Adventuring Through Impressions - Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition Digital Deluxe - Head Start

These impressions are based on roughly an hour's time with the latest version (as of writing) of Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition Digital Deluxe - Head Start (which is basically a beta version available to those who pre-order). Check out my thoughts after the jump!

Shin Megami Tensei IV Doesn't Do Much With Its Titular Character

Shin Megami Tensei IV is a dark, intense and atmospheric Japanese role-playing game set in two realms in a post-apocalyptic Japan (I won't spoil their names, just know that they are quite different). The occasionally fierce battles that can be waged with demons, and the tense exploration of ruined areas and surreal dungeons, reinforce the atmosphere expertly, along with the catchy yet sometimes disturbing background music.

However, the game's story fails to give the player a valid narrative reason to be doing what they are told to do in certain areas, by undermining the plot points and objectives it presents with a lack of characterization and by contradicting its earlier themes and messages.

MILD SPOILER WARNING: From here on in, this post contains opinions and information that may spoil the events of Shin Megami Tensei IV for new players or players that have not played certain routes.

Sometimes, You Need a Break From Your Adventure

Hello, fellow adventurers. I know I've been quiet for a long time. The truth is, other things - work, family, friends, and other ventures pop up. Burnout is also a factor - it can happen with any hobby or interest.

Japanese Role-Playing Games That NEED PC Ports

Disclaimer: I'm not a PC Master Race douchebag.

As of late, the PC market for JRPGs has picked up considerably, with the Final Fantasy XIII trilogy and X/X-2 HD remasters expanding it even further. However, there are still some glaring gaps in the JRPG library on PC. I will be listing a few, and giving my reasons for doing so.

1. Final Fantasy - this is probably the most obvious candidate, and yet for some reason, Square-Enix STILL hasn't gotten around to porting this milestone JRPG over to PC. Granted, it has not aged well, but that's all the more reason for a nice HD remaster in the vein of Final Fantasy IV The Complete Collection (yes, I know that's also not on PC!).
2. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King - now you may be asking, why not Dragon Quest I? Well, firstly, the Dragon Quest series is still relatively niche, and secondly, DQVIII is one of the best received and best-selling DQ titles in the entire series, so it makes too much sense for SE to bring it over, particularly as they have proven more than capable of doing HD remasters - just look at the grand job they did with FFX/FFX-2 HD Remaster!
3. Etrian Odyssey Untold: The Millennium Girl - yes, yes I KNOW, this is a dual screen game! But just think about it - the 3DS is dying a slow, drawn-out death, and Nintendo has no plans for a dual-screen successor. Where else is the series going to go? Plus, dual monitor setups are a thing, so theoretically, one screen could be devoted to the first-person view, and another, perhaps a touch screen, could be used for the map! Alternatively, the map could be relegated to a (free) phone or tablet app. Just think of all the Wizardry and Might & Magic fans chomping at the bit to play this gem!
4. Persona 5 - another obvious choice, I know, but probably the most commercially viable, due to the fact that it was released a mere four months ago, and the PS4 version probably wouldn't be a massive hassle. The sheer amount of buzz in the emulation community surrounding this game should be enough of a clue of the thirst for this game to ATLUS, who seem determined to keep their heads buried in the sand.
5. Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch - with the sequel coming out in less than a year, why not do a cheap and dirty port to keep fans' thirst temporarily sated? This JRPG has its issues, mostly with the combat, but it is still an incredibly charming and sweet game that deserves a larger audience.

So, that's my wishlist! Do you know any console-exclusive JRPGs that you would love to see PC ports for? Comment below with your thoughts!

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Sunday's Child: Gods and Religion in Games

A simple Norse village at the start of Black & White.

Hello, all you "bonnie and blithe and good and gay" Sunday's Children! Today I will be examining what I know is a sensitive topic for many - gods and religion - within the context of two video games.

