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Forums > Contributor Zone > Zipp's (again?) ROTW for May 22-May 29th

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Author: zippdementia
Posted: June 01, 2010 (02:37 PM)
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I apologize for the lateness of this ROTW. Work really picked up in my life this past week. Between film, social work, filming for social work, and completing a Masters in Education I'm one busy guy!

I'm happy to report it's all paying off, though. The film is in post and doing well, I've been granted interviews with survivors of a historic asylum, and I've completed my first year of Graduate school with a 4.0, which feels really good considering I graduated undergraduate with a mere 2.6.

The only thing that HASN'T paid off yet is that I need a job this summer. But we'll make it happen. Just like I made this ROTW happen. Maybe a little late, but it's still here.

Let's get honest.



Suskie's Pokemon Soul Silver review

It was only while typing the name of this review that I realized how ridiculous Pokemon game names have become. I'm touched by Suskie's devotion to this series and the manner in which he presents that devotion in this review. I didn't get a chance to read through all the responses to his review, but I personally think he's nailed the frustrations long-time fans have of the series.

I would offer, as explanation for this situation, the fact that Nintendo doesn't often consider long-time fans but has (for years and years and years) been focused on a specific age group. They seem less interested in whether Jimmy, who got into Pokemon when he was 12, will now buy the new pokemon at age 22. They want Joey, now 10, to buy their new pokemon game. If it's a rehash, Joey has no way of knowing or caring. Nintendo doesn't have to do a lot of work and, ostensibly, everyone's happy.

For the rest of us, we get pedometers. I'm glad you talked about the pedometers and actually reviewed its uses in a serious format. It added credence to the review as more than a nostalgic rant because it showed you were taking everything Nintendo has done to the series into consideration. Nice move.



Nightmare's Lunar: Silver Star Harmony review

Another ridiculously named game. It seems to be a thing with remakes. I'm sure one day when they remake Shadow of the Colossus, it will be called Giganticus Extremus or something.

I was torn between this review and Red Dead. Ultimately, though in Red Dead you picked great moments to show what the game is about, I thought this review had more emotion to it.

This was definitely a review written for Lunar fans. I only peripherally know the series, so I had some trouble following the details, but I think your nostalgic emotion (read: ire) carried it well so that I was able to understand what you were talking about.

I also thought the score was well explained. I got the sense that you really wanted to like this game but couldn't because of all the issues. I particularly liked your statements about the added scene taking away from the game and about the battle system being painful to sit through. While at first I thought the review was a little short for an RPG review, on reflection, I don't need to know more than you've told me with those two main points. I'm glad you ended it where you did and let your examples speak for themselves.



AND THE WINNER IS: Overdrive's Modern Warfare 2

There's been a lot of talk about whether MW2's single player is any good. I've been avoiding the game until the issue gets sorted out, but I think my wait may be coming to an end. Like in his recent Snowblind review, OD seems to know exactly what it is that makes a FPS good. Maybe we just think very similarly, but I was with OD through every description of adrenaline and I felt his acute disappointment at the liberal checkpoints.

In part, this win goes to OD because of that checkpoint section. He points out an entire generation's worth of problems with those couple of paragraphs. I agree: it's not that checkpoints suck... indeed, games like the original Ninja Gaiden are stupidly frustrating because of the forced repetition. But putting a checkpoint every five steps lets the player be stupid and that's no fun, either. It's not about putting the challenge back into games, its about putting thinking back into games. After all, it's so much more fulfilling when you come up with a plan and see it succeed.

Check out that little rant I was just went on! That was inspired by OD's review and for that it gets the win. Cheers, mate.



This marks the end of my school work for the summer so I shouldn't be late again. Once we get that missing week taken care of by EmP's mystery reviewer (Satan?) we should be on a regular schedule once again.

Ironically, having said that, I have no idea who is up next week.


Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic."

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Author: overdrive (Mod)
Posted: June 01, 2010 (06:49 PM)
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1. Rand (or...EmP's mystery reviewer) is up next week. Since neither have been seen recently*, it's a toss-up.

2. THANKS FOR THE WIN!!!! My first RotW in years feels better than the first I won (well, that first one was me taking first of two reviews...). I'm glad you liked the review. Struggled a good bit finding a way to present my points that I was comfortable with, so it's good to see things must have worked out well.

* Technically, EmP's mystery reviewer could have been seen prominently in recent times, but his/her RotW hasn't been seen, nor has his/her identity been revealed. This possibly shows that EmP's skills as an evil dictator are diminishing, as he is not showing his renown skills at keeping subordinates in line.


I'm not afraid to die because I am invincible
Viva la muerte, that's my goddamn principle

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Author: Nightmare
Posted: June 01, 2010 (09:19 PM)
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Zipp,

Thanks again for the mention. I'm glad you liked both reviews, but ultimately felt like Lunar had more personality to it.

It is a shame, though, that you've never played them. As strange as this sounds I would still recommend the game based on that, or try to find a copy of Lunar: Silver Star Complete if you were interested. Most flaws I found were based on me being a long-time fan. I'd be curious to see what someone new to the Lunar world would have to say.


I believe in Fate.

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Author: Suskie
Posted: June 01, 2010 (11:28 PM)
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Thanks a lot for the mention, Zipp, and a big congrats to OD!


You exist because we allow it. And you will end because we demand it.

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Author: wolfqueen001
Posted: June 02, 2010 (11:45 AM)
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Heh. I guess I suck. =p

Anyway, congrats to everyone mentioned. I'm sure they earned it. Also congrats, Zipp, for doing so well in your first (only?) year of graduate school. I still find that quite impressive, despite what you aay about graduate school being easier than undergrad.


[Eating EmP's brain] probably isn't a good idea. I mean... He's British, which means his brain's wired for PAL and your eyes are NTSC. - Will

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Author: zippdementia
Posted: June 02, 2010 (02:13 PM)
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That makes me feel wonderful, WQ! Thanks! Though I, similarly, will always be in awe of your amazing year at undergrad!


Note to gamers: when someone shoots you in the face, they aren't "gay." They are "psychopathic."

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Author: Fedule
Posted: June 02, 2010 (02:44 PM)
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Noooooooo, etc.

But seriously though, these are all good stuff, and congrats! I found the thoughts re: Pokémon of particular interest; it sums up pretty succinctly the problem with Pokémon these days, a problem that keeps on cropping up in games from Japan, that Tim Rogers named "the everything problem" - the perceived need to preserve a successful experience in its entirety if success is to be reattempted. It's an interesting problem!

Good job all.


•You cannot grasp the true form of Fedule's signature!

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