Kryptic Centurion's Games > Game reviews by Kryptic Centurion

Chicken...wuss?

Posted : 6 months, 1 week ago on 14 May 2008 06:42 (A review of Final Fantasy VIII)

I eagerly awaited this title. Seriously, after the bliss injection of VII this was all I imagined. I had a wanker mate who told me this game was the story of Cid Highwind returning from his 2nd journey into space, along for the ride was the feisty and barrel breasted hottie, Tifa Lockeart. If you look carefully in the epilogue FMV of Red XIII and his cubs running toward the ruins of Midgar, you can see their spaceship crash land in da background!!! The world was no longer as it was, all their old friends were dead and the three of our lasting heroes had to salvage the world from the remnants of Meteor Monsters which plagued the dwindling population of the planet.

I later found out that he was a compulsive liar. However, this story was a drastic improvement. Take a bit of teenage angst, ice cold manners, a medusa stare, a fantastic coat and marvelous weapon; now you have our hero. Squall Leonheart was a guy with problems but luckily he was chosen over the other ingrates to be the focus of this timeless classic. His individual view on the world which was literally being torn apart by war and the moon crying was a pragmatic and fresh look on the story. He won a place in my heart because even though he doesn’t give a monkeys about who/what people are, he ends up putting his very soul on the line to save them all from despair.

His comrades were a colourful bunch but all lacking in distinctiveness. All human and half of which were annoying. From a fantasy story I expect differences in the people that follow the hero, physically and personally. I felt robbed that the characters weren’t overly lovable. Quistis was fit, Irvine was cool but they were all 2D to me. Squall was the only one who had some depth, without him the story would have suffered. His life of loneliness and abandonment was a tragic event which brought him to his knees before he could rise up as a new man in the wake of his destroyed self.

The narrative is a bit up in the air. A lot of the time you are left to wander to find out where you have to go next. Without much restriction you can get lost quite easily which can be quite frustrating for a first playthrough. The concept of time plays a massive part in the story, flashbacks are common place aswell as distortion and parallels. Sometimes you just have to sit back and think.

The battle system was quite taxing too. It limited your use of magic because it would bring down your statistics; also drawing magic from every monster/boss you faced was grueling. It brought me to my knees when I tried to get a full set because of how poor some characters were at drawing. Junction was a new system which couldn’t have worked with any other title. Unlocking GF abilities was also a plus when refining and bolstering your item supplies. However, with a massive lacking of weapon upgrades you would achieve the best weapons for characters early on if you had the right items. So even refining 99 screws would render them useless early on. However, the little things helped me rise again!

Monsters being able to level up along with you provided an extra challenge. They would literally keep up with you as you progress so everywhere would be a hardy battle to get passed. The limits were essential throughout, without them you wouldn’t find the game simple. Squall’s Renzokuken plus finisher was enough of an endgame against any beast.

Another glorious thing about this game was the locales throughout the world. Esther alone is one of the greatest cityscapes I have ever seen. It was essentially a City Continent which blitzed your visuals! Considering the history of the city, it easily falls under the Dystopian descript. Places like Fisherman’s Horizen and the Garden’s were indeed memorable but they couldn’t compete with a continent!

Even though I see this as the weakest of the Playstation One generation, it is still galaxies more superior than the other games on this console. Final Fantasy VIII manages to mix sorcery and dystopia so well that it will make any grown man ball. Try it after FFVII.

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Hold the oglop.

Posted : 7 months ago on 18 April 2008 07:26 (A review of Final Fantasy IX)

I don't know what everyones complaining about. Yes, Zidane was a cocksure and Kuja was a nancy but the game had a lot more to it than those two!

It took a step-back on the technology part compared to the other PS1 Gens but at least that provided the fantasy which we all used to yearn for as a youth.

When this game, hit the shelves. I really couldn't be asked to play it as I was working my Trident! However, once I got down to it I found it quite delightful. If you try to not take it seriously as there isn't a single bit of drama in this entire flopcomedy!