Black & White - this is probably one of the more popular "god games", as it was developed by a studio that was headed by the (in)famous Peter Molyneux, one of the visionaries behind gems like Theme Hospital and Populous. This game literally casts you in the role of an all-seeing deity that aims to become more powerful by amassing worshippers, both non-believers and those of rival gods alike. You also have your very own gigantic creature, to use or abuse as you wish. This is a fairly simplistic representation of gods and religion, as no fictional or real religions are ever named in-game, and you can't, for example, set rules and punishments for your worshippers or creature to abide by. Still, the Artificial Intelligence of your creature is impressively versatile and malleable, as is the degree to which you physically shape the world that you hover over.

Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse - this is a Japanese role-playing game in which you play the "God Slayer", literally someone that can kill gods. How this happens I will leave a secret, so as not to spoil the game for anyone. Along your merry path of myth murdering, you encounter various religious sects and political groups. The three main factions are Law, Neutral, Chaos, and the Divine Powers, aka one of the main antagonists of the game, because they seek to deliver everyone's souls into a recreated universe, even though this would result in billions of deaths. Interestingly enough, you cannot actually side with the Divine Powers, although you can take what is called the Massacre route, which basically allows them to achieve their goal and positions you as the "god" of the new universe. The game comprehensively covers real world religions, mythological beings and deities from all corners of the world in a generally neutral and reasonably accurate manner. What is disappointing is that it never really delves deeply into matters of personal faith, at least not until you face the TRUE final boss. The Law faction, led by the archangel Merkabah, also gets kind of shafted in their depiction, as they are shown to be arrogant and callous, without a shred of compassion for humanity. This makes them seem like rather one-dimensional, unsympathetic enemies. The Divine Powers, especially Krishna - their leader - get a much fairer shake. Krishna is a genuinely devious and likeable antagonist with a fabulous sense of style. I mean, just look at this gorgeous son of a b***:

Hell, even the Chaos faction, led by Lucifer, are easier to sympathise with, as they stand up to the tyrannical ways of the Law faction, even if their philosophy of the strong running roughshod over the weak is somewhat questionable. However, that relatively minor complaint doesn't shadow the fact that, overall, this game will at the very least educate you about the various religions and mythologies that exist, and will hopefully inspire you to re-examine what you believe in. It is proof that religion and gods CAN be depicted within the context of the videogame in thought-provoking and challenging ways.

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Saturday's Child Works Hard for a Living: How Videogames Depict Work

Hey all you Saturday kiddos. Today I'm going to be examining how work is depicted in videogames, both on a narrative level and on a mechanical level, with two games that fall on the opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of realism and seriousness.

First, on the more light-hearted, "wacky" end of the spectrum, we have a little visual novel game called Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney, which, as you may have guessed, depicts the exploits of an evil piece of lawyer-shaped scum attorney, as he fights to prove his clients Not Guilty in every trial, and eventually moving onto the broader goal of "pursuing the truth" (as if any real lawyer gave a damn about that 😜)! Originally released in Japan as Gyakuten Saiban (lit. Turnabout Trial), this was eventually localised much later for the West, where the game's setting was changed from Japan to "Japanifornia" for some reason - something that has proven to be the cause of some very unique issues in later instalments.  Despite having some very bizarre moments, e.g. animals testifying in court, this game is a pretty decent representation of how Japan's legal system was at the time of the game's release. Some "unrealistic" gameplay elements, such as Phoenix, the titular attorney, investigating the crime scene personally - it would have been pretty dull if the entire game had taken place in the courtroom! This is a groundbreaking classic and is a must-play for any visual novel or detective fiction fan. You can buy Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy, which includes, the first game, here.
Realism score: six "Objection!"s out of ten



On the more serious and "gritty" end of the spectrum, we have Papers, Please, a puzzle game which casts you as a border crossing immigration offer in the fictional, dystopian country of Arstotzka, which has a politically hostile relationship with other countries. Your job is to carefully review every single immigrant and returning citizen's passports and supporting documentation against a list of rules that steadily grows as you progress through the game. You will be faced with difficult decisions, such as whether or not to let someone with falsified documents through so they can reunite with your family, and jeopardise your job in the process, or detain them and thereby contribute to their suffering. This game is not easy by any means; it is very easy to mess up and end up getting "fired" through too many mistakes or by deliberately allowing too many people with falsified documentation through. This game is recommended for people with a high tolerance for frustration and a desire to see the darker side of humanity and life. You can buy Papers, Please here.
Realism score: 8 detained immigrants out of ten

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Interview with Zero no Kiseki Fan Translators

I was lucky enough to secure an interview with the very passionate and talented people who are unofficially translating Zero no Kiseki, aka Trails to Zero (not confirmed to be the final translated name).

