Fire Emblem Warriors

Fates of Awakening

So since playing Switch is more and more fun and easier than the Wii U that is stuck near the TV I felt a small pull to play a Hyrule Warrior kinda game (I know it's the Dynasty Warrior franchise that started it, but I've only played the Zelda one) and since the preferred Dragon Warrior game for Switch aren't coming to the west at the moment I had to go to the next best thing, a fire emblem version. And it was fun, but boy, I who can stomach clichés starts to feel that Fire Emblem really need to change its game, and this isn't even a main game. 

So basically, the Outrealm gates that are established since Awakening turns up in the kingdom of Ayolies where the the twin prince and princess Rowan and Lianna are sparing with neighbour prince Darios. They escape with the Fire Emblem (shield) and a quest to find 5 heroes to fill the emblem with the jewels to gain the divine dragons strength. So obviously it's the damn shadow/chaos dragon from earlier games like Awakening and the remake of the first game (if it's the dragon of Fates as well I wouldn't know, I've still haven't finished all parts of those games) and Tokyo Mirage Sessions #FE. I'm getting tired of this plot mostly because the enemies are so one-dimensional. It's always the dark dragon corrupting or manipulating everyone to release him and then I have to stop him as he just breaks free. I start to find that may be the reason I like the first western Fire Emblem and the Radiance duology more. The world is more complex in those with political themes and in ways the villains are sympathetic. In the first western one the bad guy is Nergal who pretty much went insane from losing his children as they were half-dragons and he didn't want one special dragon, he wanted to purge humanity and they discuss power politics of the nobles that effects the lower classes and so on. Same goes for the Radiance games, the bad guy is the goddess of Order who tries to bring order and stop her "sister", the goddess of chaos, that almost destroyed the world last time, but since both are split from the original goddess it is clear they are in reality unbalanced. She's helped by people that have lost faith in humanity due to prejudice and greed. And Ike is the first main character that isn't a noble, a person more to the ideals and incorruptible. I love those games.

Best blue haired main character

So it plays pretty much like Hyrule Warriors, but different attacks and characters. I found some improvements that are wonderful. For example you can switch (haha) between 4 characters on the field and all of your characters (even non-playable ally characters) level up on their own, meaning it goes faster to get characters higher level (I would suspect it might be due to more characters than Zelda). They also put in the weapon triangle from Fire Emblem and I can get behind that (maybe since I know it by heart), you know swords beat axes that beats lances that beats swords. Attacking with the right weapon gives you advantage and makes it easier to break their "shield". Which is probably why they have the switch-mechanic. Overall, it feels better and smoother.

So I like the gameplay and the story is boring. But there is glimmers for a fire emblem veteran. For example first meeting with the Awakening players is a recreation of the first scene of that game. And at first I wondered if it was the original voices and I just now checked it out, yes, many of them are the same, some are not, especially enigmatic with Fates characters that was released not that long ago. So you got to meet the different heroes, Chrom first, then Xander, Ryoma and Corrin and lastly Marth. And here is another problem, it's the same games over and over. Why three from Fates? Really, the hero of those games are Corrin while Chrom was Awakening and Marth is Marth, but why not from other games? They just released Shadow of Valencia, why not some cross-promotion? I still haven't got that one. And were is my Ike and Eliwood characters (I see Lyndis is somewhere in the game, I assume the history mode which I need to grind up the characters to be able to tackle).

At least the models look like their games

Also, the mind-control thing was weird in Zelda, here it's just irritating mainly because in the Fire Emblem games it's overused. It's been there for me since Sacred Stones (also, why didn't we use that game as base, there were twins as well?). I can't stand it since it's so obvious and tired. Then again, I've had a hard time to figure out if one of the main characters in this games actually was taken over or did it for himself. It's framed like he was taken over, but they don't act like it. Could also be that I saw the Robin turn and just waited for it to kick in so I could kick him out. And the Iago chapters. Hate that guy.

There is a two-player mode, but I haven't played it and frankly, at the moment without looking at the history mode doesn't feel necessary (like I felt to manage some missions on the Zelda game). The history mode is pretty much a map from different games where they put out some enemies that are missions you need to play in order to get to the end. The only one I watched was the Lyndis one where they reimagined the intro with characters from this game. A pity they didn't use the right class since I believe it was Will the Archer and not Mark the Tactician that gave the news about the layout of the map. At least the ending battle with the dragon was awesome.

Thimbleweed Park

X-Files Theme

As a person who played a lot of LucasArts game I had to get Thimbleweed Park made by Ron Gilbert, the guy behind Monkey Island and such. The game pretty much looks like the old games that used the SCUMM-engine with both graphics and inventory and command fields. It begins with a german financier following a set of instructions that ends with him being killed by an unknown assailant. The game then shifts to two of the games playable characters, Agent Rey and Agent Reyes from the FBI.

