The Glorious Return - September 6, 2001 - Brooke Bolander
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this column are those of the participants and the moderator, and do not necessarily reflect those of the GIA. There is coarse language and potentially offensive material afoot. So tired. Don't say we didn't warn you. I feel like being bitchy, and I don't know if it's because of my personality, certain happenings in my life over the past three days, or the fact that I've been reading this guy's page for most of the afternoon. So be forwarned, and try to keep all fingers and limbs out of the way of my snapping mandibles of death. Remember, my spiritual advisors are Kurt Cobain, Zorak, and Ryoko. If there's one game sequel I can't wait for, it has to be Harvest Moon : Save The Homeland. Sure, you people scoff at the idea of a farming/dating sim being more anticipated by moi than FFX, but you just don't know how fugging addictive raising those plants and animals is. Keep your Tidus. Keep your summons. I'll be watering the cannabis plants, thank you very much. Let's get this done with. | Harvest of DEATH! | | Hi Brooke, I’m also looking forward to the new Harvest Moon; it seems like it will be a great sequel for the series. Though I hope the developers don't insist upon making me believe my other, other grand pappy died (again). I love the new look and camera angle that were chosen, the old games had a nearly top-down perspective that was a horrible disadvantage to experiencing the wonderful view. What a joy it will be to play through a behind-the-back 3rd person angle (When I saw the pictures of my character standing in the field I could really visualize the depth and feel the breeze. Wow.). All of the systems should be further developed and more dynamic. More festivals, more jobs, more upgrading/customizing, and more interaction with your neighbors and environment are also welcome additions. An explicit menu that measures how the NPCs perceive you would be nice too. Harvest Moon would make an excellent online game. A community of gamers forming villages and expanding cities. Playing the roles of farmers, mayors, restaurant owners, and workers, together keeping a town alive and prospering (hint, hint to Natsume). Radio Mourning Cult | Yay! So I'm not the only one looking forward to this game with a tenacity bordering on obsessive! Honestly, there are a lot of game sequels - Xenosaga, Suikoden III, the ever-present Final Fantasy X - that I'm looking forward to, but none like the next Harvest Moon. And for the life of me I don't know why. Maybe it's because the Harvest Moon series is always just fun. It's not about the graphics, not about a deep storyline, just plain ol' FUN. That and it's the kind of game that almost never escapes Japan. Quirky titles get sadly overlooked a lot of the time, and I can only hope that more make it over to the States. Especially Ka. Yes, especially Ka. | I've always played by myself... | | Hey Brooke, I'm gonna skip ahead of FF10 and go straight to FF11. Being a half-broke college student paying to play something over the DSL fee I'm allready paying(I commute) is kinda dumb.(I'm not going any further here) Besides that I'd like to see less of that Everquest look to FF11, but it's probably not gonna happen. They want to go with elves? Forget that I wana be a Moogle or a crazy Treasure Hunter(Theif). The trailers I saw don't really encourge me to buy this kind of game either. I'm unimpressed by the Everquest style and the lack of customization.(besides the fact that I hate paying). Shadowcat (for three days you're doing ok) | Blah. That's all I have to say about FF11. Blah. Not because of the trailers that have been shown so far, not because it's got elves, (because I like elves) - but because it's gonna be online. I don't want to play my games online. I'm an introvert by nature, not comfortable in a crowd. I don't like playing games with other people all that much, either. And yet, I would still like to play FF11. Work with me here Square. I've been a good little drone, bought all the others....can't we make a deal here? For me and all the other gamers who aren't comfy with this turn of events? And those are just the personal issues I have with it. I have no money; I'm broke, don't have a job, and can barely scrape enough cash together to get a paperback from Barnes and Noble. Don't stick me with a bunch of fees just to play a game I've already blown 45 bucks on. Then there are the problems of the other players themselves. I'm sure there will be lots of nice, friendly, intelligent people playing alongside me, but then there are the assholes. You know, the kind that used cheats in PSO, would steal your money and your weapons, and liked to spurt out nuggets of wisdom like "hahahahah!1111 i beat ur a$$!!" Yeah. I'd rather just play my games alone, thanks. All you guys who wanted a debate can bet that this is gonna be a common thread in my columns, so don't worry about arguments, you'll get 'em. | It's not all about Suikoden, but I can make it that way! | | Brooke, I think the reasons sequels get such a bad rap isn't always because they are horrible, bad, rushed, whatever, but because they simply don't live up to the first. I loved Lunar SSSC so much that I couldn't finish Eternal Blue. EB was great, it just didn't hold that magic. That being said, I want a sequel to simply live up to the original. Not even surpass. I