Tales of Xillia (PS3)

Hey it's Sunday and it's time for a review!

Tales of Xillia!

The Tales series is my absolute favorite JRPG series and I was super excited when it came over to the United States. I bought it the day it came out!

Tales of Xillia is different from prior Tales games. There are two main characters to choose from. Depending on who you choose, the story will start out slightly different and it will slightly effect what happens in the middle of the game. The two characters are Jude Mathis and Milla Maxwell. These two embark on a journey to save Rieze Maxia from weapons that threaten to drain all of its mana.They meet new friends that help them with their journey.

This games stands out in many other ways asides from the two story lines. For one, the graphics are definitely the strongest out of any other Tales game. It makes exploring the towns and dungeons enjoyable. The anime cut scenes are also beautiful as well. The fighting system in this game has also improved. In Xillia, there is a new mood called Linear Motion Battle System. With these, players are able to link to another fighter in mid battle.Once linked the two characters moved are synced together, meaning they are able to create high combos and strategies that will help during many battles.

Of course, there are some drawbacks to this game, as with any. Of one, it is the typical JRPG style: level up, dungeons, repetitive battles. Not only that, but there is the dialogue that sometimes lacks. If you aren't bothered by any of these things then this game is for you, but to others, it may become monotonous. There are a few things that may turn players off from the game.

 This guy.

Then these two.

Basically, a few of the teammates can be annoying as heck. That doesn't mean they are useless as players; however, players may grow tired of some of their actions. Alvin is a mercenary, meaning he only listens to himself. What happens with him will soon be obvious and players might become tired of how his strategies.
On the other hand; Elise and Teepo are characters who may bother the player, especially the living doll Teepo. There is nothing wrong with comic relief in games, but sometimes it may go a little too far.

Overall, Tales of Xillia is enjoyable to play. The storyline can capture players and make them want to complete the game. Not only that, but the multi-player means friends can join the adventure as well. The result of this game wasn't surprising in the least. After all, Bandai Namco rarely lets fans down.

Rating: 8 out of 10

Dragon's Crown (PS3)

Sorry guys, I know I'm a week behind in reviews. Don 't worry I promise to make up for it, I swear! Anyway, I picked up a game last week and I figured that it needed a review. Ready for this?

Dragon's Crown!

Now guys, just bare with me. Even I was hesitant about purchasing the game. Atlus is wonderful gaming company and normally produces great games; however, the only thing I heard about this particular game was to stay away from it. The reason being is because of the art style. I listened to those people until I was forced to pick up a copy.

I am so glad I did.

Dragon's Crown takes place in a setting that resembles a mid-evil type of world. A dragon is threatening to destroy the land and the kingdom is falling apart because of it. The dragon's crown is the key to saving the land from the beast. The player must pick one character out of the six available classes. The story is pretty typical, so what makes people so into this game?

It is a beautiful side-scroller with a simple yet fun battle style. The fighting style is what's known as a 'beat-em'-up' game. Think of Golden Axe and there you have it, only this is a remastered version. The player will attack enemies with the use of their weapon or spells, and once the enemies are all defeated in the room the player will be able to move on. The player will fight through beautiful stages which are all appealing to the eye.

The best part about the battle style is playing online. Players have the option to have their team members entirely AI players or go online and choose to go online. The option to play online is available later on in the game; however, it's worth playing through to reach online mood. Mashing enemies with other players is one of the best parts of the game, considering the AI isn't the smartest at times.

With that being said, why are some people so wary of the game? Well...

It might have to do with that.

Or that...

Yeah, the proportions of some of these characters, especially the female characters, are non realistic to say the least. That is why many people are hesitant of playing the game. Once the game starts it's safe to say that the characters are pretty distracting; however, if the players can manage to ignore these proportions then they actually get used to them. Even the sorceress' top half can become normal, but the only way for that to happen is for people to give the game a chance. I'm glad that I did and do not regret the $50 dollars.

So if you want an online game that is different from the common fighters or shooters pick up a copy of Dragon's Crown. The game play is worth the money and the painful proportions. Chances are you'll end up using the lovely Amazon and Sorceress and learn to love them!

Rating: 8 out of 10

Project Diva F (PS3)

Alrighty guys, it's been a week so guess that what means? Yup, another review and this week's post should be pretty obvious!

Project Diva F!

I wasn't even sure that this game would come to America in the first place. Being the Vocaloid fan I am for several years now, I made sure to pick up my copy the day it came out. Needless to say I was pretty excited, but don't worry, I wouldn't let my biases cloud my review.

Let me start with what the game is about. Matter of fact, maybe I should start with Vocaloid in general. Vocaloids are computer-generated voices. That's right, these singers are not real people. It's pretty nifty what technology can accomplish now of days. Being popular in Japan, these singers managed to have their own game series created called Project Diva, and that's what we have here, only the American version.