1. Have you guys brought this fan translation up with Falcom? And if so, what is Falcom's stance on the matter?
Zerker: I don't think we have?

Gu4n: Nope, we haven’t. There isn’t really any reason to.

Zerker: Either way, Falcom has been fine with fan translation projects in the past, so I'm sure this is no different.

2. Any challenges unique to this translating this game?
JoseJL: Getting Aerial to run at a proper framerate.

Gu4n: (laughs) How long did that take again?

JoseJL: 3 weeks. Sure, not full time, but still 3 weeks...

Zerker: There are always a few barriers to get over. For example, the format of the spreadsheet we use to edit can be confusing at times. Occasionally, conversations will jump around the sheet and you have to figure out what piece of dialogue connects with what.

Gu4n: Yup. For example, dialogues that are part of the story are in the bottom half of each sheet. And within that half, the dialogues are chronologically sorted from the last chapter down to the first. It might seem counter-productive, but it’s actually more helpful to start at the bottom of a sheet and work our way up than the other way around.

Zerker: As for the game itself, the scope of the project was a little daunting at first. There's so many different NPCs walking around Crossbell City and we have to try to flesh out every one. But hey, that's a huge reason why so many people love this series. Another challenge, for me personally, is sometimes editing the younger characters. Getting that kiddy way of speaking is a bit challenging to get down-pat for some of them.

Gu4n: We each have our own forte. Zerker, for example, nails the enthusiasm of Crossbell News Service reporter Grace Lynn or the bonding moments between Lloyd and Elie. I prefer Randy’s quips or Tio’s deadpan jokes. Sergei, their chief, has this laissez-faire attitude I can also appreciate. Oh, and I love working on ace detective Dudley as well.

Zerker: Last challenge that comes to mind is trying to keep it consistent with XSeed's writing style. It's mainly grammatical issues, but it's also how they write certain words, like "y'know" and "heehee", just to give a few examples. I've been keeping my eye out for how things are written while replaying Trails of Cold Steel on PC actually!

Gu4n: Second that. Whenever I’m working on the script, I always have XSEED’s scripts open as well to ensure consistency between the games. Since they have consistenly localised Müller as Mueller, we’re following suit with Sonya Baelz (Bälz) and Joachim Guenter (Günter), for example.

3. Do you believe this game will ever see an official localisation, and why/why not?
Gu4n: Pretty much everything gets localised these days, so I’m sure this will be brought over sooner or later as well.

Zerker: Honestly, I have no idea if it will or not. I hope it does (after we finish our project, of course), but I don't see it happening before Sen no Kiseki III is localized. Sen III seems, to me, like the most important game that people will want to localize first.

JoseJL: I think so, too.

4. Finally, sorry but I'm morally obligated to ask this (😉): any release date, even a tentative one?
Gu4n: Nope. 😊

Zerker: I won't make any promises, but I hope that we'll be able to release the final version of the project before Sen no Kiseki III drops in English. Well, that's the goal, at least.

To check out the progress of the fan translation for Zero no Kiseki, check out The Geofront, which posts occasional progress reports.

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Friday's Child is Loving and Giving: Valiant Hearts

Today, for all the "Friday's Children" out there, I will be looking at one specific game, namely, Valiant Hearts: The Great War, and how it depicts love and self-sacrifice in various forms.

As the name implies, Valiant Hearts: The Great War is set during World War I, and at various points the player is put in the shoes of four characters; the Frenchman Emile, his German son-in-law Karl, American soldier Freddie, and Belgian nurse Anna.

Emile undergoes various hardships, such as seeing his entire military unit being wiped out. However, there is a silver lining, as he meets Freddie through the course of his struggles, and together they forge a strong, almost brotherly bond, in which each is willing to sacrifice their well-being and even their life for the other's sake.

