I was in Minnesota for the past two weeks without any internet or TV connection so I didn’t have time to really put anything on this site. I also only really had access to my PS Vita, 3DS, and the scant few games on my Mac so this update might feel a little strapped for games. However, these past two weeks, I was able to play far more than typical. Typically, I play a game for like 2 or 3 hours a week at most. This week, I added seven hours into one game, and four into another.

Suikoden (PSV): Sixth Appearance, Sixth Straight Appearance

You know that feeling when cutting wrapping paper and the scissors hit a smooth glide? That’s what happened this week. I added about 7 hours into this game over the course of about 5 days on the Vita, then it ran out of battery, I put it on the cord to charge, and picked up my 3DS to start back into a different game.

This game is exactly what I wanted from what is effectively Baby’s First JRPG (it’s not actually my first JRPG, I played a little bit into Final Fantasies VII and IX back in high school, but this is the first one I’ve been invested in). The characters, the strategies (the rune system, picking individual characters for specific situations, etc)  make for a much more investing RPG experience for me, the first one I’ve ever really had – if you can’t tell by the fact that I am unable to properly criticize this game.

I recommend it, though, for what that’s worth, and I’ve actually played quite a bit of it. The good thing about longer games like this is that I still have quite a bit left to experience, and I’m actually excited about it.

Paper Mario: Sticker Star: Second Appearance, Last Appearance 5/26/14

After all of the hullaballoo from E3, I realized one major thing: People really, really don’t like Paper Mario: Sticker Star. You ask certain people about it, they’ll say either “it was pretty good” or “this game betrayed me and destroyed the good name of Paper Mario forever.”

I fall into that first camp, and I actually was inspired to pick it up again after listening to a podcast (I don’t remember if it was VidjiagameApocalypse or From US to You!) and someone described it as “more of a Sierra RPG than the earlier Paper Mario RPGs”.

Longtime readers of my writings (all like, Ben and my Dad of you) will remember that I enjoy Sierra RPGs. The only thing I need for them is the typical thing I need that I always end up ashamed-of-but-not-too-ashamed-of: the GameFAQs walkthrough. I used one for Suikoden as well, but that was because I would forget where I was supposed to go when I’d pick the console back up. However, knowing some things in advance (and not all things, of course, typically just the Thing Stickers that I’d need for specific fights and little else) made it a better experience overall.

I’ve enjoyed the humor as well. Much of the criticism from people I know revolves around the humor, specifically that it’s eroded from the comedic value of the second game in the series, The Thousand Year Door. I’ve never played it. Maybe I don’t know what I’m missing, sure (I’ve actually heard multiple people say that), but I’ve enjoyed the sort of surrealistic value of finding a lifelike trumpet or high heel within the paper-scrap world. The supporting character, Kersti, is a good guide through the game, I don’t have any problems with the stickers in battle, it’s a much different system than used by other games.

My point is, it’s been enjoyable this whole time and my experience has been positive with it.

Duke Nukem 3D (PC): I don’t care whether or not I played this before

I went to a Caribou Coffee to download this from GOG, took it home, then played it for like 15 minutes and I don’t like it that much. Someone berated me on an old forum in 2009 because I said I wasn’t interested in Duke Nukem Forever and that I thought it would be a boring game and Duke was an outdated character. They said to try Duke Nukem 3D, as it has impeccable level design, and Duke Nukem is actually a good character. This week I dictated that none of that was actually true. Duke Nukem 3D is a bad game and so is Duke Nukem Forever. Trust me. I run a blog named after my own name.

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