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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 16:45:33 GMT -5
11. Resident Evil 4 Resident Evil 4 (Japanese title: Biohazard 4) is a survival horror video game developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by multiple publishers, including Capcom, Ubisoft, Nintendo Australia, Red Ant Enterprises and THQ Asia Pacific. The sixth main entry in the Resident Evil series, the game was originally released for the Nintendo GameCube in January 2005 in North America and Japan, and in March 2005 in Europe and Australia. The story of Resident Evil 4 follows the U.S. government special agent Leon S. Kennedy, who is sent on a mission to rescue Ashley Graham, the President's daughter, who has been kidnapped by a sinister cult. Traveling to a remote rural area of Europe, Leon fights hordes of violent villagers and mutated monsters, and reunites with the mysterious spy Ada Wong. The game introduced new, more action-oriented gameplay mechanics to the series, also pioneering and popularizing the "over the shoulder" third-person view perspective in video games. First hinted at in early December 1999, Resident Evil 4 underwent a long development time during which four proposed versions of the game were discarded. Initially developed for the PlayStation 2, the first attempt was directed by Hideki Kamiya after producer Shinji Mikami requested him to create a new entry in the Resident Evil series. Nevertheless, it was decided to start development over again. The game was intended to be a GameCube exclusive as part of the Capcom Five, but a PS2 version was announced before the game was released for the GameCube. Resident Evil 4 was subsequently released for Microsoft Windows and Wii, and in heavily condensed versions for other platforms, including the iOS, mobile phones and Zeebo. In 2011, the enhanced Resident Evil 4 HD edition was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Resident Evil 4 garnered universal critical acclaim. The game was considered by most critics as a top contender for 2005's Game of the Year, and was seen as a successful crossover hit; the new gameplay alterations and immersive style appealed to many not previously familiar with the series. The player controls Leon S. Kennedy from a third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective in a mission to rescue the daughter of the President of the United States, Ashley Graham. The gameplay focuses on action and shootouts involving crowds of enemies in large open areas. The camera is focused behind Leon, and it zooms in for an over-the-shoulder view when aiming a weapon. Unlike previous games in the series, there is the addition of a laser sight that adds a new depth to the aiming, allowing the player to aim in various directions and easily change their placement at any time. Bullets affect the enemies specifically where they are shot: shots to the feet can cause enemies to stumble, while shots to the arms can cause them to drop their weapons. Another new aspect of Resident Evil 4 is the inclusion of context-sensitive controls. Based on the situation, the player can interact with aspects of their environment: kicking down a ladder, jumping out of a window, or dodging an enemy attack. There are also quick time events, in which the player must press buttons indicated on-screen to execute actions such as dodging a falling boulder or wrestling an enemy to stay alive. These are often incorporated into the game's many boss battles, where the player must avoid instant kill attacks. The main enemies are violent villagers referred to as Los Ganados ("The Cattle" in Spanish). Los Ganados can dodge, wield melee and projectile weapons, and are capable of working collectively and communicating with each other. They were once simple farmers until becoming the product of an infestation of Las Plagas ("The Plague" in Spanish). The inventory system of the game features a grid system, represented by an attaché case, that has each item take up a certain number of spaces. The case can be upgraded several times, allowing for more space. Weapons, ammunition and healing items are kept in the case, while key items are kept in a separate menu. Items may be bought from and sold to a wandering merchant that appears in various locations throughout the game. He sells first aid sprays, weapons, allows for weapons to be upgraded and buys various treasures that Leon finds. The various weapons each have their own advantages and disadvantages. Capcom added new content made specifically for the PlayStation 2, which was later incorporated into the PC and Wii releases. The largest addition is "Separate Ways", a minigame which revolves around Ada Wong's involvement in Resident Evil 4 and her connection to Albert Wesker, a former member of STARS, who is now attempting to revive Umbrella. "Ada's Report", a five-part documentary, analyzes Ada's relationship with Wesker and his role in the plot. Other unlockable content in all versions included the minigame "The Mercenaries", "Assignment Ada", a small minigame using Ada to retrieve plaga samples, new costumes for Leon and Ashley, new unlockable weapons and a Movie Browser. Six years after the events of Resident Evil 2 (an alternate year 2004), former Raccoon City police officer Leon Scott Kennedy is sent on a mission to rescue Ashley Graham, the U.S. President's daughter, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious cult. He travels to a rural village in Europe, where he encounters a group of hostile villagers who pledge their lives to Los Illuminados ("The Enlightened Ones" in Spanish), the cult that kidnapped Ashley. While in the village, Leon is captured by its chief, Bitores Mendez, and injected with a mind-controlling parasite known as Las Plagas. He finds himself held captive with Luis Sera, a former Los Illuminados researcher. The two work together to escape, but then quickly go their separate ways. Leon discovers that Ashley is being held in a chapel, and rescues her. They both escape from the chapel after Osmund Saddler, leader of the Illuminados, reveals his plan to use the Plagas they injected into Ashley to cause a disaster in the United States once she returns home. Leon and Ashley try to take refuge in a castle, but are attacked by more Illuminados under the command of Ramon Salazar, another of Saddler's servants. The two are separated from each other by Salazar's traps. Meanwhile, Luis searches for the pills to slow Leon and Ashley's infection, as well as a sample of Las Plagas. He brings the two items to Leon but is killed by Saddler, who takes the sample, while the pills to suppress the infection remain in Leon's hands. While in the castle, Leon briefly encounters Ada Wong, a woman from his past who supports him during his mission. He then battles his way through the castle before finally killing Salazar. Afterwards, Leon travels to a nearby island research facility, where he continues the search for Ashley. He soon discovers that one of his former training comrades, Jack Krauser (who was believed to have been killed in a helicopter crash two years prior) is responsible for Ashley's kidnapping. It is eventually revealed that both Ada and Krauser are working with Albert Wesker, for whom both intend to secure a Plagas sample. Suspicious of the mercenary's intentions, Saddler orders Krauser to kill Leon, believing that no matter which one dies, he will benefit. After Krauser's defeat, Leon rescues Ashley, and they remove the Plagas from their bodies using a specialized radiotherapeutic device. Leon finally confronts Saddler, and with Ada's help, manages to kill him. However, Ada takes the sample from Leon at gunpoint before escaping in a helicopter, leaving Leon and Ashley to escape via her jet-ski as the island self-destructs. First hinted at in early December 1999, Resident Evil 4, which has been originally planned to be the final installment of the series, underwent a lengthy development time during which four proposed versions of the game were discarded. Initially developed for the PlayStation 2, the first attempt was directed by Hideki Kamiya after producer Shinji Mikami requested him to create a new entry in the Resident Evil series. Around the turn of the millennium, regular series writer Noboru Sugimura created a scenario for the title, based on Kamiya's idea to make a "cool" and "stylish" action game. The story was based on unraveling the mystery surrounding the body of protagonist Tony, an invincible man with skills and an intellect exceeding that of normal people, with his superhuman abilities explained with biotechnology. As Kamiya felt the playable character did not look brave and heroic enough in battles from a fixed angle, he decided to drop the prerendered