we have Bella’s dad, who is pretty cool, thanks to the shotgun scene. Other than that, he’s a police sheriff and a single father, in a small town. Other characters are mainly minor, like the vampire family. There’s the really hawt girl with the short hair, the awkward guy, the incredibly handsome fatherly figure, and the mother.

The movie has an okay cast, aside from the main character. They have nice chemistry, and they make the scenes flow very nicely. Vampires in this universe aren’t really like the vampires in other universes. They don’t sleep at all, (no coffins) they don’t get killed by daylight (something happens to make them avoid daylight, but it’s facepalm-worthy at best) The only way to kill them is to tear them to shreds and burn the pieces. Also, they have super speed and strength, giving them enough super powers to make superman blush. On top of all that, their all total sex magnets, with perfect bodies, and hair that looks like they’re getting ready for an anime convention (seriously, it’s always spiked just right, in ways that defy gravity.) At least they suck blood…. But none of the main characters suck human blood, and the evil vampires don’t do it onscreen. I only saw one neck get bitten during this entire movie, and it was a minor flash. GAH! Definitely not my favorite vampire mythology.

Plot: Eh, I’ve seen this done in SO many anime it’s ridiculous. It’s a love story about Bella Swan falling in love with the irresistible Edward, who’s eyes glow and has sparkles coming off his skin. Edward, as a vampire, thinks she’s really hot and wants to suck her blood. But he can’t, because he’ll lose control, and won’t be able to stop sucking until it’s too late. Also, he’s a creepy stalker who follows her around. However, he’s so fabulously uber sexy that she finds it charming. It had some extremely funny moments (I’m not sure if they were intentional) and it was fun to watch. I guess it’s like the mindless action movie of chick flicks. You’re exited by it. But when you really analyze it, it looks a little dumb.

Conclusion: Go ahead and watch it (Actually, most people already have) Don’t take it as seriously as the fangirls are taking it and you may enjoy yourself. Also, it’s a GREAT movie for a date. Seriously, what else are you doing right now that’s so important?

Fruits Basket 21 review

Well, I’ve been really busy studying and playing NeverWinter Nights, so I haven’t been able to update this blogue. Fear not, for Winter Break is coming up, and I should not only have more Manga and Anime reviews, and I may even find the time and inspiration to write some Dungeons and Dragons stuff… YAY!

SPOILERS for Fruits Basket 1-20 YE HATH BEEN WARNED

Well, actually you should have read those if you we’re planning on buying this one. Not that I’d be able to stop you from buying it. Anyhow, Fruits basket is getting closer to it’s climax, as made obvious by such signs as the curse weakening, and Akito going bat-**** crazy about it. Its getting good, although I would like a good reason for the curse weakening

This one’s been pretty exiting, but really, it’s been picking up speed ever since Haru attacked Akito. Shigure’s proving himself to be evil to the core, Akito has been getting actual DEVELOPMENT, rather than being a malevolent force, Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru all grew spines, and Haru wants pizza. Rin has sadly been contributing NOTHING to the plot, which is a shame, because I liked her character. She seemed kind of relevant, but she’s in the background doing nothing. I guess that happens when you have a cast that’s only second in size to Negima. Well, that is if you spend as much time developing them as Fruits Basket does.

In this volume in particular, we get more development for Tohru and Akito. Also, we get a bit of backstory between Kyoko and Kyo, and Yuki has a discussion with Kyo about their relationship. No Yaoi though, obviously.

Well, I like Fruits Basket, and this is definitely not a good starting point, and really if you’ve come this far in a series, might as go all the way, right? I’ll have more to write about for the climax when it comes out, and if it keeps going like this, it should be quite good.

Overview: Good, but everybody who has come this far will read it no matter what, so who cares what I say?

XXXHolic Volume 1

Wow, I’m broke. Well, not really broke, cuz I can still pay the bills, and buying people Christmas presents shouldn’t be much of a problem. Actually, I just don’t have enough spare money to go blow on a ton of Manga. However, since I AM the guy who wrote “Dude, you’re paying too much for anime”, I really shouldn’t make a fuss about this. No, instead I used my massive resourcefulness to conjure up manga from nowhere. Nowhere, in this case meaning a library I normally don’t borrow from, and some stuff I have lying around I haven’t got to watching.

Bringing us to the title of this post, XXXHolic. I picked this up from ye local library, and am currently at the mercy of whoever is borrowing it if I want more. They only had the first volume, and if they actually carry the second, it is probably in the hands of some creepy CLAMP fangirl/boy. *shudders*

Which may force me to go borrow the next few volumes, because this looks like it could go somewhere. Maybe. As a first volume, not much happens, we start with a plot, introduce some characters, yada yada yada. Our lead appears to be spineless boy #3012, who has a crush on cute girl #7123. Spineless boy has the unique feature of being able to see spirits, who bother him greatly. He really wants to get rid of them , leading him to Yuko, the hawt hermit/witch. She claims to be capable of removing his little curse, but it will cost him… HIS SOUL! MWAHAHAHAHA!

After selling his soul to our hawt creepy witch, he gets to endure the strenuous torture of working for her as an assistant. Now he is forced to help her in her shop where she grants people favors in exchange for things that they find valuable. This could lead somewhere interesting, as we have one interesting cast member, and the potential for a great deal of interesting stuff to happen. Alas, my library only had volume 1, so I can’t tell you any farther. Tune in tomorrow for my views on Fruits Basket 21!

Opinion: Might go somewhere, might not.

Related stuff:
X (another project by CLAMP)