I’ll start with Final Fantasy VIII Remastered. I was on the
fence when I first heard about this. For all the remastered talk it’s basically
the exact same game with vastly improved character models. I wasn’t
particularly arsed but the pull of the trophies… It always gets me! Anyway,
FFVIII is the usual bonkers plot… Loner hero Squall is caught up in a war
between the advancing Galbadia and the defensive Dollet. He fights in the elite
group SeeD who are hired by Dollet to protect them from Galbadia. His befriends
Quistis (his super hot teacher) Zell, Rinoa, Selphie and Irvine along the way… all have different
skills and weapons.
Squall is initially standoffish but is eventually won over by the group. He falls for Rinoa (idiot really should have went for Quistis) and develops deep friendships with the rest. Anyway, back to that bonkers plot. As usual, I find it hard to follow this stuff and this one I found particularly hard. Why? Well, a sorceress named Ultimecia is trying to compress time so she can become all powerful and rule the world… or whatever. Time manipulation, I’ve never understood you. I rarely enjoy you and I wish you’d go away. Suffice to say that different time lines are explored. Including one featuring a soldier named Laguna (Squalls Dad) and his buddies on their adventures. There’s also plenty of back story for our plucky heroes which, while welcome, does detract from the action.
Squall is initially standoffish but is eventually won over by the group. He falls for Rinoa (idiot really should have went for Quistis) and develops deep friendships with the rest. Anyway, back to that bonkers plot. As usual, I find it hard to follow this stuff and this one I found particularly hard. Why? Well, a sorceress named Ultimecia is trying to compress time so she can become all powerful and rule the world… or whatever. Time manipulation, I’ve never understood you. I rarely enjoy you and I wish you’d go away. Suffice to say that different time lines are explored. Including one featuring a soldier named Laguna (Squalls Dad) and his buddies on their adventures. There’s also plenty of back story for our plucky heroes which, while welcome, does detract from the action.
So if I didn’t really understand the plot, what kept me
playing? Well it is nice to see the characters looking this good. The original
game has not aged well so the spit and polish here is welcome (see above pic) It's like bumping into that chick you weren't into when you were teengers again twenty years later and now she looks like Kelly Brook!! The much
maligned junction system is actually enjoyable if you’re prepared to
experiment. It certainly isn’t spoon fed to you but it is rewarding.
Capturing guardian forces is thoroughly addictive but using them less so. Reason being, they are fantastic to watch a couple of times but fuck me some of them go on… and on….
Seriously lads... while we're young! As I say, they are worth hunting for junction system upgrades but you'll hardly ever use them in fight.
Also worth mentioning is the music. Uematsu san is on fire here. His world map music is stuck in my head. Some of his other works are quite stunning in this game. It elevates some of the dungeons from worth exploring to “let’s hang out here, the music is awesome”.
Capturing guardian forces is thoroughly addictive but using them less so. Reason being, they are fantastic to watch a couple of times but fuck me some of them go on… and on….
Seriously lads... while we're young! As I say, they are worth hunting for junction system upgrades but you'll hardly ever use them in fight.
Also worth mentioning is the music. Uematsu san is on fire here. His world map music is stuck in my head. Some of his other works are quite stunning in this game. It elevates some of the dungeons from worth exploring to “let’s hang out here, the music is awesome”.
Platinuming this game isn’t overly difficult but one thing I
did get out of the trophy hunt was mastering the card game. I’ve played FF VIII
twice before but never bothered with the card game. I got into it this time for
the trophy and it was curiously engaging. The music was enjoyable and the whole
thing was a welcome break from the mad story.
FF VIII will take you to some amazing places if you let it. There’s a wonderful homage to 2001 A Space Odyssey, there’s creepy caves, a hammer horror style castle and many other weird and wonderful journeys. If you liked it before, you’ll love it now. If you’ve never played it before you owe it to yourself. Score: 8/10 Trophy count: 100% platinum.
Crash Bandicoot remastered:
This game comes with all three Bandicoot games fully remastered. I’ve only played the first one. I’ll get to the others when I feel like it... if I feel like it...
Graphical comparison:
FF VIII will take you to some amazing places if you let it. There’s a wonderful homage to 2001 A Space Odyssey, there’s creepy caves, a hammer horror style castle and many other weird and wonderful journeys. If you liked it before, you’ll love it now. If you’ve never played it before you owe it to yourself. Score: 8/10 Trophy count: 100% platinum.
