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Final Fantasy XIII-2 Review

February 28, 2012
Castle Co-Op, PlayStation, Review, Xbox
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A review article written for Castle Co-Op, a website dedicated to Film, TV, Music and Culture – Published 28-02-2012

With Orphan defeated and the fal’Cie gods thwarted, the levitation systems supporting Cocoon are failing. Cocoon’s path of devastation is clear as it plummets towards Pulse. Fleeing the crumbling remnants of Eden Hall, Vanille and Fang accept their fate, fulfilling their 500 year long focus and transform into the true form of Ragnorak. Becoming the ’destroyer of worlds’ in order to save it. A noble sacrifice made, forming a pillar to crystallise the plunging Cocoon. Lightning, Snow, Hope and Sazh reunite with Serah and Dajh as they awake from their crystalline slumber. With l’Cie brands removed, their focus fulfilled and the world saved.

Ohh, did I not mention this review contained some serious spoilers?

Final Fantasy XIII-2 (FFXIII-2) is set 3 years after the events of Final Fantasy XIII (FFXIII) and is developer Square-Enix’s second direct sequel to a Final Fantasy game since its all girl power predecessor Final Fantasy X-2. It seems Square has taken it upon themselves to peruse the mass criticisms of FFXIII and use this sequel almost as an apology; FFXIII-2 attempting to disperse any preconceived notion that this juggernaut JRPG franchise is waning, whilst attempting to mend its broken relationship with disheartened fans.

The story’s opening scenes begin very epic with a lofty premise and an arbitrary introduction of Valhalla, a realm unbound by time. A familiar face; Lightning – guardian of Valhalla – is pitted against our new antagonist Caius for reasons unknown. A mysterious stranger; Noel – a young man from a dying world travelling through the Historia-Crux – drops in during the battle. Saved by Lightning, he is sent on a mission to change the past and protect the future. To save the cheerleader, save the … (ohh wait) – I mean, to find Lightning’s younger sister Serah and bring her to Valhalla.

The basic premise of the plot has Serah, Noel, and their mascot Mog (the moogle) travelling through time via the Historia-Crux. Borrowing the time-travelling mechanic from a Square classic, Chrono Trigger, instead of roaming an open world traversing town to town, players use the Historia-Crux to travel through time, visit relevant locales to save the world one paradox at a time.

It’s unfortunate that the intertwining time travelling plot don’t lead to a cohesive narrative despite successfully building on FFXIII’s plot. The dissonance between character and plot isn’t tethered with any emotional weightand the dialogue too needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Expressions and mannerisms can be lost in translation, but that used to be one of the joys of a JRPG, the minor nuances in dialogue often proved hilarious. Not the case with the bubbly and scantily-clad merchant Chocolina who seems to unexplainably follow your journey through history who I guess was designed to audibly irritate players into purchasing her sundries.

Whilst Chocolina represents the pinnacle of terrible audio in this game, the soundtrack is definitely a mixed bag. Why they didn’t approach veteran Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu is beyond me. The elegant sweeping harmonies are replaced with a vocal intensive track that’s hauntingly beautiful at best, but a cacophony of screeching banshees at its worst, especially during boss battles. The sound design simply doesn’t work in concert with the rest of the games audio. The sound-track often is a smorgasbord of overlapping vocal harmonies, NPC dialogue and sound effects that’s overwhelming and infuriating when you’re trying to decipher pertinent story dialogue.

The battle system is relatively the same as its predecessor with some minor tweaks. Players still conform to the shifting Paradigm deck which personally feels underwhelming. The Auto-Battle function is a god-send to the lazy gamer, but it fails to deliver the same sense of strategy and satisfaction of commanding your party to victory through manual input and vast contemplation like other JRPG titles.

In battle, the most players can interact with is the shifting paradigms system. Thankfully changing roles no longer require a dramatic camera cut away. Instead streamlining the process with an immediate paradigm shift to maintain fluidity in an intense battle – to which there aren’t many. It seems the battle system has been reduced to a habitual mashing of the Auto-Attack button, occasionally shifting paradigms to defend, heal or to dish out a shit-tonne of damage.

