News and Review

I first reviewed this game a month ago, when I was only 1/2 finished. That's the first review. Following that is my final review.

October 28, 2002 (1/2 finished)
Although it's not nearly as popular, I've always thought Wild Arms was the best RPG series outside of Final Fantasy. It's got great gameplay, great graphics, innovative gameplay ideas, an interesting storyline, and awesome characters. What more could you want in an RPG? I'm only done with about 50% of Wild Arms 3, but since it's a new game, I really wanted to recommend this to you.

If you like Final Fantasy, you should have no trouble understanding Wild Arms. The one big difference is that when you're wandering around dungeons, there's actually stuff to do! You'll need to use different tools to break walls, hit switches, avoid traps, move blocks, etc. There are a lot of extremely clever puzzles that you'll need to solve, and that adds a lot to the gameplay.

Outside of Final Fantasy Tactics and Hoshigami, WA3 has the best battle scenes. Characters run around, and although it doesn't affect strategy, it makes the fight a little more interesting to watch (instead of side A on one side, and side B on the other). Also, there are ship battles similar to those in Skies of Arcadia. There's even a special battle scene for horse-back battles... the monsters run along side you as you fight! You're even able to select an Auto Battle option, so if you don't wanna input every little move against a weak opponent, you can just let the computer run the fight for you. WA3 has a top-notch battle system that seems to have all the bases covered.

Another noteworthy thing that puts WA3 apart from FF and other RPG games is that it's in full 3D (not 3D on pre-rendered backgrounds). You're always in control of the camera angles. And on top of that, it's got a new cel-shaded look. I think the graphics are all-around some of the best I've ever seen. Sometimes it looks kinda cartoony, and at other times you think it's real, but at all times it looks great!

WA has all sortsa monsters, but it has a Western theme ('cowboys and indians') instead of a Fantasy or Sci Fi theme, and that's another thing that makes it unique. A young girl named Virginia Maxwell is the main character, but barely. Clive Winslet, Jet Enduro, and Gallows Caradine are the other characters on your team, and their storylines are pretty much as prominent as Virginia's. That's nice because I really relate to Clive, so I like to think of him as me (I renamed him "Stefan" ^_^), so he's my main character.

Anyhow, Wild Arms 3 takes place on the dying world of Filgia. The oceans have turned into giant deserts, and only a few green areas still exist, but they're dying off as well. It's not really your job to simply save the world... it's your job to stop the crazy people who are trying to 'save' the world. It's a long and interesting story that you have to play out for yourself. Basically, you uncover the history of Filgia (the source of the decay, etc.) as you complete your missions, and that's when you realize that the people who are tying to save the world have it all wrong. It's a world where the good and evil isn't totally clear. Some are good, some are bad, some are mislead, and some are just in it for themselves.

I think the depth and detail of the characters is really the best feature of Wild Arms 3. Of course all your characters are interesting, and you'll learn all about their history and the personality. But the side characters and your enemies are also very interesting as well. For instance, there's a rival group of Drifters who are only out for themselves are constantly getting in your way. They're led by a snooty girl named Maya Schroedinger, and she's absolutely awesome! You'll totally love and despise her at the same time. She's quickly becoming one of my favorite characters... my fingers are crossed that we might get to meet her again in Wild Arms 4!

If you're looking for a good RPG, definitely check out Wild Arms 3! It's challenging but not too difficult. It's long and in-depth without over-doing it (I'm guessing it'll take about 40 hrs for the main story plus side-quests). Final Fantasy is the RPG series by which all games are measured. If you like FF, I think you'll like Wild Arms 3. And if you don't like FF, I think you'll like Wild Arms 3. It's just that kinda game. Either way, I'm sure you'll like it too! There's a lot more I'd love to tell you about this game, but there comes a point where you just have to go and check it out for yourself... and that point is now. GO GO GO!
BTW, retail price on this game is only $39.95!