backgrounds from previous installments and instead opted for a dynamic camera system. This new direction required the team to make a trip to Europe, where they spent 11 days in the United Kingdom and Spain, photographing things like Gothic statues, bricks, and stone pavements for use in textures. Though the developers tried to make the "coolness" theme fit into the world of Resident Evil, Mikami felt it strayed too far from the series' survival horror roots and gradually convinced all of the staff members to make the game independent from it. Kamiya eventually rewrote the story to be set in a world full of demons and changed the hero's name to Dante. The cast of characters remained largely identical to that in Sugimura's scenario, although the hero's mother and his father, the latter an early version of Umbrella founder Lord Ozwell E. Spencer, were written out of the story. The game's new title was revealed as Devil May Cry, released for the PlayStation 2 in November 2000, resulting in its own franchise. Development on Resident Evil 4 started over at the end of 2001. The first official announcement of the game was made in November 2002, as one of five games exclusively developed for the Nintendo GameCube by Capcom Production Studio 4. This revision, commonly dubbed the "fog version", was directed by Hiroshi Shibata and was 40 percent finished at that time. The game saw Leon S. Kennedy desperately struggling to survive after having infiltrated the castle-like Umbrella's main headquarters located in Europe and featured traditional Resident Evil monsters such as zombies. During the course of the new story which was again written by Sugimura's scenario creation company Flagship, Leon became infected with the Progenitor Virus and possessed a hidden power in his left hand. The producer of the final version also pointed out that Ashley did not appear back then, though there was a different girl who was never revealed to the public. The game was to feature some first-person perspective gameplay elements. At E3 2003, another revision was revealed that is widely known as the "hook man version" now, though officially titled Maboroshi no Biohazard 4 (lit. "Hallucination Biohazard 4") on the Biohazard 4 Secret DVD. During Mikami's introduction of the trailer, he assured that development was proceeding very smoothly and claimed the game to be scarier than ever before, warning gamers with the quote "Don't pee your pants!" The story was set in a haunted building where Leon contracted a bizarre disease and fought paranormal enemies, such as medieval suits of armor, living dolls, and a ghostlike man armed with a large hook. The game had an otherworldly feel to it, containing elements like flashbacks and hallucinations that were marked by a bluish tint and a shaking camera. It also displayed various gameplay mechanics that carried over to the final release, like the over-the-shoulder camera and a laser sightý for aiming in battles and quick time events. Other features, such as dialogue choices, were removed later. Though ultimately scrapped, five minutes of gameplay footage for this version was released on the Biohazard 4 Secret DVD, a Japanese pre-order bonus given out in January 2005. According to the "Diary of the Madman" (the madman in question being the infected Leon progressively having more and more difficulty separating reality and hallucinations, and questiniong his sanity) feature published in the dedicated UK GameCube magazine CUBE, the game would be set after the events of Resident Evil Code: Veronica, starring Leon off to rescue Sherry Birkin (a character from Resident Evil 2) from Umbrella's European facility that is the cradle of the Progenitor Virus; Chris and Claire Redfield would also play some role in the story, as would the T-virus. In 2012, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis scenario writer Yasuhisa Kawamura said he was responsible for this version, as he wanted to make Biohazard 4 scarier "and suggested using a particular scene from the film Lost Souls, where the main character [...] suddenly finds herself in a derelict building with a killer on the loose. An arranged version of this idea eventually turned into Hook Man. The idea went through several iterations as Mr Sugimura and I carefully refined this world (which, I have to say, was very romantic). Leon infiltrates the castle of Spencer seeking the truth, while inside a laboratory located deep within, a young girl wakes up. Accompanied by a BOW dog, the two start to make their way up the castle. Unfortunately, there were many obstacles that needed to be overcome and the cost of development was deemed too expensive." Kawamura added he was very sorry and "even ashamed" that Mikami had to step in and scrap this version. After this attempt, the last canceled revision featured classic zombies again. However, it was discontinued after few months, and before it was ever shown to the public, as the developers felt it was too formulaic. Some of the assets from the scrapped versions were carried over to the final version of the game and some went into Capcom's 2004's PlayStation 2 survival horror release Haunting Ground. The idea of the Progenitor Virus was later re-used in Resident Evil 5 (its source changed to Africa) and the Spencer Estate became the setting for Resident Evil 5 DLC pack "Lost in Nightmares" (featuring Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine). A grown-up Sherry Birkin eventually returned in Resident Evil 6, also featuring a first-person sequence. Following that, it was decided to change the game's genre to reinvent the series. Mikami took over directorial duties from Shibata and began working on the version that was released. In a later interview, he mentioned that he was put under enormous pressure by Capcom, threatened with the series' cancellation if the game had not sold well. According to newly-assigned producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi, the development team felt depressed and were hard to motivate after the focus of the game shifted from horror to action. Although Mikami demanded the camera system to be completely revised, the staff members had reservations about making big changes to the series he had created. Eventually, he intervened, explained his proposed changes, and wrote a new story for the title that, unlike previous installments, was not centered on the company Umbrella. Inspired by Onimusha 3: Demon Siege, a game Mikami had enjoyed playing but felt could have been better with a different view, he decided to place the camera behind the playable character. To go along with the new gameplay and story, a new type of enemy called "Ganado" was created, as opposed to using the undead creatures from previous Resident Evil games. Furthermore, producers expended additional detail to modify and update characters that had previously appeared in the series. In a documentary explaining the conception of the game's characters, a game designer stated he intended to make Leon Kennedy "look tougher, but also cool". The game's English voice actors recorded their parts in four sessions, over three to four months. Capcom hired Shinsaku Ohara as the game's script translator and voice over coordinator. Carolyn Lawrence, who provided the voice for Ashley Graham, described her character as "vulnerable, because Leon has to come to her rescue all the time". She also described Kennedy's character as "more brawn, perhaps, than brain". In addition to the voice acting, the game's designer detailed each cinematic sequence so that each character's facial expressions matched the tone of their voice actor. Along with Resident Evil: Dead Aim and Resident Evil Outbreak, two side story titles that did not fall under the exclusive policy, it was announced on October 31, 2004 that Resident Evil 4 would come to the PS2 in 2005, citing increased profit, changing market conditions, and increased consumer satisfaction as the key reasons. The PS2 version included new features, primarily a new subgame featuring Ada Wong. On February 1, 2006, Ubisoft announced that they would be publishing the game on the PC for Microsoft Windows. On April 4, 2007, a Wii version was announced, and was launched later in the year. The game features all of the extras in the PS2 version, along with other additions, including a trailer for Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. Resident Evil 4 was ported to the PlayStation 2 after Capcom stated that it did not fall under the exclusivity deal with Nintendo. It was released in North America on October 25, 2005. Critics have stated that the PS2 version's graphics were inferior to the graphics in the GameCube version. However, some felt that the large number of exclusive features made up for these shortcomings. The