Tag: chrono trigger

Top Six: Anthony’s All-Time Favorite Games

I am now 30 years old, the alleged average age of video game players. I’ve been playing video games for as long as I can remember, dating back to the Atari, arcade games at the mall, the NES all the way to the PS3. I’ve seen a lot in my time. I’ve played a lot. Some only once. Some more times than I would care to admit. My loyalties have shifted from Nintendo to Sony to my current state as a free agent gamer who tries to avoid fanboy wars. I play games because I love them. And the following is a list of the games I love the most.

This isn’t meant to be a greatest of all time list or most influential list or anything silly like that. These are my favorite games, the ones that I want to play over and over again, even at the expense of playing the newest games on the market. Simply put, these are the games that constantly call out to me, like Jacob Marley to Scrooge: “Play me again, Anthony! Play me again!”

Enjoy your glimpse into my gaming soul: Continue reading Top Six: Anthony’s All-Time Favorite Games

Chrono Cross Game Blog Part VII: 20th Time Is The Charm

Chrono Cross Viper ManorHaving just obtained the key to Viper Manor from Dipshit, the Dragon Keeper and World’s Worst Rent-A-Cop, Serge, Kid and Nikki are ready to explore the grounds and maybe, just maybe advance the plot an iota or two. Now, an iota is a unit of measurement rarely used in reference to story advancement, but it’s late and I would rather be playing Halo: Reach, so things might get a little trippy in this post. Continue reading Chrono Cross Game Blog Part VII: 20th Time Is The Charm

Chrono Cross Game Blog Part VI: The Stupidest Man Ever

Welcome back! When we last left off, I had just made the pivotal decision to go with Miki as my guide into Viper Manor, in order to figure out just what in the hell is going on around here. So, I thought it would be best if I actually tell Miki about my decision. She thanks me and tells me to head to the very originally named Shadow Forest to look for Nikki, the wayward rock star. I thought she was going to guide me! I feel betrayed and hurt. Is this what pain feels like? Continue reading Chrono Cross Game Blog Part VI: The Stupidest Man Ever

Chrono Cross Game Blog Part V: A Magician, A Dancer and A Frenchman Walk Into A Bar…

Welcome back! To refresh you, we are in Termina, searching for a way to break into nearby Viper Manor. We already met Guile, a Magus-reject in a bar and are now looking for other possible allies in our effort to penetrate (Insert Beavis and Butthead laugh here) the fortress-like mansion.

Heading left, we come to the Termina docks. We meet a human overseer…overseeing the work of demi-humans. Ah, slave labor exists in Another World. How quaint. Seems this is a prerequisite for most fantasy/sci-fi. There are signs everywhere for a festival coming up and I climb aboard a wooden ship docked nearby. Apparently, Miki and Nikki, two popular musicians, are going to give a concert on the ship. But Nikki is, you guessed it, missing! Miki has been searching for him, but to no avail as he disappeared into the Shadow Forest. How foreboding! Continue reading Chrono Cross Game Blog Part V: A Magician, A Dancer and A Frenchman Walk Into A Bar…

Chrono Cross Game Blog Part IV: The First Disappointment Is The Worst Disappointment

Welcome back! When we last left our heroes, they were heading to Termina, the largest city on the El Nido archipelago. But to get there will require a brief journey through Fossil Valley, a place that sounds like a track from Mario Kart.

Turns out there are some soldiers who are excavating the area and apparently are in need of an exorcist? A few lies later and I am past the guards, who clearly have no idea what an exorcist looks like. PROTIP: They’re usually wearing a white collar and carry a crucifix. It seems there is a spooky howling noise and the soldiers want me, the alleged exorcist, to make it stop. Personally, it sounds like the wind to me, but maybe that is due to the limitations of the PS1’s sound card.