Crash Bandicoot remastered:
This game comes with all three Bandicoot games fully remastered. I’ve only played the first one. I’ll get to the others when I feel like it... if I feel like it...
Graphical comparison:
So everything here is in place. It plays as you remember but
it looks really gorgeous. It’s every bit as funny as you remember but it’s also
every bit as infuriating as you remember too. Honestly, there’s not much to add
here. Crash Bandicoot is an absolute hoot of a throwback, I expect I’ll enjoy
the others too. As often happens in games like this, a platinum trophy is only
for absolute completists. I found the trophy hunt a bit of a grind and gave up
pretty quickly. I just played the game for fun and it delivered that in spades. For the record, my son has started playing part 2 and it looks absolutely beautiful.
Score: 8/10 Trophy count: 45%
Resident Evil 2 Remastered:
Where to start with this one. It’s soooo fucking good! Resident Evil 2 is still an enjoyable old romp in its original form but in this mutated guise it’s simply stunning.I should also add that coronavirus has crept into the country at time of writing. This is an apt game...
Where to start with this one. It’s soooo fucking good! Resident Evil 2 is still an enjoyable old romp in its original form but in this mutated guise it’s simply stunning.I should also add that coronavirus has crept into the country at time of writing. This is an apt game...
Plot: Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield end up in Raccoon City for different reasons. Leon is starting a new job as a rookie cop at RCPD. Claire is searching for her missing brother who was the star of the equally brilliant Resident Evil (also remade to stunning effect). Unfortunately for them, Raccoon City is overrun with zombies. The G Virus has escaped, our heroes take different paths but both head for RCPD.
As ever with me and resi games, I found this very tough to
get to grips with. That’s not the game’s fault, that’s down to me being a below
average gamer. You start with a very basic gun and taking out shuffling zombies is a challenge. I have always struggled in the early part of these games and if you
share this issue don’t fret. As you progress, your weapons improve, you become
more adept at the game and as a result I’ve always found the middle to latter
part of these games easier and more enjoyable.
I started with Leon and bumped into Ada Wong along the way. That was a fun catch up.
Lickers are still as gross as ever. When you get more powerful weapons, fucking kill them. You can go through the game running from them but it's a pain in the arse. Kill them and take your time exploring. While working your way through RCPD you will bump into Tyrant! This is actually very well done. He is basically invincible in the early part of the game so rather than trying to kill him, I say avoid him... run away (you can outrun hm easily enough) and save that ammo. Even if it means taking a punch from him, heal up and run! Hearing his footsteps nearby in corridors or above you on the next floor is genuinely frightening. it is a little annoying for those of us who like to explore at a leisurely pace but this isn't Tomb Raider. This is Resident Evil! The emphasis is on horror and pulsating set pieces.
The alligator scene is perfectly done. The mutated creatures you battle throughout are hideous but destroying them is always a pleasure. The weapons are an absolute hoot and as I said, the game gets easier as you progress.
I started with Leon and bumped into Ada Wong along the way. That was a fun catch up.
Lickers are still as gross as ever. When you get more powerful weapons, fucking kill them. You can go through the game running from them but it's a pain in the arse. Kill them and take your time exploring. While working your way through RCPD you will bump into Tyrant! This is actually very well done. He is basically invincible in the early part of the game so rather than trying to kill him, I say avoid him... run away (you can outrun hm easily enough) and save that ammo. Even if it means taking a punch from him, heal up and run! Hearing his footsteps nearby in corridors or above you on the next floor is genuinely frightening. it is a little annoying for those of us who like to explore at a leisurely pace but this isn't Tomb Raider. This is Resident Evil! The emphasis is on horror and pulsating set pieces.The alligator scene is perfectly done. The mutated creatures you battle throughout are hideous but destroying them is always a pleasure. The weapons are an absolute hoot and as I said, the game gets easier as you progress.
Puzzle wise, it’s the usual resi stuff. Keys, books, badges,
computers, medallions & lockers… you know the drill. There’s something very
satisfying about solving these puzzles. They’re not all that taxing but the
rewards are very worthwhile.
Once I completed Leon's story it was time for Claire's. I remembered it being much shorter in the original Resident Evil 2. But in a slightly baffling move here they decided to go back to the start with Claire and have her do many of the same tasks already completed by Leon. If this was a lesser game, I'd have been really pissed off but it's such a belter of a game, I just got stuck in and enjoyed the show. There are differences between the two. Claire spends most of her time protecting a little girl named Sherry. Kids are a risk in entertainment, they're generally annoying but I liked this kid. She was plucky and had to carry a lot of shit! Her parents... wow! I don't wanna give the plot away but dayum that was some cold shit. The game takes Claire to different places (the pic above is the orphanage which is exclusive to Claire) and she takes different routes through the same places so it is definitely worth playing... ESPECIALLY for the ending!!!