PS - There's a cute girl named Florina in the Secret Garden who's got long blonde pigtails, a green dress, a red hat, and red gloves! When you play WA3, be sure to use a Name Card and change her name to "Cammy"! ^_^

November 25, 2002
Thanks to my insomnia, I was able to beat Wild Arms 3 in just over 1 month's time. It ended up taking me about 80 hours, but about 30+ hours was "The Abyss" because I had to leave my PS2 running all weekend (there's no saving in the Abyss which is 100 levels deep and features the 2 hardest fights in the game). Anyhow, expect 50 hours for main game and all the side quests minus the Abyss.

The game was great. Everything I said in my earlier review holds true to the end... great story, great characters, great graphics, great variety, GREAT gameplay, etc. The only thing that could have made Wild Arms 3 a better game would have been some fancy cutscene movies. There are a couple of cool anime-style intro movies, and exit movies, but nothing in-game. Other than that, the game was about as good as I could expect any game to be. And it might have had the best ending to any RPG I've ever played. The bottom line is that it was a great game, and you should check it out of you're looking for an RPG to play!

Okay, so the game's been out for a really long time already... But, if you haven't got a Gamecube yet, I'm here to tell you that if you ever do get one, this is one of those must-have games!

Luigi's Mansion is definitely a classic. First of all, I love that Luigi got his own game. It's always good to see 'background' characters get to spend some time in the spotlight. Second, I love haunted houses! And Third, it's one of the most clever games that I've played in a long, long time.

In case you don't know, the basic idea behind the game is that you (Luigi), use a vacuum cleaner to clear out ghosts who are haunting your new mansion. Not only that, but Mario is lost somewhere inside, and you have to rescue him! It sounds a little childish, and it kinda is, but that doesn't make it any less fun.

For the most part, I have only praise for the game. The one word of warning I have for you, is that it's a total waste of time to try and do everything perfectly (all gold frames, etc). That'll only take the fun out of the game, so just play right on through and have fun!

Anyhow, the game is fun, unique, clever, and the challenge is just right. Like I said before, it's a classic, and you're a freak if you own a Gamecube without Luigi's Mansion!

To me there's little that's less interesting than real-life golf. But, video game golf has always been pretty fun. I loved the first Hot Shots Golf, I liked Neo Turf Masters on the Neo-Geo Pocket, and Tee Off Golf on the DC was fun too. Since there were no other big games out at the time, I picked up Hot Shots Golf 3, and I was really excited.

At first this game lived up to all the hype, and I was having a lot of fun! And there's a cute pigtailed girl in the game too ^_^. But as I got deeper and deeper into the game, it started to lose its fun. Although there are a TON of things to unlock and discover, the game got so annoyingly hard that most of the fun left the game. You have to be practically perfect in the later stages. And on top of that, the characters are really unbalanced, so I couldn't play my pigtailed girl late in the game because she was just too weak. The worst thing about the whole game was the fact that you have no luck!! The ball never once rolled up to the hole and dropped in... you only have bad luck... the ball rolls up, it rolls around, and then it pops out. What the hell's fun about bad luck?!

I think all the reviewers who gave this game such incredibly rave reviews only played the first part of it. If you're a huge golf fan & perfectionist, or probably won't take the time to play through to the very end of the game, I think you'd like it. But if you're like me, you might be better off waiting until you can pick up a used copy for 40% of the price (that way it's hard to feel cheated if the fun runs out too soon).

What's the easiest way to make a bad game? Make it too hard! It's no fun playing a game when you're constantly your butt kicked. Making the game ultra hard is NOT a good way of making it challenging.

I've prayed for years that another game like Final Fantasy Tactics would come out, and I finally got it with Hoshigami. It's a lot like FF Tactics. The strategy is great, the art is good (for a regular PlayStation game), and the storyline is okay too. But that all goes out the window because this game is just too damn hard. This game will frustrate you to death, and it will bore you with hours and hours and hours of leveling up. At least 75% of the game is wasted in leveling up and playing stages over and over.