largest addition to the game is "Separate Ways", a new scenario for Ada written by Haruo Murata. The port was later included with Resident Evil Code: Veronica X and Resident Evil Outbreak as part of the compilation Resident Evil: The Essentials. The GameCube version featured two different collector's versions of the game. The first was available as a pre-order that included the game, Prologue art book and a t-shirt. GameStop offered another limited edition that was packaged in a tin box with the art book, a cel of Leon, and a soundtrack CD. Australia received an exclusive collector's edition that came with the game and a bonus disc with interviews and creator's footage. The PS2 version featured two standard and collector's bundles from pre-orders. The standard package included the game and a t-shirt, while the collector's bundle included the game, a t-shirt, a Leon figurine sculpted by NECA, and the soundtrack Biohazard Sound Chronicle Best Track Box. This quickly sold out, and a second pressing was released that included an Ada figurine. Another, called the Resident Evil 4: Premium Edition, was packaged in a SteelBook media case, along with the art book, a documentary DVD, and a cel art of Ada. An album titled Biohazard 4 Original Soundtrack, bearing the catalog number CPCA-10126~7, was released in Japan on December 22, 2005, for the retail price of ¥2,500. It contains 62 compositions from the game and the 48-page Visual Booklet with liner notes from composers Shusaku Uchiyama and Misao Senbongi. In addition to BradyGames's strategy guide for the PlayStation 2 version, various figurines based on the characters and enemies were created. Two were based on the likenesses of Leon and Jack Krauser. Agatsuma Entertainment has also created various miniature collectibles based on several main characters and enemies from Resident Evil 4. Two special controllers designed to resemble chainsaws were designed by NubyTech for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions. The Nintendo GameCube version sold over 320,000 copies in North America during the first twenty days. The European release sold its entire 200,000 units during the first month. By January 2006, over 3,000,000 copies of the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions had been shipped worldwide. According to January 17, 2007 sales figures provided by Capcom, the GameCube version of Resident Evil 4 has sold a total of 1.6 million units worldwide, while the PS2 version has sold over 2 million units. As of September 30, 2011, the PS2 version has sold 2.2 million units and the Wii Edition has sold 1.9 million units.[96] As of July 2011, the game has sold 7.03 million units across all formats, making it the best-selling Resident Evil title and for which it holds the record for "Best-Selling Survival Horror Game" in the 2012 Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition. Resident Evil 4 was critically acclaimed and received an overall score of 96/100 on Metacritic for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions. In addition to the gameplay, the characters and story generally received positive commentary. GameSpot's Greg Kasavin praised the game's voice acting, but claimed that it was betrayed by "some uncharacteristically goofy dialogue". Yahoo! Games' Adam Pavlacka and GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd acclaimed Capcom for adding great amounts of detail to the game's characters. IGN's Matt Casamassina went into further detail in his review for Resident Evil 4, praising not only the detailed character design, but also the fight choreography and three-dimensional modeling within cinematic sequences. Casamassina also complimented the game's voice actors, especially Paul Mercier, commenting, "For once, the characters are believable because Capcom has hired competent actors to supply their voices. Leon in particular is very well produced". IGN and Nintendo Power specifically recognized Resident Evil 4's character design and voice acting. The increased variety of weapons has been praised by gaming publications such as GamePro and Game Over Online. The makers of Resident Evil 4 worked on various innovations associated with the use and inventory of weapons. Game Over stated that players can use the vast array of weapons to "go for headshots now". Game Informer stated that ammunition is more plentiful in Resident Evil 4 than in other games in the series, making the game more action-oriented. The ratings of the PC port were not as high as for the other versions. It was heavily criticized for no mouse support and frustrating keyboard controls, low-quality FMV cut scenes, choppy graphics rendering (lacks shadows and proper lighting) and requiring a gamepad controller for more precise aiming and gameplay. Despite the issues, the game still received positive reviews from IGN and GameSpot that praised the gameplay. Japanese game magazine Famitsu reviewed the Wii version of the game, with two editors giving the game a perfect 10 score, and the remaining pair giving it a 9, resulting in a score of 38 out of 40. The reviewers noted that the game's improved controls offer something fresh and different. Multiple reviewers agreed that even those who own the original will find something fun and enjoyable in this version. British magazine NGamer gave the Wii Edition a score of 96%, slightly lower than the 97% given to the GameCube version. They praised the visuals, controls and features and commented on the fact that such an "exceptional package" was on sale for a low price; however, when writing about the Wii controls, they said "if you've played the GC version this won't be as special". Official Nintendo Magazine gave the Wii version 94%, 3% less than the original due to it simply not having the same impact it did back then. IGN praised the Wii version, stating it is the superior edition, but does not push the Wii like it did with GameCube and PS2. GameSpot praised the new controls of the Wii Edition, but commented on the lack of exclusive Wii features. Hyper's Jonti Davies commended Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition for its "visual improvements" but criticized it for having "no new content". The PS3 version of Resident Evil 4 HD received a score of 9.0 from Destructoid, which called it "a hallmark of excellence". The game has received several awards from various organizations from various video game websites. Nintendo Power named it their 2005 Game of the Year, ranked it number one on their list of the "Top 20 Best GameCube Games of All Time" in their 20th anniversary issue and ranked it second on their list of the best games of the 2000s. Game Informer gave the GameCube and PS2 editions of Resident Evil 4 a perfect score, and, along with ranking it number one on their list of "Best GameCube Games of All Time", named it their 2005 Game of the Year. It tied with Kingdom Hearts II as Famitsu's Game of the Year 2005 and was named Game of the Year at the 2005 Spike Video Game Awards. Nintendo Power acknowledged the title's voice acting in its 2005 Power Awards, while IGN gave the game the "Best Artistic Design" award in its the "Best of 2005" segment. The International Game Developers Association nominated Resident Evil 4 for their best "Visual Arts" award, but lost the award to Sony's Shadow of the Colossus. Resident Evil 4 is often considered one of the best video games of all time. In 2005, GamePro magazine ranked it first place in their list of the best video games of all time. In 2008, Resident Evil 4 was ranked number one on IGN's list of the "Top 99 Games of All Time". Edge ranked the game at second place in its "Top 100 Games of All Time" list, behind only The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The readers of PlayStation Official Magazine voted it the tenth greatest PlayStation title ever released. The G4 TV show X-Play named it the greatest game since the beginning of the series. Game Informer ranked Resident Evil 4 number one on their list of "Top 25 GameCube games". Game Informer ranked Resident Evil 4 number three on their list of "Top 25 PlayStation 2 games". Resident Evil 4 is regarded as one of the most influential games of the 2000s decade, due to its influence in redefining the survival horror and third-person perspective genre. It helped redefine the third-person shooter genre by introducing a "reliance on offset camera angles that fail to obscure the action". The over-the-shoulder viewpoint introduced in Resident Evil 4 has now become standard in third-person shooters, including titles ranging from Gears of War to Batman: Arkham Asylum. It has also become a standard "precision aim" feature for action games in general, with examples ranging from Dead Space and Grand Theft Auto to the Ratchet & Clank Future series. Resident Evil 4 also attempted to redefine the survival horror genre by emphasizing reflexes and precision aiming, thus broadening the gameplay of the series with elements from the wider action game genre. However, this also led some reviewers to suggest that the Resident Evil series had abandoned the survival horror genre, by demolishing the genre conventions that it had established. Other major survival horror series followed suit, by developing their combat systems to feature more action, such as Silent Hill Homecoming and the 2008 version of Alone in the Dark. These changes represent an overall trend among console games shifting towards visceral action gameplay.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 16:54:18 GMT -5