Cinematic actions make an appearance during boss battles. This dynamic brings a little cinematic flair to an otherwise mundane battle; however this feature can be ignored as a glorified QTE (quick time event). Less so is the Live Trigger Dialogue events that seem inconsequential at first but prove to be valuable for collectors hunting for Monster Adornments.

Speaking of which, as Serah and Noel are the only 2 playable protagonists throughout the game, the third slot in your party is occupied by a tamed Monster. This brilliant albeit labour intensive system is one of the games highlights and the most confusingly addictive function of the game. Especially if you’re like me and enjoy grinding party members to inflict godly damage with every blow (maxed out sphere-grid anyone?).

Monsters are ‘caught’ by defeating them in battle, with a chance they’ll leave behind their crystal soul. Each Monster is tasked with an inherent role (Commando, Ravager, Saboteur, Synergist, Sentinel or Medic) and evolves on the Crysatrium alongside our human protagonists with consumable items instead of CP (crystogen points). Monsters also can be sacrificed through infusion in favour of unlocking skills and abilities in another. Catching and training Monsters, this addictive new system gives me a nostalgic ‘gotta catch ‘em all’ vibe from another popular Japanese franchise – especially with Mog constantly spouting ‘kupo!’

Final Fantasy XIII-2 proves the better approach to a JRPG, but not necessarily the better game. On one hand it’s apparent where the game has improved on its predecessor. However the open world, NPCs, side-quests, mini-games and puzzles were all staples of the JRPG 20 years ago – but it’s easy to see how players would treat them as brilliant innovations compared with FFXIII. It’s a comfort to know Square-Enix is actively listening to the community at large, yet equally disappointed at how easily susceptible developers bend to public opinion.

Famitsu, the Japanese gaming-gospel, has already given their local release the coveted perfect score of 40. My personal equivocation puts FFXIII-2 on par with its predecessor despite the vast improvements and an addictive monster system. It seems the Final Fantasy XIII-2 has taken two promising steps forward from FFXIII, yet remains barely on par with JRPG’s from the 90′s.

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DEVELOPER: Square Enix

PLATFORM(S): PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
PUBLISHER: Square Enix

PlayStation Vita – The Handheld Powerhouse Preview

February 20, 2012
PlayStation, Preview
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Another article written for Castle Co-Op, a website dedicated to Film, TV, Music and Culture – Published 20-02-2012

I was very blessed to have a short stint with the new entry into the handheld market; the Japanese model of the PlayStation Vita (PS Vita) – unfortunately I’m still relatively uninitiated to receive a sample of the hardware for full-review – but I do what I can.

The PS Vita is the successor to Sony’s PlayStation Portable (PSP) and its second foray into the handheld market. The original PSP – to be generous – was mildly successful in Western Markets that was dominated by the Nintendo DS. Despite this, the PSP had its share of the glory in Japan thanks in part to the Monster Hunter Franchise.

Vita means ‘life’ and Sony has attempted to make an extraordinary all-in-one device to be synonymous with everyday habits akin to your iPhone or Smartphone; seeing the device as a necessity rather than an accessory.

Being an early adopter of the PSP, I definitely noticed through its lifecycle, I was continually disappointed with the static nature of the device in the marketplace. Titles such as Monster Hunter, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII and Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep were the only real draw-cards that dissuaded me from listing my PSP on eBay. The console isn’t without its merits, but the lack of support was indeed frustrating, thankfully salvaged by the slow trickle of titles that was just reason enough to justify keeping my PSP.

Throughout this preview I won’t be chiming in on the debate surround the existence of dedicated handheld gaming in this age – but instead evaluate this existing console for its innovative merits and few unfortunate flaws.

Hardware and Design:

Compared to its predecessor, the Vita is noticeably larger; approximately 20% its size and possesses just a slight heft – compared to the later generation PSP – that shouldn’t induce fatigue after hours of gameplay. The original PSP was never the ideal ‘pocketable’ device, generously titled as a portable system (I mean, yeah – it has a battery). Proudly, the Vita continues that legacy with its overall size and dual analog sticks that protrude out (albeit not by much), betraying the overall sleek aesthetics of the Vita’s body; a sacrifice any gamer would make to get rid of the PSP’s nub. That being said, the grandeur of this device doesn’t end with its size.