Agent Scully and Agent Mulder

They begin to investigate the murder in Thimbleweed Park and find out the history of the town that have fallen on hard times with the Pillow Factory being closed downed and the town founder dying from a heart attack a few days ago. They also met other characters like Delores Edmund, the niece to Chuck Edmund, the founder of the factory. Ransome the *beeping* Insult Clown that was cursed by a gypsy on his last show to forever where his clown make-up and lastly the ghost of Franklin Edmunds, Delores father that have been trapped in the towns hotel.

The whole cast

So first part is finding the murderer, you do that but also uncovers other stories, like Delores trying to get her uncles will read, Ransome finding the doll prototype he created with Franklin and Franklin just trying to get to the afterlife. Also as the game goes on you also suspect that Rey and Reyes have other motives as well. And some things I saw a mile ahead, but at the end of the game it pretty much broke my suspension of disbelief. And it's pretty much a problem with all the fourth wall breaking as it is dragged into the plot of the game itself. And at that moment I began thinking, why should I care about these people? They are just pixels (as stated in the game pretty much). Before that I actually cared about them. I wondered how Franklin died and felt pity for him not being able to stand up to his brother and carve his own path. Same for Delores who just wanted to be a game designer, Ransome learning humility to be a better person instead of the bitterness and cynicism that put him in his situation. And then everything is just joked away in a "it's just a game and nothing matter". 

It was fun as long as it lasted, but some things spoiled the taste afterwards. Mostly because the game just ended. 

The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery (Book)

Still can't get over the werewolf look

So I bought the book, got delivered and read it during the sunday after Halloween to get in some spooky mood for the holiday. And I couldn't stop reading until it was over, even though I know how it ended, or maybe it helped me just pass through it without problem. Pretty much the same as the game, but with some differences. For example the first chapter as Gabriel begins to get info from Herr Doctor Klingmann, instead of sneaking back to the office to get the hunting license and use the walkie-talkie to fool Thomas you first pick up another workers walkie-talkie when they are distracted by something and then he followed Klingmann through Munich to the club and asked around for information before entering. Not much changed, although the license is brought up in chapter 3. 

Chapter two works mostly like the game. No repairmen though, although it explains that Gabe called and left a message instead of sending a letter. Explaining the time frame. Not much here Chapter 3 is more interesting. They got rid of the cuckoo clock side quest, explained the dream sequence better, that there actually been two days since chapter one giving Grace some more time to get to Germany and do chapter two. And the ending where the werewolf stalks Gabriel near the Huber farm is described better, that it is a dead cat on the lawn instead of some other animal and how the wolf reacted to the medallion and so.

Chapter 4 is the same and covers the Ludwig II and even introduces a character not in the game, an old man who's father worked for Ludwig II that gave the family a golden ring containing a lock of hair. Also it flows a bit better instead of the rushed game. Also the book skips the subplot of Grace making up with Gerda by putting roses on Wolfgangs grave. Pretty much Werner Huber tell her instead of she finding it. Also, she actually have a german-english dictionary which makes it a bit easier to stomach as she translates some stuff and move along the plot instead of grinding it to a halt to find a translator. 

Chapter 5 follows the game almost to a tee. And it is the highlight of the book as Gabriel uncovers what happened to the missing wolves, connecting the dots of other mysterious disappearances and following the hunting lodge to their cabin and cornering von Zell. Small differences is that at the meeting at Dorns exotic animals he didn't need to feed a tiger with whitewurst or bring 14 000 mark on him. And at the night raid together with Friedrich the reason they get separated is that they ride on horses and Gabe is thrown of after his horse panic at the wolf howls and already were separated from Friedrich since he had plugged his ears. Much better than walking away and not seeing to it that Friedrich noticed him going another way.

Then chapter 6 of the book is a mixtures of some parts from chapter 4 and 6 where Grace connecting the dots of Ludwig II turning into a werewolf, his attempt to stop the Black Wolf with a secret hidden Wagner opera and then trying to know who the Black Wolf is. The part that stuck out was that the english copy of Ludwigs diary that belonged to a english nobleman. In the game I think he just changed his heart and send it over, but here it is explained that something mysterious happened. The box containing the papers fell from it's place in the attic like if it was pushed by a mysterious force, a force both the game and book hints, although with this the book is better at establishing this. It ends pretty much when Grace picks up Gabriel at the Huber's farm after the bit have began changing him, and here the book tells us the part from Gabriel's view. First by allowing him to walk freely at the day, but showing us his changed behaviour. They also hold a seance I think was hinted at in the game, but here is played out as intended, where we follow Ludwig's last hours at Neuschwanstein as he hides the opera and plans and then how he killed himself. Then it pretty much skips the gathering part and instead focus on how it's supposed to work. The plan doesn't have to directly kill von Glower, it just be part of his death as the spirit realm supposedly believe in intent (aka the one hired an assassin is as guilty of murder as the assassin) and therefore could be freed from the curse if someone else due to the actions would kill him.

