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vindemon64's Blog

September 6th, 2008
*Spoilers ahead*

I just finished up the main story in Tales of Vesperia a few minutes ago, and while the story was a great ride and was fun to play, I can't help but to feel that the story is sorely inferior to the other Tales games in the series, specifically Abyss, Symphonia and to some extent, even Phantasia.

First of, I feel like the game was much shorter in length than others. I was able to finish up the story in about 50 hours and I could credit 10 of those hours to simply wandering around, exploring the world and doing some side quests here and there. Not to mention doing some leveling up, of course. But that's not a big deal. 40 hours is still a long game and I really don't have a problem with it. Its just something I wanted to point out to see if anyone else experienced that. Though there is an achievement if you beat the game under 15 hours. So I guess it is a bit shorter.

Okay, now for the story itself. My biggest problem with it was that unlike the other Tales games, there was no main antagonist. In Abyss, we had Master Van. In Symphonia, we had Mithos and in Phantasia, there was Dhaos. Vesperia did not have any main villain to associate with and hence, no develop and relationships with the main characters. I feel that was a huge problem. The first third of the game concentrated on getting the aqua blastia back and setting up some background info on the "world problem," so no villain was really need. The second third of the game had Alexei as the villain, and really, he just appeared out of nowhere with his diabolical plan to take over the world by using Estelle. What's up with that? No reason, no development, no nothing. I thought that was poor and lazy. I was even more disappointed wih the third villain, Duke. Not only do we know NOTHING about him till like the last 5 hours of the game, the reason why he opposes the main cast is rather stupid. Again, no developing relationships with the main cast and as a result, I really didn't have any real satisfaction in beating him at the end, because I felt indifferent towards him.

And the Adephagos? What the hell is that? I feel the producers just added that in so it could have a reason for the world ending. It just stayed in the sky and had no effect with anything (almost). Kind of plain.

My second major qualm with the story was the whole Yuri vs. Flynn thing. When I heard about the story, I was expecting something along the lines of both of these friends going down drastically different roads to achieve the same goal. I was happy with the first half of the game when Yuri was assassinating people left and right while Flynn was all the good guy in the Imperial Knights arresting the bad guys for the law to handle them. Then all of a sudden, boom, they stopped with that development in the story. I really felt like they could have gone MUCH further with the relationship between Yuri and Flynn with the plot and possibly have the fight against each other for a REAL reason besides practicing. Flynn was more of a afterthought in the second half of the game, which I thought was a shame because of the potential the producers could have gone with between Yuri and Flynn.

Number three has to do with Zagi. What the hell is up with him? Absolutely NOTHING to do with the plot, whatsoever. He's just....there. No more and no less. Waste of a character when they didn't do anything with him.

And Raven? Wasn't he supposed to die at the end because his heart is a blastia? They never really went into that.

I enjoyed the rest of the game pretty well. I liked the mystic artes and ample amount of customization included with the appearance of all the characters. There's a bunch of sidequests I still need to do and I'll probably end up replaying the game once because I don't think I can access the EX dungeon.

Final rating of the game: 8/10

Anyway, let me know your thoughts.
Posted by vindemon64 | 8 hours ago | 0 comments
August 9th, 2008
Anime Relations: Tales of the Abyss
Okay, I felt that I needed to post my feeling about this game somewhere and I decided to make a blog post about it.

Beware, if you are planning to play this game and not have yet finished it, SPOILERS galore.

Anyway, I had recently gotten the game - Tales of the Abyss - back in late July of '08 and for the past several weeks, have been feverishly playing this game to no ends. After about 60 hours of gameplay, I finally beat the game, barring the fact that I still have a bunch of the side quests to finish up (the Nebliim one I'm most interested).

Now, while the game really had me hooked from start to finish and everything in between was really great, I can't help but have a major letdown with the ending. I was expecting something lengthy explaining what happens with Luke and Asch. I was severely disappointed with the fact that not only was that missing, but there was absolutely NO scene in which we see some kind of romantic happening between Tear and Luke - not even one freaking hug!!!!! I mean, c'mon - you could at least show us that. Tear confessed that she loves Luke - albeit in was in her mind - but c'mon, I know her character personality was one where she did not always openly express her emotions, but gah!!! I'm sorry, I was just severely disappointed with the lack of anything between the two when it was so obviously apparent (even Jade and Guy knew what was going on), there was something more between Tear and Luke.

And who really did survive at the end? All the evidence points to Luke because of the clothing he's wearing and the fact that he is wearing his sword sheath across his back in which only a left-handed individual would be able to use it. And we know Asch was right handed. But still, why leave that little bit of uncertainty? I really hate this new trend of video games - namely rpgs - always having to have an ending that's "up in the air" or "could be deciphered in many ways." For christ's sake, give us something concrete.

Gaaah! Regardless, I had a great time playing through the game and can't wait to tackle some of the side quests.

I hope Tales of Vesperia is equally as good with a more concrete ending.
Posted by vindemon64 | 08-09-08, 3:12 PM | 0 comments
September 17th, 2007

"The Wheel of Time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend. Legend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again. In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose. The wind was not the beginning. There are neither beginnings nor endings to the turning of the Wheel of Time. But it was a beginning."
Excerpt from "The Wheel of Times" Series

It's amazing how this very paragraph has affected my life so much. Today, regrettably, I had been informed by an amazing friend - Ria - that an another amazing person/writer had finally succumbed to his sickness and pased away earlier today. To this very moment in time, I'm still stunned and am at a complete loss of words of what my feelings are right now.

May the Light shine upon you Robert Jordan and let the Fires of Heaven opens its loving embrance to you, where you may finally rest after a long battle here on Earth, our Dragon.  

Your books were nothing short of a masterpiece and I, like many others around the world, have enjoyed them immensely and also have taken many lessons from the hidden meanings you have implanted into them.