Walking up to a very large fossil of a dragon, when a skull bounces up to greet me. Suddenly, I wish I had done more drugs in my youth.The skull claims that he can tell Serge is dead, which is partially true, at least in this world. He wants me to help him find the rest of his body. Sounds like Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest but with slightly better graphics. How do I know this guy is on the up and up? Answer: I don’t, but what the hell else am I going to do right? It’s not like I’m stuck in a parallel dimension or anything, far away from home and my loved ones. So now I have a HEAVY SKULL. Jealous, much?
Continue reading Chrono Cross Game Blog Part IV: The First Disappointment Is The Worst Disappointment

Chrono Cross Game Blog Part III: Revelations, Puns and Mojo

Okay, back for another blog post! OMG. The music is back. Must…resist…tranquil beauty…of song…

Whew. Made it back to Lizard Rock, which, if you recall correctly, is where we nabbed those Komodo Dragon Scales for Leena, AKA Spiteful Bitch. Sorry, still bitter. Allegedly, the enemies here are supposed to be tougher because we are in an alternate world, but not for me and my uber-party of Serge and…Poshul. *Shudder*

So we arrive back at Arni village, but no one seems to recognize Serge! What can this mean? Is he in Hell? Purgatory? Did he fly on Oceanic Airlines? Is Poshul really Hurley? How do I know so much about Lost and only have watched it once? Most of the people in Arni are the same, but there are some differences, like the tavern is now a flower shop. I wonder if Aeris works here? There is still a group of thieves calling themselves the Radical Dreamers causing some havoc in Termina, so some things are the same in both worlds.

A visit to Serge’s house shows that things are quite different here. The house is empty and Serge’s room is a junk room. Hmm. Mystery! As I exit, some guy who claims to live there tells me to get out. About time! I’ve always wondered how RPGs let people get away with walking into stranger’s homes and ransacking the pots and family treasure chests. Just seems kind of klepto-ish to me. Anyways, this dude says he has lived here for 5 years, which freaks even Poshul out. Trust me, a freaked out Poshul is not something you want to experience sober. Continue reading Chrono Cross Game Blog Part III: Revelations, Puns and Mojo

Chrono Cross Game Blog Part II: Pink Puppies and Rejection

Welcome back! We last left Serge as he was about to start murdering poor, defenseless Komodo Dragons in order to secure a piece of ass. What a great start for our heroic…uh…hero.

Before I head off to commit genocide, I run back into the local tavern to gather some info. Nothing too exciting going on, but I did find a Heckran Bone. Remember that pink dog? *Sigh* I guess I will go ahead and have him join my party. You know, for posterity. What follows is a transcript of exactly what Poshul says when you offer him the Heckran Bone: “Sergiepoo? A p-p-pretenth!? F-F-or I!?” Already, I am regretting this decision and wondering if I can somehow boot him from the team. The music that plays when the game tells you that Poshul has joined you is directly from Chrono Trigger, so I guess all is forgiven. Maybe these Square guys know what they’re doing after all.

I travel just a little bit south to Lizard Rock, a jungle/beach area that has not aged well in the last decade, thanks to decaying polygons. The enemies here are no match for my New Game +, so fret not, dear readers. The real challenge is sneaking up on the Komodo Dragon Pups. The little bastards see you coming a mile away and run off at the first sign of trouble. I’ve had a change of heart and decided they all need to die for this. I manage to trap one in a cave and it’s time to fight! A few quick hits later and that kick ass music from Chrono Trigger is playing again! That sure hits the sweet spot.

Okay, one scale down, two to go. The second one leads me on a merry chase, but fares no better than the first once I catch it. One more to go! This is a little too easy. I might be feeling guilty about this again…NOT! The third Pup goes down faster than Paris Hilton and my quest is complete.
Continue reading Chrono Cross Game Blog Part II: Pink Puppies and Rejection

Chrono Cross Game Blog Part I: Clubbing Komodo Dragons

Okay, time to get serious about this. Chrono Cross, the sequel to Chrono Trigger, released on the PS1 ten years ago, which is exactly how long it has been since I played it. My impressions back then were that it was a great RPG, but a poor sequel to Chrono Trigger, one of the greatest games of all time. Let’s see how I feel about it a decade later.