125 Favorite PS2 Games 125. Duel Hearts 124. Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu 123. Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore 122. Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis 121. Timesplitters 120. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 119. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon 118. Legends of Wrestling 117. Beyond Good And Evil 116. Dragonball Z: Budokai 115. Showdown: Legends of Wrestling 114. Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht 113. Virtua Fighter 4 112. King of Fighters 2000 111. KOF: Maximum Impact 2 (aka King of Fighters 2006) 110. Burnout 3: Takedown 109. Legends of Wrestling II 108. Rogue Galaxy 107. Maximo: Ghosts To Glory 106. Silent Hill 3 105. MLB Slugfest 2003 104. Guitar Hero 103. Wild Arms 3 102. Need for Speed: Most Wanted 101. Megaman X8 100. Pro Evolution Soccer 3 99. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence 98. Dragonball Z: Budokai 2 97. Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 96. Megaman X Collection 95. Soul Calibur 3 94. Tekken 4 93. Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy 92. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando 91. Killer7 90. Freekstyle 89. Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 88. Grandia III 87. Dark Cloud 86. Hot Shots Golf: Fore 85. We Love Katamari 84. Madden NFL 2003 83. Guitar Hero III 82. Garou: Mark of the Wolves 81. Rumble Roses 80. Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude 79. Tekken Tag Tournament 78. Escape from Monkey Island 77. Tony Hawk Underground 76. James Bond 007: Nightfire 75. Guilty Gear X 74. NBA Ballers 73. Ratchet & Clank 72. Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers 71. Pro Evolution Soccer 6 70. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 69. NBA Street Vol. 2 68. Jak II 67. Half-Life 66. Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves 65. Def Jam Vendetta 64. ESPN NFL 2K5 63. Star Wars Battlefront II 62. Futurama 61. Suikoden Tactics 60. Megaman Anniversary Collection 59. The Simpsons: Road Rage 58. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 57. Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction 56. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal 55. Tekken 5 54. Sonic Heroes 53. Jak 3 52. Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories 51. Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millenium 2001 50. Wild Arms: Alter Code F 49. Suikoden IV 48. Madden NFL 2004 47. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne 46. Scarface: The World Is Yours 45. SOCOM: US Navy Seals 44. Pro Evolution Soccer 5 43. X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse 42. Gran Turismo 4 41. Dark Cloud 2 (Dark Chronicle) 40. Devil May Cry 3 39. Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus 38. Bully 37. The Warriors 36. Final Fantasy XII 35. Devil May Cry 34. God of War II 33. Star Ocean: Till The End of Time 32. Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 31. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy 30. SSX 3 29. The Simpsons: Hit & Run 28. Suikoden III 27. Sly 2: Band of Thieves 26. Silent Hill 2 25. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 24. Smackdown vs. Raw 2006 23. Soul Calibur 2 22. Ico 21. Psychonauts 20. Grand Theft Auto III 19. Shin Megami Tensai: Persona 4 18. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 17. Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth 16. Final Fantasy X-2 15. Katamari Damacy 14. Suikoden V 13. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty 12. Fire Pro Wrestling Returns 11. Resident Evil 4
Clues to the next five games
* A canine with special paintbrush powers
* Defeat Xemnas & his Heartless
* Kill Ares
* Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad
* Wander seeks to resurrect a girl named Mono
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 20:59:57 GMT -5
10. Kingdom Hearts II Kingdom Hearts II (Japanese: ¥¥ó¥°¥À¥à¥Ï©`¥ÄII Hepburn: Kingudamu H¨¡tsu Ts¨±?) is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to the 2002 Disney Interactive and Square collaboration, Kingdom Hearts, which combined Disney and Square elements into an action role-playing game, though it is somewhat darker in tone than its predecessor. The game's popularity has resulted in a novel and manga series based upon it and an international version called Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, released in March 2007. Kingdom Hearts II is the third game in the Kingdom Hearts series. It picks up one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Sora, the protagonist of the first two games, returns to search for his lost friends. Like the previous games, Kingdom Hearts II features a large cast of characters from Disney films and Final Fantasy games. Organization XIII, a group introduced in Chain of Memories, also reappears to impede Sora's progress. The game was well-received, earning year-end awards from numerous video gaming websites. In Japan, it shipped more than one million copies within a week of its release. One month after its North American release, it had sold over one million copies and was the second best-selling game of 2006. As of March 31, 2007, the game has shipped over 4 million copies worldwide. The gameplay of Kingdom Hearts II is similar to that of Kingdom Hearts, though developers made an effort to address complaints with the previous game. The player directly controls Sora from a third-person camera angle, though first-person perspective is available via Select button. Most of the gameplay occurs on interconnected field maps where battles take place. The game is driven by a linear progression from one story event to the next, usually told in the form of cutscenes, though there are numerous side-quests available that provide bonuses to the characters. Like many traditional role-playing video games, Kingdom Hearts II features an experience point system which determines character development. As enemies are defeated, the player and allies gain experience which culminates in a "level up", in which the playable characters grow stronger and gain access to new abilities. As in the first game, Kingdom Hearts II allows a certain degree of character customization through a short tutorial found at the beginning of the game. Combat in Kingdom Hearts II is in real-time and involves button presses which initiate attacks by the on-screen character. A role-playing game menu, similar to those found in Final Fantasy games, at the bottom left of the screen provides other combat options such as using magic, summoning beings to assist in battle, or executing combination attacks with other party members. A new feature is the "Reaction Command", special enemy-specific attacks that are triggered when the player presses the triangle button at the correct time during battle. Reaction Commands can be used to defeat regular enemies or avoid damage, and are sometimes necessary to complete a boss battle. In addition to the main character, two party members are usually present who also participate in combat. Although these characters are computer-controlled, the player is allowed to customize their behavior to a certain extent through the menu screen, such as attacking the same enemy Sora targets. In response to criticism, the "Gummi Ship" feature of the first game was re-imagined to be "more enjoyable". Although retaining its basic purpose of travel, the previous system was completely redone to resemble a combination of rail shooter and "Disney theme park ride". In the world map, the player must now control the Gummi Ship from a top-down view and fly to the world the player wishes to enter. Worlds are no longer open from the beginning¡ªthe player must unlock the routes to them by entering a new level, controlling the ship from a third-person point of view, and battling enemy ships. After the route is opened, travel to the world is unimpeded, unless it is blocked again due to a plot related