Lurker > LeonhartFour

Zanarkand Ruins

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True enough. DKC has plenty of exploration in terms of finding hidden stuff.

DK Coins might be my favorite collectible ever.

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"Stay with me until the end. Please."
"Not until the end. Always."

Excellent.

And I agree that I don't really consider warp whistles to be "encouraging exploration." It just lets you "sequence break." It's not like you can go back after you use them in Mario 3 (unless you're playing the GBA version that lets you replay worlds and stuff). I don't feel like DKC is non-linear either, for the most part. You have a few levels where you have multiple paths, but those are the exception. 2-D Sonic is the only one of those I'd consider to be games that "encourage exploration."

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From: foolm0ron | #053
Play Generations
Best foolmo post ever

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Ace Attorney is allowable since it's new for westerners.

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

From: Ed Bellis | #044
Maybe I should just stick to 2D Mario.
Speaking of games that are linear and discourage exploration...!

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Ah, so it's a tech demo, basically.

Sounds like a good idea for a bundle to me then.

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

What is this Nintendo Land?

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Arriving at Zanarkand

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"I can set you free, mate."
"My freedom was forfeit long ago!"

Saying Super Mario Sunshine had a "kinda weak" final boss fight is like saying ME3 had a "somewhat controversial" endiing.

Sunshine had potential, but it went largely unfulfilled and if I were to use the term "lazy" to describe any Mario game, it would be this one.

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

pjbasis posted...

From: LeonhartFour | #356

(As an aside, I don’t want to hear anyone complain about a game like FFXIII being linear and then proclaim their love for Uncharted. These games are about as linear as it gets).

Why not?

People expect RPGs to have a certain degree of openness that action games doesn't have to have.

I don't. There are plenty of wide open action games, too. If you want to say it's a genre thing, fine, but it's weird to me to say that linearity bothers you in FFXIII while you love a game as on rails as Uncharted.

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

As someone who has actually watched an LP, it is nowhere near the same experience as actually playing the game.

I'm glad you're finally recognizing that your posts have virtually no credibility, at least. That's a start.

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

MWE getting moderated for saying something stupid

This is the topic that keeps on giving

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

I can't call Sunshine a "good" game either.

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

Have you played UC3 yet, Jeff?

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But I don't see "we've made a bad game" as an excuse to stop. You can make one bad game, and then make great games after that.

I mean, if Nintendo stopped making Mario games because Sunshine was bad, we wouldn't have the Galaxy games!

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29. Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception


I’ve noticed over the years that I’ve developed a “habit” of getting into a series at the right time. I got into Metal Gear Solid like a month before MGS3 came out, for example. In the case of the Uncharted series, I didn’t get into the series until about a year ago, and so I didn’t have to wait very long for Uncharted 3 to come out. There is certainly an epic feel to it with its set pieces, such as escaping the burning chalet and the cruise ship. The graphics are beautiful. They also explored Nathan Drake as a character much more than they had before, dealing with his motivations of why he does what he does and the truth about his background, although Naughty Dog deftly avoids giving direct answers to most of the questions raised in the game. For some people, the fact that those questions are left open is a good thing because they enjoy the “mystery” of it, but for others, it can be kind of disappointing that so many questions were asked but were never really answered. I think I lean a bit toward the latter, especially when it comes to dealing with his personal motivations because that was a big plot point, and there was no real closure there.

Anyway, the main appeal of Uncharted as a series is the set pieces, and it delivers on that for the most part in the third game (As an aside, I don’t want to hear anyone complain about a game like FFXIII being linear and then proclaim their love for Uncharted. These games are about as linear as it gets). The ship graveyard and the cruise ship are my favorite areas in the series. They’re just so good. I’ve seen a lot of people criticize their inclusion because it “makes no sense” for Nate to be there or something, but who cares when the gameplay is this great. Uncharted’s levels defy a simple explanation, at least for me, but I love the cruise ship so much. The design is really good, and the gunfight sections are challenging as well. Plus, there’s the fact that it’s raining the whole time, which as I said, makes everything better. Also, I love the scene afterward with Drake and Elena. That’s one of those instances where it’s better off with them saying less instead of outright explaining everything.

The combat in Uncharted 3 is much improved as well, especially hand to hand combat. I used melee attacks a ton in this game, although they do have a bit of a drawback. I can’t tell you how many times I got killed because I was stuck in the middle of an uncancelable melee sequence getting shot at from another enemy somewhere close by. Maybe that’s my fault for being too aggressive with hand to hand combat, but it would’ve been nice to be able to cancel out of them so you can get back behind cover before you get killed. That was probably my only really big complaint, gameplay-wise though. Everything else is pretty solid and a big step up from the second game.