didn't play Suikoden 2, but if 3 can produce a similar scope, breadth, and level of political intruige and treachery that isn't boring as the original, than my videogame desires will be sated. Anyway, Arc, I wrote in about Phantasy Star 4, it just didn't get posted in luie of better letters that made more sense, mine was just a plug for some of my fav scenes... Well, that's that. Peace...and Brooke, you're doing a damned fine job, you're posting thought-provoking letters with excellent responses, and I'm thouroughly enjoying your three day term of office, anyone else, hey, that's their opinion, but try to remember, most people just like to bitch about something, and a new agent is a new excuse to whine. Ray, who will win the acidplanet Static X remix contest.... | I've gotta agree about Lunar 2. I looked forward to it for the longest time, then when I got around to playing it...eh. it was a great game, don't get me wrong, but it seemed too short, and I really didn't care about the characters. Plus if I ever hear the line "I must see Althena as soon as possible!" ever again, I will go on a killing spree. You really shouldn't bitch about sequels never being as good as the originals until you've actually played Suikoden II, though. The first Suikoden was absolutely stale compared to part deux, so I guess that rule doesn't always apply - just most of the time. Suikoden III is one of those games I cannot wait for - if the first was good and the second was one of the best RPGs ever made, then what will the third be like? Then again, getting the anticipation level revved up to the point where the gamer's chair would have to explode from under them at key points to justify it is not a good thing. Let's just keep our fingers crossed, eh? And thanks for the kind words; lots of people wrote in saying the same thing, so hopefully I can at least keep the amount of people who love me/hate me tipped equal. | Cid should never take his shirt off. NEVER. | | Hiya! I'd love to see an RPG that totally focuses on the wonderful Cid! I'm talking FFVII Cid here, foul mouthed, scruffy, but down right sexy! It would focus on his earlier years, as he learns to be a great pilot and engineer, and of course, there would be some gratuitous shots of him with no top on, cos er, he gets hot from all the work he does ^^;;; And perhaps showing us the early meeting of him and Shera.... The other characters would be his (well developed) engineer friends, and perhaps his own creations! Battle system the usual, perhaps a Xenogears-style combo system (am tired here, too lazy to think up anything original at the mo!). Oh, and where did ya get that Cid plushie!?!? Would love to get ahold of one!!!! - Grey | ........Wow. I never thought I'd see another drooling Cid fangirl (I'm not one, but I have a friend who is, and shall remain nameless) but it's nice to see, anyways. Cid was easily the coolest character in FF7, so yeah, a game completely devoted to him would be cool. Sadly though, Square won't make direct sequels to any of the FF games, never less devote an entire game to one character, so we're shite-outta-luck. And I got my Cid plushie off E-Bay for 40 bucks. I've seen some of them going for up to sixty, though, so I hope you've got a large wad of cash to blow. | Xenomania!! | | For the record, I think you're doing a really good job so far. Chris was good at it, but I dunno.. I can't remember going out of my way to check the DA as often as I have in the last few days. It just feels.. funnier. After seeing what you needed to fill out to be considered to take over Chris' job, I thought it would just end up being some full-of-useless-knowledge-but-as-fun-as-a-rock type of person. Gladly, my fears have already been laid to rest. You said you have the Xenogears Perfect Works book? Is it worth the price for an incredibly huge Xenogears fan? (I love the game almost as much as you do Bill..) Even if I can't read Japanese? I ordered it online yesterday, for the low low price of $50..(www.animebooks.com ) God, I can't wait for the thing.. Obviously, the sequel I'm looking forward to the most is Xenosaga. Since Namco didn't exactly okay it 100% with Square, I have the feeling it'll end up being a major disappointment. There is that whole Namco/Square/EA thing though. Has the GIA heard anything about a third Chrono game? I've heard very weak rumors about one, which are only fueled by one of the 'extra' anime clips in the Playstation version of CT. As for FFX.. I just hope they improve the story from the last few games. Overall, I enjoyed VII's story. IX's was good, but i'm getting really tired of the fact that a princess seems to join your party in 99% of the Square games, who usually ends up with the hero. As for VIII.. Overall, it's not as bad as most people say. The only real problem is Squall, and the way he acted towards females. It's one thing to be shy, but at certain times it was just so unrealistic, it really bothered me. Hopefully in X they'll take a page from Lunar's book, and have heroes/heroines/villains that you actually give a damn about. That's one thing I have to admit; towards the end of SSSC, I actually gave a shit whether or not Alex and Luna ended up together. It's a shame more rpgs don't do that, center around a few main characters you end up caring about, instead of trying to create as many characters as possible, and giving each a whole ten seconds in the spotlight, rarely to