Update Report

I no longer have my GBA SP or KH: Chain of Memories(Sadly My Mother Had No Money and Decided to Sell them for 20 dollars :( Sooo Yea) I am waiting to get Oblivion (RAISE THA ROOF) I have wanted the game for a really loooooooong time and I will be getting it the 21st of this month... I also can't wait for Ninja Gaiden 3 to come out... It will be a few months so I can save up to get a PS3 just for that game... I really don't like the six-axis controller but I will get over it. If there are any other really good PS3 games you know of hit me up and tell me about them... Oh if you would like to be an author on this Blog let me know I would love to have some more people helping me post some stuff on here. ONLY IF YOU ARE A GAMER AND YOU OWN 2 OR MORE GAME SYSTEMS :) THANKS

~HAPPY GAMING~

Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII achieves a striking balance of old and new, and juggles fan service with pure role-playing satisfaction. It's striking how these elements have been shaped into such an appealing and emotionally affecting prequel. There are some new characters and plenty of fan favorites too, such as Cloud, Tifa, and Aerith. However, the characters you're most likely to empathize with are unlikely ones, including protagonist Zack, and Sephiroth, who is complex, troubled, and even sometimes likable. The way their personal stories weave in and out of each other--and set the stage for the events in Final Fantasy VII--makes Crisis Core not just the finest role-playing experience available on the PSP, but also one of the best Japanese RPGs in years.

Zack isn't new to the franchise, but he was a mere flashback in Final Fantasy VII, which may not make him seem like the best choice of leading man for a prequel to one of the best RPGs ever created. Yet he's as interesting as any Square Enix star, and transcends the usual spiky-haired heroism and teenage angst with an uncommon maturity that develops as the game continues. Revealing almost any plot point could be a spoiler; the Gaia world is rich with mythology and complex character motivation. What's important is how the characters interact, change, and grow. Scenes between Zack and Cloud are both effortless and poignant, and stem directly out of Zack's most impressive character traits: trust and loyalty. As each plot thread twists together and the game reaches its inevitable conclusion, your heart will soften and you may shed a few tears. Crisis Core tells a memorable and exciting tale, but more importantly, it makes you care about its characters, even if you are new to the lore. The game's final scenes are amazing and heartfelt, and one sequence in particular that brilliantly mingles gameplay with narrative is one of the most incredible and moving moments in role-playing history.

The game's stunning cutscenes have an immeasurable effect on the emotionally resonant story. There is a harmonious mix of prerendered cinematics and in-engine cutscenes, and both were created with precision. Dramatic camera angles frame Crisis Core's greatest moments, from earth-shaking soliloquies to the quiet pauses Zack and Aerith share. There is a standout scene in which Sephiroth comes into deep focus using a cinematography technique familiar to Alfred Hitchcock fans. This kind of range is rare in cutscenes, even in RPGs, yet it's never forced or overdone here. The quality is further enhanced by incredible voice acting. Past Final Fantasies have sometimes suffered from awkward English voice-overs, but each actor here delivers the right degree of emotion at the right time, which in turn gives weight to the story. As Zack matures, you can hear the newfound confidence replace his adolescent arrogance; when Angeal tells Zack that he's just a little more important than his sword, you can hear a subtle grin in his deep, commanding baritone.

If you enjoyed Final Fantasy VII, this kind of attention to detail won't come as a surprise. However, you may be startled at how the combat works. Crisis Core is an action RPG. Granted, it does have many of the same elements as FFVII: materia, limit breaks, and so on. However, it plays nothing like its inspiration, which may irritate some fans. This doesn't make it better or worse, but it does make it different, and once you get used to it, it's a lot of fun. Battles are almost exclusively random, with the exception of those that end your side missions (more on those later). When combat begins, you are limited to a contained area, but you can move freely within it. To target an enemy, you simply face in its direction, and to attack, you hit X. It's not quite real-time, but rather a series of quick turns that give you a smidgen of time in-between to select a different spell or attack. You can switch among different options and spells on the fly using the shoulder buttons. If you're familiar with the Tales series (Tales of the Abyss, and so on), you'll have a rough idea of how the combat works in Crisis Core.