Despite its plastic build, when held, the device feels solid with an intuitive User Interface (UI). The buttons and triggers are well tuned and responsive that depress with a satisfying click. It’s obvious the design team at PlayStation were conscious of the build, minimising its profile without sacrificing power or visual appeal with its high gloss finish. Looking back though, it’d be nice to have a portable PlayStation that didn’t collect all those damn fingerprints (any CSI crew would love this device though).

On paper it’s truly astonishing how much raw power is generated with its quad-core processor. However the device itself is suffering from an identity crisis. Trying to meld aspects of other popular devices to the point where the Vita doesn’t know exactly what it wants to be; a gaming console, a social media hub, a touch-screen MP3 player, a pseudo Smartphone – excluding gaming, it’s the jack-of-all-trades, but master of none.

Without trying to decipher the philosophical nature of the device you can easily claim the greatest element of the PS Vita is its gorgeous 5” AMOLED (960 x 544) screen providing crisp visuals and vibrant colours with a solid frame-rate just shy of the PS3 or Xbox 360 – just don’t linger too long on the screen or else the difference becomes more apparent. This is an amazing feat when you consider using the device for high-end gaming with stunning visuals whilst simultaneously downloading a game from the improved PSN store and have multiple applications running in the background.

Actually in transit with a high-end device like this, I wouldn’t want it to rattling around my pocket with my keys, spare change and all matter of sharp paraphernalia lying in wait to desecrate that beautiful screen – so the wide 5” screen is more of a blessing in disguise, assuming Sony warrants this notion and are fully aware the PSP/PS Vita was never intended to be carried in a your pocket.

Controls and Touch-Input:

The front-touch screen is an absolute pleasure to view. It’s almost a shame that it is a touch-screen consolidating my hesitance to smudge that pristine panel. The screen of the Vita (which I think is plastic) is eerily similar to the Gorilla Glass of the iPhone which isn’t a bad thing, however post-first generation touch-screens have all come to a high industry standard.

The dual analog sticks are something PSP owners have been crying about since the original’s release. Playing the with dual stick makes you often forget your using a hand-held; Nintendo’s 3DS requires a proprietary add-on to use a second stick. The D-Pad and face buttons have been reduced in size and have a solid feedback, as do the L and R shoulder buttons – yet I feel as if the unit’s ergonomic design needs to come into questions.

The dual analog sticks sit under the face buttons and have a comfortable range of motion – however you won’t experience the same precision like the DualShock and 360 Controller. I doubt there would be any issue of cramping since the device calls for continuously changing grip; hand placement shift with touch and motion enabled functions on the front and rear panels. So in summary, if you’re comfortable with the PSP, you’ll be content with handling the Vita.

The UI is a clear example of Sony observing the current Smartphone environment and set out to develop a simple and intuitive navigation and menu for the Vita. The PlayStation Vita does this to a fault. The XMB interface seen in the PSP and PS3 is gone in favour of pages filled with bubble icons. The navigation is touch only, rendering those reflexive buttons and analog sticks moot. The concept behind the bubble icons and their preview pages were intended as innovative ideas that unfortunately seem more gimmicky than intuitive (like peeling the pages back).

This is more apparent when using the rear touch panel – the unique interactive medium used by the Vita. It’s an interactive method implemented throughout most, if not all of the Vita’s launch titles, but there hasn’t been an instance of it being used effectively. The hardware works, but considering the nature of the input, precision becomes an issue as you can only ‘feel’ the panel and see its progress on the screen. It’s an interesting development that’s yet to prove its excellence.

Gone are the UMD’s instead opting for direct digital download or having games loaded on proprietary memory cards new and unique to the Vita (the former the more economic option). These small memory cards are one of the deceptive price points on the Vita somewhat unbeknownst to the general consumer. The Vita has no internal memory and requires the memory card for game data, save files and any additional media you wish to play on the Vita. For the entry level WiFi model – expect to pay approximately USD $250 with the 3G model slightly higher at USD $300. The value of the 3G isn’t justified on launch unless of course WiFi clouds are scarce in your area or you just have to be on top of any social media that’s preloaded onto the Vita.