Karl is separated from his wife and son early on in the game, and goes to extreme lengths, risking life and limb, to reunite with them. He also stays in touch with his wife via letters, demonstrating just how strong their love for each other is.

Freddie's love for his wife, who was killed in a German bombing raid, compels him to voluntarily join the French army in order to exact revenge on the leader of the bombing raid. However, once he finally gets his chance for his revenge, he realises that it will not bring his wife back or achieve anything else, and he spares the bombing raid leader's life.

Anna is a battlefield nurse, who goes to great lengths to help the wounded and sick, even those from the enemy's army. She also has a bone to pick with the bombing raid's leader, who captured her father, and she risks her life to rescue him.

All four characters, in their own way, are "Friday's Children" - people with great love and compassion for others; people who put themselves in harm's way even when there is no guarantee that they will be able to protect or save anyone. This game is a brilliant, touching tribute to all who served in World War I with love and kindness. I highly recommend that you buy it.

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Thursday's Child Has Far to Go: Character Development in Games

Today, for all you Thursday's Children out there, I will take a look at how "far to go" characters in certain games have, in other words, their character development.

1. Kanji from Persona 4 - At first glance, Kanji might seem like a stereotypical thug with an attitude problem. However, the game explores his insecurities that mainly revolve around his hobbies, such as sewing, which are generally perceived as feminine, as well as his attraction to Naoto before he even discovers that "he" is a "she". He slowly but surely learns to come to terms with who he is and who is he attracted to, and realises that it doesn't matter what your hobbies are or who you're attracted to, as long as you're happy and not hurting anyone. Therefore, even though Kanji is never explicitly stated to be bi or gay, he still serves a great message to LGBT people everywhere, which is, quite simply: "Be yourself - no shame, no fear."
2. Geralt from The Witcher 3 - Geralt comes across as very gruff and even cynical at first, but as the game progresses, you get to define how he develops as a character - within the limits of how he was written of course! You get to choose if you want "harsh, tough Geralt", "kind, good Geralt", or "somewhere-in-between Geralt". The best part? The game dishes out consequences for almost every single action or sentence performed on Geralt's behalf, but it never ever judges you with any kind of hackneyed morality system. This makes choice vs consequences framework feel truly organic, unlike, say, BioWare's games.
3. Estelle from The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky FC & SC - Estelle starts off as a pretty obnoxious "genki" (energetic) girl stereotype, but gradually matures into a compassionate, wise and determined young Bracer, while never treading into "Mary Sue" territory. All of her growth and accomplishments feel earned, and all of her relationships with the main cast are interesting, or at least enjoyable. Her relationship with Joshua in particular is very bittersweet at first, but they do finally get their "happily ever after" by the end of SC. You can buy the first Trails in the Sky right here.

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Wednesday's Child is Full of Woe: Depictions of Suffering in Games

I am a "Wednesday's Child". I have endured depression for the better part of my life, and therefore I am drawn to depictions of suffering.

Depicting suffering that arises from misfortune or the deaths of loved ones is a common theme in videogames. In this article I will go into four games that I feel depict suffering in sensitive and deeply moving ways.

1. To The Moon - This game is about two doctors' attempts to fulfil the last wish of a dying old man. The gorgeous piano-heavy music and the simple but evocative visuals transform an already moving story into something transcendent. I delve deeper into the game's mechanics and themes in this article. You can buy To The Moon here.
2. Persona 3 Portable - One of my favourite Persona games of all time (link contains a fairly minor late-game spoiler), mostly due to its moody, ominous atmosphere and the in-depth tackling of themes like terminal illness, family matters, suicide and apathy. You can buy Persona 3 Portable here.
3. Unrest - An unusual indie game that explores what it means to be a young girl in a society where arranged marriages are the norm, and how trying to fight against that norm can often lead to suffering many forms, e.g. social ostracisation and sexual harassment. The game also explores political upheaval and questions of faith, sometimes a little heavy-handedly, but mostly intelligently. You can buy Unrest here.
4. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd - Last but not least, a game I recently reviewed, that covers  suffering so comprehensively that it sets a new bar for other games wishing to tackle it. I mean, what aspect of suffering ISN'T covered in this game? Let me count the ways: guilt, abandonment, sexual abuse, torture, implied child prostitution, military experimentation (even on minors!), trauma - the list goes on and on. However, none of these themes EVER feel forced - they all arise naturally from the characters' backstories and they are all explored with a deep, deep sense of compassion and humanity. I applaud Falcom for daring to tread where few others would dare to, and I applaud XSEED for their absolutely brilliant localisation of what will surely be viewed as a classic, must-play Japanese role-playing game. If you loved Trails in the Sky FC and SC, do yourself the favour of buying Trails in the Sky the 3rd here. You will NOT regret it.

