Election update

Was some time ago since I discussed politics, I even missed to write about the European Parliament. Well, thats over so let put or gaze upon the most important political battle this year in Europe, I'm speaking of the Swedish national election. Doesn't look good for the current government. I think all polls have showed a loss, the difference is if the red-greens get a majority or not. So if hope is the last thing to leave us the small ray lies with that fact. At the moment they have a small lead, but the feminist party has winds in their sails and pulls around 3 % (more like the most extreme left party of them all) and if they enter parliament both the green and left party has stated they want them in the government incase of victory. Meanwhile the social democratic party doesn't even comes above 30 % leaving them extremly weak against the greens 13 % and left 7 %. The hope lies that the right wing of  S together with the unaligned middle will be scared towards the center-right Alliance pushing all parties above 4 % and around 43-47 % together leaving the sweden democrats the kingsmakers.

This is a real political analysis (real compared to idealistic), not my prefered outcome (prefered is own majority for the center-right, moderates bigger than S and the liberals at 10 % and the rest divided between the others). Why would this be possible? The moderat leader Reinfeldt has already annonced the largest block to elect prime minister, the kicker is that the red-greens doesn't act in a block, they all enter seperatly and all S have mentioned is a prefered coalition partner in the greens (before they went bonkers with their anti-growth politics and so on) leaving us with the fact that if they can't get their own majority, Reinfeldt can sidestep them without breaking his word. This scenario will of course fail if either the christian democrates or tye center party leaves the parliament. This is the current situation and lets hope it goes all well

Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride

Have been playing Dragon Quest V recently and just finished the main quest around 50 hours (not counting the time wasted playing in the casinos getting enough tokens for some of the best equipments and items for the endgame). Overall I start to see why Dragon Quest beat Final Fantasy in Japan and might explain how DQ seems to grow in appreciation comparably to FF. The story is better, better explained, shorter although more stream lined it has more emotional value. You actually cares for these characters and are allowed to grow with them. Not to mention, they dared to switch around things. First of, you aren't the legendary hero set out to save the world in the Zenithian armour like other games which really is a really great move for the otherwise chosen hero cliche. Of course they solve this by appointing your son as the hero, but still, he ain't the main character.

The story overall is that you are the son of Pankraz, a wandering warrior on a mission to seek the Zenithian equipment and the legendary hero. On your adventures you meet Bianca, Nera and Debora (all potential wives later on, the canon one I guess being Bianca due more screen-time and the cover of the game) and while on a mission protecting Prince Harry of Coburg you and Harry gets kidnapped and Pankraz steps in, but ultimately faces an enemy to strong for him, bishop Ladja. With his final breath he reveals that your mother is alive and only the legendary hero can save her. 10 years later you are a slave building a temple but escapes with Harry and Maria, a girl who's brother was one of the guards and let them escape. Traveling the world you are reunited with the girlfriends and choose one to marry. You then travel to Gotha where you find out that you are heir to the throne as Pankraz was the king at the same time your wife is suddenly 9 months pregnant. You are installed king, and your wife gives birth to twins, but the joy is short as the wife is kidnapped and you go after her, climbing a tower and comes beside her and who show up if not Bishop Ladja, turning you both to stone and you are again separated as you are sold on an auction to a rich man and she is dragged of to the temple you built as a slave. 8 years pass and you see the mans boy grow from toddler until he is kidnapped by monsters. In an act of desperation he throws you down screaming at the "good luck" statue he bought. Rather gut wrenching as it also reflects on the time the hero lost on his children as well. But who comes around if not your fathers servant Sancho with two twins, your kids who resurrect you from your stone prison. And the hunt for your wife and mother is on.

Really effective storytelling and you feel for their plight. Does the choice of wife change the story in any way? I don't know, but I was smart enough to make a separate save file right before the decision with a good deal of tokens, but not enough sadly, so I at least save 20+ hours on replays. Another mechanic is the monster recruits. You can recruit most of the monsters, some good some bad. If you want to go all in I highly recommend some kind of guide to know what monster to devote your time on. Didn't realize until the end that it is probably a good idea to focus on monsters that have a chance to survive the endgame, not Dwoght Da Dwarf.