event. The player may also gain new Gummi Ships from completing routes, which is also a new feature from the first game. One of the new features is a meter known as the "Drive Gauge". The Drive Gauge has dual functions: to transform into a "Drive Form" or to summon a special character. While in a Drive Form, Sora bonds with party members to become more powerful and acquire different attributes; most Forms also allow the use of two Keyblades. When a Drive is executed, Sora's combat statistics are heightened. Drive Forms also give Sora new abilities that can be used in normal form, called "Growth Abilities." Sora's first two Drive Forms only combine power with one party member; later-obtained Drive Forms require him to bond with both party members. When allies are used in a Drive, they are temporarily removed from battle for its duration. Unlike the HP and MP gauges, the Drive Gauge is not refilled at save points. Like in the first game, Sora can summon a Disney character to aid him in battle. Summons will replace the two computer-controlled characters and fight alongside Sora for as long as the Drive Gauge allows, or until Sora's HP runs out. Instead of being limited to only one action, Summons now have a menu of their own and are capable of performing solo or cooperative actions with Sora. These actions are performed by pressing the triangle button. The Summon ability and each Drive Form are leveled up separately and by different criteria. Obtaining higher levels allows for extended use and in the case of Drive Forms, access to new abilities. Kingdom Hearts II begins one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories. The game's setting is a collection of various levels (referred to in-game as "worlds") that the player progresses through. As in the first game, Kingdom Hearts II allows the player to travel to locales from various Disney works, along with original worlds specifically created for the series. While in the first game, Disney-based worlds were primarily derived from the Disney animated features canon, Kingdom Hearts II introduces worlds that are based on Disney live-action films as well. Each world varies in appearance and setting, depending on the Disney film on which it is based. The graphics of the world and characters are meant to resemble the artwork style of the environments and characters from their respective Disney films. Each world is disconnected from the others and exists separately; with few exceptions, players travel from one world to another via a Gummi Ship. Some worlds featured in the previous games reappear, but with new and expanded areas. There are also new worlds that are introduced, including The Land of Dragons, a fictionalized version of ancient China from the film Mulan; Beast's Castle, a 19th-century-style French castle based on Beauty and the Beast; Timeless River, a past version of Disney Castle that features Steamboat Willie-style animation; Port Royal from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; Pride Lands, a great savannah from The Lion King; and Space Paranoids, a digital world based on Tron within Hollow Bastion's computer network. Twilight Town, an original world first seen in Chain of Memories, has a greater role as the introductory world. The World That Never Was is a new world that serves as the headquarters of Organization XIII. The three protagonists of the game are: Sora, a 15-year-old boy chosen as a wielder of the Keyblade, a mystical key-shaped weapon that can combat darkness; Donald Duck, the court magician of Disney Castle; and Goofy, the captain of the Disney Castle guards. Both Donald and Goofy were ordered to find and stay with the "key", which was revealed to be Sora and his Keyblade. They befriended Sora during Kingdom Hearts, and draw strength from this friendship. Other original characters include Riku and Kairi, Sora's friends from his home world of Destiny Islands; Roxas, a boy who can also wield the Keyblade playable in the beginning; and DiZ, a man in red robes with a vendetta against Organization XIII. As in the previous games, there are numerous appearances of characters from both Disney and Square Enix works. While some make a return from Kingdom Hearts, new characters from Disney fiction are also introduced, such as Scar from The Lion King and Scrooge McDuck. Pete appears as a persistent enemy who works with the resurrected Maleficent. Nearly twenty characters from Final Fantasy games appear, notably Auron of Final Fantasy X, Tifa from Final Fantasy VII, and the return of Squall Leonhart, Cloud, and Sephiroth. It was stated that although the first game strictly stuck to characters Tetsuya Nomura designed, this time around they were going to "take some risks", implying that characters not directly designed by Nomura might make an appearance. Other new characters to series are Vivi of Final Fantasy IX and Setzer of Final Fantasy VI. The various worlds that Sora explores often have an optional party character from the film on which the world is based. Such party members include Fa Mulan, the woman who passes as a man in order to take her ailing father's place in the army; Jack Sparrow, a pirate who seeks to reclaim his ship, the Black Pearl; Simba, the self-exiled lion who is the rightful king of the Pride Land; and Tron, a security program in Hollow Bastion's computer network who seeks to end the dictatorship of the Master Control Program. Organization XIII, a group of beings without hearts introduced in Chain of Memories, is established as the main group of antagonists early on. Organization XIII controls the Nobodies, the "empty shell " left over when a strong-hearted person becomes a Heartless. Villains unique to the worlds are still prevalent and are often presented as challenges that Sora's group must overcome.
Sora, Donald, and Goofy have been in suspended animation for the past year to regain their memories lost in Chain of Memories. Meanwhile, Roxas, Sora's Nobody, is trapped in a virtual simulation of Twilight Town, created by DiZ to merge Roxas with his original self to restore Sora's power (part of DiZ's revenge on Organization XIII). DiZ's plans are threatened when Organization XIII's Nobodies, led by Axel, Roxas' former friend in the Organization, infiltrate the virtual town; but Roxas is able to repel the hostiles and finally merges with Sora. Sora, Donald, and Goofy wake up in the real Twilight Town and meet King Mickey and Yen Sid, who send them on another journey. Their goal is to find Riku and stop the plans of Organization XIII, who control the Nobodies¡ªthe heartless shell left over when a person with a strong heart is turned into a Heartless. Afterward, Maleficent is resurrected and joins with Pete to continue her quest for power. Sora travels to many Disney-themed worlds, old and new, and resolves several problems caused by Organization XIII, the Nobodies, the Heartless, Maleficent, Pete and local villains. During a visit to Hollow Bastion, they again meet King Mickey, who reveals the true nature of Ansem, the antagonist of Kingdom Hearts. The Ansem whom Sora defeated was actually the Heartless of Xehanort, a student of the real Ansem the Wise; and that the leader of the Organization is Xehanort's Nobody, Xemnas. Organization XIII's plan is also revealed¡ªthey seek the power of "Kingdom Hearts", the sum of all the hearts that Sora released by destroying the Heartless with his Keyblade, to regain their lost hearts. Sora revisits the worlds to solve lingering problems and new complications, while seeking a path to Organization XIII's base of operations. Throughout his endeavors, Sora is secretly aided by a mysterious hooded figure whom Sora believes to be Riku. Following a lead, Sora, Donald, and Goofy enter a passageway through Twilight Town and encounter Axel, who sacrifices himself to create a passageway to "The World That Never Was", the headquarters of Organization XIII, with Kingdom Hearts looming overhead as a heart-shaped moon. Sora finds Kairi and Riku, whose appearance has been changed by the darkness to that of Xehanort's Heartless. Riku explains to Sora the nature of his connection to Roxas. King Mickey encounters DiZ, who reveals himself to be Ansem the Wise. Ansem uses a device that dissipates some of Kingdom Hearts' power, but a system overload causes the device to self-destruct, both engulfing Ansem and miraculously returning Riku to his original form. At the top of the Castle that Never Was, Sora and company battle Xemnas, who uses what remains of Kingdom Hearts to power his multiple forms. After Sora and Riku destroy Xemnas, the two are reunited with their friends at their home, Destiny Islands. A post-credits scene shows Sora, Kairi, and Riku reading a letter from Mickey, its contents hidden from the player.
