Say goodbye to Sigourney Weaver

I am aware that it is way too early to wish you all many happy returns, but I could not waste the opportunity with my last use of the Third Phase’s theme word. So there you go. On to the Mailbag. Because that is what we are doing this week.

Julian ‘SiliconNooB’ Taylor asks: LOL, are we reviving Q&A?

Yes. LOL.

Andrew ‘Mel’ Melcon asks: What’s 1 + 1?

Shut up, Mel.

Matt Dance asks: What, if anything, do you think of Fire Emblem Awakening and Bravely Default?

It is pretty cute that Matt seems to assume here that I am capable of not having an opinion on something. Matt, I am a 27-year-old white male who likes video games. I hope that clears that up. Moving on to the actual question:

I downloaded Fire Emblem Awakening on the day of, hoping that it would finally be the title to get me into the series. I have tried with a few different versions, mostly because my brother is obsessed with the series, and played the Game Boy Advance versions until I became convinced he could beat them with his eyes closed. I played Awakening with some interest for a few days, but I have to conclude that I just do not like the genre. I have given honest attempts at Final Fantasy Tactics, Disgaea, Valkyria Chronicles, and as mentioned, a number of Fire Emblem entries, but while they have all gained my respect, they cannot seem to hold my interest. Maybe on some fateful day, all the correct stars will allign to make me finally “get” it, but as of now, I cannot get excited for turn-based strategy games.

As for Bravely Default, I was extremely excited when it was first announced, largely because of how much I adore the first half of 4 Heroes of Light, but now I am essentially just waiting to see what happens when it is released here. I will be very interested in reading reviews. Not so much for the scores – the mainstream and I appear to have different tastes – but because I have a lot of interest in what focus the game will take. I am worried that everything that was exciting about 4 Heroes – no hand-holding, real satisfaction for exploration, trusting the initiative of the seasoned gamer – will be watered down, rendering the need for such a series unnecessary. We will see.

Andrew ‘Mel’ Melcon asks: Why does bread go moldy?

Shut up, Mel.

It has been too long since a StarCraft screenshot graced an article on this website.

Andrew ‘Mel’ Melcon asks: What happened to PC “expansions” as the console DLC market has slowly encroached on the PC business model?

See, dear LusiCreepers, what is happening here? A lack of questions has forced me to post all of Mel’s questions! And even when there is a real question like this one, I have no real answer for it. StarCraft II is the only PC game I play, and I do not even think I have played it this year. Also, StarCraft will always have expansions because Blizzard.

And do not tell me that maybe if I made a more concrete model for when and how I would answer questions, then I would probably have more questions, because I refuse to listen to reason. Refuse!

Ethan ‘Ethos’ Pipher asks: Why are you just playing Etrian Odyssey IV again?

IT IS AWESOME, OKAY?!?! Honestly, it has the potential to be one of my favourite games of all time. But in other news, I played some more Black Flag last night, and to be honest, the amount of text and supporting content is pretty staggering. It seems apparent that Ubisoft is starting to wax nostalgic about the series. The present day missions taking place in an avatar for the studio’s Montreal office have given them freedom to really go down the rabbit hole of self-referential content. I have not completed the game, but it is even starting to feel like they are trying to use the templars as a device to vent frustrations at the necessity to make all their games have mass appeal in order to be profitable. Abstergo in this game appears to just want to make video games, while the faceless suits continue to breathe down their necks to focus on their selfish needs. There is even an extremely thinly veiled e-mail exchange that must be an almost verbatim brainstorming session on which time period to use for the next Assassin’s Creed title. In fact, all the extra content seems to be the place where the developers shove the ideas they wish they could develop. Because Black Flag is fun and hints at thoughtful ideas, but the game definitely never embodies them. Vague underdeveloped philosophy is as far as the game goes.

While I can sympathize with such – alleged – frustrations, a better solution would be to try to make the mass-marketed game also have thematic focus. I have not yet played The Last of Us, but the consensus seems to be that it has achieved such a feat. That is not to mention Bioshock or Majora’s Mask. Therefore the statement – if it is being made – comes across as whining. Yes, the intention to create art will create friction with the need to make money, but the strongest creative voices will find a way instead of bitching about it on a massive scale.