You can also guard and evade oncoming attacks, though doing so spends action points. A number of special attacks, such as assault twister, also use action points. Other attacks, like spells, use up magic points. To perform them, you need to possess and equip the corresponding materia. Zack can't use an unlimited number of materia in battle; he's limited to a certain number at a time, so you'll want to choose wisely before you head into late-game combat, especially if you know a boss fight is imminent. You can also fuse materia together to make new spells or enhanced attacks, such as the impressive Thundara Blade. There are times when you'll need to take advantage of your materia and dodge oncoming attacks. Nevertheless, for the first half of the game, Crisis Core is remarkably easy, and a lot of battles come down to mashing on the X button. There is no shortage of potions and gil (the series' currency), either, and given that you can purchase items at any save point, there's no reason not to be fully stocked.

The combat is fun, and it will get Final Fantasy fans talking. But no mechanical element is bound to get more attention than the Digital Mind Wave, or DMW. The DMW is a slot reel that holds the key to two important facets of Crisis Core's gameplay: leveling up, and powerful attacks called limit breaks. The reel contains six slots: three that contain character portraits, and three that contain numerical digits. As you fight foes, you earn soldier points, which in turn function as currency that keeps the DMW in the top left corner spinning. When the left and right character portraits match, you enter a separate limit-verge screen where you wait for the digit slots and the center character slot to stop spinning. If you match all three portrait slots, you unleash a limit break, which is accompanied by a dramatic cinematic. If you match numerals, you may level up an equipped materia or Zack himself. The DMW also controls some status changes, such as temporary invincibility, though they aren't signaled by a change to the limit-verge screen.

This all sounds very confusing, and it may take you some time to figure out exactly what's going on. Essentially, leveling and limit breaks are left to the roll of the dice (or in this case, the spinning of the reel). The idea of random leveling and special attacks may make you squirm, and on paper, it sounds like a bad idea. In practice, it works out far better than you'd think. Just like when you pull the lever of a real slot machine, it's exciting and intriguing to see if you make a match. You can't skip past the limit verge screen, but if you could, you'd be missing the point (and be warned that you can't skip past cutscenes, though you can skip out of the long summoning animations and the flashbacks that occasionally crop up during limit verges). Your results are not completely random because your character's heightened emotions make it likelier that the DMW will spin up a positive result, such as after a phone call with Aerith. However, you may go a while without leveling up, only to level up multiple times in a short period of time. Sure, it's a strange system, and it will make your head spin at first. But it will become second nature, and in the end, it works. The downside is that it takes control of the game's most impressive attacks out of the hands of the player. Not everyone enjoys having the game do the grunt work for them, but the system is original and streamlined, and likely to grow on you.

Outside of the main story, there are plenty of side missions to keep you occupied. Most of them boil down to entering an area, killing a bunch of creatures, and earning your reward. It's simple, sure, but incredibly addicting, perfect for players on the go, and you may find yourself losing hour after hour to mission after mission. This is Crisis Core's grinding mechanic, but the combat is entertaining enough (and the DMW mesmerizing enough) to keep you involved. Some of the missions also weave in cameos from other characters, such as a charming set of missions centered on an impish Yuffie. Yet the action and limited customization goes only so far, and it seems that Square Enix understood that. Crisis Core is on the short side, clocking in at around 20 hours if you do a reasonable number of side missions, though you could add another 10 if you want to see every secret the game is hiding--and there are some good ones that will get fans talking. That may make the game feel less grand than previous entries, but in actuality, the length feels just right and keeps the action from wearing out its welcome.

You'll marvel at Crisis Core's visual and sonic beauty. Environments were designed with painstaking detail, from the slums of Midgar to the crystalline vistas of an underground lake. Character design is equally terrific, from Genesis' solemn sneer to Zack's gleaming blue eyes. Monsters look great too, and the imposing and astonishing bosses are particularly awesome to behold. The game sounds as good as it looks, starting with the terrific musical score, which includes both grinding rock tracks and haunting orchestral interludes. There are moments in which the action is undercut not with the same heart-pumping guitars we've heard before, but with softer tunes. These battles feel even more important because the music connects them so well with the emotional scenes that came before. Additionally, familiar sound effects have been updated and new ones added to make for combat that sounds as tremendous as it looks.

Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is a game you must play if you own a PSP, if you like RPGs, or if you want to get lost in a gripping story. Like most Final Fantasy games that came before it, it has its quirks. However, this is one of those cases where you should embrace them for their originality and charm because they add something uniquely compelling to the game. The only truly disappointing aspect of Crisis Core is reaching the end, because Gaia is a world you want to stay in, populated with extraordinary characters who will move you.

By Kevin VanOrd, GameSpot

~HAPPY GAMING~

Gaiaonline

Gaiaonline is a website where people all over the world can come and hang out. The site was made mostly to entertain the younger teen age group. Although there are some adults on the site it is still a great hang out site. On Gaiaonline you get an avatar either male or female (you pick at registration). The object is to gain gold so you can buy cool stuff and make your avatar the greatest. There are "arenas" in which you can enter your avatar, art, or house. Here you can win a little bit of gold for winning in the arenas. Every month you have the option of buying a monthly collectible. The monthly collectible can be bought on the first of each month, but you only get a sealed envelope. On the 15th of each month the sealed envelope for that month can be opened. Sometimes the envelope contains 2 cool items sometimes 3 so it would be a good idea to get more than one ach month. There is a lot of cool stuff to do on Gaiaonline... Please check it out http://www.gaiaonline.com add me on there -MDR- Rea DLore :)

~HAPPY GAMING~

Kingdom Hearts

OMFG, I am sooooo mad at Chain of Memories..... I can't beat Hades. Like I get him down to almost no life and he freaking kills me..... I have looked on all of game FAQS sites and have tired to beat him the way it says and nothing seems to work..... Please give me some tips... I am on level 16 so like do I need to be on a higher level or something.... I am soooo tempted to break my gameboy because of this game, but I don't want to do it (YES, I KNOW I AM AN AGGRESSIVE GAMER BUT I CAN'T HELP IT) So again if you have any tips for me please comment them to me... your help is very much appreciated!!!! Oh and if you don't want to comment email me at kira423@gmail.com or misayagmai@yahoo.com..... Thanks Again.... From your fellow gamer

~HAPPY GAMING~

Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword for DS

Release Date: Mar 20, 2008
If you're in the market for an action game that wrings the most out of the Nintendo DS's visual and sonic capabilities, you need look no further than Ninja Gaiden Dragon Sword. It is possibly the most technically proficient title available for the system, brimming with superb, smooth-as-silk visuals and sword-slashing sound effects that make the action practically spring off the screen. It's impossible to imagine how Dragon Sword could have better captured the overall look, feel, and flow of the console games, from protagonist Ryu Hyabusa's midair acrobatics to the dramatic Eastern-hued soundtrack. And while it may have its problems, the gameplay does a pretty good job of keeping up, matching most of this brilliance with a compelling adventure and stirring, combo-stringing stunts that are thick with thrills and kills.
(GAMESPOT.COM)

Halo 3

Ok,ok,ok It's time to talk about the number one game of 2007 Wooo Hoooo. Halo 3, xbox's most famous game, was released September 25, 2007. "Halo 3 builds upon the concepts of Halo 2 in ways that you'd expect, but there are also new modes and options that send the series in exciting new directions." says gamespot.com. Halo 3 is still one of the most talked about games still even in 2008. I own the game, but sadly I cannot play it online. When I actually get Xbox Live I will put my name on here so if any fellow gamers want to play and beat my ass then yeah that would be cool ^.^ Halo 3 like all games has it little glitches. I was playing with my Step-dad the other day and I was trying to hide and I ended up in a wall. It was pretty cool cause he couldn't find me and I could still throw grenades and shoot at him. So I was killing him left and right. Well I kept trying to find a way out of the wall, and I ended up having to blow myself up to get out. Yeah pretty funny story. Anyway, Halo 3 is as gamespot.com says is built off of Halo 2 the game pretty much seems the same except all the new add-ons. I am a proud owner of all 3 Halo games. I also have the Halo edition Xbox. So yeah I am a big Halo fan..... but shhhh don't tell anyone hehehe. Well I just wanted to get Halo outta my system so yeah.... Until next time.... ~Happy Gaming~

Eternal Sonata

The Good:
+Wonderful Graphics
+Great Soundtrack
+Unique Storyline
+Switchable between English and Japanese in the Options-Menu (even in the PAL-Version!)
+Fast Paced Combat...

