Yeah, I was kind of under the impression that when I defeated the final boss of Star Ocean, around hour 59, that the game would be over. Not so! During the movie-length cutscenes that followed the battle, I idly flipped the page of the strategy guide which had become pretty much permanently glued to my lap to find…. two more dungeons. So really, I tried, but I’m not done yet. I am in hour 64, though.
I have mixed feelings about the inclusion of extra content after the end credits to a game have rolled. On one hand, extra content is always good, particularly if I was enjoying the game to begin with. More is better, right? On the other hand, though, why not simply include that content within the game itself? That’s what side quests are for, in my opinion: to give you something to do outside the main storyline that serves as an acceptable alternative to running around in circles grinding levels. It’s a minor complaint, I guess, but I did find myself a little irked at the way TLH set things up. That said, these dungeons, or at least the one that I’m currently dealing with, are full of some pretty serious motherfuckers. They are not kidding when they tell you that the difficulty curve here is more like a difficulty cliff-edge. I smacked around the final boss of the actual storyline with little trouble; in fact, throughout the game, I never lost a boss fight. Not once, actually. Just as a for-instance, the boss that I most recently fought in the current dungeon (called the Cave of the Seven Stars) slaughtered my entire party multiple times… I never actually lost, due to swapping folks out and resurrecting them, but at the end, Mr. Edge Maverick was the only one still standing. I’m glad he was, too, because I would have lost about an hour and a half of play if he’d dropped.
I didn’t purchase any new games this week, but I did purchase a new system… sort of. That’s right, I caved and picked up a DSi (it’s black). What this practically means for my gaming queue is that I ditched all but two of my GBA games (Final Fantasy V, which I have played many times before, and Tales of Phantasia, which I have not). I obviously don’t actually have a system to play them on at this point, but I figure I’ll probably just snag a used SP when they price-drop a little more, as they are sure to do due to the current influx. I’m told that Henry Hatsworth looks quite snazzy on the bigger screens, but I have yet to play since I picked up the system, so I suppose that remains to be seen.
Recap:
Current backlog total: 112
Now playing: Star Ocean: The Last Hope (360); Henry Hatsworth in the Puzzling Adventure (DS)
New games added: none
Games completed: none (balance!)
My backlog went from utterly overwhelming to practically non-existent when I realized that I hated JRPGs. I much prefer games for gameplay, and books for stories, which has rapidly caused me to be more interested in casual games and gaming and spend a lot more time at the library. Honestly though, most videogame stories read like they were written by fifth-graders.
Now, my book backlog, that will take me decades.
Leah, welcome to my hell that is Star Ocean. From what I understand a subsequent playthrough will allow you to keep Faize when he tries to be a hero and might be easier to acquire everything. I hope you found the “Duplicate” skill before you wasted too much time collecting flowers and Philosopher’s stones. I’m sad to say you’ve passed my hour mark, as I’m only at 55, but if SOTET is any indication, I shall pass 100 in no time. Damn extra dungeons.
I don’t have Duplicate yet, but the walkthrough seems to indicate that I’m very close. I doubt I’ll be tackling a second go-around anytime soon, though, as my backlog has plenty of meat to it yet, and my coworkers are trying to bully me into starting Oblivion…