OMG RPG

Ar Tonelico 2 did not appeal to me. After playing it for an hour and nearly falling asleep in front of the TV, I passed it over to my husband thinking that he will enjoy it more than I did, being an anime freak and all. True enough, he got hooked. As the days goes by, I kept hearing him laugh at the witty dialogues as the music wormed its way into my brain. It’s not a bad thing since the game does have beautiful music.

There were a couple of reasons why I cannot connect to the game. First of all, I’m a graphic snob. I just don’t like anime and 2D style games unless it’s for the DS. If it’s on the PS2 or next-gen console, I want my 3D figures! Second, as Mandifesto warned me, this game could be too sexy for my taste. Well, she was right. I sometimes wondered if this game was made by guys for guys. That would explain why my husband enjoys it so much. About 40 hours into the game, I got my husband to give me a few thoughts on Ar Tonelico 2 and what he thinks about it so far.

Atlus knows RPGs, that's for sure, and when they decided it was time to find an MMO to make their own, they were quite the picky bunch.  They wanted a game that was unique, a game that would appeal to many types of online gamers, and a game that would be able to instill in the player a sense of pure joy.  Finally, after massive amounts of research, the Atlus team settled on Neo Steam, a Chinese MMO with a steam punk flair.  I got the chance to preview the game in a hands on tour last week (in the shot above I'm the tiny one stuck behind the panda), and have to say, I had a lot of fun despite myself.

The PvP system was the focus of our hands-on time with Neo Steam this go around, and I admit, I had fun despite myself.  I'm not traditionally the PvP lover; I actually tend to avoid it like the plague.  But seiging the enemy faction's city gave me a good opportunity to see the mammoth scale of the game, and it made me appreciate the variety of zones and areas that encompass the world of Neo Steam.

A while ago I got the opportunity to head down to Cryptic Studios to see their latest foray into the MMO space: Champions Online.  I was both excited and wary; being a huge City of Heroes and City of Villains fan, I was concerned that Cryptic might just being rewriting history. Is it possible that superhero games are just what they know and they needed to put out a product on their own?  Luckily, after spending some time with Champions Online, I return to tell you that this is a very different game from City of Heroes, and it kicks much ass.

At the risk of sounding like a rabid gamer, I have to say it: GET THIS GAME NOW! Well, yes, technically Valkyria Chronicles does not really fit the typical JRPG mold, but it is mind blowing-ly good. This is an intense game with lush, serene graphics, intense enough that after each battle, my hands shakes. And how great is it? Great enough for me to go to work each day looking like a zombie, swearing that I will not stay up late, and then ends up thinking about the game when writing an email to my boss.

Let me rewind a little bit: Valkyria is a game set in an alternate world during WWII, or in that universe’s case EWII. Instead of having Europe and Russia, it’s Europe and the Empire. Instead of the Alliance fighting against the Nazis, it is the Atlantic Federation fighting the Empire for their version of oil – ragnite.  Somewhere down the plot line, there are twists involving an ancient race and some heinous secret I bet. Even though this game has been out for some time, but it is not very well-known surprisingly. It is time we change that! Valkyria is such a well crafted strategy JRPG that it will be a shame if it sells poorly and ends up in the bargain bin.

 Over the last couple of weeks I have spent a good deal of my time pouring over David Gaider's The Stolen Throne.  Why, you might ask, are you talking to your RPG-loving readers about a novel? Because this is the prequel novel written in the world of Ferelden.  It's Dragon Age: Origins, friends, or at least the setup for the game, and I'm all about the backstory.

This novel has gone with me everywhere of late, and I even spent some time reading while playing a certain MMO.  After the jump you'll find my review of the book, but first: I have before me a brand new, only been opened once, copy of the book.  It's been signed by David Gaider itself, and is a great piece in any collection, especially if you're a Bioware fan since he is the game's designer.  

So I'm giving away this lovely book to one lucky commenter. You have until let's say Wednesday April 15th to leave a comment below in the following format:  My favorite Bioware game is ... and then finish  the sentence.  Only one comment per entrant please.

Hit the jump for the book review.  I will do my best to not spoil the best parts, but there may be a spoiler or two within.

For a while now, I've been wondering when a game developer would take the World of Warcraft battlegrounds and turn them into a complete game of their own.  For thousands of WoW players, the battlegrounds and arenas are the only parts of the MMO they participate in.  Even the developers talk about the ample eSports opportunities available with the battleground system.  But still no combatant rose to the challenge, no one was brave enough -- until now.

Recently founded Riot Games has brought us a game that blends genres and boundaries within the RPG world, a game that takes the best of the Defense of the Ancients Warcraft III map and wraps it in WoW battlegrounds-style combat.  The result is called League of Legends: Clash of Fates, and it promises to be one of the most addicting games in a long while.

Tri Ace and Square Enix have teamed up once again to bring Star Ocean fans a deeper look into the origins of the universe.  Star Ocean: The Last Hope provides players with a beautifully created set of worlds to explore, an innovative battle system that isn’t for the faint of heart, and a story that makes up for its lack of depth with a heaping dose of charm.

Stunning graphics

Graphically, Star Ocean: The Last Hope is intensely beautiful.  Each planet you visit is filled with a plethora of unique creatures, be they friends or foes.  The spell effects really show off the power of the engine running behind the game.  Characters have unique faces, and by far the most beautiful eyes I’ve seen in a game to date.  Star Ocean: The Last Hope is a visually stunning RPG at still keeps to a moderately stylized theme that definitely works for the genre.  I expected to see some bogging down of the system as I have with other highly graphical titles, but I am happy to say that the performance didn’t seem to be at all effected by the visual effects. 

• 
• Star Ocean: The Last Hope
• Score: 4.00/5.0
• 
• GamePro's Score: 4.00/5.0
• 

Aptly named, the WoW Mouse by Steelseries streamlines the user experience, providing the speed and sensitivity needed for the most pulse-pounding Arena match, while at the same time giving players the ultimate in customizability with its WoW Mouse Gaming Software. 

Sexy design, both Inside and Out

The first thing we have to say about this peripheral is, holy crap it’s sexy.  We challenge you to find a better looking mouse out there on the market.  Its sleek ergonomic shape is great on the wrist, the notched wheel gives great scrolling traction, and there’s even a set of nifty little thumb and finger rests to allow for full-hand movement while mousing.  In the end though, it’s the looks that wow us (pun entirely intended).  The brushed steel look screams hardcore, and for all those fans of mood lighting, this mouse glows with a pulsing light you can customize to your preferred speed and color.  

On January 13^th Lionhead Studios released their first expansion pack for the acclaimed Fable 2 via Xbox Live Marketplace download. Thousands of Fable fans eagerly dove back into their beloved world to once more, this time to explore mysterious Knothole Island.  While definitely on the short side, Knothole Island delivers a meaningful questing experience and plenty of goodies for those players who wanted a little more customization in the original Fable 2.  After the jump we explore the island, and let you know if this really is worth your hard-earned Marketplace points.

• 
• Fable II
• Score: 4.00/5.0
• 
• GamePro's Score: 4.50/5.0
•