The Bad:
-...which is almost too fast-paced
-with 25h a bit too short

First off,If you don´t like Action-based Fighting-Systems you should give it a try.Even if you are no Fan of the "Tales of" or "Star Ocean"-Series you should take a look.I play RPGs for a looooong time and this one is a RPG I will surely remember for a long time.

The Graphics:
Well...this looks exactly what I expected from a Cell-Shading-Game.The whole game looks like a dream-world and that´s what it was supposed to be.The Character-acting in the cutscenes is awesome,and the game runs smooth all the time.

The Sound:
The Music is great!I really love the Soundtrack.It fits perfect and really supports the Atmosphere.In some Cutscenes you even hear Chopin´s works.You can switch between English and Japanese Voices in the Options-Menu,which are both great spoken...What you want more?

The Gameplay:
The Game itself is totally straight forward and filled with cut scenes around every corner.But the dungeons itself are very entertaining and the difficulty could be a problem for beginners at the start of the game.I had no problems,but a friend of mine was complaining.There´s a Bonus-Dungeon later who´s really challenging.
Since the Fighting-System doesn't include magic in a traditional meaning,it could get a bit too hectical and fast-paced,but when the Team-Lv goes up the rules of fighting are always written new and keep the whole thing interesting until the end and you won´t really miss it.
The Storyline is interesting until the end and keeps you watching all those cut scenes until the end,even if there are some who could be shorter.
Great thing that jokes doesn't come too short,a thing I miss in most RPGs the last years.Plus you learn a bit about Chopin and see a lot of wonderful pictures of the places he has been :-)

Too bad it´s only 20-30h long,but after all you have a "New Game+" which keeps some items and Team-Lv and you need to finish it twice to get all achievement's.

So...:
This is a great RPG,who let´s you take place in Story in a unique and wonderful made dreamworld.Even if it got it´s shortcomings,I didn´t really see them a really bad while playing and so I think it´s a RPG no Fan should miss.Eternal Sonata manages to be unique without re-inventing something really new or screw up.I don´t think you will see a comparable game soon.

RF Online

As full as the market is for massively multiplayer online role-playing games, it seems that there are always plenty of people who are looking for something new. At least, that's what Codemasters is hoping for with its first foray into the world of massively multiplayer games, Rising Force Online. Although the game is your standard MMOG for the most part, it has one significantly unique design element that sets it apart from the crowd.

RF Online is a sci-fi themed massively multiplayer role-playing game that you can play for the price of $50 for the game and $15 a month. It takes place in the galaxy of Novus, where a perpetual war wages between three playable factions: the industrious Bellatos, the mystical Corites, and the mechanical Accretians. The three factions fight for control of the Crag mine core, which produces rich ores that provide economic sustenance. The problem is that there's an epic beast, known as the Holystone Keeper, guarding the mine core at all times. The Holystone Keeper can't be killed, and he will instantly destroy anyone who approaches the mine core. Luckily, the monster can be temporarily fooled into befriending one particular race, depending on the outcome of the most recent chip war.

Eudemons Online

Eudemons Online is a MMORPG as I mentioned in my last post. Eudemons Online is kind of like Runescape only you have to download the game. It is a great RPG for older teens. Eudemons online comes with an autopatch which automatically puts you through to the online game. I am currently still reviewing the game so I don't have much info on it yet for more information on the game visit http://eo.91.com/ It is a really great game and I know you won't be disappointed.

Blue Dragon

Yes! Finally my Xbox 360 is out of the "shop" I can get back to my gaming. I just got a new game called Blue Dragon. Blue Dragon is one of those games that you either love it or you hate it. It was made by the creators of Final Fantasy so yeah it is turn-based. I have had this game for two weeks and I am almost half way through the walk through manual. The game has five disks due to so many cut scenes. It is a very, hmmm... How do you say addictive game. Unlike other turn-based games, as you get more characters you don't have to dismiss one to use another. You can use all the characters at once. I am currently running from laser beams and enemies in a desert. For those of you that have played it you know what I mean when I say "chibi". When I got the game I thought the graphics were going to be killer, but I guess I was wrong. The characters are short and a little stubby, but it makes it all the cuter. I am working on a MMORPG called Eudemons Online at the moment, and I will keep an Up-to-Date on that as well.

Screen shots Of Eudemons Online

~Happy Gaming~