This leads into the final chapter at the opera. Where they explain the plan in full. The sound and crystals are supposed to turn von Glower into a werewolf so that guards could kill him. But it failed and instead it's the howls of Gabriel in wolf form that causes the change. Then it plays out the same mostly, maybe not mentioning the apparition in the fires, but they instead mentioned the burning foot that weakly tried to break out through the grate. And the epilogue is not as philosophical as in the game where it is hinted that Gabriel felt some temptation to turn into a werewolf, to go with his instincts. Instead it's mentioned that he is set on bringing von Glower down and we get a happy ending as Grace get's full time partner status.

Overall I liked it, doesn't work that well as a walkthrough, but the story is still interesting and I really enjoy the inner monologue to flesh out the story and scenes. Other parts was left like the mention of Sons of the Sun, other groups of shadow hunters and that the Ritters aren't the only ones. So the final question is, where is the Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned novelisation?

Not a graphic novel, a real book?

Altered Beast (Arcade)

Couldn't find a box art for the arcade game

Altered Beast, a Mega Drive game I played at a classmates house some times. Got it for the Wii Virtual Console, the 3DS and and Sega Mega Collection for the PS3. And I played the arcade version of that game after unlocking it by playing the first stage with my youngest sister. Pretty much only was able to get to the boss of the second stage and after that the lives and continues was out, but in Arcade mode, guess what? Unlimited continues. And by brute forcing our way through we finished the game in what, 20 minutes? I guess difficulty was the length of this game.

The story is that Neff, some demon god kidnapped Athena so Zeus raises one or two centurions from their graves (with some so bad it is god synthesised speech). So they fight their way through 5 levels, collecting some power-up spheres to alter their form into different beasts, a werewolf, were-dragon, were-bear, were-tiger and a better werewolf. Worst is the were-bear since it doesn't have a long-ranged attack but must get close. Were-tiger is probably the best since you can even attack upwards . After defeating Neff (why couldn't it have been Hades or something like that? And why is roman centurions doing in an ancient greek setting?) it turns out it is some kind of movie production shown by "behind the scenes" footage like the main guy taking of his animal mask or some one with a clapper.

This game is sort of a nostalgic cult classic and I would lie if I didn't want to play it as a kid, but playing it as older, it's pretty much cheap with sluggish gameplay. At least the arcade version moves a bit fluently, but still it's rather hard. 

Metal Slug X

The Improved sequel

So it finally came for the Switch, and yeah, it's pretty much the second game again, but with certain changes like one stage changed from day to night, improved frame rate and the aliens are introduced in an earlier stage than right at the end. And I've already mentioned I preferred the original sequel, but this time it felt the improved game was better. The ending stage felt better and didn't crawl to a halt at the bridge scene, although it still slugs at certain times (ha, slug). 

There's really nothing else to say compared to the original game. Wonder if 4 and onward will appear on the Switch.

Super Mario Odyssey

Game of the year!

Pre-ordered and ready to go when it was released. Three days on a total of 27 hours the end credits roll. Most fun I've had since Breath of the Wild. And still only has just above 500 power moons as of me writing this. The story is that Mario must save Princess Peach from Bowser that travels around the world to get different things for the wedding, like a wedding dress, cake, flowers and so on. On the adventure you got Cappy, a morphing hat that wants to save his sister that Bowser is using as a bridal diadem. With Cappy you can possess things and monsters and even use him as a jumping point and even attack blocks. And pretty much everything else work like the old games, jump, triple jump, backflip and so on. 

Really, the best is how fun it is both for some weird nostalgic reason (as well knowledge of the series overall) together with just a good game. I was able to find a portrait that lead to the mushroom kingdom before you can access the whole world and I can see the castle and it just look like I imagined my 10 year old mind would have thought Super Mario 64 looked like. And I read a sign telling me about Yoshi. And don't get me started on New Donk City where one part of the world emulates the original Donkey Kong game where the people are shouting "jump, man" as a nod to Mario's original name. And that is not even mentioning Pauline. And the fun game, which other game can you enter a door, find a scooter in an alley and as you start driving a T-rex falls behind you and starts hunting you?

