FFXIII Update

I'm into disc 2 now.
I gotta say that the game is losing it's sparkle for me and I'm wondering if I'll make it all the way through the game.
One of the biggest problems I have with FFXIII is the lack of an overworld.
Now, I know that it's not a requisite for a good game, but FFXIII kind of eliminates the whole exploration scheme that I've found in all the other games that I've enjoyed.
I can't go back and explore the locations I've visited in the past, everything seems kind of "mission-based" as in Halo or almost even Time Crisis!
This sort of linear gameplay really sucks the life out of me and just wipes me out.
In fact, this game is sort of becoming a hassle for me.
The plot is okay, but it has a really slow progression that kind of bugs me and there have been no twists or shocking reveals yet.
The battle system is kind of good, actually I think that may be what has kept me for so long, but it's not good enough to base a game off of, and you can even autobattle for goodness sake!
I'm really missing the glory days of the first Final Fantasy I've ever beat, FFII.
THAT was a great game.
It didn't try to be epic with it's story, but it was.
It even had that rebellion theme I love so much.
And the level system?
Wonderful!  I could replay that game over and over again coming up with new roles to play!
I'll try and finish this game up but I'm making no promises.

Final Fantasy XIII

I just got Final Fantasy XIII (360) in the mail from GameFly last night and started playing.  The first thing that struck me was the fact that it was a 3 disc set.  3 discs for a 360 game, it got me wondering what kind of adventure I would be getting myself into.  The game began with a great action sequence and the depiction of a world in danger.  Lightning reminds me a lot of Cloud from FFVII.  She's a former soldier (as opposed to SOLDIER) she has a cool sword (though hers is more like Squall's from FFVIII since it's apparently a gunblade) and her first scene is on a train.  Sazh, however, is not at all like the big bad black Barret from FFVII, that role probably goes more to Snow, who also seems like a mixture of Tidus from FFX for whatever reason.  Sazh does add comic relief as Barret often did, maybe there is some racist element that Square is hiding from us, some kind of blaxploitation perhaps? Just kidding! Square don't strike me down for that one.  Hope and Vanille are pretty cute kids too, Vanille having a happy exterior to hide her fear, and Hope having difficulty telling Snow that his mother was the woman who died.

All the main characters I've met so far are quite relatable and familiar.  This isn't a game that will spawn an army of Cloud cosplayers and hardly any other fans, but I can see people being interested in all the main characters.

This is just my impression from the first couple hours of playing, but I think this game will be great.
I'm going to keep updated on this game and try and keep the spoilers to a minimum, but I won't make any promises.

Love you guys!

Dragon Age

Any of you guys play the new Dragon Age?
I've only played the 1st one, not even the expansion.
I never got into it that much, but the newer one looks more exciting since it seems more actiony.
Not sure why I couldn't stick with DA:O, but I'm giving it another try before I play DA2.
I want to be immersed in the universe already (again) before I start the new game.
I heard that the game left some hardcore fans with a bad taste in their mouths, but I'm more of a casual player so that's not that big of a deal.
If you've played it, what did you like and/or dislike about the game?
What's different?
I know they removed the origin stories completely, and that some character stuff is disabled.
How is the plot?
Please let me know before I buy it what I should expect.
I want to play it, so I might just rent it from GameFly if it's not that good.
Thanks!

Dragon Ball Z

Hey guys.
Any of you guys DBZ fans?
I am, and I used to be shy about that.
It's not the most intricate anime, nor is it the most creative, but it really has great passion.
Plus, the epicness of the whole thing is awesome.  I really like the characters as well, they are both relateable and heroic.  The humor is also pretty good.
If you like any battle anime, you should probably like DBZ, it's a staple.

Plus!
DBZ has GREAT games.  The Legacy of Goku series was quite good in my opinion, the 2nd one being my favorite (Cell was my favorite saga, though Janemba is my favorite villain)
Budokai and Tenkaichi are great games as well, I've spent hours playing those with friends.
They have that casual nature that the SSB series has, but there is still an amount of skill that goes into it.

Any of you guys have input?

Music You Forgot You Loved

Last night for some reason or another, I remembered one of my favorite bands, Coheed and Cambria.  Last year, there was about a month during which listened to their music non-stop.  So last night I found my copies of their songs, and started listening again.  I guess what I like about them is that prog-styled sound that accompanies their theatrical themes.  I also really like The Mars Volta, with whom I have a similar relationship (I had forgotten about them once, but quickly jumped back).

I wonder if this kind of fandom is normal?  Have any of you gone through the same kind of thing?
I do this with video games, books, and manga as well.
Reliving your favorites is pretty nostalgic, but even when things are new, I'll lose attention and discover something new.  I love my favorites.

Bakuman Update!

Thank you to everyone who regarded my health, I'm better now.
Let's get down to business (to defeat the Huns).

So I've gotten caught up with Bakuman.
Maybe it's because I still haven't lost that original excitement I had when I first discovered the series, but I realy really enjoy it so far.
The most recently translated chapter is part of an arc that reveals a true nemesis for Ashirogi Muto.
I hope that he remains a long-running nemesis, because I think that some great psych warfare could play through this match-up, some that could even rival the L and Kira match-up.
Besides, since the hero is the good guy this time around, I don't feel as bad cheering for him. I want these two to use some awesome tricks and reveals.  I think that kind of thing is what make Ohba and Obata truly great as mangaka, their ability to interweave a story.
Throw in a couple gambit moves and we'll have a truly successful showdown as a result.

Side note: Since gambits and psychologically strategic warfare are so popular in entertainment and literature, do you think something like that (if not EXACTLY like that) could be implemented well in a video game?
I think the challenge would be making it interesting yet simple.  Bakuman truly does help with brainstorming, I think.  It is characterized quite well in the series.

Until next time!

Sick

I just recently woke up.
I was at home sick today, no school for me.
My appetite's pretty bad too, but talking about how sick I am would make for a really boring blog entry.
So I'm going to talk about games, as usual.
I recently received Naruto: The Broken Bond in the mail (GameFly is really amazing isn't it?)
So I was playing it, and I haven't gotten too far but I think it's a pretty decent game.
The only issue I have are some of the cut-scenes.
The cut-scenes often have little mini-games in them to complete so you can progress, but the games sometimes have a high difficulty that stops you from progressing. (Maybe I'm just not a skilled gamer or something)
I'm not sure if turning down the difficulty would make the mini-games easier, but I really don't want to turn down the difficulty for something as trivial as a mini-game, especially when the rest of the game is pretty easy.
Besides, I don't even like turning down the difficulty of a game anyway...
The other game I got in the mail was Red Dead Redemption, which I've heard lot's of good things about, but I haven't played it yet.
Some good game suggestions would really be helpful; I want to be in the industry after all is said and done.
So please make some suggestions, thanks!