ever be included in the story again. (Chrono Cross, Suikoden, FF Tactics, etc) I guess overall that's what i'd like to see in more games, characters you actually give a damn about. Steve | For any of you guys wondering if the Xenogears : Perfect Works book is worth the price - IT IS. Yes, even if you can't read Japanese. The pictures, sketches, paintings and other various goodies are so beautiful that you won't care, and to top it off, the book is HUGE. Drop it on your foot and you'll feel it, trust me. And let's not count our Xeno-chickens before they're hatched here, buddy. Just because it wasn't 100% okayed with Square doesn't really mean anything, since most of the team that made the original is now working on Xenosaga. But then again, I really don't want to build my hopes up to a point where I'll be dissapointed one way or the other. Just have to wait and see. ...I dunno about you, but I did care about some of those Suikoden II characters. Jowy and Pilika and good ol' Viktor...I actually liked them. Which for me is a pretty big thing. Whatever. | Told you guys I was a sadist. | | Brooke, I have only to say that I would take a knife to a man's nipple and wear it, chain-mounted, for a full year just to have a Vagrant Story sequel. That is all. So long and thanks for all the fish, - Paul | I'd take a red-hot poker to a man's groin if I could get an Ecco the Dolphin RPG. I'd take the poker and a sledgehammer to said groin if it was an RPG made by Square. | You wish. | | Final Fantasy Tactics 2. Taste that.. enjoy it... savor the flavor, but notice its rich bouquet as well. Swish it around in your mind, and feel the gentle taste... And ask, why hasn't it been anounced? Why hasn't it been planned? I suppose I really should settle for the next Ogre Battle. Well, it wouldn't be settling, it would be lovely. But FFT2... The continuing saga of Ivalice, the Shakespearean drama and betrayal amongst royal families. The mix of magic and technology not seen since the days of FF1. And on the PS2, it could support 10 or 20 characters at once on each side! The beautiful sprites could be displayed with all the love and care they needed! Maybe balance out the job system more, so one or two jobs can't dominate the battlefield. Ahhh but I suppose you didn't really ask for sequels we'd LIKE to see, but whats planned. Damn these restrictive topics! FINE! I'll go now! love, skye | Think about it - how many direct sequels has Square ever made? Yeah, my point exactly. This is another one of those 'I wish' things that will probably never occur...then again, Square's been doing a lot of stuff I didn't expect them to do (re-releasing FFT, for one) so you never know. But we'll always have Hoshigami: Ruining Blue Earth. For now, that's the closest thing we're gonna get....for now. Keep those fingers crossed. | He likes long walks on the beach...with Michael Stipe. | | Now that there's a female DA, more and more ladies are coming out of the woodwork and writing in. I think a fine future column idea would be to hook one of them up with a fine young man such as myself. -AK | You heard the man - any of my fellow femme-bots wanna go out on a hot date with AK? He's a former DA...anyone? ....Girls? | Get your own, slacker. | | I WANT TONBERRY!!! PLEASE :) | Umm...no. Try not typing all in caps next time. Thank you, and drive through please! ...You can, however, go get one at www.gkworld.com, or at least you could last time I checked. They're almost always in stock, and are as cute as lil' buttons, so rush over and give one a good home, eh? | The Next Generation | | Brooke, There is only one such game that excites my senses into a furor of anticipation, desire, and fear.... It is Xenosaga. And there is only one thing I want from it. It, is a him. He is a man, a scholar, a poet, a tactician, a master of the martial arts, an engineer, a philosopher, a husband, a father, a humanitarian. He is Hyuga. The trailer may be a tease, it may be foolish to get my hopes up, but I hope and pray for him with all my being. And yes, I am dangerously obsessed. | Erm.....I hate to break it to you, but that ain't Citan. it may look exactly like him, but it's not. If Hyuga was born thousands of years after these events, then how could he be a grown man in those trailers? ...I dunno. I'm as confused as you guys are. It looks so much like him... Closing Comments: Okay, first off I know that column sucked, and I'm sorry. By next week I should be re-fueled and ready to go, so enjoy your time with the boys, I know they'll be ten times more interesting than me. Now, as for tomorrow... BIG ANNOUNCEMENT. READ. OR I'LL KICK YOU. Guess what? You get Drew tomorrow! And the reason you get Drew tomorrow, my little nerdlings, is that Friday is his Day Of Humiliation. That's right, Master Drew's gonna be cooking up the happiest, friendliest, huggiest Double Agent this side of Yaoi-Con. So send Super Happy Fun Fun Bunny Buddy Drew loooooots of letters! Kawaii!! ...See, this is what Drew's gotta do instead of writing a horrible Vault review like the rest of the guys. Since you fine fine people donated sooooo much money, Drew's got to do a relentlessly cheerful and fawning Double Agent column. If he has to discuss things he hates, AND be cheerful the whole time, the pain will only be worse. So you know what to do. Have fun, and I'll see you Monday. Play nice! -Brooke Bolander, who is damn glad she's not Drew right now. |
