Star Ocean: The Last Hope International
What a difference a year makes. Back in the archaic days of June 2009 - back before the iPad, Jedward and when Wii's were only available in white - Star Ocean: The Last Hope seemed like a decent investment for the Xbox 360 crowd. It wasn't perfect by any means, but it was entertaining enough to whittle away the dreary summer holidays. Eight months later, Star Ocean: The Last Hope - International unceremoniously arrives on the PS3 with almost all of the flaws of the original and no new content. It's also a damning indictment of the ear-bursting Western voiceover work that the option to select the Japanese voice actors is International's main selling point.
Resonance of Fate
Returning to Resonance of Fate, after previewing it last August, was like having a good time with an old friend I didn't realise I'd missed. Tri-Ace's steampunk fantasy continues to hiss, puff and chug out a universe that, whilst familiar, is continually endearing.
The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks
It will probably come in very handy, the game says. It's referring to the Spirit Flute, and is making the understatement of the year. The latest Zelda might happen to be called Spirit Tracks, and its imagery might be suffused with steamy, quasi-industrial iconography, but it's the magical pan pipes which underpin the entire experience. It's the game's equivalent of the Ocarina or Wand of Wind, just without receiving nearly as much recognition in the game.
Dragon Age: Origins
Dragon Age is big. Really big. Over fifty hours big, and that's if you skip tons of side quests. Then your eye creeps over to the suffix: Origins. BioWare's latest unashamed fantasy epic, which once again pits you against impossible odds to decide the fate of the entire world, is - sales and reception permitting, I imagine - the equivalent of dipping your foot in the pool to test the waters.
Fallout 3: Game of the Year Edition
Like the stubbornly persistent citizens that dot its irradiated landscapes, Fallout 3 simply won’t die. Refusing to bow out after first being released this time last year, Bethesda have drip-fed five downloadable missions – Operation Anchorage, The Pitt, Broken Steel, Point Lookout and Mothership Zeta – across 2009 to secure constant exposure. It’s even cropped up again and again within the rigidity of the retail channels, with staggered releases of the first two pairs of DLC for the Xbox 360 and PC. It just won’t go away. And here, with the Game of the Year Edition, the base game and its five add-ons have all been collated into one big, affordable package for one great big last hurrah to this iteration of Bethesda’s apocalyptic vision. Sony fans can rejoice, too; the exclusivity period with Microsoft for the extra content is finally over. Hurrah.
Fallout: A Retrospective
"Up yours and have a bullet breakfast, asshole!" barks a kidnapper with irate gusto. Fallout's inhabitants rarely converse in ways considered reasonable, but that's probably because they're living in a world where nuclear war has devastated the entire planet and the remaining guns are of such impossibly high calibre a few shots can reduce a torso to mush. While Fallout 1 and 2 are two of the few games in the world where it's possible to be diplomatic without a weapon, the NPC's you'll encounter along the way are all too ready to reach for their arsenal.
Tales of Vesperia
Namco's Tales series has always taken the backseat, operating as the family-friendly teatime drama to Square Enix's ritzy primetime spectaculars. As a series it's often unfairly overlooked: Tales of Symphonia was one of the best JRPG's of the last-generation, even if it did pilfer its storyline by grafting together Final Fantasy VI and X. And regardless of its staunchly traditional approach, Namco's series has always had a habit of being consistent, accessible, engaging and witty. Tales of Vesperia is no exception.
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
It can only be something in the water. In Japan, Monster Hunter Portable 2nd G sold over two million copies in its first couple of months. Capcom's venerable series has never quite enjoyed that same level of success in Europe, mind you, but that hasn't stopped them trying to, once again, replicate their success with Monster Hunter Freedom Unite - the repackaged, translated, and rebranded version of 2nd G. It's basically Monster Hunter Freedom 2 with oodles of bells and whistles.
Phantasy Star Portable
How do you justify the continuation of a franchise almost exclusively famous for its online gameplay when it doesn’t feature any online modes? SEGA haven’t thought about it much, so the oft-maligned Phantasy Star Universe has been taken, squished down and regurgitated on Sony’s handheld opus as Phantasy Star Portable. Although whether you’ll ever want to play it on the move is another question entirely.
About Me
Twitter
- Watching a couple opposite me celebrate an anniversary. Am both disgusted at their public affection - this is ENGLAND - and horribly jealous
- A Guardian caption typo is currently claiming that Northern Rock is to pay 16 billion in bonuses. That's a big wad of cash.
- Holy moly Jagged Alliance 3.
- Hank Chien's life sounds awesome. Plastic surgeon by day, King of Kong by night!
- @JCRgate That and whatever hefty update the PS3 needs every time I get around to switching it on.