(WARNING: I type fast and don't proof-read, so don't be startled if there's lots of typos) Apparently some people like me enough to track my contributions. The thing is, I can't really think of anything to...contribute. Ok let me see what game's at the top of the pile next to me. It's Blue Dragon. To those of you still reading after that shocking news, I hope you enjoy me little feature: JAPANESE GAMES SUCK Now before you get your torches and pitchforks, hear me out. I don't hate Japanese games, on the contrary, a lot of my most cherished games come from the land of the rising sun. There's so much potential with them. They focus on story-telling, on the setting, on huge boss battles, on beautiful special effects. They can be as epic as your favourite movie, as emotive as your favourite book, but they rarely do so. Instead, they rely on tired clichés. You all know of the animé-esque character with the huge head, big shiny eyes and high annoying voice and with the personality of a potato. I can't count how many RPGs I've played where I have to kill the evil emperor that destroyed my village and killed my family. These soul-less RPGs are the Japanese equivilent of an EA Sports game. It's guaranteed to sell, but it plays like every other game of that type. But let's look at the bright side! For me, the bright side is Final Fantasy. Or, at least, Final Fantasy 6+. That's right, I'm a Final Fantasy geek and I'm not ashamed to admit it. What exactly do I like about them? Well, I'll tell you: the stories. From the death of Aeries, to Zidane being a weird alien monkey angel of death, I've never been bored of a Final Fantasy story (until Final Fantasy 12...but let's not talk about that :) ). The best is, of course, Final Fantasy 7. Of course there's the elitest snobs who hate it just because everyone else likes it, but they need a firm kick in their shriveled genitalia. The story is relentless in its neverending quest to keep your jaw dropped. From Cloud being a clone-thingy, to Jenova being a world eating, universe travelling, shapeshifting all powerful alien, you're never bored. My mind hurts everytime I hear someone call the story dull or boring. It's never been done before, and it's absolute perfection hasn't been copied since. It's emotive, it's powerful, it's breathtaking! It's the way games should be! While Final Fantasy 8 isn't quite as good, it's a damn good game. It's impossible to predict what's going to happen next and it looks and sounds beautiful at the same time. Oh yeah, I guess they play good too... Speaking of gameplay, that's another thing the Japanese do great. Aside from RPGs, they're the kings of beat-em-ups. Soul Calibur 2 = best beat-em-up ever. Look at Ninja Gaiden and Devil May Cry. They far outweigh anything the likes of God of War can conjure up. However good their talents may be, they rarely choose to use them. They seem so intent on reusing the same old stuff over and over and over again. Look at Dynasty Warriors. An absoulutely terrible series. Any game that can be be completed simply by mashing a button and pushing the analouge stick cannot be called fun. It's disgustingly indulgent in premise of "Less is more". But if less is more, think of how much more is! So before I leave to play Halo 3 (yeah, I'm a Halo geek too = /), I'll leave you with this. It's a list of what makes Japanese games great, and some of the best games to ever come out of the country. Sayonara! Good things about GOOD Japanese games: Epic stories Lovable characters Imaginative settings Beautiful worlds Longevity Emotion Some games to look out for: Every Final Fantasy from 6 to 10 Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga (The other SMT games suck though = /) Metal Gear 1-3 Devil May Cry 1 + 3 (2 was pants) Ikaruga Resident Evil Viewtiful Joe 1 + 2 Soul Calibur 2 And a lot of others I can't remember. P.S. Buy Lost Oddyssey when it's realesed!