Posted by vindemon64 | 09-17-07, 8:50 PM | 1 comments
August 2nd, 2007
Anime Relations: Death Note

Okay, so I will admit it, I'm terribly slow when it comes to Death Note, but I finally finished the series. I just had started watching it a few weeks ago.

Everyone probably already has discussed the ending to no avail when it was done many weeks ago, but I just wanted to put my two cents in. Light should have won at the end. It's kind of pathetic that they made his loss simply because of the little mistake on Misaki's part in going against Light's orders and trying to kill Takada. Light had it all planned out and knew how it was going to occur. Truthfully, his mind really triumphed over Near + Mello combined, but I guess you can also make the argument that Light's mind wasn't able to predict the mistake by Misaki. Oh well. And what's up with making the replica of the notebook in one night? That reasoning also looked a bit forced by the producers just so Light could be proven wrong. Well, whatever. It was a fun ride. This anime should have ended at episode 26 anyway with L's death. Everything after, though good in it's own right, just wasn't on par as with the earlier episodes. Oh well...again. ^_^

Near kicks ass though. I just found it hilarious that he was playing with toys the whole time. And the little figurines he made - haha.  Btw, is it me, or can he totally pass for L's little brother.  

Posted by vindemon64 | 08-02-07, 10:23 PM | 3 comments
June 25th, 2007
Anime Relations: One Piece, Hunter x Hunter, Kaze no Stigma, Darker than BLACK

Daily Life:
Current Song: Thks Fr Th Mmrs - Fall Out Boy 

I've kind of been living life in a standstill the recent past few weeks.  With college not to occupy me anymore, that means no staying up into the wee hours of the morning and studying, but instead of watching anime.  I really don't know why I'm complaining about this, I really shouldn't.  I mean, during the academic year, I wished I didn't have work so all I could do is watch anime and play video games all day and party with friends at night. 

Now that summer has hit, I find myself that I have the ability to do that, but its not all that its cracked up to be.  Well, except spending time with friends, which unfortunately, I can't do everyday because not everyone is available.  But I do watch anime, and I have found that I have beaten all 20 of my GCN games at least twice each, which kind of defeats the purpose of playing them at the moment (hence me playing Warcraft III). 

It's funny really.  During the academic year, you can't wait for break.  During the summer days, you can't wait for you life to start back up again - for it to have a purpose really.  I guess a lot of this is me not having a job either.  Haha, I'm such a lazy bum.  Again, i really should not be complaining.  Don't know why I am.

 Haha - I'm actually writing a new all-original fantasy story that I've been brewing in my mind for the last few months.  It's actually pretty fun.  Can't wait tiill I write more chapters.  I'll post it up late when I have more material so you guys can critique it.  Thanks in advance.  


Anime Discussion:

As far as anime goes, I had previously dropped Hunter x Hunter and when I read the discussion on MAL about how amazing this anime was, I gave the show a second chance, and damn, was I glad that I did.  SUCH an amazing show.  Love Killua and Gon, they are hilarious together. 

One Piece is going to be showing fillers soon unfortunately, so I guess we won't be seeing the manga animated for some time.  

Darker than Black and Kaze no Stigma are the other two shows I'm watching.  They are actually more similar than what is shown in the surface.  But irregardless, both are still interesting shows.  Can't wait for further episodes.  

 

Posted by vindemon64 | 06-25-07, 10:39 AM | 0 comments
June 5th, 2007
Anime Relations: One Piece, D.N.Angel, Tsubasa Chronicle, Death Note, Romeo x Juliet, Darker than BLACK

Upon my recent graduation from undergraduate college, I find myself at the cusp of even higher education and pursuing my Ph.D.  For quite the number of years now, the question about what role will anime play in my future always comes and goes, but because of the free summer that I have had so far, it's really been at the forefront of my mind.

Here I am, 21 years old, and to put it simply, still watching cartoons.  As a person who loved his childhood dearly (wouldn't trade it for anything in the world), I know the value of great cartoons and every time I do hear them mentioned, it brings me back to the good ol' days.  TMNT, Looney Toones, Tom and Jerry, Animaniacs, just to name a very select few.  Everyone who grew up in the 90's knows there were what our childhood thrived upon, and seeing the classics always brings back memories.

However, I guess my question is that should I really be using the time to watch anime as much as I do now?  Especially with something as sophisticated, persay, as a Ph.D?  I have no clue.  What I do know is that when I look at myself 10 years down the road, whenever I do complete my education and have settled down and stuff, I see myself as a man with degrees, still playing video games and watching anime in his spare time.  Granted I will most likely have other, important commitments, but I simply just don't see myself giving up anime and video games, much to the dislike of my parents. 

And I realize, i'm okay with that, because anime and video games is such an integral part of my life.  They are what take me away from reality for that little while that I need to.  My stress reliever, so to speak.  Haha.

 


In other news, much has been said Death Note - about its greatness of an anime show.  And alas, I still haven't gotten around to watching it.  I guess i'm waiting for the season to be officialy over till I watch it, just so I can watch it non-stop without having to worry about how soon the next episode is going to come out.  Gaah!  Just as is the case with One Piece.  Such an amazing anime, and since I've been keeping up with the manga, I can't wait till its animated.  Should be a blast.

 

Speaking of which, its a shame Tsubasa Chronicles fell of the map after such a promising start to its first season.  I hope that season 03, if it ever is created, goes back to the true elements of the story.

PS.  Just re-watched D.N.Angel.  Darker than Black 09 to come out this week (yay).  Maybe i'll check out Romeo x Juliet.  People here have given it pretty good reviews.

Till next time.... 

 

Posted by vindemon64 | 06-05-07, 3:18 PM | 2 comments
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