It really is a shame that I gotta rip this game because it could have been almost as good as FF Tactics if it weren't for the insane difficulty level. How could they have let such a stupid and simple flaw ruin a game? With a more reasonable difficulty level I would have rated this game about a 9, and it would have been one of my all-time favorites. I love Tactical RPGs as much as anybody, but unless REALLY love tactical RPGs, or you're a glutton for punishment with tons of time on your hands, you should probably stay away from Hoshigami, and play FF Tactics one more time. I hate to say it, but it's true.

This is easily one of the best games I've played in years! I've been a BIG fan of the Forgotten Realms for a long, long time. I've read most of the novels, got the D&D books, played the computer versions of Baldur's Gate, and now the PS2 version too. This game is actually something totally different because it's not much like the computer games were. Dark Alliance is basically like Gauntlet, but there are lot more strategies and RPG elements. There just aren't enough of these action RPG games available.

There aren't any major flaws in the game... the gameplay is great, the characters are cool, storyline is interesting, and the graphics are awesome. The only complaints about the game I can come up with are about things that I think could or should have been in the game. For one, there weren't enough secrets... basically, it's just a straight forward game. Another complaint is that there are only 3 characters (human archer, dwarven fighter, elven sorceress) to choose from. I think there should have been more. Moreover, if you play in 2 player mode, you cannot have the same character... so if you and a friend have built up the drawrven fighter, you can't play together. I guess those are some serious 'problems', but the game is SO extremely cool in every other way that it really doesn't matter much in the end.

Anyhow, if you're new to the Forgotten Realms don't be afraid of starting with this game! Anybody can pick up this game and get into it. Moreover, it can be the starting point for you to get into all the other Forgotten Realms stuff! And I can confidently say that this game will be continued, and it seems like you'll even be able to import you character from the first game. Cool! I can't wait...

My favorite part of the game? After beating the Normal Mode, I discovered the Gauntlet. The Gauntlet isn't very interesting except for the fact that you play as the legendary Drizzt Do'urden! After that, you gain access to the Extreme Mode. And after all that... Drizzt becomes the 4th character! For more on Drizzt, check out the very first entry (April 30, 2001) in the Book Reviews section.

Anyhow, Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance was an awesome game, and you shouldn't miss out on it! For more info and details, check out http://www.Interplay.com/bgdarkalliance/

Wow, is Capcom EVER gonna stop putting out upgrades of Street Fighter 2?! ^_^

I'm a diehard SSF2 fan because it's of course Cammy's original game! I couldn't pass up the opportunity to play Cammy wherever I go. I didn't expect much, but I actually got quite a lot... especially a new and updated ending (storyline & art) for Delta Red Cammy!!! That alone is worth the $40 a paid for the game.

Anyhow, the graphics and sound in this little game are amazing! They did quite a lot, and and some extra stuff like new endings, new character & ending art, and a few new backgrounds. They also brought back the mini games (break the barrels, smash the car, etc.). There are also a few special survival modes and whatnot that add some replay value.

The biggest problem with this game is that it's ridiculous to try and play a 6-button SF game with 2 buttons and 2 triggers. But it's such a simple game, you can almost everything with just Fierce Punch and Roundhouse Kick. Another problem was that they took out the original game intro (where Cammy sticks out her tongue).

I don't know how my evaluation in this review was worth because I'm so biased. But hopefully I've given you enough info so that you can decide if it's worth a try.

This is probably one of the most anticipated games in recent memory. About 6 months ago I got a video from Capcom of Japan previewing the game, so I've been extra excited for a long time. Basically, it's just like Onimusha, so if you liked that game, you'll like this one. Devil May Cry is about a half-devil, half-human devil hunter (like Donovan from Darkstalkers), who fights evil by using his guns along with his sword/gauntlets at the same time! The game is set on an island with a huge gothic castle full of possessed marionettes, giant lava spiders, scissors-wielding spirits, demon knights, etc., so you'll need every bit of that offensive firepower.