New Super Mario Bros U

 

First of, I played the demo of RE:Revelations for the 3DS and now see how the controls work. Mostly the d-pad is used to toggle subweapons and the scanner and you can only look around while aiming a gun and therefore always stand still. All in all I clearly prefer it on the Wii U with much better controls. On to the next game, New Super Mario Bros U.

Actually got this with the Wii U bundle together with New Super Luigi U which is is the same courses, but smaller and more of a speed-run game, and of course no Mario. Classic 2D Mario platformer, rescuing Peach from Bowser and the Koopa kids, finished in a couple of hours if you just runs through the game. To 100 % you definitely needs more hours, I'm just lazy and honestly gets bored and need a break after each level and such. Could just be me since I'm drawn toward more story aspects and there is none. Then again, I finished Super Mario 64 DS and there is no story there either so maybe it has more to do with exploration is hardly there and more a matter of difficult platforming under a time-limit. Maybe I don't handle pressure that well. Maybe needs more people to make it fun for me.

Here is also some complaints I have with the multiplayer options. I tried to play it with my youngest sister weeks ago, but couldn't since I only had a gamepad and a Wii U controller pro and to play two characters in the game I needed a second pro controller since the gamepad only allowed me to support the other players (or hinder them I guess), a fifth wheel that might work for someone not as good at platforming. Question still is, why can't I play normally when we only were two players? It worked in Super Mario 3D World so I guess people complained about it, but how to even get the idea?

Overall a working platformer, might be more fun with more people, just get more controllers.

Resident Evil: Revelations

 

Originally a 3DS game that got ported over to the big consoles, including Wii U and I gotta say, I don't know how it ever worked on the 3DS with the differences in the number of buttons on the controls. Story is that one year after a terrorist attack that ended with the good guys destroying a solar powered city with its own solar satellite Jill Valentine and Parker Luciano is sent out in the Mediterranean in search for Chris Redfield and Jessica as they disappeared investigating the terrorist group Veltro. The search takes them to an abandon cruise liner where the dead haven't found their peace. I actually really liked the game and the first playthrough took around 10 hours and subsequent ones now is down to 5. Really helped by the New Game + option where you keep the equipment and upgrades and can change the difficulty (which I wish existed on Resident Evil 4 instead of having to start over from scratch on a new difficulty).

Things I dislike are the new upgrade system where you find customizing parts for your weapon as more damage or daze etc. Fun and challenging to find, but I wish I could permanently increase damage and magazines since those are really important due to the low ammo you can hold and every bullet counts at the end. Then we have the rookie mistake that feels cheap. The strongest weapon is the rocket launcher, you get a free supply in the second to last boss fight, but you can't take them with you. The only other one you can get is long before that when you are attacked by a reoccurring zombie and a really though zombie boss under a time limit. First time just run past them since an upgraded machine gun is the best bet. This rpg you can save, but be warned that you only get one on the whole save. Not one per playthrough, one per save so if you used it anywhere before the final boss on infernal giving you an infinite rocket launcher, good luck. I hardly beat the final boss on normal without the rocket launcher so I'm seriously thinking on starting a new file to get it and keep until the final encounter on infernal. I get it, gets more challenging and the victory feels better, but the final boss feels like a cheat. He teleports in and out smashing you if you aren't able to stagger him and I don't know if I need a direct shoot or enough damage to activate it. Take in limited supply of healing herbs and a useless AI buddy and prepare for a frustrating fight.

Pikmin 3

So I finally got to play some games and I started with Pikmin. Finished it in 10 hours in the first playthrough and then something similar on a second play though with 100 %. A desperate hunt for fruit in order to save a starving planet which are combined with the search for the key to escape this alien planet, which seems familiar if you disregard the strange creatures.  The differences from the last game are two new pikmin-types, one flying and one hard as a rock, and the inclusion of three separate main characters making it possible for three separate groups and micromanagement. Similar to the first game there is a time limit, but as the highest something like 90 days compared to 30 in the original. Of course I did 100 % in 33 days, the hard core gamer I am.