Development plans for Kingdom Hearts II began around the completion of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, but specific details were undecided until July 2003. Nomura noted several obstacles to clear before development could begin on a sequel. One such obstacle was the development team's desire to showcase Mickey Mouse more, which required Disney's approval. The game was developed by Square Enix's Product Development Division-1, with most of the original staff from the first game. The game was originally supposed to have been released after Kingdom Hearts. Nomura had planned for the sequel to take place a year after the first and originally intended for the events of that year to be left unexplained. To bridge the gap between the two games, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was developed. To explain the loss of all the abilities from the first game at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II, Nomura had Sora's memories scrambled in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.
Many aspects of the gameplay were reworked for this sequel. Some changes were made due to user feedback and others were meant to be included in previous games but were omitted either because of time or technological constraints. The camera was switched to the right analog stick of the DualShock controller instead of the shoulder buttons and the Gummi Ship travel was reworked. The combat system was completely redone and did not use any animations from the first game. Because Sora had matured, Nomura wanted his fighting style to reflect that. Other changes included more integration between exploration and battles. The variations in combat styles associated with each Drive Form and the introduction of the Reaction Command were added to give players more choices in battles. The inclusion of worlds based on live-action Disney films was aided by technology that generated the character models from live-action pictures.
Besides English translation and localization, the international version of Kingdom Hearts II differs from the original Japanese version in the content of gameplay and several scenes. The Hydra boss in the Hercules-themed world Olympus Coliseum had its green blood from the original Japanese version (which was taken from the film) changed into black and purple smoke in the English version. Also, the scene in Disney Castle where, after chasing Donald around for missing a date, Daisy Duck pounds him on the backside in the Japanese version while she merely tells him off inaudibly in the English version. Xigbar's telescopic sight was changed from a crosshair and black shading around the sides to three glowing circles. An attack animation was also altered; in the Japanese version, Xigbar combines his two hand-held guns to create a sniper rifle, which is used to shoot the player's party during the telescoping sight sequence. In the English version, Xigbar does not combine his guns, but twirls them around and shoots at Sora with a single gun. The death of Organization XIII member Axel was slightly edited; in the original, he bursts into flames during his suicide attack, while in the English version he simply fades away after using up all of his power. Port Royal, based on Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, contains the most content edits. Cutscenes were edited to remove some of the violence, such as William Turner threatening to commit suicide while aiming a gun at his neck, as in the film. Unlike the Japanese version, the undead Pirates do not catch fire when affected by Fire magic and their muskets were modified to resemble crossbows, though the crossbows still fire with an audible musket shot sound effect.
An unlockable trailer in Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts Final Mix hinted at the possibility of a sequel. Rumors for a sequel on the PlayStation 2 were spurred in Japan when the video game website Quiter stated that "an internal (and anonymous source) at Square Japan" confirmed that development of Kingdom Hearts II had begun. It was not until Kingdom Hearts II was announced, along with Chain of Memories, at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2003 that rumors were confirmed. Initial details were that it would take place some time after Chain of Memories, which takes place directly after the first game. Other details included the return of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, as well as new costumes. Information about Mickey Mouse's involvement was kept to a minimum. At the 2004 Square Enix E3 Press conference, producer Shinji Hashimoto said that many mysteries of the first game would be answered. Square Enix launched the official Japanese website in May 2005, followed by the English website in December 2005. The websites featured videos and information regarding characters and worlds. Commercials were aired in Japan which highlighted the numerous Disney characters in the game. Although the game was announced in September 2003, a release date for the game was not set until two years later. Nomura admitted that the game was announced too early and information regarding the game was not released until a debut period was in sight.
Like the first game, Kingdom Hearts II features music by Yoko Shimomura and Hikaru Utada. The Original Soundtrack for Kingdom Hearts II was composed by Shimomura and released on January 25, 2006. The opening orchestration and ending credits theme were arranged and orchestrated by Kaoru Wada and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. The main vocal theme for the original Japanese release was "Passion", written and performed by Utada. The English version of "Passion", "Sanctuary", was used in the Western releases. Utada's involvement was announced on July 29, 2005. According to Nomura, the vocal theme ties in even more closely with the game's story than "Hikari" ("Simple and Clean") did with Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. The CD single for "Passion" was released on December 14, 2005 and "Sanctuary" was first previewed on MTV's official website in early 2006.
Kingdom Hearts II features well-known voice actors for both the Japanese and English versions. Many of the original voice actors from the first Kingdom Hearts reprised their roles; Miyu Irino and Haley Joel Osment as Sora, Mamoru Miyano and David Gallagher as Riku, and Risa Uchida and Hayden Panettiere as Kairi. New voice actors included K¨ki Uchiyama and Jesse McCartney as Roxas, Iku Nakahara and Brittany Snow as Namin¨¦, and Genz¨ Wakayama and Christopher Lee as DiZ. A special effort was made to preserve the official voice actors from the Disney movies used in Kingdom Hearts II. Many actors reprised their Disney roles for the game, including American actors Ming-Na, James Woods, and Zach Braff, and Japanese actors Takashi Aoyagi, K¨ichi Yamadera, Y¨± Shimaka, and Hiroshi Fujioka. Some voice actors from the related television series or direct-to-video sequels were chosen over original voice actors where applicable, such as Robert Costanzo as Philoctetes rather than Danny DeVito. Some characters were given new voice actors in the English version; Aerith, Leon, Sephiroth and Hercules, who were originally voiced by Mandy Moore, David Boreanaz, Lance Bass, and Sean Astin respectively in the first game, were voiced by Mena Suvari, Doug Erholtz, George Newbern, and Tate Donovan (Hercules' original voice actor), and newcomer Tifa was voiced by Rachael Leigh Cook.
Kingdom Hearts II was generally well-received, garnering positive reviews and sales figures. Within a week of its Japanese release, Kingdom Hearts II shipped one million copies, selling almost 730,000 copies. The NPD Group reported that Kingdom Hearts II was the highest-selling console game in North America during March 2006 with 614,000 copies. In the month after its release in North America, Kingdom Hearts II sold an estimated one million copies. GameStop listed the game as their best-selling title for the first quarter of 2006. The game was also on IGN's "Top 10 Sellers in 2006". By December 2006, over 3.5 million copies of Kingdom Hearts II had been shipped worldwide with 0.7 million in PAL regions, 1.1 million in Japan, and 1.7 million in North America. As of March 31, 2007, Square Enix had shipped over 4 million units worldwide.