Devil May Cry is an awesome game... that's very nearly ruined by bad controls. It's hard to have fun when you're constantly confused and frustrated. The camera angles are really bad in this game, and that's ESPECIALLY apparent when you're trying to fight an boss that can kill you in a few hits. Too many times you'll have your hands full when the camera angle changes, the boss disappears, and you don't know where he is... until he kicks your ass! And there's no blocking. Another example of the bad controls is that you'll be running down a hallway, the camera angle changes, and all of a sudden you're going back the way you came because you're pressing forward, but suddenly, forward is backward. It's also a bit hard to jump up on some objects because the perspective is awkward. Another frustration is that saving the game in-game doesn't really work. So if you wanna save at the end of a level before the big boss fight, it's worthless because if you have to restart, you have to go through the stage again. And the controls are too damn complicated! I've never played a game where you have to use more buttons at once (while running and jumping you have to hold this, while you press there, and turn that). Okay, and the final complaint is that the in-game graphics are better than the CG movies, and that's a bit disappointing after seeing all the awesome movies from Onimusha.

Other than that, this game really IS cool! The in-game graphics are absolutely amazing. I was particularly impressed by the stage design. Devil May Cry might have the coolest looking stages I've ever seen. I actually spent a lot of time just walking around and looking at the environment! Another good thing about this game is that it's not just a hack 'n slash game like Onimusha was. You've got many different weapons, techniques, and moves that allow you to kick ass in a lotta different ways. But like I said before, they may have overdone it because the controls are extremely complex. I also thought that Devil May Cry has the perfect level of difficulty when it comes to strategy because I could easily get through the game without a guide, and I found most of the secrets, but it was still challenging enough to be fun.

Anyhow, despite the long list of serious complaints, if you're into this kinda game gothic-horror game like I am, you cannot miss it! Just be prepared for a bit of frustration, and don't let it get to you. If you can do that, this'll be one of the coolest games you've ever seen.

I've been waiting for this game to come home for almost 2 years! But with the chaos at SNK, it got a bit delayed. Nevertheless, it's finally out (in Japan and in the USA)!

Anyhow, Garou:Mark of the Wolves is the future of Fatal Fury. It's set about 20 years after the last FF game, and it features an older (and MUCH cooler) Terry Bogard, the 2 sons of Kim Kaphwan, Geese Howard's son, Mai & Andy's son, as well as a whole buncha cool new characters. The basic storyline is that Terry Bogard killed (kinda accidentally) Geese Howard and then raised his son.

This game plays nothing like the other Fatal Fury games (that's a good thing). Instead, it's more like King of Fighters, Capcom vs SNK, Street Fighter, etc. It's also got all-new graphics that make it one of the best looking 2-D games. And of course it's filled with great backgrounds and all sorts of humor that SNK is famous for. Another thing SNK's famous for is great art, and GMotW doesn't disappoint with great in-game are, and galleries where you can check it all out at your own pace and in super-high resolution.

The only complaints I have about the game are kinda petty... it's always asking you if you wanna load/save data, and there's no way of pausing to look at the animation because the screen gets dark and the menu is in the way. But like I said, those are minor complaints.

I know a lot of people have just recently discovered how good SNK fighting games are, and this is definitely one of their best. You should definitely check it out!

As you might now, I've always been a HUGE fan of Namco's Guncom. I was never much of a shooting game fan, but Namco turned me into one because the gun is so incredibly accurate, and the games are a lotta fun. Now, with Time Crisis 2, Namco brings shooting to the next level on the PS2 and with the Guncom 2.

In case you're not familiar with the Time Crisis series, it's a light-gun shooting game where you shoot all sorts of bad guys as you try to complete you mission (saving the world from terrorists). The one trademark feature is the ability to duck behind objects. This allows you to avoid return fire, and it lets you reload you gun. It's great fun, and with all the strategy, it's much more than a 'simple' shooting game!

