Fragile Dreams - A Studio Ghibli RPG?

In searching for a new JRPG game to play, I came across a Nintendo Wii title called Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon.  The previews of the game looked interesting, and I most likely wouldn't have brought it if there were a Xbox360 game.  But after playing it, I am so very glad that I did get this game.

As much as I love JRPG games, I also love anime films, including Studio Ghibli films (Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Howl's Moving Castle) - and this game bears a striking resemblance to one of their films.  I mean, if Studio Ghibli went into game development, Fragile Dreams would have been the result.  It certainly has the look and feel of one of their films, which certainly negates the fact the game uses Wii graphics - it works for this game.

Another strong aspect of this game is the soundtrack; beautiful songs and impressive musical scores very well-placed within the game - adding to the overall impression and gameplay of the game.  One thing that should be noted is the loading time - it is very short.  Saving a game, I went to check something in a magazine, and was surprised when it was saved before I could even open the magazine.

The game is not without its flaws; it only took 25 and a half hours to complete from start to finish, and other characters that do accompany you, never participate in battle.  But when all is said and done, this is game is a must for anyone who is into RPGs and Studio Ghibli films.

Gaming is only going to get bigger

What does the future of gaming hold?  There are a lot of things happening and even more yet to happen;  from Playstation 3's Move and Xbox360's Natal (Kinect), to the next-generation consoles (Xbox720 and Playstation 4); from Nintendo's 3DS and Playstation's PSP2 handheld consoles to the rumors and talk of SEGA's return to the console market for the next generation (SEGA Ringedge).

It certainly is an exciting time to be a gamer, but also a rather expensive one; along with the new hardware, comes new games and new equipment - it all adds up.  What will determine the success of all the new releases of hardware will be the range of game; not just the range, but the quality as well.  Whichever company can release the biggest variety - in genre and titles - will secure their future.  As a gamer myself, and I'm sure other gamers will agree, is that all this activity is certainly going to give us a lot of choice.  Not only that, but some headaches as well - whether or not to get the new consoles right away.  Many choose to do so, but just as many will wait until a decent range of quality games are released.

Now all this new technology is all very exciting, with many gamers chomping at the bit to get their hands on it, but it is not the only thing on their minds.  In Australia there is a ban on R-rated games (boo!) - any coming into the country are either sent back to be edited (more like butchered) or simply banned from sale here.  A decision of allowing R-rated games in Australia is currently before government, and should their decision be a favourable one, it will not only be a big deal for gamers, but for developers as well.  But unfortunately it does not appear to be something that will happen anytime soon, as those responsible for making the final decision appear lacking the ability to do so.

At any rate, for all those gamers out there - the next 5 years are going to be very exciting!  Especially is the talk of 3D HD games comes to fruition.

Final Fantasy XIII is blockbuster gaming

This is a game that was years in development, originally beginning in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 console.  But following the popularity of Square-Enix's Final Fantasy VII technical demo for the PlayStation 3, the project switched to the newer console.  But was the wait worth it?  I would say yes.  Technically, the game is at least 2-3 years ahead of any other game coming out this year; perhaps the biggest positive of the game.  The detail of the characters, their environments is simply breathtaking - as is the seemless transition between gameplay and cutscenes.  Another positive aspect of the game is the storytelling; perhaps the most human and compelling story ever scene in gaming.  Not to say that there aren't other fantastic stories told in other games, but Final Fantasy XIII's is by far the most human drama.

 The game's soundtrack is the third of the game's strongest aspects, really driving home the emotion of the game's events.  Perhaps the most notable song (and the most popular amongst those who've played the game, is the haunting and powerful Dust to Dust - and its placement within the game (when you visit the character of Vanille's home town) is enough to give you goosebumps.

A fourth aspect that serves to make this a must play game, is the new battle system.  It is faster, more energetic and features some very exciting options; one of which sees you able to transform your Eidolons (immortal and powerful magickal creatures).  This particular feature looks totally fantastic in some of the later cutscenes, making them even more exciting.