Final Thoughts

I have none. Please contribute your thoughts on the first Mailbag Edition of Editorial Miscellany, including any hopes and dreams for the future of the column. Also please note the improved and upgraded commenting functionality on the site. More ways to sign in! The ability to follow comments! Let Lusipurr.com be part of your life every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year of every decade of every century.

Sigourney Weaver’s favourite Madonna song is Ray of Light.

As the wise, late popstar Madonna once said, “sheeeiit, Ethan, time really does fly by, right?” I could not have said it better myself, Madonna. Rest in peace.

Let us talk about gaming, shall we?

Radiant Historia

Back in the glory days of the First Phase of Editorial Miscellany, I reached out to all you lovely readers in an effort to collect thoughts on Radiant Historia. Because of the overwhelming and unified chorus of people stating that it was without a doubt the greatest game they had ever played or ever would play, I decided to order a well-priced copy from Amazon and then I promptly forgot about it.

Flash forward a few weeks when I have been exhausted on the engaging, detailed, fun, but ultimately hollow experience that is Assassin’s Creed IV. It is also a time when I need a change of pace from the satisfying but notably difficult task of trying to open up the final level in the flawed but still incredible Super Mario 3D World. Combine this with the fact that I have been feeling distinct pangs when I remember that this is the longest I have gone without playing Final Fantasy IX (a fact for which I can only blame myself and my uncanny ability to lose PSP Gos) and I realized that it has been far too long since I have played a JRPG that was not Etrian Odyssey.

So I waddled my way down to my PO Box and picked up the copy of Radiant Historia which I had forgotten about up until that point and plopped it in my 3DS. I am about 4 hours in, but it is the most promising start to a new handheld RPG IP since 4 Heroes of Light. I only hope that Radiant Historia does not continue to follow 4 Heroes of Light into what became something entirely antithetical to what made it exciting in the first place.

My sense is that I do not have to worry much. The battle system rides the fine balance of being slightly more involved than “mash attack to win” yet remaining swift enough to not inspire dread. And while the writing is nothing above the norm, the focus is on character and relationships while not hesitating to jump into the main time-traveling hook of the premise. Combine that with a pretty great soundtrack and I am feeling confident in my purchase.

Fun AND challenging? GET OUT!

Super Mario 3D World. The “D” Stands For “Difficult”

Granted, the main levels never get nail-bitingly difficult, but the surprising amount of post-game content (consisting of both new levels and challenging remixes) serves up a less exciting but more satisfying offering that reminds me of the truly excellent later moments in Super Mario Galaxy 2. The only downside to this is the fact that the multiplayer starts to show its seams. On one hand, having another person to pick up the slack is a big relief, but on the other hand it exposes that while the game is more polished than most AAA content, it could have done with another six months of Nintendo-style obsessive fine-tuning.

I understand the need for the camera to never pull too far back in order to keep the levels visible, but Galaxy 2 was supported by section-specific camera work that really enhanced the playability. Super Mario 3D World seems to occasionally forget that it is intended to be played by more than one person, which is especially strange considering that some of its greatest elements are drawn from outstanding couch co-op. The biggest gripe in addition to the camera is how the action button and the “pick up your ally” button are the same, even on the more button-heavy controllers. This leads to far too many deaths that are of no fault of the player.

These flaws are notable, but so is the impeccable level-design and ramping challenge of the end-game.

Q&A? More Like Q&No Way!

I am just going to gloss right over that one.

Link Between… Something, I Think?

Oh yeah, I was playing this game too. I got up to right before the final dungeon and just stopped. The game is awesome, so I am not really sure what the reason is. Maybe I am coded to self-destruct when I complete a 2D Zelda game and my failsafe is kicking in.

Final Thoughts

This has certainly been the sort of scattered week that befits an Editorial Miscellany. Remember to keep gaming and to keep talking about gaming. And THAT is how to incoherently throw together a patchwork of thoughts in a failed effort to create something barely resembling an editorial, Gyme Peggle!

Sigourney Weaver played A Link Between Worlds to train for her iconic role in Alien.

Wow! It is a new week! It can hardly be believed. Time moves forward (or sideways, or up, or outward, or inward) and we are presented with what we like to call a new day. A new week. Soon to be a new month. I would call these designations pointless and arbitrary, but I do not fully believe that to be the case. Just because something is made up does not mean it is pointless. Somebody made up my favourite books and movies and music and video games, but they have all had a profound impact on me.