Time Crisis 2 looks amazing on the PS2! And the main game is a lotta fun, but maybe a bit short (about 15-20 min). However, there are a buncha mini games that I think make up for it. And, there are also a few alternate paths, as well as a lotta hidden stuff that make playing it over and over worth it. Another thing that adds fun to the game is that when you beat it, you get new bullets... automatic, infinite, shotgun, etc. Wow, it's fun to have SO much firepower! ^_^

The Guncom 2 isn't really all that impressive yet. It seems to shoot just like the old one, but the difference is that it's got a whole buncha new buttons... A & B on the sides, C on the butt of the handle, Start & Select on the sides, and a joypad where the hammer should be. However, you don't really use any of that stuff with Time Crisis 2. There are 2 things I don't like about the design... one, it's not nearly as cool-looking as the original, and two, the 'duck' buttons (A & B) are closer to the trigger instead of at the end of the barrel, but it's no big deal.

Anyhow, this is definitely one of the coolest games out there, and even if you're no fan of shooting games, this should turn you into one. Everybody should put Time Crisis 2 on their Christmas list!!

The moment I saw this game, I bought it! And when I was buying it, some girl asked me "Oh, is that a new RPG?" and I didn't even know... I just saw the graphics and needed to get it. ^_^ Luckily, my impulse buy turned out to be as cool as I thought it would be! The graphics are the best I've ever seen (for a game without Cammy). It looks like Tim Burton (The Nightmare Before Christmas) created the game. I bought it for the graphics alone, and it was definitely worth it because I spent almost 25 hours in awe, but game itself is pretty damn good too.

Anyhow, Okage is your typical RPG, so if you've played Final Fantasy or Wild Arms, you'll pick it up right away. However, it's a much more simplistic RPG. It's much shorter (under 25 hours), and there aren't as many nonsensical side-quests and other things to take up your time and frustrate you.

Besides the AMAZING graphics, the next best thing about Okage is the humor. This game is hilarious! It's also got a very good cast of characters that you'll get into in no time. And of course the storyline is okay too. The basic idea is that an "Evil King" (who's not the least bit evil) is released from a bottle and becomes the shadow of the game's hero. At the same time, other Evil Kings have appeared throughout the land, so you're off to take 'em out and become the one and only truly horrible, nasty, mean, and almighty Evil King! Along the way you pick up a motley crew of friends, and have a grand adventure.

One note... there is of course a strategy guide (by Prima) but it's probably nothing you need to get. The guide is only really good for the maps. Most of the guide is filled up with telling you the storyline! There's not really a lotta good info there, and the game is pretty easy, so you might be better off getting a FAQ for the secrets. However, if you don't wanna do a little bit of extra work, and if you've got $16 to blow, go ahead and get it.

Well, you need to check out Okage for the beautiful graphics alone! I don't think there's been anything like it yet, and as time goes by, I have a feeling that the pure style of it all will keep it among the all-time greats. It's also a cool little RPG that you won't have to dedicate your life to. Beautiful, fun, and simple... that's Okage.

It's been out for about a month here at my local Namco-sponsored arcade, and although there are still a lot of characters to be unlocked, I've gotten a pretty good idea of how the game is. This has to be one of the most anticipated games ever, and although a lot of people I've talked to don't think it lives up, I'm happy with it.

The graphics have been totally redone, and it has improved, but it's not that much better. For the most part, there are just more little details. For instance, when you fight at the beach, girls run up to watch the fight, but run away if you start getting too close. And there's another stage where you fight in a crowd, and if anybody gets in the way, you can land a hit or two.

The gameplay is basically the same. There are a few minor adjustments like being able to walk around in a circle (ala Soul Calibur), or jump off a wall. I think there's also less of the cheap juggling you saw in Tekken 3/Tag. And of course there are some new moves too.