The game has received numerous awards and high ratings among reviews including a Satellite Award in 2006 for "Outstanding Game Based on Existing Medium". It tied with Resident Evil 4 as Famitsu's "Game of the Year" 2005. Famitsu's readers ranked the game 29th on their "All Time Top 100" feature, ten places below Kingdom Hearts. It was ranked number one on IGN's 2006 "Reader's Choice" for PlayStation 2 games. Eurogamer ranked it 34th on their "Top 50 Games of 2006" list. Video game magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded it "Best Sequel" of 2006, and Game Informer listed it among the "Top 50 games of 2006". VideoGamer.com featured it 10th in their article "Top 10: Role playing games". GamePro named it the 25th best RPG title of all time. Kingdom Hearts II also received a near-perfect score, 39/40, from the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu. Critics commended many aspects of the game. GameSpy praised the quality of the voice acting and cited the graphics as "on par with the best of Square's productions to date." They also commented on the realistic and accurate character models for the characters from Pirates of the Caribbean. IGN rated the graphics a 9/10 and stated that the "worlds look very much like their filmed counterparts." Japanese gaming site, Gpara.com also praised the look of the worlds. G4 awarded Kingdom Hearts II "Best Voice Over" and "Best Soundtrack" in their 2006 G-Phoria awards show. Like its predecessors, the gameplay received mixed reviews. Many compliments were directed at the new camera controls and combat interactions between party members. GamePro stated that the beginning was "sluggishly slow", but praised the action-oriented combat. GameSpot said that the fixed camera system and new gameplay dynamics improved the experience, but they felt the game was far too easy and that there was too much button-mashing. IGN also commented on the button-mashing aspect of the gameplay and criticized the party member's artificial intelligence, citing it as "absolutely terrible", but praised the story, presentation, and new battle features. Gpara.com had positive comments about the ease of combo attacks and complimented the steady pacing of the story and gameplay.
Kingdom Hearts II has been released in four different versions. The first three are the normal regional releases in Japan, North America, and PAL regions, which only differ nominally in content editing and localization. The European and Australian PAL releases were reformatted to run at 50 Hz to fit the definition size of PAL encoding systems. The fourth version has additional content and was released under the title Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. Like the previous titles, both Square and Disney released numerous types of merchandise before and after the game came out. Merchandise ranged from toys and figurines to clothing items and books. The game has also been adapted into both manga and novel series. Prior to the game's release, an Ultimania book titled Kingdom Hearts Series Ultimania ¦Á ~Introduction of Kingdom Hearts II~ came out. It provides extended information on the first two Kingdom Hearts games, as well as information on the unreleased Kingdom Hearts II. After the release of the game, Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania, which focuses on the game itself, came out. Another book, titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ Ultimania, was released after the Final Mix version came out. Released along with Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts -Another Report- was a hardback book which includes game information, visuals by Shiro Amano, and a director interview. In North America, BradyGames published two strategy guides¡ªa standard guide and a limited edition version. The latter version was available in four different covers and included a copy of Jiminy's Journal along with 400 stickers.
Because the first game was re-released, there was speculation whether Tetsuya Nomura would do the same with Kingdom Hearts II.[79] In a Weekly Sh¨nen Jump interview with Nomura, he expressed interest in a possible international version of Kingdom Hearts II, although there were no definite plans. He said that should a "Final Mix" version arise, he had a "trump card" in mind, with such features as the Mushroom Heartless found in the first Kingdom Hearts game.[43] In September 2006, Square Enix announced Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, featuring new scenes and gameplay elements. Like the first re-release, this version would combine English audio with Japanese text and also use the "Sanctuary" theme song instead of "Passion". New cutscenes, however, used Japanese voice acting, as they mostly featured Organization XIII members from Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories who did not yet have English voice actors. Kingdom Hearts II was re-released in Japan on March 29, 2007 as a 2-disc set titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+. The first disc contains Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix with a new secret movie and additional battles and items. The second disc contains Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, a 3D PlayStation 2 remake of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories with extra scenes and voice acting. The battle system maintains the card gameplay, with the addition of Reaction Commands from Kingdom Hearts II. Like the first game's Final Mix, the two games serve as a canonical update to the series. The book Kingdom Hearts -Another Report- was included along with the game for those who reserved a copy. Based on Amazon.com figures, Final Mix+ was the number one PlayStation 2 game in sales during the week of its release in Japan. Nomura cited the presence of Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories to explain why Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ was so popular. Nevertheless, in a Famitsu poll in July 2011, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix was voted the most popular entry so far.
A manga series based on the game started its serialization in the June 2006 issue of the magazine Monthly Sh¨nen Gangan, published by Square Enix. The artist is Shiro Amano, who also did the Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories manga series. The first volume was released in Japan in December 2006. As a result of Amano working in the Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days manga, the series has been on hiatus and is meant to resume publication in October 2012. Tokyopop licensed the manga and released volume one in North America on July 3, 2007. The second volume was released the following year. The game has also been novelized by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. The first volume, titled "Roxas¡ªSeven Days", was released on April 22, 2006 and covers Roxas' story to when Sora wakes up and leaves Twilight Town. The novel depicts extra scenes that were added in the Final Mix version, such as interaction between Organization XIII members and between Axel, Namin¨¦ and Riku. The second book, "The Destruction of Hollow Bastion", was released on July 16, 2006,[90] the third book, "Tears of Nobody," revolving around Roxas' past, was released on September 29, 2006, and the fourth book, "Anthem¡ªMeet Again/Axel Last Stand," came out in February 2007.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 21:12:41 GMT -5
9. God of War God of War is a third person action-adventure video game developed by SCE Santa Monica Studio and published by Sony Computer Entertainment that was first released on March 22, 2005 for the PlayStation 2 console. It is the first installment in the God of War series, which includes four sequels and a prequel as of 2012. A second prequel is in development. Highly regarded for its gameplay, God of War focuses on combo-based combat, the use of magical attacks and special powers, and quick time events. Players also have to solve an array of puzzles featuring platforming game elements. The game is loosely based on Greek mythology, and is set in Ancient Greece. The player controls the protagonist Kratos, a Spartan warrior in the service of the Olympian Gods. Kratos is tasked by the goddess Athena with killing Ares, the God of War, who is responsible for Kratos accidentally killing his wife and child. As Ares ravages Athens, Kratos embarks on a quest to find the one object capable of stopping the god: the legendary Pandora's Box. Ultimately successful, Kratos replaces Ares as the new God of War. God of War is the third chapter in the series, which focuses on vengeance as its central theme. As of June 2012, the game has sold more than 4.6 million copies worldwide. Multiple reviewers have said that God of