Niahak's Place

I’ve beaten Growlanser: Heritage of War. Review will likely follow on videolamer, but for a short summary: It’s good, but not amazing. In fact, I’d say it’s the best Growlanser I’ve played – I’m in the minority that didn’t like the second, and while the third is good, HoW makes several engine improvements and keeps a fairly solid plot. The good: Suikoden III-style multiple viewpoints, enjoyable characters and quick random battles. The bad: Cheesy dialogue, slow pacing early on, and a somewhat weak-feeling finale.

Since GL: HoW, I have started Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne. It’s the first core SMT game I’ve been able to get into, although I’ve been a fan of the Persona spinoffs. So far it’s been a bit rough in places – one of the early bosses, the Matador, was particularly difficult to fully prepare for. Speaking of which, the flow of the game is pretty much explore, find a boss, die, and figure out what you should’ve done. It’s a bit rough, but the game gives a few hints as to where you should save.

The other frustration is that random battles are almost everywhere. Towns are no safe haven, which is different (although Final Fantasy Legend 2 had this in a single town in Ashura’s World). I’m used to towns being a 10-15 minute break from combat – go around, talk to random people who usually say nothing useful, rest at the inn, get new equipment (one explanation as to why Lunar 2: Eternal Blue is one of my favorite games). Getting into a battle I could die in – an instant game over – between the healer’s room and the save point is a little bit too intense for me most of the time. I’m willing to tolerate it as long as it doesn’t happen, which it hasn’t yet. Pictures beyond, to save load time and frustration.

Finally, I believe I promised a few pictures. These really don’t do the game justice. There’s a lot of shifting of backgrounds, movement, and glowing of demonic tattoos involved, and the game so far has had an awfully numinous, mystic feel as you don’t have any idea what happened. Or for that matter, what is happening.

Yes, that is what it looks like. A giant manta ray thing. That room was a hospital lobby.

The first really tough boss. The Matador pretty much grabs you out of a sewer, pulling you into another plane to do battle.

Any game that lets you fight Thor has got to be awesome. Earlier in the game you see Loki in a bar; I’m hoping you get to take him on, too. My only reservation is that they’re taken out of any particular context – Thor’s just a particularly strong boss fighting for one of the factions.

The guy on the right is Dante from Devil May Cry. I have never played the games myself, but the scene with him makes me want to try them if nothing else. I’m wondering why he would be put in the game more than anything, but he seems pretty cool at that.

That’s all I’ve got today. Book series review may follow tomorrow.