I know I didn’t talk about it too often, but if you paid really close attention, you may have noticed that I spent some time playing a game called Persona 3 some weeks back. I won’t be surprised if you missed the references; I was very subtle, after all. Anyway, after taking a bit of a hiatus to clear my gaming palette, I decided to go back and finish the additional FES content, which was added in a re-release of the game several months after its original debut to give players a chance to see what exactly happened after the events of the main story drew to a close. I’m only two hours or so into this offshoot, dubbed “The Answer,” but so far? Not really digging it all that much.
I think it’s important to note that none of your pre-FES content (that is, your save) has any bearing on The Answer. This is a completely different game, with different progression and a fully separate slot on your memory card (or, as in my case, on your virtual memory card deep within the bowels of the shiny black mammoth that is your PS3). This bothers me a little. No, that’s not right. It actually bothers me a lot, and I think that’s the main reason I’m not terribly invested in it so far. I suppose I may change my mind as the story goes along, but right now, I’m a little frustrated that all the time I spent developing these characters has been dumped rather unceremoniously in the trash, and I’m stuck re-discovering and re-fusing the same fucking Personas that I created eighty hours of gameplay ago. It feels like a gigantic step backward, and I don’t think I’m okay with that. If they were going to add extra content, I really feel that there should have been some sort of concession to the effort you put in beforehand; it wouldn’t necessarily have to be a direct level conversion, but…. something? Anything? No? Okay, I guess….. I’m planning on toughing it out and sticking with the game through the rest of the content, which is said to take thirty-ish hours, so hopefully my opinion of it will improve. We’ll see.
Prior to starting up Persona again, I finished Lego Batman, both the hero missions and the villain missions. Last week, I hadn’t started the villain section yet, but I think that I actually enjoyed it more than the levels featuring the dynamic duo. This is mostly due to the variety; yeah, you get the same type of variety from the different types of suits that Batman and Robin can acquire in the levels, but I just prefer the use of actual different characters with different abilities with which you’re provided from the very beginning. I don’t have to backtrack to pick up a suit from three screens ago, because one of the two villains I’m toting has what I need to get out of here. Also, I’m easily distracted by bright colors and shiny objects, so new characters every level kept me more engaged than staring at the same two sprites for hours. Overall, Lego Batman was a good time, and probably the strongest of the Lego games that I’ve played (although I am admittedly kind of excited about Lego Harry Potter…. don’t tell anyone, though).
When I wasn’t gallavanting with the Caped Crusader, I was taking orders from a deranged unicorn. Yeah, Peggle. More Peggle! I actually finished, in several marathon sessions, all of the content from both the original Peggle as well as Peggle Nights. Now, let us never speak of it again.
Crimson Gem Saga was my last gaming venture this week; after very briefly starting it, I hadn’t put much time in, but this week I actually had the time to sink a few hours into it, and I’m really enjoying myself so far. The game is extremely straightforward, in the “go here, get this, do this” style of RPG, and I am perfectly okay with that, because it’s entertaining along the way. The dialogue is surprisingly good, the art is well-done, and the combat is easy enough to pick up right away while promising to have the option to become more intricate deeper into the game. I just picked up my third party member, a mage who likes to die a lot (as mages often do), so I’m working my way towards having what I assume will be a full party. As a side note, I was well-warned on the prevalence of digi-boobs in this game, and I have found this to be very true. Someone spent waaaaaay too much time and effort animating those things. Seriously, sweetie, if you’re gonna be a thief, you probably need a better bra.
Current backlog total: 99
Now playing: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 FES (PS2); Crimson Gem Saga (PSP)
New games added: Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor (DS)
Games completed: Lego Batman (360); Peggle: Dual Shot (DS)