I feel that Final Fantasy 9 needed to be made. It filled that gap between the now and the then of the FF Saga. Obviously the further we go into future, we are going to want to see more advanced things. FFIX gave us that last gleaming of the games we used to know.

If a game can bring me back to a simpler time where the only thing I have to worry about is my next Dyne Bar Wasted, then have at it.

Final Fantasy IX was the last transitional step toward lesser RPGs of the modern age. If anything it was a closing chapter in the PS1 RPG Era which I will always cherish and always miss.

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I'm repelling fire of THAT magnitude.

Posted : 7 months ago on 18 April 2008 05:25 (A review of Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter + Balance of Power)

I hate flight simulators. Airplane Sim 1, Airplane Sim 2, Airplane Sim 3D. There is no difference. If you really want to fly in a plane, join the RAF or go to an airport!

This was one of my favourite games as a Tween. Before the revival of Star Wars, I managed to procure this game just after completing a very dated 'X-Wing'. However, the game did not become magnificent until this expansion.

It features updated graphics and better content. Not to mention a campaign that'll blow your tits off. All the medals you can muster.

Before every mission, I'd customise my HUD for maximum efficiency. There wasn't a ship in the galaxy that I couldn't waste. My personal favourite addition was the new movie shorts you achieved but beaten each mission.

Being able to fly all the regular and basic fighters of both the Empire and Alliance was enough for any man to chew on. Kamikaze-ing the SSD with an A-Wing was my favourite past time though.

Looks like I'll never play it again. We had fun though.

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Rape me please.

Posted : 7 months, 1 week ago on 14 April 2008 07:59 (A review of Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII)

*NOTE: THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW!*

Even though I am against the murder of Final Fantasy VII, I am still curious as to what SE are doing with ALL THAT MONEY!

My brother bought this game and once he finished it in record time, I took a dabble. You follow the story of Zack Fair, a minor character in the main mythology of 7. The story gives him a personality reminiscent of the younger generation heroes but he is in no way as annoying as Tidus or Vaan. In fact, his entire characters only flaw is the fact that he cares too much about those around him and doesn't want to give up trying.

I was wise enough when FFVII & VIII were released to not take the heroes of Cloud & Squall as literal as SE thinks their audience does. Yes, they start off as careless and taciturn legends but they grow throughout the story. But with all the latest releases we get a bunch of crybabies and womanisers who are as 2D as soul of the business.

Zack on the whole is a benevolent and decent human being which is in direct contrast to his main opposition. He doesn't need to grow as we are introduced to him near the end of his training. This is another problem with the game, it is rather short for a game that stretches over 7 years!

'LONG' STORY SHORT. After a unit of SOLDIER have gone missing, Zack is sent to investigate. Turns out that there is a First Class SOLDIER gone rogue because he has issues over how he was created. No, its not Sephiroth! It is a completely different guy who goes mental when he found out he was born in a test tube. He is also being helped by a Mad Scientist. No, it is not Hojo! Case and point.

The game is more action-orientated and manages to remove the party system from the game. The screen no longer spirals but instead you get an annoying ENTERING COMBAT MODE! thrown up on screen. You run around, dodge, block and ensue various attacks with loads of Made-Up Materia. It is quite obvious that Zack visited the guy in Corel on the Bulldozer who helps you start mining for new Materia in the Gold Edition! :|

Another thing with a prequel title is that the developers try to fit in as many links to the original as possible. For example, everything about Aeris that is significant when you first meet her is inspired by Zack's interaction with her. It literally coats the game in cheese but doing this. I wasn't a massive fan of Aeris and seeing her prostitute herself was the last straw for her popularity.

I enjoyed CC more than DC and AC though. At least the story deserved to be told in one way or another. Sephiroth WAS dead so no need for AC. Vincent Valentine IS a wanker so no need to spend time unveiling his poinltess past in DC. Zack is a genuine hero and deserved his story to be told but the fact SE managed to make the game so short it gave him no room for expansion.