Really, it is very interesting with the gamepad integration as it work as a map, encyclopedia and a means of giving orders since you can set one team to go to one side of the map while doing other things with the others. Of course, the AI will get the pikmins eaten or killed by terrain hazards if they pass by, so don't forget about them. If you miss Captain Olimar and Louie don't fret since they will make cameos that any pikmin lover will appreciate. I can't say which game in the series I prefer more, finishing the first game felt as a huge accomplishment with the 30-day time limit which was lenient for a few mistakes, but nothing more. The second game had no time limit making it easier, but due to that no pressure and no feeling of wonder at winning the game. Maybe 100 % it will give you that since I only finished the first main storyline before rescuing Louie. Game 2 and 3 is probably better for newcomers if anyone asks. Fun to play and since it was, like 8 years since the last game (?), Pikmin 3 is well worth it for Wii U players.

Doin' the Omoralisk Schlagerfestival '14 (6)

So I watched the final of the show and the bearded woman/man in drag from Austria won. Not a bad song, but with the political turmoil in Ukraine/Russia and Belarus and Russias strong dismay with the act before the show there is a lingering feeling the winner won for the wrong reasons. But that could also be just me since I found Switzerland being the prefered song. And per usual, they end up in the middle and a country song from the Netherlands take second place, a song that just drones on and on forever.

Then we have "inspired by”-songs. First out and not so obvious is Italy's rock song and it's the first guitarr riff opening. It took me a while, but it sound vaugly familiair to The Cardigans song My favourite game. Although that could just be me. The other one is Spains Dancing in the Rain, not counting of course the cliched naming with songs like Singin in the rain and Crying in the rain (I belive Children of ... is more common, but that was Great Britains song). This one is found in the chorus with how the rythm goes cause it sounds awefully similair to All by Myself. I can't be the only one that hears that.

Anything else to mention? Well, I belive that Georgia should have taken Finlands place in the final since I prefer 70's hippie rock over ”modern” silver boy rock bands, but that could just be my taste for the classic sound over this modern whatever.

In Wait For The Wii U

So I was finally able to play the Wii U... after updating it for a couple of hours (my sisters internet connection was probably not the best, but it was all I got). So now I finally have Earthbound in my collection and it has its moments this hour or so I played. Sadly I only got two main games with me, Nintendoland and Super Mario bros U + Super Luigi U that me and my sister tried to play. Thing is I only had the gamepad and a Wii U Pro Controller with me (since all my wiimotes are locked in storage). Now, Nintendoland I can let slide since the Pro Controller may not have existed then so I don't fault it for not working. Super Mario bros on the other hand is a completely different story. The Controller worked, but the catch is that in multiplayer you must at least have two controllers other than the gamepad. Why? Well its supposed to work as a fifth player helping the others by creating blocks and distracting enemies (perfect for that annoying sibling who isn't that good at video games, at least see them as a potiential extra difficulty), but the question remain, why can't I play a normal two player with it? Seriously, shouldn't I be able to choose if I want it to work either way? Do I really have to buy a third controller for co-op? Nintendo what were you thinking?

So for our co-op gaming we had to settle for Dungeons & Dragons: Chronicles of Mystara, a beat 'em up based on D&D. Really fun actually, unless you replay it around 10-15 times over 4 days. Also, as it appears with most modern consoles, 24-hour internet connection recommended. During the game it decided to download two apps, which when looked upon I won't touch and be the first to go if storage get tight. I have a couple of problems with this method though, one being that in order for the download to install and update I have to watch it.  Why when I got a gamepad that highlights it's asymmetric gameplay mechanic as a plus? Maybe it needs all processing power, since I'm no expert, but couldn't I at least be able to read the manuals on the games I have to pass time? My sister solved this by turning on the TV, but still. Also, could I at least see how big they are before starting the process? Took over one hour for each app (but again, I blame my sisters internet, but it's hard to prove with no knowledge on the size of it and just some random number between 5 minutes and 100 hours to completion). On the plus side it saved the progress so when the internet crapped out it just restarted once back online.

All in all, initial reactions are mixed, but I should probably wait until I actually play some games created for the system before passing judgment. Also, playing with gamepad feels like an over-sized GBA and with sound from both the TV and pad with the same image on both screens makes it hard to focus on the TV as the pad is closer. Supposedly you can turn the pad screen of, although I haven't figured it out yet.