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Tuesday's Child: "Grace" in Japanese Games

It is said that Tuesday's child is full of grace. Therefore I will take that saying and look at how this "grace" is depicted in Japanese video games, i.e. the social and cultural etiquette and customs.

A bath house scene from Tales of Zestiria.

1. Public bathing - public baths are segregated by gender in Japan, and games such as Tales of Zestiria often play up public bathing related transgressions for laughs, with the guys in the cast almost always being the ones transgressing, i.e. sneaking a peek at the girls, often resulting in the girls going apeshit and curbstomping the guys.
2. Bowing - this is the most obvious example, and can be seen not only games like Persona 4, which revolves around a (fictional) Japanese town with a blend of rural and modern Japanese culture, but also games like The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel, which at first glance is set in a country that is based on an amalgam of Germany, Britain and other European countries, but also has the main protagonists (students) all doing things like rising and bowing at the end of each class.
3. The power of friendship/bonds - trying to go it alone is seen as big no-no in Japanese culture, and this is exemplified in many JRPGs, such as Final Fantasy XV, in which Prompto, Ignis, Gladiolus and Noctis all share an extremely close, brotherly bond with one another, despite not actually being related by blood.
4. Praying for good fortune - it is considered polite in Japanese culture to pray for someone's good fortune and even tell them that you will do so - not necessarily praying to any particular god or for anyone of a particular faith though. This custom often pops up in visual novels such as Cherry Tree High Comedy Club.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky the 3rd - Spoiler-free Review

Although Joshua and Estelle's story came to a satisfying conclusion in SC, this game effortlessly continues their stories, as well as delving deeper into the stories of Kevin Graham and Ries Argent. It also explores matters of faith, love and regret with a delicacy rarely seen in the realm of games.

💌 I loved:

• The music - some of the best tunes in the Trails series can be found right here, including Cry for Me, Cry for You, and the title screen theme.
• The characters - Kevin is love, Kevin is life. Oh, and Anelace is cool too I guess.
• The combat - this aspect is the most refined and arguably the most challenging out of all the TiTS games, although the turn effects can feel a little unfairly weighted towards your enemies' advantage, even on Easy.
• The story, which has some genuine tears-inducing moments in Renne's Moon Door (not a spoiler!) and the various amusing little moments of banter between your party members, e.g. Olivier and his pervy creeper ways! The party members' and NPCs' constant banging on about the goddess Aidios and how wonderful she is do get a bit grating though - the only people that seem to have any sort of criticism or issue with the church are the villains! What gives?

😕I was ambivalent about:

• The reused areas from FC & SC - although these are justified by the narrative, it can be a little dull to trek through so many dungeons from previous games, particularly when the developers apparently couldn't be bothered to do anything more than reverse the map or add a few glowing barriers. At least these areas don't overstay their welcome (for the most part), and there are a couple of new dungeons, albeit basic ones.

💩I disliked:

• Not being able to change the difficulty mid-game - why tho Falcom? I can understand this sort of nonsense in MMORPGs and other online games, but in a single player game? No. Just no. This is exactly why I stick with Easy mode in all Trails games.
• The overly random nature of the fishing and gambling mini-games - because screw you fishing lady and Gambler Jack. None of them are required to beat the main story though, and they're actually pretty fun when RNGesus isn't screwing you over.

OVERALL: A must-play JRPG for those that liked or even loved TiTS FC & SC, and a shining example of how to do a moving, thoughtful narrative right.

You can buy this game from GOG! Do eet!