Leon and Claire are likeable. They're good people who are trying to do right and that makes you fight harder with them. Ada Wong and Sherry also get playable sections. Both are quite short but both are very well executed.
As ever with Resident Evil, getting 100% is a chore. So again, I just played the game for pure enjoyment. And enjoy it I did... a lot. I will absolutely go back to this game for a second run through one day. This is an absolute must play! Score 9/10 Trophy Count: 37%
Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remastered:
The final game in this remake special is Final Fantasy X. Now I know Final Fantasy X-2 came with the package and I know many people enjoy this game but, well, I'll come back to it. Let's start with the excellent (in spite of its main character) Final Fantasy X.
Tidus is a blitzball player. It's the biggest sport in his land, Zanarkand. His Dad, Jecht, was a champion blitzball player and he was beloved by everyone, except Tidus, who hated him... because he was a pretty shitty Dad. Anyway, Jecht up and left Tidus to help save the world, more on this later. Tidus never really got over it. One day on the way to a Blitzball match, Zanarkand is attacked and destroyed along with all of its people. Tidus gets away as he is taken to the world of Spira 200 years away from where he was (poxy fucking time travel again) by Auron who is a big damn hero, all round tough guy and friend of Jecht.
In the future he meets Rikku, Lulu, Khimari, Wakka and most importantly, Yuna. He falls for Yuna and it is because she is a awesome as she is hot. Yuna is on a quest to save the world from an unstoppable monster called Sin. Sin comes every 10 years and a summoner is chosen to defeat it and bring "the calm" or 10 years of peace. What Tidus doesn't know is that in order to bring about the calm, Yuna must die and Sin is actually his father... good times.
As the game progresses you're brought to some incredible places. Even by FF standards there are some stand out locations. I really took my time and had planned to get 100% trophies. I came up short. I got 29 out of 34. Why? Well one of the trophies involved filling the sphere grid with one of your characters. As you can see from the above picture, that would take a fucking age. Another trophy was to fill all of the grid up with all your characters. That is just fucking unreasonable. However, I did the majority, including the single most irritating trophy I've ever achieved involving a chocobo race on the Calm Lands. FUCK THAT TROPHY!!! It's legendary in it's shittiness. Google it. I also got everyone their main weapons which was a mighty ask but an enjoyable one. I got all the guardian forces, in short I did a lot of extra shit before finally facing off against Sin.
As for Blitzball. I tried this on PS2 but couldn't get the hang of it so I tried it again here and once you recruit Brother, your pilot, onto your team, there's really no stopping you. It is a bit samey but if you have the time, you may as well...
This is a great story and while the game points to Tidus as the main character, the reality is the main character is Yuna. Just as well too. She's wonderful and rarely irritates. The rest of the charatcers are okay. Auron does the cool, tough guy thing well. Khimari does the angry creature with a good heart and sad back story thing well. Rikku is mildly irritating but useful in battles Lulu is a slammin' hottie. Wakka is good natured and learns a lot along the way.
The father/son relationship between Tidus and Jecht softens as the game goes on. As a human, Jecht was terrible to his son. As a monster, he fights every instinct to help his son defeat the beast he has become. In the clip below Tidus asks Sin for a bit more time, the creature just walks away... this is Jecht protecting his kid:
As ever, the friendships in the game are what make FF games work or collapse. Did you give a shit about anyone in FF XIII? Can you even remember their names? This one has a great story, great graphics and (mostly) great characters... sorry Tidus. It was incredible on PS2. It remains so here: 8.5/10 Trophy count: 69%
The makers of FF X-2 realised that Yuna was the best thing about FFX. So rightly she is front and centre here. I played this to completion on PS2 but I just couldn't get through it on PS4. It's terrible. Or maybe having just played FFX it didn't compare well. Anyway I may go back to it some time in the future but it's unlikely.
As ever, I remind you not to buy your games on day one. Wait for price drops. There's some great bargains to be had if you can wait.
Happy gaming,
G.