PS Vita Launch Guide:

The launch roster for the Vita cannot be faulted. The diverse selection of games will keep fans of any genre satisfied on release with titles such as Uncharted: Golden Abyss for action adventure fans, WipeOut 2048 for seizure inducing racing, Super Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 for fighting fans, Lumines Electronic Symphony for rhythm puzzle junkies, Raymam Origin for side-scrolling platformer gamer, Hot Shots Golf and FIFA Soccer for the weird people who like to play sports games (see the irony there?) and Super StarDust Delta for fans of  blowing shit up.

The Vita also has access to the new PSN store that also offers a decent library of back catalogue PSP games and potential PS1 titles to come. The digital PSP titles look amazing on the Vita when compared to the PSP. The only problem I have is only about 50% of PSP titles are available for download, and what I dub as the ‘real PSP’ games aren’t available (Crisis Core: FFVII and KH: Birth By Sleep; not ports but actual games developed for the PSP). It’s here where we open the proverbial Pandora’s Box on the UMD passport conundrum that was promised in North America.

Negatives:

Despite there being backward compatibility with the Vita, it’s disappointing to not see some semblance of a UMD Passport conversion service that was available for PSP in owners in Japan wishing to update their current hardware. This isn’t a tragic loss, but a real nuisance considering PlayStation’s previous attempt to transition from UMD to digital distribution in the same generation life-cycle that subsequently lead to the failure of the PSP Go (yes, I did purchase but then immediately resold my PSP Go).

Both Camera’s suck. Seriously. Save for Skyping (to be implemented soon) or taking advantage of augmented reality, both the front and rear VGA cameras are woefully subpar considering Sony’s long pedigree with digital point-and-shoot cameras. But nobody really uses the camera on their hand-held gaming device – however with Sony’s ambitious device this is a disappointing omission. The Vita may be on the verge of an on-going identity crisis, so I guess it doesn’t have to consider itself a high-end digital camera too.

Battery life is decent when weighing the performance and small profile of the device. The 4-5 hours of continuous play is on par with the PSP and the 3DS. Unexpectedly the idle stand-by time is quite impressive. Overall the battery could be improved, but it is expected.

Bottom Line:

Barely scratching the surface of the Vita’s hardware and software, it is by far the most powerful dedicated gaming system and well-rounded portable handheld on the market. The launch line-up is impressive with first-party titles that are supplemented with a respectable back catalogue of PSP games. Costs associated with the unit is deceptive with the need for propriety memory sticks unique to the Vita, however it seems reasonably priced considering its hardware specs. This would be the perfect all-round device. If only there were an app to turn the Vita into a phone – in addition to an improved battery life and useable camera.

As it stands I probably won’t be an earlier adopter of this new hardware. The current trends don’t paint a positive picture of the devices longevity in today’s 0.99 cent app market. That said, the Vita could be the redefining catalyst for change. The defining positives of the device are its sheer power and potential, which the Vita has plenty of. What it comes down to is investment by the community and industry at large as to whether or not they will support this new platform or see it remain static like the original PSP. It will be interesting to see how the unit progresses in both Western and Japanese markets – hence I see no impetus for me to put down my DualShock in lieu of a Vita – well not yet anyway.


‘Any Questions For Ben?’ – The Red Carpet Première, Melbourne

February 13, 2012
Castle Co-Op, Event, Film, Interview
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This was the Red Carpet Coverage/Interview of the Melbourne Première of ‘Any Questions for Ben?’ for Castle Co-Op - a website dedicated to Film, TV, Music and Culture – Published 06-02-2012

Co-Written and Directed by: Rob Sitch
Co-Written by: Tom Gleisner, Santo Cilauro
Starring: Josh Lawson, Rachael Taylor, Daniel Henshall, Felicity Ward, Lachy Hulme, Rob Carlton, Ed Kavalee, Jodie Gordon, Christian Clarke

‘Any Questions for Ben?’ is the latest Australian Film from Working Dog productions (The Castle, The Dish) brings an all-star Australian ensemble cast revolving around our protagonist, the carefree and cocksure Ben (Josh Lawson) and our leading lady Alex (Rachael Taylor) the accomplished U.N ambassador cast as the unwitting catalyst leading audiences through the social phenomenon of the quarter-life crisis. Melbourne City is portrayed as a playground for the affluent and privileged that makes me think ‘damn, where in Melbourne is that?’