Tekken 4 also has a lot of new characters, and for the most part, they're pretty cool! But I think the biggest improvement was on giving characters more style. Each character has 2 totally different looks, not just a costume change. For example, Paul Phoenix has his tradition look and another with his hair down. And Hwaorwhatever has long hair in one look, and short hair in the other. Except for Heihachi & King, I think everybody looks their best by far in this game!

Going in, I thought the improvement on Ling Xiaoyu's look would make her my new favorite character, BUT Julia Chang stole my heart because she's got long pigtails like Cammy!! For her first outfit, she's simply wearing jeans and a small/tight jean shirt/jacket. But what's special, is that she's wearing glasses (I love it!). Her second outfit is actually better... she's wearing some greet hotpants (short shorts), green boots with white socks (a lot like Delta Red Cammy), and a small green vest. But, she's not wearing glasses with outfit #2. Suddenly, Julia's vaulted WAY up in my favorite character rankings, and I'm sure you'll like her too. But at my local arcade, she's ranked #16 of 17 in popularity with only 0.6% >_< C'mon people, support the pigtailed fighters!!

I can't wait for this game to come home! It's cool to see in the arcade, but since I'm so tall, I almost have to bend in half to reach the controls, so it kills my back to play. And the 75 cent price per game kills my wallet! Anyhow, although some people aren't impressed, I very happy with it. There are no major improvements or changes, but there are enough new characters and changes to other little details that make it lots of fun.

I felt like something between an RPG and a plain old action game, and this is what I came up with. I didn't really want to get the game because I was afraid it would be cheesy, but I gave it a chance anyways. When I was a little kid (real little), I played the original Gauntlet game in the and I thought it was great. Unfortunately, the modern versions of old games are almost never good... but this one is!

If you're not familiar with the series, the point is basically to get through dungeons and hack (or blast) you way through thousands of monsters. All the basic character classes are here... wizard, valkryie, barbarian, archer, and many more including my guy, the dwarf. As you go through the 50-60 levels in this game, there are all sorts of challenging little puzzles to solve and secrets to find (on top of lots of monster to kill!).

What was most impressive about this game, was how the levels were SO huge and complex, and yet you never had to wait around for loading time! Once it loaded the level, everything was cool, and you could go about your business (for the next 10-20 minutes). Besides avoiding annoying wait time, one thing that was cool was that sometimes you could be way up high on a tower on one end, and see & even attack the enemies way far away from you because the whole level was real 3D.

Anyhow, this game REALLY impressed me, and I had a ton of fun... so much fun, that once I beat it (took 18 hours), I played through it again (took 11 hours)! Like I said, the level design in super impressive, and so is the power of the PS2 to handle all that so easily! Also, the game had the perfect amount of difficulty because it was challenging, but not to the point were I ever got into any trouble. Complexity is another cool thing about this game... with 19 different characters and about 50-60 levels, there's a lot of variety!

So, if this game even remotely sounds like something you'd enjoy playing, go get it!

PS - I said at first I was a bit afraid that the game would be cheesy... it was! But, it was nothing that made the game bad. Actually, it was all very very funny. When you hear the narrator (his name is Sumner) say something like "Congratulations, you have found the Scimitar of Decapitation!", you'll crack up because it's SO silly! ^_^
PPS - Although the art on the cover of the game looks pretty bad (I think so), the game itself looks great.

News flash: Cammy's the coolest character

Dr. Dan and Dr. Don are back! This game might be hard for you to get because if you don't have or can't find a Namco Guncom or something compatible, you can't play. However, if you have a Guncom, this game is a must have... not only because it's fun, but because Guncom games are quite rare!

For those of you not familiar with the Point Blank series, it's pretty simple... you take your light gun and shoot your way through tons of crazy mini-games! I think this game has 86 different games. There are all types of games. Some are designed to test your speed, like the game where you have to shoot an oncoming train 75 times in 10 seconds (you need to pull the trigger 7.5 times each second!!). Some are designed to test your judgement, like the game where Mokujin from Tekken strikes a pose (famous Tekken moves), and you've got 2 seconds to shoot the matching pose out of 8 other Mokujins. Some are designed for accuracy, like the game where you have to shoot down all the flying debris that an angry crowd is throwing at Dr. Dan. And then there are other games meant to test everything you got, like where you have one bullet, and you have to wait around for and then shoot the one little target to pop up for a split second. There really is a lot here, and it's all so clever yet challenging!