Once I completed Leon's story it was time for Claire's. I remembered it being much shorter in the original Resident Evil 2. But in a slightly baffling move here they decided to go back to the start with Claire and have her do many of the same tasks already completed by Leon. If this was a lesser game, I'd have been really pissed off but it's such a belter of a game, I just got stuck in and enjoyed the show. There are differences between the two. Claire spends most of her time protecting a little girl named Sherry. Kids are a risk in entertainment, they're generally annoying but I liked this kid. She was plucky and had to carry a lot of shit! Her parents... wow! I don't wanna give the plot away but dayum that was some cold shit. The game takes Claire to different places (the pic above is the orphanage which is exclusive to Claire) and she takes different routes through the same places so it is definitely worth playing... ESPECIALLY for the ending!!!Leon and Claire are likeable. They're good people who are trying to do right and that makes you fight harder with them. Ada Wong and Sherry also get playable sections. Both are quite short but both are very well executed.
As ever with Resident Evil, getting 100% is a chore. So again, I just played the game for pure enjoyment. And enjoy it I did... a lot. I will absolutely go back to this game for a second run through one day. This is an absolute must play! Score 9/10 Trophy Count: 37%
Final Fantasy X/X-2 Remastered:
The final game in this remake special is Final Fantasy X. Now I know Final Fantasy X-2 came with the package and I know many people enjoy this game but, well, I'll come back to it. Let's start with the excellent (in spite of its main character) Final Fantasy X.
Tidus is a blitzball player. It's the biggest sport in his land, Zanarkand. His Dad, Jecht, was a champion blitzball player and he was beloved by everyone, except Tidus, who hated him... because he was a pretty shitty Dad. Anyway, Jecht up and left Tidus to help save the world, more on this later. Tidus never really got over it. One day on the way to a Blitzball match, Zanarkand is attacked and destroyed along with all of its people. Tidus gets away as he is taken to the world of Spira 200 years away from where he was (poxy fucking time travel again) by Auron who is a big damn hero, all round tough guy and friend of Jecht.
In the future he meets Rikku, Lulu, Khimari, Wakka and most importantly, Yuna. He falls for Yuna and it is because she is a awesome as she is hot. Yuna is on a quest to save the world from an unstoppable monster called Sin. Sin comes every 10 years and a summoner is chosen to defeat it and bring "the calm" or 10 years of peace. What Tidus doesn't know is that in order to bring about the calm, Yuna must die and Sin is actually his father... good times.
As the game progresses you're brought to some incredible places. Even by FF standards there are some stand out locations. I really took my time and had planned to get 100% trophies. I came up short. I got 29 out of 34. Why? Well one of the trophies involved filling the sphere grid with one of your characters. As you can see from the above picture, that would take a fucking age. Another trophy was to fill all of the grid up with all your characters. That is just fucking unreasonable. However, I did the majority, including the single most irritating trophy I've ever achieved involving a chocobo race on the Calm Lands. FUCK THAT TROPHY!!! It's legendary in it's shittiness. Google it. I also got everyone their main weapons which was a mighty ask but an enjoyable one. I got all the guardian forces, in short I did a lot of extra shit before finally facing off against Sin.
As for Blitzball. I tried this on PS2 but couldn't get the hang of it so I tried it again here and once you recruit Brother, your pilot, onto your team, there's really no stopping you. It is a bit samey but if you have the time, you may as well...
This is a great story and while the game points to Tidus as the main character, the reality is the main character is Yuna. Just as well too. She's wonderful and rarely irritates. The rest of the charatcers are okay. Auron does the cool, tough guy thing well. Khimari does the angry creature with a good heart and sad back story thing well. Rikku is mildly irritating but useful in battles Lulu is a slammin' hottie. Wakka is good natured and learns a lot along the way.
The father/son relationship between Tidus and Jecht softens as the game goes on. As a human, Jecht was terrible to his son. As a monster, he fights every instinct to help his son defeat the beast he has become. In the clip below Tidus asks Sin for a bit more time, the creature just walks away... this is Jecht protecting his kid:
As ever, the friendships in the game are what make FF games work or collapse. Did you give a shit about anyone in FF XIII? Can you even remember their names? This one has a great story, great graphics and (mostly) great characters... sorry Tidus. It was incredible on PS2. It remains so here: 8.5/10 Trophy count: 69%
The makers of FF X-2 realised that Yuna was the best thing about FFX. So rightly she is front and centre here. I played this to completion on PS2 but I just couldn't get through it on PS4. It's terrible. Or maybe having just played FFX it didn't compare well. Anyway I may go back to it some time in the future but it's unlikely.
As ever, I remind you not to buy your games on day one. Wait for price drops. There's some great bargains to be had if you can wait.
Happy gaming,
G.