Sometimes all it takes is something as contrived as New Years to get a feeling of a fresh start, or Christmas to remember to love people, or to visit tradition as a reminder of what made us who we are in the first place.

Nintendo has relied on tradition for the majority of their time as a gaming company. On one hand, it does not let the developer forget about their dedication to what tends to arguably be the most satisfying and fine-tuned gameplay mechanics in the industry and it also allows their flagship series to maintain an impressive sense of cohesion, familiarity, and comfort. On the other hand, an over-reliance on tradition also breeds stagnation, predictability, and an unhealthy ignorance of leaps forward made by other companies.

With the release of A Link Between Worlds and Super Mario 3D World one gets the sense that Nintendo got tradition right this time. Instead of painting by the numbers, Nintendo has looked back into its history and realized what made their games so unforgettable in the first place, choosing to attempt to recreate that magic instead of just impressively imitating it. Well, there is a fair dose of imitation as well, but it is overwhelmed by the sense of renewed inspiration for good ol’ Ninty, and it could not come at a more crucial time.

I Suppose I Should Have Started The Subheadings By Now

Sorry, I did not expect that intro to go on for so long, but 3D World and LBW are very exciting games.

I didn’t even mention the cat suit! Truly a new classic.

Let Us Start With Mario

Super Mario 3D World feels like Nintendo finally understanding its own place in the hearts of modern gamers. It satisfies all of its own stringent requirements for bringing new young gamers into the fold, but it combines ideas from Super Mario Galaxy and NSMB multiplayer in a way that suggests that Nintendo understands the most fun and frustrating parts of both those games and adjusted accordingly. Then, after that solid groundwork, it feels like the result created a flurry of inspiration that caused new ideas to keep pouring in.

Creative level design is not particularly new for Nintendo, as Super Mario Galaxy 2 proves, but 3D World reinvigorates gameplay with nonstop ideas, power-ups, and ways to make couch co-op exciting and nearly integral to get the most out of the game. The game is fun and exciting in addition to being solid and satisfying to play. It might be minor compared to other companies, but Nintendo’s willingness to change up the formula is palpable. In fact, it seems strange that the game initially appears to follow the traditional pattern of its overworld (grass, desert, etc), because the levels themselves only appear to have a passing interest in the theme.

I enjoyed Super Mario 3D Land quite a bit, but 3D World is a more distinct sign that Nintendo is willing and able to take its tried and true gameplay style in a refreshing new direction. Now if it could just fix its multiplayer camera and make it such that players do not pick up their allies accidentally, we would really be talking.

So much familiar, so much new.

Dude. A Link Between Worlds

I have not kept it a secret that while I really enjoy A Link to the Past, I have rarely progressed past the first five hours. It has still been enough to instill a sense of nostalgia for some musical, visual, and gameplay elements, but it has largely been a footnote in my not-so-hidden love that tends to focus on the more recent Zelda titles.

Link Between Worlds might be the game that will make me finally go back and beat LttP. It is the strongest case for looking backward to move forward. It is proof that old gameplay is not dated gameplay, and that perhaps the Link to the Past style of Zelda games died too soon despite the continued excellence of the new style. This is not a paint-by-numbers Zelda although so much will be extremely familiar. It would be easy to phone in a game like that, but it is obvious that Nintendo was inspired by visiting a style that they have not in nearly 20 years.

I love the cinematic emotional stories of recent Zelda games, but there is a distinct charm to a game that will say less and let exploring tell the story. Link Between Worlds essentially gives the player the map and says “go nuts”. There is still structure and a linear story, but the freedom the game gives to the player so quickly is truly exciting. It seems as though Nintendo is not only reminding us of why Link to the Past remains such a popular title, but also reminding themselves. Modern Zelda director Eiji Aonuma has spoken about his excitement and re-invigoration with the series, and I cannot wait to see how Link Between Worlds informs the direction of the next console title.

Final Thoughts

Still no Q&A! But can you blame me? Nintendo released two of its most exciting titles in years on the same day, so fuck all of you. Have you guys tried these titles yet? The Wii U is a disaster built upon weird decision-making, but if anything can save Nintendo, it is their software, and Super Mario 3D World is a hell of a piece of software. Anyway, comments below.