The game should have started with him joining SOLDIER, not just before he becomes a First Class Member! Where is the growth, where is my heart? It is hanging on the wall along with Sgt Apone's Dog Tags and the T-Rex from JP3's snapped neck!

Please play Final Fantasy VII before you play this game. I have no other wish for anyone who wants to get into the series, DO NOT start with a watered down quel or spin-off. Start with a Core Game that actually has a massive fanbase which is trying to be corrupted by the Evil Corporation SE!

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I conquer with everything you say!

Posted : 8 months, 2 weeks ago on 8 March 2008 10:33 (A review of Command & Conquer: The First Decade)

An Amalgamation of everything Command & Conquer up to the release of Tiberium Wars was a fantastic concept for the modern age!

Most of my old CDs no longer worked on XP and I doubt they will ever work on Vista. This game brings back those nostalgic days of my youth when I lived, breathed and dreamed of C&C Warfare.

There are approximately 6 Core Games on the Disc and the majority have expansion packs so it evens out to 13 'games'. So for the tenner I paid for this (THANK YOU BOILERMAKERS!), I was and will always be loving it!

The fact that the Ant Missions are accessible again are amazing as they were my favourite divergence from the original games. It is so crude and Golden Age horror that the nostalgia continues.

The fact that Command & Conquer is split into three distinct Universes makes them all unqiue but all part of the same mythology.

Obviously Generals is the weakest as it reeked of EA. But there will always be a battle raging between the Red Alert Timeline and the Tiberium Timeline. I don't think I could ever choose between them.

This series will be like Final Fantasy where they will keep chucking them out. We got Kane's Wrath released at the end of this month and Red Alert 3 by next year. Whats next? Generals 2 or a completely new C&C altogether?

I highly recommend this for people who love evolving strategy game series'.

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The rays of the sun can defeat anyone.

Posted : 9 months ago on 18 February 2008 11:36 (A review of Suikoden V)

Back to basics, this game was an extreme surprise. After the complete failure of IV, this game proved that the SK games can actualy survive in the 3D world!

You take on the role as a young Prince in the Queendom of Falenia. Anyway, bit of political tension and the Falenia suffers from a coup deter by a corrupt family, the Prince and his bodyguards are forced to go on the run.

Eventually you get back to the set-up where you must recuit the other Stars of Destiny and free Falenia from oppression!

6-character parties are back with new formations. Land, aswell as sea battles on a grander scale. An improved gaphics engine and an entirely new continent for you to explore.

If you want a modern version of the old SK's this is as close as you are going to get. Absolutely fantastic.

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Your move.

Posted : 9 months ago on 18 February 2008 10:14 (A review of Chess)

The Game of Kings. Patience, Foresight, Strategy are all key to playing this game.

At Uni, we had (dare I say it) a Chess League Table in my house. The 5 of us would play each other twice and gain points for victories and piece differences. Its that kind of competition that makes the game more lucrative.

This game will be around forever, so you might aswell love it and learn it!

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SK in Triplicate

Posted : 9 months, 2 weeks ago on 8 February 2008 08:29 (A review of Suikoden III)

This game was a different take on the Suikoden format but it was by no means the wrong move.

The Trinity System allows the player to choose which order they want to play the story in.

There are 3 main characters: Hugo, Geddoe and Chris. All Unique and each have their own chapters to play. With so many crossovers and quests to partake its a shame that this was never released in the UK!

In contrast to other SK Titles, the Chief Star of Heaven isn't the lead character. The character Thomas fills this role but its more due to the fact that he owns the Castle Headquarters which brings the 108 Stars together.

The Destroyers were a fantastic amalgamation of villains that the series has ever seen. Power, Knowledge, Magic. They had everything and they were so close to succeeding which makes the Trinity Heroes struggle more of a challenge.

Another Classic from the Konami Series.