To be honest, Point Blank 3 isn't quite as good as the previous two because there's not much outside of the main Arcade Mode. The first one had a little RPG, the second one had special amusement park adventure, but all PB3 has is a cheap-ass survival mode. There are party modes, training modes, and all that too, but that's just standard fare. This game is lacking the extra something, and although there are lots of new games, they're basically just like all the other game in the previous two games, so that's why I didn't give it a 9 or higher. Nevertheless, it's great fun! If you can get this game, I think you should.

PS - if you got the game, or are gonna get it, try shooting things on the different select screens. ^_^

News flash: Cammy's the coolest character

I bought this game simply for 2 reasons... because it was cheap ($15), and because I love Chocobos! All I really expected was some great characters, interesting/cute graphics, and some fun but simple racing. And do you know what? That's exactly what I got from Chocobo Racing!

The basic idea behind the game is of course racing with Final Fantasy characters like the Chocobo, Black Mage, Chubby Choco, Goblin, White Mage, Behemoth, etc. And to make it a little more fun, you can pick up Magic Stones along the way. With those, you can shoot fireballs, curse the person in front of you, drop ice slicks, and stuff like that. Combined with the fact that some of the tracks are crazy just as they are, things can get REALLY wild when you're going against 6 other racers, and everybody's trying to take the lead.

The coolest thing about the game is the storyline mode because it's presented to you like a pop-up book! It's really very clever and cute. The storyline itself isn't really all that exciting, but it's a good excuse to watch the pop-up book. ^_^

Bad stuff... well, the game is pretty easy, so there's nothing to really frustrate you all that much because as long as you're winning, you're having fun. Right? The only thing bothered me was the fact that the racers aren't very balanced. There are some characters that are clearly better than others, and that shouldn't be.

Anyhow, this is a cool game if you like Chocobos (and other Final Fantasy characters), cute graphics, and simple racing. The reason I gave it a 7.5 score, which is fairly low, was because I don't expect much from this game, not because there were a lot of flaws that forced me to take away points. Despite the simplicity and a few flaws, I had lotsa fun.

News flash: Cammy's the coolest character

	Platform: Maker: Genre: Score:	PlayStation Squaresoft Action RPG 4.5
This is a game I've wanted to play for a really long time. I've always loved Chocobos, and when I lived in Japan, I picked up a lotta Chocobo's Dungeon merchandise. I never had the time to play, but not long ago I found the game for only $15 and that was something I couldn't pass up. However, now that I've got and played it, I'm wondering if $15 was really a bargain?!
Chocobo's Dungeon is a Zelda-like RPG featuring the Chocobo and many of his Final Fantasy buddies. The biggest feature about this game is that all the dungeons are randomly generated, so you never see the same thing twice. There really aren't any puzzles to solve... you just have to fight monsters and try to find your way through the mazes (i.e. survive).
I've played quite a bit of the game, but I can't finish it because it was designed SO badly! Here's what happened to me... When you go into a dungeon, you can only get out by winning, teleporting, or dying. I went into a dungeon and accidentally saved when I didn't have a way of teleporting out. Finishing the dungeon isn't possible because it's just way, way too hard. If I die, I get kicked out of the dungeon, but I lose EVERYTHING I have! At this point in the game, it's more or less game over if they take away everything I've earned, created, and discovered. Normally, if you make a mistake in an RPG, you just go back to a different saved game and redo a little bit, but in Chocobo's Dungeon 2, you're not allowed to save the game in multiple slots. In other words, I'm now screwed... and I'm not gonna bother doing it all over again. I wasted a whole lotta time.
Obviously, that sucks! I bet a lotta people have gotten screwed, because what I did was very simple mistake. But that's not the only reason I didn't like the game. The storyline, an extremely important part of every RPG, really isn't that interesting. However, the CG movies are excellent. The random dungeon generating gimmick isn't very interesting because there's so little variety that it ends up feeling like you are in the same place anyways. Another ultra frustrating thing about the game is that you never know what you find. For instance, if you find a "salty nut", you need to use a special "identify card" to identify what it is. And like the random dungeons, what a "salty nut" is, is always different. The fact that there are dozens of different items (many cursed and harmful), makes that even more annoying. BTW, you can use an item to figure out what it is, but too many times you waste it or get harmed by it, so it's stupid to do. The game's controls are also very bad because many times you have to fight an enemy standing diagonally from you, but it's hard to point that direction without wasting a move. All that combined makes Chocobo's Dungeon 2 very frustrating! Oh, and the game is pretty hard too. >_<
The bottom line is that you should stay away from this game unless you've played everything else! Look, I'm a very big Chocobo fan (you should see my collection of Chocobo toys!), but even that couldn't make this game good for me. I thought this would be a fun, cute, and fairly easy game to play, but I was wrong about everything except the fact that it is cute...
News flash: Cammy's the coolest character