However, if there’s one thing that holds Uncharted 3 back from being the best game in the series, it’s the pacing. Maybe it’s an unfair comparison because Uncharted 2 might be the most perfectly paced game I’ve ever played, but there were times the game seemed to drag a bit, particularly some of the stuff in the desert. Obviously, this isn’t a major gripe since the game still ranks pretty highly on the list, but I think it’s enough to hold it back from being the best game in the series, especially when Uncharted 2 does it so well (and yes, future list spoilers, you can expect to see UC2 at some point).

Bonus Question: What is your favorite new series of this generation?

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The problem with Apollo Justice wasn't that they were "milking the franchise."

That game has an entirely different set of problems.

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Sequels forever

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Up.

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Man, can you believe LeBron shamelessly refused to take that last shot with three Celtics in his face? Anyone who's ever played a game of pickup basketball would make that shot 100 out of 100 times, and he doesn't even try? Disgraceful.

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

Nothing today either.

Lousy sleeping a lot after mandatory overtime.

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Guess who I am!
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I don't think I asked it already, but maybe I did! I'm trying to come up with 150 questions here, so I might repeat one here or there!

Nothing today though. Lousy mandatory overtime.

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

Well, you were shouting Colette moves...!

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

Oh cool, I was just browsing the topic and LMS's POSTING SPOILERS IN ALL CAPS post got deleted.

So either I have a mod lurker reader or someone marked the post!

Hopefully the former.

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Are you playing Tales of Symphonia, Jeff?!

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Well, that's not as fun.

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"But you have been given freedom. Freedom to be...outside."
"I am lightning...the rain transformed."

Wait is the Mega Man cartoon where Mega Man X shows up on or something

Because if so I'm tuning in

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Yes, I've enjoyed our alternate spelling discussion so much I made a separate topic about it.

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LOL

oh wait you're serious

let me laugh harder

LOLOLOLOLOLO

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"But you have been given freedom. Freedom to be...outside."
"I am lightning...the rain transformed."

I like the cut of your jib.

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

Also, Lopen and I should form a club representing our mutual agreement of refusing to use alternate dumb name spellings.

It could be like Club Proto X-Death

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did someone say something about Lopen playing FFX-2

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It might just be tolerance!

Like I mentioned before, I didn't find Genis or Colette as offensive in Tales of Symphonia as I used to when I replayed the game a couple months ago.

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29. Protoman (Mega Man)
Quote: “Robots are machines that follow orders. I’m a machine that doesn’t, so what does that make me?”


Here’s another character I like primarily because he’s just really cool. Protoman is so cool that underneath his shades is, in fact, another pair of shades (and I’m not even joking either! There’s official art of Protoman without his helmet on, and he’s wearing another pair of sunglasses!). Also, I’m pretty weird when it comes to spelling his name. I spell it as one word because I think “Proto Man” looks dumb, but I take the opposite stance when it comes to Mega Man because I think “Megaman” looks dumb. Same with most Robot Masters. Like with most things, Protoman marches to the beat of a different drum (or the tune of a different whistle or something, I dunno).

Anyway, Protoman has a really awesome design. I love the red, the shades, the scarf, the shield, all of it. The whistle is cool, too. He has this “aura of mystery” that I like, too. He doesn’t show up often, but when he does, it’s usually in the nick of time to help out when needed or to give Mega Man some helpful advice. He also gives you his Proto Shield in MM7 if you can beat him, which is neat. I need to get MM9 and 10 one of these days so I can me some playable Protoman though.

Protoman has a pretty cool backstory, too, even if Mega Man as a whole isn’t big on plot. He was designed by Dr. Light to be completely independent and capable of making his own decisions, but there was some sort of malfunction that would eventually kill him unless corrected. However, Protoman grew to distrust Dr. Light and refused to have the problem repaired so he could maintain his independence. That’s part of the reason why he’s such a lone wolf. But refusing to have a fatal malfunction repaired so you can retain what makes you unique among your kind? What a boss. So cool.

I also did like Protoman a lot in the old Mega Man cartoon, even if he plays a completely different role in it. But he trolls Mega Man so hard, it’s hilarious. The voice definitely helps that trolling persona, too. “Ha, I knew you’d risk yourself for Mr. Lincoln!” So good. It’s kinda weird liking a character for two totally different reasons because, name and design aside, they might as well be separate characters, but hey, Protoman’s cool enough to pull that off.