Below is an abstract summation of the Red Carpet event as well as the Image Gallery coverage of the event:

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“Arriving an hour late, we were underdressed and unprepared for the glamour of the evening to come. With colleague in tow we adorned our personalised media passes; the shiny laminated tag granted access to the trail paved in luxurious crimson.

Entering the bull-pen, a quartered-off square encased the media-elite, reserved for only those with legitimate accreditation in the Australian media-circles. Why were we here? The media personalities performed convincingly for the cameras, the collective experience simply oozed from the reporters sent out to cover the event. 

The bright flooding lights strobe as familiar faces quietly sneak through the scramble of iPhone’s outstretched, hoping to record any marketable sound-byte; deviously listening to every step, every word, and every breath.

The Red Carpet quickly filled with the icons of Australian Film, Television and Sport; while I stood slightly dumbfounded trying to decipher the name behind the familiar face. Flashes from imposing DSLR cameras were flaring all around as my only conscious concern was to somehow conceal our woefully archaic point-and-shoot camera in fear of humiliation and ridicule from the others.  

Here I stand, at the very heart of the publicity, ignoring the ubiquitous stares of the on-looking crowd and feeling comfortably out of my depth.

Armed with BlackBerry and a unassured self-awareness our designated targets approach – the films Co-Writer Tom Gleisner and Co-Writer/director Rob Sitch approach, followed closely by the stars Felicity Ward, Josh Lawson and Rachael Taylor”

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See Gallery for Full Coverage (photographs by Nathan Lai)

For the full interview see Castle Co-Op – conducted by travel blogger Brendan Wan (audio transcribed by Nathan Lai)


The Online Pass Debate – Consumers Vs. Publishers

February 12, 2012
Castle Co-Op, Feature, Versus
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Another article written for Castle Co-Op, a website dedicated to Film, TV, Music and Culture – Published 12-02-2012

Cracking open my brand-new copy of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, a startling discovery makes itself present; a seemingly innocent insert containing a PSN code to access the ‘House of Valor’ DLC Pack featuring seven additional Single Player quests. This thinly veiled attempt to rebrand the Online Pass as day one DLC has ignited my otherwise placid view on the debate surrounding the pre-owned Video Games market. This aggravated response isn’t necessarily targeting the existence of the Online Pass, but its necessity for offline Single Player content – it just stinks of corporate greed.

The Online Pass is a system that enables publishers to restrict the online content or online multiplayer components of a game. This is basically a non-issue for those who purchase the game new from retail establishments (an online pass is provided for free); however this requires players with pre-owned or second-hand copies to purchase a new code in order to access this material.

The reasoning behind this initiative is justified as publishers and distributors – not the creators or developers – claim its primary purpose is to make back the money supposedly lost to piracy and the second-hand games market. The additional revenue is also used to keep the servers maintained and operational. Any player purchasing a pre-owned game hasn’t attributed any revenue toward the publisher and is therefore using their service for free. This is how publishers claim the used-games market is ‘robbing them blind.’ Therefore an Online Pass is used as a detrimental disincentive to the used-game market especially with a popular game like Battlefield 3, a largely online experience.

The Online Pass isn’t a new phenomenon as it was used with the PlayStation 3 release of Mass Effect 2. It was widely advertised as the ‘Complete Edition’ of Mass Effect 2, however this is only achieved through downloading additional content using the Cerberus Network, an Online Pass only available with an activation code for the PlayStation Network (again, available free with new purchase). Hence the product is not as advertised with the ‘complete’ experience closed off for some players without PSN access.

This issue was also sparked late last year with Batman: Arkam City’s necessity of an Online Pass to access some of the Catwoman DLC. The outrage was aimed toward its necessity due to the original nature of an Online Pass; to access online content and multiplayer functions. However Arkham City is an offline Single Player Game.

You can be in two camps about this current issue; satisfied that the justification of purchasing the product new grants you additional content for free because the developers deserve the money, or that you are sick and tired of paying for content that should be available on the disc upon release as advertised.