This is one of those games that everybody must have! In Japan, Metal Slug is a very popular series, but like too many SNK games, it's unknown to most non-Japanese people. The original Metal Slug was actually published in English for the PS, but in very short print... I've never actually seen a copy (mine is Japanese). Now thanks to Agetec, Metal Slug X (an upgrade of Metal Slug 2), is available in English! Run to the store and get this game ASAP!

So, what is Metal Slug? It's a 2D side-scrolling shooting game with some of the best graphics since Vampire Savior. You pick one of 4 characters (Fio is my favorite), and then you march left to right and up & down, as you shoot, bomb, jump, kill, and rescue. You can also get into special vehicles like tanks, planes, mechs, and even an armored camel! It's really a simplistic game genre, but there are so many different enemies, modes, weapons, etc., that you'll be playing this game for a long, long time. Also, the computer AI (Artificial Intelligence) is very intelligent and versitile, so that adds a lot to the gameplay (and sometimes frustration! ^_^). Metal Slug X is a classic.

It's a fun and challenging game to play, but what really makes this game so damn special is that it has SO much personality! There's always a lotta action, but you'll still notice all sorts of fun stuff... you turn fat and slow if you eat too much, there's an invincible baby that crawls around the battlefield sometimes, some POWs (Prisoners of War) give you poop instead of food or weapons, the Arab soldiers pull scimitars from their mouths (like sword swallowers), and so much more. If you like the animation of Darkstalkers (who doesn't?!), then if nothing else, you'll thoroughly enjoy this game for the graphics alone.

Over to the left is a little gallery of pictures format the original Metal Slug game. I couldn't get pics from MSX (except for the cover), but the games are more or less the same (style and graphic-wise), so it'll give you a good idea of what it's like anyways. But the best thing would be to go get a copy and see for yourself!

With great graphics, fun & challenging gameplay, TONS of personality, extra modes & missions, a huge art gallery, and much more, this game gets an almost perfect score of 9.9! The only thing I can take away from the game is the fact that they tried to censor the blood by turning it white. Trying to censor this game is an absolute joke. Nevertheless, it's one of the best games ever as far as I'm concerned!

Miscellaneous Notes...
There were 2 Metal Slug games available for the NeoGeo Pocket.
If you've played the NeoGeo Pocket version of SNK vs Capcom or Card Clash Fighters, you'll probably recognize that a lot of stuff in those games comes from this series.
Metal Slug 3 has been out in Japan since about Winter 2000, so hopefully this game will be popular enough to warrant MS3's release in English!
Fio Germi (one of my favorite game gals), is a special striker in the Dreamcast's King of Fighters Evolution.