One thing I could say as a bit negative is that it feels rather easy. The only time I had some problem was the end fight with Bowser. Mostly because I was forced to memorise patterns and do it perfectly... or rather until I bite the sour apple and went back to an earlier kingdom to get the extra 3 HP mushroom. With the extra health I was a bit better. And most bosses are rather simple and normal for Mario games, but then they throw a mother f***ing dragon at you. Or a boxing match with Bowser, thankfully I played ARMS and was well prepared for swinging the JoyCons. And the music, especially the forest kingdom is amazing.

And after you finish Bowser you can visit the Mushroom kingdom and revisit all the other kingdoms again for new and harder challenges to get even more power moons. And you can have 2 players, but I haven't tried it. Still, best Mario for the moment.

Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Sacred, Blood of the Damned

A vampire angel?

So after the two first games I got the third game as a christmas present and I gotta admit, I was a bit confused playing it. It looked awful. I mean, really awful.

No one can say that this looks good?

So after getting used to the graphics I at least could enjoy the return of Tim Curry as Gabriel Knight, although he clearly changed the voice a bit. The game also came with a prequel comic detailing the events before the game starts which was a bit strange as well. The first game also had a comic, but that was a visualisation of the event when the Ritters lost the medallion to the voodoo cult. Apparently Grace and Gabriel been contacted by prince James of Albany, a descendant of the Stewarts of Scotland and been offered the job to look into something that appears to be vampire attacks. Mostly the prince is afraid for his newborn son and want the shadow hunter to guard him. Sitting in the darkness some kind of magic is at work as both Grace and the guard dog falls asleep as a vampiric shape appears and kidnaps the son. Gabriel follows suit and ends up on a train to Rhen-Le-Chateau. He gets knocked out and the game starts as he wakes up at the trainstation and meets the conductor that tells him where he is and then help him get to a hotel... and then the game starts at the hotel.

The suspects

So the story goes on for three days divided in time intervals which progress if you do certain activities or in some cases take to long. First day is Gabriel contacting prince James that send in Grace and two guards to help him. Meanwhile Gabriel gets to know the guests at the hotel that all could be the kidnappers, except his friend Mosley that are there on vacation for this treasure hunting trip. The area is supposedly filled with some templar treasure and everyone have that as an excuse. So treasure hunting, finding the baby and get to know the locals, which include a priest, a writer named Sinclair researching the templar and apparently a vineyard owner. As night fall Grace appears with two Scottish people that Gabe decided to spy on, revealing they are freemason and the local priest is Priory of Sion, the Sinclair guy is another templar and after that Gabe gives up. The next day Grace follows on the tour after researching the area and enters the vineyard for what she believes is a baby cry, but it turns out is a winepress, but the guy is still suspicious with all alchemy iconography and such so he gets on the list. And then they find the bodies of the scotsmen on the devils throne, a landmark made out of stone looking like a throne.

Gabriel meanwhile began sneaking in the other guests room and the local priest as he went with them. And as they meet up Grace begins looking into the treasure hunt while Gabe investigate the suspects. Grace finds that the place have a reconstructed Temple of Solomon under the ground built by the templars while Gabe uncovers that the baby they protected is a descendent of Jesus Christ and that the priory of sions and freemasons are fighting for power to put a monarch at the head of the European Union. An agent of the catholic church is present to stop them, the tour guide is a french secret service agent and Mosley is actually working for the CIA. Oh, and one of the guest is the walking jew that was cursed by Jesus to walk the earth until he returned. The third day is Gabe looking for a manuscript that follows the genealogy of Jesus that Sinclair been writing while Grace pinpoints the temple and another guest ends up the target of the vampires. And then uncovers that the old vineyard owner is a vampire that tried to drink the blood of Jesus as to awake Asmodeus, the demon king. And Gabe, Mosley and prince James bodyguard (who I get is some kind of holy protectors) enters the temple and fight it through until Gabe defeats the demon with a stab through the heart. And then it is revealed that the Ritter-family originated from the soldier Longinius that stabed Jesus to see if he lived and as to atone was granted the power to fight darkness. And then it ends as Gabe finds a letter from Grace who left after their relationship got a bit weird after a one night stand. And no more games after that.

This game come just at the right time for me cause I was so into the templar mythos and alchemy and so on. It took some time getting used to the free-floating 3D-camera and as stated, the graphics leaves a lot to be desired. Also, this game have the "cat hair moustache" puzzle that some says killed the adventure genre so certain puzzles was rather illogical. One of the harder one for me was entering everyones room as Gabe when they are out, mostly because it was so many steps that needed to be perfect in order to get right. The music is great and I really liked the story. Not the best ending since it pretty much ended on a cliff hanger and it doesn't even have a book or a follow up book. Which is a shame. Otherwise worth playing.