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The End is everywhere.

Posted : 9 months, 2 weeks ago on 4 February 2008 11:00 (A review of Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars (Kane Edition))

In terms of strategy games, there is none more renowned than the Command & Conquer series. Set in three different timelines on Earth which all provide interesting and addictive gameplay for all types of fans. The Original Command & Conquer game starts in late 20th century where an alien substance, known as Tiberium, starts to pollute the world. This story has evolved for over a decade now, following three major wars and the very fate of the planet at stake.

The third Tiberium War was recently witnessed by players in EA’s new sequel: Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars. The world has changed since the last war. Tiberium is literally choking the life of the planet. The world has been split into three different zone types classified by Tiberium infestation. Red Zones are totally uninhabitable and can no longer sustain life; this covers 20% of the world. Yellow Zones are more numerous, covering about 50% of the globe where a majority of the world’s population live, it contains tiberium crystals in random and various quantities. Blue Zones are the Havens on Earth, which is where the Tiberium hasn’t been able to reach due to the continual efforts of the world government.

The player has the choice between playing as the infamous cult, the Brotherhood of NOD, or the UN’s high-tech Global Defence Initiative (GDI) in the campaign mode. Both have their own goals which conflict with the other creating battles on massive scales. The GDI wants rid of the Tiberium infestation as it is ruining the ecosystem of the planet but NOD believe it to be the key to human evolution because of its mutating properties. EA have also added a new faction, which fits the mythos of the Tiberium series quite well. The Scrinn are an alien race coming to Earth to harvest the ‘Ichor’ (Tiberium). It is hinted that they sent the first tiberium crystals to Earth so they could harvest it years later once it took over. However, they never expected lifeforms to still be present and therefore see humanity as a threat so a three-way world war begins.

Each faction has been refitted with a new arsenal of weapons and innovative technology to aid their causes. While all unique, each faction has 3 different tiers of Units with varying power so the player can progress from basic weaponry to state of the art technology to best their opponent. You can also upgrade your units, which is new to the Tiberium Series; it was first used in the spin off C&C Generals. Upgrade your infantry’s armour, add a mortar to your scout buggies or even replace your tanks primary cannons with rail-gun or laser technology.

NOD strategy counts on hit-&-run tactics and so they rely on cloaking technology, chemical warfare and laser technology. GDI has the backing of the official world Government so it has the funding to rely on groundbreaking technologies like rail-gun emitters, sonic technology and the Ion Cannon. The Scrinn are an alien race and it is beyond obvious to say that the weapons they will be using are out of this world!

Multiplayer brings the usual online play between fans over the globe, with the ranking and clan system still intact. With the new C&C Online TV, replays and league tables are reviewed on a regular basis. This is an ingenious idea by the creators as it allows the players to get recognition for their efforts online and allow the fans to be updated on the latest news and reviews.

Command & Conquer provides the player with fresh ideas and new concepts for the modern RTS. With the series still expanding and popular amongst the die hards out there, it is safe to say that expansions and further instalments are in the pipeline.

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Mate, this is his hour!

Posted : 10 months, 3 weeks ago on 3 January 2008 08:16 (A review of The Battle for Middle Earth II: Rise of the Witch King (Expansion))

As soon as I learned of the production of this expansion, I must say that I have never been so obsessed about a release date. I think it was July when it was announced and from then up until December, I was constantly scoping the net for information.

Slowly and surely, it all came to light. But I was wondering that the release date was quite early and the expansion may be made just to cash in!

And yes, it was. The start-upscreen was no longer animated, there was gaps and errors at every turn and the gameplay balance seemed to have died with the primary game.

C&C3 was being released in March and its made by the same company as ROTWK and so it suffered as a result. The moderators on the forums just disappeared aswell and so the game was soulless attempt at a decent expansion.

Massive let down, EA knows how to ruin a game series. Let's hope that Kane's Wrath doesn't suffer the same fate.

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