Project Diva F is a rhythm game that contains popular music from the Vocaloid singers Miku Hatsune, Rin and Len Kagamine, Luka Megurine, Kaito and Meiko. There are 38 songs in the roaster to choose from, which doesn't sound too bad; however, there are over thousands of Vocaloid songs created, meaning the list isn't even a fraction of the music. The point of the game is to make sure your diva hits all the notes that fly across the screen during your song of choose. These notes will correspond with the controller buttons and analog sticks. Think of the what used to be popular series Guitar Hero- hit the notes, rack up points. The only difference is that this game has music videos in the background that have the tendency to distract the eyes.

When your not playing through the rhythm mode, there is also "Diva's Room." The only room that is available in the start of the game is Miku Hatsune's room. This is where you can befriend the Vocaloids and shower them with gifts. It's a nice touch if your into Vocaloid; otherwise, you will soon grow bored of staring at these Vocaloids unnoticed. It can be an unsettling feeling.

 Overall it's not a bad game, it really isn't. If your into Japanese or Vocaloid music, it is a must have. Reaching high scores and unlocking all the outfits for the characters is entertaining; however, if you are on the other side of that description then it might not be a game for you. Like I said, decent game, but there's a small audience for it here in America. Regardless, I am glad that America did get the chance to get its hands on Project Diva F. So, if you don't mind long loading screens and super cute anime girls, then pick up a copy. Who knows, maybe you've always had a secret love for Japanese music.

Rating: 7 out of 10

Resident Evil Revelations (PS3)

Welp, and here goes the first review! I'll try not to epically fail. If anything this is a learning experience for sure. Anyway, drum roll please....

Resident Evil Revelations!

Mind you guys, when I do these I'll always go off the system that I played the game on. I know that Revelations was originally for the 3DS and rated one of the greatest games for it at the time. That being said, I have noooo idea why I didn't pick up a copy, owning a 3DS and all. Still, I'm kind of glad I waited to play on the PS3. I do wish I could see what the WiiU version is like...but I lack the basic requirements, a WiiU.

Okay, okay, but back to this. I honestly don't see why this game received a lot of crap. True Resident Evil fans should know how the series took a major change with Resident Evil 4. That change ended up for the worst, starting with Resident Evil 5 and then of course... Resident Evil 6. So when Revelations came out, it seemed like the series was trying to take a good step towards the original games. Of course, the game play isn't the same;however, the settings and overall creepiness reminded me of the original games.

Now did it deliver like Resident Evil Zero, 1, 2, and 3? Well... Almost. This game seriously could of been a gem the franchise needed. It had key elements to reach the 'gem-status.' The game takes place in between 4 and 5, right in the middle of the ocean on ship Queen Zenobia. Players finally get to use franchise favorite Jill Valentine. She and her new partner, Parker, are searching for Chris Redfield who has gone missing. Right away the game sets up the creepiness factor that the older games are known for. Even the ship gives off the feeling of the Mansion from the original Resident Evil. Not only that, but the enemies don't look like infected humans fans are starting to get used to. These enemies are actually creatures. Slow moving, creepy, moaning creatures. They are a wonderful sight for sore eyes.

That being said, why are some people harsh towards Revelations?

Well, I think it has to do with little things. Depending on your dedication towards the series, these things may not even bother you. For one, the enemies don't really change, asides from the occasional boss fight. Another thing that was slightly annoying was how players had to backtrack several times throughout the ship, searching for rooms players zipped by three chapters earlier. Then of course... there's the two characters Quint and Keith. I won't even waste space on this review about them. Still, those things were deal-able, so what was my problem with it? Well there's two things:

The end and Jessica.

The game was truly enjoyable to play up until the ending towards the game. I'll make sure not to give out any spoilers for you guys, but I can say that the game takes a sudden plummet off an edge and doesn't attempt to save itself. Then when it came to the final boss-horrible, cheap, unfair. I'm not saying this because I can't beat, because I did. It just took me four, long tries.I got to the point where I wanted to rip out a few handfuls of my own hair. Of course, then there was Jessica. She has to be one of the worst Resident Evil characters EVER! The entire time you play as Chris she tags behind you, whining about food, makeup, and dissing Jill because she has the hots for Chris. It's beyond annoying. Lastly, there is her swimming outfit. Guys, just look at it, please. Look at it, and you will all see why I think she is a joke.

Asides from those two main things, the game was overall a joy to play. Campaign mood was a nice throw-back. Raid mode was also fun, online or offline, and worth playing through as well. This game is definitely worth picking up for any survival-horror and Resident Evil fan.

Rating: 8 out of 10