First off, in the olden days, the X button was cancel and the O button was confirm. Just starting a new game is a trial of my patience, one I seem to be losing by the amount of spittle I am forced to wipe from the TV screen by the time I actually get things going. Oh, thank God, there is an option to change the configuration. I thought I was going to have to kill myself. Also, no using the analog stick here, which is another source of frustration. You know, they made the past seem so quaint in Back to the Future, but the reality is much more abrasive. Like a cheese grater to my testicles.
Continue reading Chrono Cross Game Blog Part I: Clubbing Komodo Dragons

Chrono Cross Game Blog Part 0: Chrono Trigger Recap

Before I get fully invested in Chrono Cross and start this gameblog off properly, I thought it would be helpful if I gave a little background in what Chrono Cross and it’s predecessor, Chrono Trigger. You see, Chrono Cross was made pretty much to tie up the ONLY loose end from Chrono Trigger. CT managed to weave a fairly tight story, leaving only thing incomplete. What is that thing? Read on to find out.

Chrono Trigger was the story of a boy named Crono, who lived in the kingdom of Guardia in the year 1000 A.D. His friend Lucca, an inventor (of course) and a spunky princess (is there any other kind these days) also hail from that time period. Through a malfunction of Lucca’s latest invention, the trio find themselves moving back and forth through time.

They venture to the Middle Ages, which is in 600 A.D. and meet Frog, a swordsman transformed into a human-sized frog by a dark wizard named Magus. Then, they go forward in the future to 2300 A.D., where the world is a bleak wasteland. There, they discover that in 1999, Lavos, a parasitic monster, emerged from beneath the ground and rendered the planet a lifeless husk. Depressing, right?
Continue reading Chrono Cross Game Blog Part 0: Chrono Trigger Recap

Great Moments In Video Game Music: Chrono Trigger – Tyran Castle

Okay, I couldn’t resist this one any longer. When you first hear it, you might think of Golbez from Final Fantasy IV, but stick around to about 45 seconds in and the crunchy guitars kick in and you are suddenly nodding your head to a bad ass riff. If you think JRPG music can’t kick a little ass, listen to this.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gVkEUmwstA[/youtube]

Great Moments In Video Game Music: Chrono Cross – Dream of the Shore Near Another World

I thought I would do a random post about a song I listen to at least once a week and I will do other posts with other great songs at intermittent intervals.

This is from Chrono Cross, the “sequel” to Chrono Trigger that appeared on the PS 1 back in 2000. A great RPG that got pooped on (even by me) for derailing Chrono Trigger’s story, but one aspect that held up over time was the music, this track in particular. The mournful, melancholy drone can make even the most jaded weep and the most superficial suddenly finding themselves contemplating the complexities of the universe.

Enjoy!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROKcr2OTgws[/youtube]

Games That Withstand Time

Legend of ZeldaYou’re feeling restless. You want to play some video games, but you’re not really in the mood for anything that you’ve been playing recently. Try as you might to entertain yourself, nothing seems to get the job done. Suddenly, you get the idea to put in an old favorite, something you haven’t been back to in quite some time and haven’t had the heart to sell. You put it in, get excited as the old familiar screens pop up. Within a few minutes, though, you notice something. The magic is gone. This game doesn’t feel nearly as great as it did all those years ago. Wtf?

I don’t know if that’s happened to you, but it’s happened to me on more than one occasion. As sad as it is to admit, there are plenty of games that don’t withstand the most inscrutable of all tests: time. Whether it’s because they were overhyped pieces of junk to begin with, or our tastes have matured, or other games have done it better, there are any number of reasons that certain old school titles don’t tickle our fancies they way they used to.
Continue reading Games That Withstand Time

Great Betrayals In Gaming History

Ever been playing a game and everything is moving along swimmingly: health is full, skills are maxed and victory is within your grasp, when all of a sudden, the game turns on you, like a digital Brutus. Et tu, PS3?

This has happened to me a few times and while I tend to not get too caught up in things like that, there are a few instances where the wound in my back from the knife still feels raw. And no, I’m not talking about crap where your favorite series, long exclusive to one console, suddenly becomes multi-platform. That’s not betrayal, that’s business.