It’s a mystery seeing publishers creating ill-will and unneeded animosity towards their supposed target demographic. Instead of blaming a service like GameStop (Electronic Beautique/EB Games in Australia) why not compete with them by providing a superior means of service, i.e. offering consumers with a trade-in or buy-back system toward ensuring future patronage from consumers. Better yet, with the vast library of used-games collected vis-à-vis this service, you can sell them back to the public with an advantage no other service can provide; packaged DLC content with used-games. Odds are consumers are more likely to purchase from the certified publisher considering the value is reasonably competitive.

Publishers curse the used market because they don’t see profit in the resale of their product. The aforementioned scenarios seem a more advantageous way to profit from the used-games market; a more elegant solution than an Online Pass.

The validation of the Online Pass is somehow unfairly attributed to piracy. By definition, piracy takes a single ‘game’ either leaked or purchased illegally and replicates it multiple times. However every used game sitting on a shelf at your local retailer represents a sale each. Despite other allegations, the used-game market exists legally within the same capitalist regime in which their original publishers operate and continue to profit to the tune of millions per year.

To be blunt, I actually am impressed with some developers who charge for DLC available the same day as the games release; they truly have steely nerve to put a price-tag on what I see as cut content from the retail release. I mean they are already collecting revenue from the sale, coupled with fans buying the ‘additional’ content as DLC from the online store. Then we see publishers make a complete 180 and demand to take a $10 cut from a used-game sale in order to keep the game or servers running; fundamentally telling the world “we still need more money.”

Impressive. Yes. It is also by and far the most grotesquely greedy exploit publishers have to close off the single avenue and advantage we can get as customers (reselling an undesired game) because that’s the one aspect of the sale they cannot profit from.

On the opposite end of the spectrum other will argue the used-game market is damaging to the industry as a whole and a result of the retail sector trying to combat the growth (and inevitable domination) of digital distribution.

The reason digital downloads has not fully encapsulated the market is that ownership of the physical media is vastly superior for a number of reasons. Not only is there a slight romanticism about owning a physical object, but you can then sell the item and use the revenue to fund your next purchase.

The majority of profits generated from the sale of ‘new products’ go to the publisher and developers to contribute to a continuing improved service. Opposed to 100% of the sales generated from a used game going to the seller, a party that has no influence on the product at all.

With all said and done – here comes the hypothetical. What if you purchased a game brand new at retail and hated it. What else could you do with it? Could you return it to the store? Perhaps. Would you throw it away along with your $60 ($100 in Australia) investment plus tax? Absolutely Not. Give it back to the publisher? If only. It’s not like you can return the product direct to the publishers if you’re not satisfied but in their minds, if you’re not purchasing games new at full price, you are a thief.

Often I cannot personally justify buying full price retail (especially in Australia) for a game when I know my obscure value to enjoyment ratio wouldn’t be satisfied. However I generally import games brand new anyway, so this debate really doesn’t revolve around me – and to be frank, as long as developers are worthy of my hard earned cash, I’m happy to pay for the continual service and promise of future releases.

In its current state, I see the both the value and corrosive nature of the used-game market that’s focused on maximising their own profits. To me, I fall under the category where the whole Online Pass debacle is a non-issue. The only exception would be back catalogue games, but to date, no title so far is yet to hold any Online Pass. To top it off, the rise of digital distribution will render this controversial topic moot.

The only reason I would sway my vote against the use of Online Passes in favour of a free used-game market is because used-games is the only functioning avenue that supports our rights as gamers. The capitalists are merely looking to extend their revenue beyond their legal right; seeing as how each individual product sold is now under the ownership of the consumer (disregarding warranty policies), and s/he is welcome to do whatever they like with their property.

The facts are used-games still have value despite the absence of publisher approval. The inclusion of an Online Pass devalues the product as soon as it’s paid and played – especially for a Single Player Experience like Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning with day one DLC content; purposefully cut content. Publishers need to resolve the dichotomy between themselves and their consumers. Stop screwing around with your customers, compete and grow within the gaming-industry instead of whining about it, and try to create a win-win situation for all parties.