Bonus Question: Which video game character has your favorite design?

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Mario 3-D Land is on my short list of 3DS games to get when I actually get a 3DS.

And yeah, Special Road is awesome, even Tubular.

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Whoo, ordered Clone Saga part 1

Man, having these comic series in one convenient bundle is nice.

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Super Mario Galaxy 2 spoilers below

Although it's only a spoiler if you don't want to know what you get for collecting all the stars in the game! If you don't care about that, then read on!

30. Super Mario Galaxy 2 – Grandmaster Galaxy


As many of you know, I am not a completionist when it comes to video games. If you want me to do everything your game has to offer, you had better make it enjoyable, and the payoff needs to be worth the effort. Super Mario Galaxy 2 provides a good example of how to do it right. This game features 240 stars across all of its worlds, twice as many as any other 3-D Mario game. After you’ve collected 120 normal stars, the game spreads 120 more Green Stars across the worlds for you to collect. These Green Stars don’t make up new levels, but rather are strewn about in currently existing levels in often difficult to reach places. I remember a few where you pretty much had to triple jump and spin in order to reach them, and they were located in those areas with the platforms that shift every time you spin, so it was pretty tricky.

Anyway, this isn’t about the Green Stars. I’m just setting the stage for the real story. Once you manage to collect all 120 normal stars and all 120 Green Stars, you unlock the final galaxy, the Grandmaster Galaxy. This galaxy puts a great many of your Mario Galaxy skills to the test. The link I provided tells the tale a lot better than I could describe it myself. But as a lover of platformers, this level is excellently designed, provides a good challenge, and is a proper reward for collecting all of the stars throughout the game. It took me quite a few tries to beat this level, but it was so much fun.

But that wasn’t all! In every galaxy, the game throws a “special” challenge at you, which varies from galaxy to galaxy. In some, it’s “Collect the star within the time limit,” while in others, enemies move much faster. Well, the Grandmaster Galaxy decided to throw down the gauntlet and make it so that you only have one thing of health. That’s right, one hit and you’re dead, and there are no checkpoints, so you start all over from the beginning. Appropriately titled “The Perfect Run,” this is the pinnacle of 3-D Mario platforming. Now I’m not saying it’s necessarily my favorite Mario level or anything, but I do like it quite a bit since it’s on this list and all. However, if you’re a fan of 3-D platforming at all, this level is for you. You’ll relish a challenge like this.

Now I’m not making myself out to be some platforming savant or anything, but this one took me quite a while to beat. I didn’t keep track of the exact number of attempts, but I remember deciding to take a break after a string of failures. Then when I came back, I beat it on the very next try. It was pretty amazing. The hardest parts of the Perfect Run for me were the part with the robot thing that shoots out the red laser rings around the platforms that shift when you spin, and then the very end with all the Hammer Bros. and the Boomerang Bros. It’s pretty crazy trying to avoid all of the projectiles, especially when you have to beat the Boomerang Bros. to advance to the end of the level, and you have hammers flying at you from offscreen (because it’s too risky to try to beat all the Hammer Bros. before you get there). But man, is it satisfying when you finally do it.

Bonus Question: What is your favorite completionist reward in a game?

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I do like sports games, yeah. Used to play stuff like NBA Jam, NFL Blitz, etc. all the time growing up.

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From: SirBinro | #004
Jake Peril has this season in the bag.
0-25 on the record, #1 in our hearts

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"I can set you free, mate."
"My freedom was forfeit long ago!"

Also, I'd like to help, but I haven't played a sports game in years.

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From: foolm0ron | #010
Sports video games? A little too niche, don't you think?
On GameFAQs, maybe.

Fortunately for him, this isn't relegated to GameFAQs.

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Ah, good, participation.

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Venus Love Chain Encircle!

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"I couldn't stand a day without a past or future. I need to live each moment to keep fighting here and now."

Whoops, a bit early. My computer's clock is like over a minute faster than GameFAQs'.

Battle with Yunalesca.

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"...GF? I...? Using my powers...It is you humans...I fear..."

Battle with Yunalesca

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My vote:

Yes, she's the best.

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Also, for the bonus question (I would've elaborated in the post, but my writeup was exactly 4096 characters, so I couldn't!), it doesn't necessarily have to be a game where you play as the bad guy for the entire game, like Bowser's Inside Story.

I'm not sure if there are even that many examples, but that was the question that came to mind!

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"There ain't no gettin' off of this train we on!"