One such example is Final Fantasy VII, kind of the most obvious one, so we can start with that. Aeris dies. *GASP* Well, yeah, and while it made some people cry (I call them “pussies”), it made me emotional for a whole other reason: I had spent quite a long time leveling her up earlier in the game and those hours were now wasted! I felt like the game was saying to me, “Sorry, Anthony, maybe you should have taken up another hobby, one that won’t wave its junk in your face and leave you crying in a heap on the floor, numb to all feeling except for the new rug burn on your face!” Or something like that, it got garbled in the translation.

Another time where I felt like the game was out to get me was Devil May Cry. I had spent time, blood and tears building my skills, honing my craft and kicking tons of demon ass in order to be ready for anything the final boss could possible throw at me. And what do I get? A complete change in game mechanics, where it turns into Star Fox 64! How lame is that? Developers: dance with the girl you brought, ok? Don’t change things at the very end just to be able to add another bullet to the back of the box.

But the final betrayal that still stings, that really pisses me off, that actually gets to me emotionally is Chrono Cross. See, in Chrono Trigger, which I played about a dozen times, the game has a nice happy ending. Chrono and Marle get married and become king and queen of Guardia. Until Chrono Cross.

When Chrono Cross starts ten years after Trigger and Guardia, which, if you will remember, we just left happily ever after, has been DESTROYED. That’s right and by their seemingly peaceful neighbor, Porre, too. In fact, to rub a little more salt into this gaping wound (minds back out of the gutter, please), in Trigger, you did all kinds of good deeds and even left the mayor of Porre as a kind and generous man.

You don’t find out the truth until late in Chrono Cross, but it you eventually meet the ghosts of the three main characters of Chrono Trigger. And though countless theories abound, it would appear that they decided to KILL OFF the characters before the game even starts. So much for being a sequel to Chrono Trigger.

The only pain I feel that comes close to this horrific betrayal is when I watch Alien 3 and see Newt and Hicks dead BEFORE THE MOVIE FREAKING STARTS. This is the gaming equivalent and I have to tell you, it hurts. I didn’t play Chrono Trigger over and over again in my youth just to have those characters butchered OFF-SCREEN shortly after I reach the end of the game! Bad Square Enix!

So that’s my outpouring of pain. Do you guys have any stories where a game has treated you like a doormat after you lovingly invested hours in it?

The Ones Left Behind: Gaming’s Forgotten Franchises

With all this talk of overrated and underrated games, I thought it would be nice if we started talking about franchises that have been left behind by the current generation of consoles. We all have those games that we love and that deserve a sequel, but it never occurs. Year after year goes by with nothing to be heard about our forgotten games…*tear*

Personally, I can’t believe that Square never did more with the Chrono Trigger series. Sure, Chrono Cross was a pseudo-sequel, but the less said about it, the better. Syphon Filter was a popular series back in the PS1 days and aside from some silly PSP offerings, I don’t think anyone has mentioned it in a long time. If you want to blow someone’s mind, mention Panzer Dragoon. That game was responsible for selling systems back in the day.

What games do you think have been wrongfully left behind? What would you like to see get a revival, whether it’s a reboot or a sequel?

GamerSushi Game Blog! You Pick The Game!

100042You guys know about my horribly long gaming backlog. I have made progress and setbacks, as I have beaten several games, but bought two, as well. Soul Caliber IV was ten bucks, what was I supposed to do?? So I thought I would blog about whatever game I play next from my collection, not what I get from Gamefly or anything.

So I came up with a list of 5 games. You guys get to pick. What follows is a brief description of each game. It is RPG heavy because my sarcastic manner is better suited to writing about these types of games. I mean, how can I make Devil May Cry half as interesting as Final Fantasy? Even I am not that talented. And if you disagree and think I am, tough. I still ain’t playing Devil May Cry again.

Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (New) – This RPG is unique in that you start off as a boy with his dad on an adventure and eventually you grow into a man, choose 1 of 3 women to marry (sorry, Big Love fans) and have kids of your own and go on adventures with them, as well. So it follows 1 man’s life through 3 generations, which is really cool. Plus, you can recruit up to 70 monsters into your party and use them in battle.

Phantasy Star (New) – Originally released on the Sega Master system way back in the day, it’s a tough, old-school, kick-your-ass-and-make-you-like-it RPG. If you want me to go totally batshit during this blog, pick this game. Seriously, I am scared of this game and what it may do to me.

