Making this one quick ....

• I'm only on disc three ... but I'm enjoying it sooooooooo much.
• Classic turn based RPGs + Final Fantasy 10 = This Game
• The story great!!

The classic style only seems easy at first, once you get skills and more party members it gets a bit tricky. The gimmick is simple in theory ... the front line is the defense for the back line (where you should tuck your mages). However, every time the front line takes damage, the defensive rating falls, restoring HP doesn't restore the rating however, only certain skills and spells can do that. So, if you try to just power your way through a boss (or group of random enemies) and the front line's defensive rating has dropped too low, your entire flank can be killed in one enemy turn. It's a balancing act basically ... punishing you for being too risky or too timid.

The rating isn't reset for each battle, if the front line enters a battle with low HP, then the rating starts low ...
The thing I love most, when the rating is low, the AI will kill everyone in the back line as soon as possible ... it's been a while since I died playing an RPG so it's a welcomed change.

Then there's the story ... VERY good, silly at times, but never dull.

For those of you who like a good opening ... that leads straight into game play click here :)

I miss my RPGs ... where did they go?

Final Fantasy XIII was a joke ... as well as Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (it was ok I guess) ...

Well to be fair there have been a few good one this generation ... but not enough.

When news of the PS3 first broke, I was consumed with thoughts of next gen RPG goodies ... only to discover that developers went the handheld route ...

I might have to just break down and get one ... after reading up on Radiant Historia ... I'm at my wits end ...


At least put some of the PSP RPGs in the Playstation Store ... and let me play them on the PS3!!!



In other news, I think I've gone as far as I can go in Marvel vs Capcom 3. My fingers just can't go any faster!!!

Alan Wake ... is the best game no one played last year ...

How could Red Dead sweep everything and this game not get a scrap!?

If you've got a 360, GO GET THIS GAME!

My new JVC headphones ... these things must have been made in China. No, it's not lead paint that gave it away, it's the electric shock I get while using them.

I plugged them into my computer to watch a movie today and got shocked a few times! The first time I figured it was a fluke, but the second and more painful third have made me rethink that.

Yes, they're cheap (which is why I got them), but I've never had cheap head phones shock me before!

Don't buy these things ... that is all.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/JVC+-+Gumy+Stereo+Earbud+Headphones+-+Olive+Black/8605459.p?id=1192232567878&skuId=8605459&st=jvc%20headphones&contract_desc=null

I'm currently playing Alan Wake ...

What can I say ... it's been a long time since a game has creeped me out this much.

The fact that you have to keep the light on the taken to kill them ... genius! I can't tell you how many times I've been faced with the task of killing several of the stronger units in a group ... only to have the batteries in my light go out. Sure, I have 9 extra batteries, but panic still ensues ... which usually results in me wasting plenty of much need ammo and/or flares.

It's not just the groups of taken in the dark woods that get to you ... just one or two well placed taken inside a dark house are enough to shake you (provided you're stuck in a small room with them). For example, I found a guy in his home all bloodied and he told me (Alan) how his friend had suddenly turned on him. Now since I heard his screams as he was attacked I knew good and well his "friend" was still in the house. The fact that it was only one guy didn't bother me ... it was the small rooms in the house plus the one guy that had me on edge ...

There have been plenty of moments like that so far ... I won't ruin the one that scared me the most (in case you still haven't played the game). Let's just say I'm sure the folks next door heard me when I yelled.

It's kind of funny, when I turn the game off (I have limited time these days), I can almost hear the disc in the 360 asking me, "was it good for you baby?"

My reply: "hell yes!"

I remember a time ... when I got more than a Thursday and Friday off of work for the holidays ...

At least the traffic into the city is almost none existant this week. For those of you lucky enough to have some extra days off, (this is where a nice or positive statement usually goes ... but not today).

Dad was right all those years ago. Being an adult is overrated.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to pay my bills.

P.S.

The Christmas noobs in the Call of Duty Black Ops lobbies make me smile. If you bought the game when it came out ... slap that gunship kill streak on and enjoy my friend ... enjoy.

Socks?

Yea, that's what I've come up with so far ... socks. I'm supposed to give a small list to my dad and two brothers, 6 items in total, and all I've come up with after two weeks is socks.

Help?