The game is not however without its flaws; the most notable of these is the lack of towns and interaction with NPCs (Non-Playable Characters).  This is perhaps not the most talked about flaw of the game - that being the extensive linear gameplay that is a feature of half the game.  While this aspect works well in the first few chapters, as it really fits in well with the flow of the story, it soon becomes tedious (offering a severe lack of exploration).  That however soon changes later on when you arrive in a place called Gran Pulse, which is totally open, and fully explorable.  This is where sidequests (lacking for the most part until now) become available, and in very large numbers.

One other negative aspect is the complete absence of shops to visit - all shopping is done through online-like terminals located at save points.  But when you look at the sheer blockbuster-epic-size scale of the game (which is very cinematic), it's not difficult to see why those flaws are apparent.  The game is simply huge, and to correct those flaws (having more towns, shops, interactive NPCs, and making the game more open and less linear), would have greatly increased the cost and production time of the game.

But with all that said-and-done, the positives far out-way the negatives, and the game is a must buy for RPG fans, gamers and those who love good storytelling and high-tech visuals.  As of May 19 this year, the game has already sold 5.75 million copies and has become the fastest selling game in the Final Fantasy series.

Aussie blockbuster sizes up Hollywood

Went to see Aussie blockbuster, Tomorrow, When the War Began Friday night, and was floored by just how awesome it was!  For those who don't know, it has just appeared in cinemas and is based on the novel by Australian author James Marsden.  Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the movie were the action pieces - more than a match for Hollywood.  Of particular surprise, was the firing of bullets and the explosions - sounding more like they were using live ammunition on actual targets, rather than your usual special effects.

Also, the soundtrack was brilliant, with excellent songs and intrumental tracks well placed in the scenes in which they appeared.  I wouldn't be surprised if the film's director, Stuart Beattie, gets a call from Hollywood - because he sure did an incredible job with this film.  One thing's for sure - this film, along with the film Australia, just goes to show that Australia can make blockbuster films just as good as Hollywood can.  Let's hope that this film will convince many in the local industry to produce more big motion pictures.

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within had its good points

Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

I remember hearing about, then reading about this movie and was very excited - and couldn't wait to see it.  I'm embarrassed to say that, while I knew about Final Fantasy, I hadn't played the games at the time of the movie's release).  So when I did see the movie at the cinema, I was totally blown away!  It was the most amazing movie I had ever seen ... at times this incredible new CGI technology looked more like real actors.  It's no wonder Hollywood was in a panic, saying this film was going to be the end of live actors.

Fortunately for Hollywood, and unfortunately for Square, the movie failed at the box office.  It wasn't because of the technology, for even today (a decade later) the movie can still hold up against modern CGI films.  The fact that it was a Final Fantasy motion picture with very little to do with the franchise, was what really hurt it.  It did have a Final Fantasy-style theme song, and the elements of spirits and Gaia - but t wasn't a Final Fantasy-type story.  And it's that which turned away the fans of the series in droves - effectively killing any chance the movie had of success.  

If Square had made the film with a Final Fantasy story, it would have done well enough to make a profit - and who knows, there could have been a series of Final Fantasy movies by now.  Imagine if they had turned Final Fantasy VII (the most successful game in the series, selling over 10.5 million copies) into that movie, it would most likely have broken box office records.

I have since played completed 8 of the 13 console-released Final Fantasy games, and can easily see how the movie failed to appeal to fans.  Hopefully Square (now Square-Enix) have learnt from their mistake -now that they have finally green-lit the remake of Final Fantasy VII, and every fan (including this one) will be hoping they do it properly.  The expected time to remake this game is estimated at between 3-5 years.

Is the SANFL really a state league?

How is it that the South Australian National Football League can actually be called that?  I mean, it doesn't have any teams from anywhere in the state except for Adelaide.  It doesn't even have teams from anywhere else in Australia; perhaps the SANFL should be renamed the AMFL - Adelaide Metropolitan Football League.

With the advent of the Australian Football League (which many view as simply a glorified Victorian Football), interest in the SANFL wained considerably.  While popularity in the Adelaide competition has improved in recent years, it could sure be a lot stronger.  Invite teams from the two largest cities outside of the SA capital - Whyalla and Mount Gambier - and you could genuinely call it a state league. 

While the SANFL was unsuccessful in having a team from the Northern Territory join, why doesn't it invite teams from Hobart and Canberra.  That way the word National could actually belong in the name.  Not to mention that it would certainly give the AFL something to think about.