Suikoden (New) – Ah, a PS1 RPG I missed out on. I hear this one is pretty easy and short, too, about 15 or so hours to complete it. You play a soldier who recruits an army of 108 members, known as the Stars of Destiny and do battle with an evil…wait for it…EMPIRE! Sounds and looks like fun, though.

Breath of Fire II (New) – I only rented this back in the SNES days, but it is a steller RPG and it always intrigued me to because you can merge certain party members into one to create a new member. Got a wolfman and a fish? Make a wolf-fish! How cool is that? Other than that, it is a standard RPG, but a fun one from what I hear.

Final Fantasy III (New) – Remade for the DS, this game was previously unreleased in the U.S. and I know why: it’s freaking hard. No saving in caves or dungeons, only on the world map. Tough enemies, lots of grinding, but a fun job system (not as much fun as FF V’s, though) make this an old school RPG worth playing.

So there you have it. The 5 who were chosen. Now it’s up to you guys to pick which one I play. Keep in mind, I will be writing about the game for you guys, so pick something you want to read about.

UPDATE: I have edited the post per Eddy’s suggestion that I only do a new game (new to me). So since no one had voted for an old game yet, this works out. VOTE NOW!

A Fool And His Money… Or: Why Do Gamers Spend Money Like The Federal Government?

lolcat-moneyGames are expensive. And as you get older, you get more money to buy games. Inversely, you have less time to play said games. Therefore, life is cruel. But one thing I have noticed about gamers is that we are morons when it comes to money. It seems that we just can’t wait to part with our hard earned cash.
Continue reading A Fool And His Money… Or: Why Do Gamers Spend Money Like The Federal Government?

Where Have All the JRPG’s Gone?

lost-odysseyGrowing up, gaming was all the same thing to me. Things were either platformers, brawlers/shoot-em-ups, or fighters. That’s all that gaming fell into, and I was happy with it for a time. But then something magical happened. I played a Japanese RPG, and my world changed. I didn’t know that gaming could tell a story. I had no idea up until that point that I could care about a game’s characters or miss them when I had read the last bit of text. It was truly an eye-opening experience.

Since then, I have played a lot of JRPG’s. Probably too many, to be honest. In college, I remember I would rent anything that looked remotely like a JRPG, and played it until my eyes bled. I loved the concepts, the stories, and I really liked being able to level some guys up and fight through hordes of baddies. It was all extremely appealing to me. However, somewhere along the line, things have taken a drastic turn southward in JRPG-land.
Continue reading Where Have All the JRPG’s Gone?

GamerSushi Asks: Favorite Video Game Stories

We all love to play games, but some of us enjoy the stories that come along final-fantasy-vi-advance-1with the game even more. Myself, if a game has a good story, its a bonus. Rarely do I get caught up in the plot and characters. I try not to skip the cut-scenes, but I find myself getting impatient sometimes. Other people live for the cinematics and can’t get enough of them. This is a generational thing, I believe and I plan to delve into more in a future post. Before I can do that, I want to know what game stories you guys like.

Personally, I have a few that I really love: Bioshock’s twists and atmosphere really drew me in to the world of Rapture. I enjoyed the first Halo for its simplicity, but the other games tried too hard to be clever, while also rehashing the original’s story. RPG’s are my passion and Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana and the Final Fantasy series have all rocked my world. Final Fantasy IV, VI and XII are my favorites with Tactics right up there. Tactics had a rough translation, so its hard to get all the little nuances, but the sheer epic feel of the world won me over.

What games had a story that you really enjoyed? Did any blow your mind? What about them did you like? Was it the plot, the characters, the setting and atmosphere? Don’t hold back! Be as specific as you like.

Top 5: Games I Want For Xmas

It’s time for all the good boys and girls to make lists for their loved ones for Christmas or Hanukkah or whatever holiday festival you choose to celebrate. I celebrate Christmas, so this is a Christmas list. If that bothers you, don’t worry. I eat poorly and will likely die an untimely death. Now, on with the countdown…er count up, since I start with #1. Continue reading Top 5: Games I Want For Xmas