War is one of the best action-adventure games on the PlayStation 2, and it has won over a dozen "Game of the Year" awards. In 2009, IGN named God of War the seventh best PlayStation 2 game of all time. In addition to its gameplay, God of War has been highly regarded for its graphics, sound, production, presentation, and story. The game and its first sequel, God of War II, were remastered and released in 2009 as part of the God of War Collection, and in 2012, the remastered version was released again as part of the God of War Saga, both for the PlayStation 3. A novelization of the game was released in 2010 and a film adaptation has been in development since 2005. God of War is a third-person single player video game played under a fixed camera perspective. The player controls the character Kratos in a mixture of combo-based combat, platforming, and puzzle game elements. The player guides Kratos through different environments composing of a series of missions to achieve specific goals. Kratos' main weapons are a pair of double-chained blades called the Blades of Chaos; he acquires a secondary weapon called the Blade of Artemis, a large sword, later in the game, as well as the possibility to use up to four magical abilities, such as Zeus' Fury, which allows him to throw lightning bolts. Furthermore, he obtains a relic called Poseidon's Trident, which allows him to breathe underwater, and he temporarily wields a sword called the Blade of the Gods during the final fight with Ares. He also acquires a special ability called Rage of the Gods, which provides him with invulnerability and increased attack damage for a short period of time. During the game, the player finds chests containing green, blue, and red orbs. Green orbs replenish health, blue orbs replenish magic, and red orbs provide experience for upgrading weapons and magic—allowing new and more powerful attacks—and replenishing the Rage meter for Rage of the Gods. The player can also collect red orbs by killing foes and destroying certain inanimate objects. Additionally, the player can find Gorgon Eyes and Phoenix Feathers, which increase the maximum amount of health and magic respectively, in plain, neutrally colored chests. The player must find six Eyes or Feathers to increase each meter's maximum. Combat includes a quick time event (QTE) feature that is initiated when the player has weakened a strong foe. The player performs a sequence of actions on the game controller shortly after an image of its circle button appears as an on-screen prompt. This allows for limited control of Kratos during a QTE cinematic sequence, which, if successful, ends the battle; failure usually results in damage to the player's character. When the game is completed, a challenge mode—ten trials called the Challenge of the Gods—is unlocked; this requires players to complete a series of specific tasks (e.g. kill all Cyclops before time runs out). The player may unlock bonus costumes, behind-the-scenes videos, and art galleries as rewards. Completion of each difficulty level unlocks various additional rewards. A quick time sex mini-game in the form of an encounter with twins is featured, and has become a regular feature throughout the series. God of War is set in an alternate version of Ancient Greece, populated by the gods, Titans, and other beings of Greek mythology, such as minotaurs and gorgons. Initially set at sea in the Aegean, the story progresses through the ancient city of Athens where the God of War, Ares, has become out of control and is waging war on the city. Tasked by the goddess Athena, Kratos sets out on a journey through the Desert of Lost Souls and the Temple of Pandora to find Pandora's Box. Although successful, he is killed and sent to the Underworld. Battling his way out of the Underworld, Kratos returns to Athens to confront Ares. The protagonist of the game is Kratos, a Spartan warrior in the service of the Olympian gods. Other characters appear in supporting roles, including Greek gods, such as Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Kratos' ally and mentor; Ares, the God of War and main antagonist; Poseidon, God of the Sea; Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Sexuality; Zeus, King of the Gods; Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt; and Hades, God of the Underworld. Minor characters include the Oracle of Athens, the gravedigger, the body burner, who allows Kratos to enter Pandora's Temple, and the boat captain, who acts as the comic relief. The Titan Cronos is seen with Pandora's Temple chained to his back, and other characters appear in flashbacks, including Kratos' wife Lysandra, his child Calliope, the Barbarian King, and a Village Oracle. Kratos is a warrior in the service of the Greek gods of Olympus. A series of flashbacks reveals that he was once a successful captain in the Spartan army and led his men to several victories before he was defeated by a barbarian king. Facing death, Kratos called to the God of War, Ares, whom he promised to serve if the god would spare his men and provide the power to destroy their enemies. Ares agreed to Kratos' entreaty and bonded the Blades of Chaos, a pair of chained blades forged in the depths of Tartarus, to his new servant. Kratos, equipped with the blades, then decapitated the barbarian king. Kratos waged war at the behest of Ares, eventually leading an attack on a village occupied by worshipers of Athena. Ares had secretly transported Kratos' wife and child to the village; during his frenzied attack on its temple, Kratos accidentally killed them. Although Ares believed this act would free Kratos to become the perfect warrior, the Spartan instead renounced his pledge of servitude to the god. The oracle of the destroyed village cursed Kratos by bonding the ashes of his dead family to his skin, turning it ash-white and earning him the name Ghost of Sparta. Plagued by nightmares of his horrible deed, Kratos vowed to serve the other gods in hope of ridding himself of the visions. When the game starts, Kratos has been serving the gods for ten years. He kills the Hydra on behalf of Poseidon, but grows tired of his service and suffering. He summons Athena, who states that if Kratos performs one final act—the murder of Ares—he will be forgiven for the killing of his family. Athena assigns Kratos to destroy Ares because Zeus has forbidden divine intervention. The goddess guides Kratos to the city of Athens, which is under siege by Ares' minions. After a strange encounter with a gravedigger, who encourages him to continue his task, Kratos battles his way to Athens' oracle, finds her, and learns that the only way to defeat Ares is to locate and use Pandora's Box, a mythical artifact that can grant the power to kill a god. Kratos enters the Desert of Lost Souls, and Athena tells him that Pandora's Box is hidden within a temple that is chained to the back of the Titan Cronos. Kratos summons Cronos, climbs for three days before reaching the Temple entrance, overcomes an array of deadly traps and an army of monsters, and eventually finds the Box. Although Kratos succeeds, Ares, aware of his former servant's success, kills Kratos as the latter is leaving the Temple. While a group of harpies take the Box to Ares, Kratos falls into the Underworld. He battles his way through it, and with the aid of the mysterious gravedigger, who tells him that Athena is not the only god watching over him, he escapes and returns to Athens. Kratos recovers Pandora's Box from Ares, opens it, and uses its power to become godlike. Despite Ares' best efforts to destroy Kratos physically and mentally, including stripping him of the Blades of Chaos and all magic, he survives and kills Ares with the Blade of the Gods. Athens is saved, and although Athena tells Kratos that his sins are forgiven, the gods cannot rid him of his nightmares. Forsaken by the gods, he tries to commit suicide by casting himself into the Aegean Sea, but Athena intervenes and transports him to Mount Olympus. As a reward for his services to the gods, she provides Kratos with a new set of blades and the seat as the new God of War. Santa Monica began production of God of War in 2002, and it was unveiled two years later at SCEA Santa Monica Gamers' Day 2004.[8] At E3 2004 in a meeting with GameSpot, the developer said that there would be about 15 to 25 different attack moves with the Blades—the player's main weapon—in the final game, and the combo system would be free-form so that players can string these moves together in just about any order. GameSpot noted that players would be able to "sunder enemies with a single move, such as by ripping them in half." GameSpot said the developers described the gameplay "as merging the action of Devil May Cry with the puzzle-solving of Ico". Game Director David Jaffe confirmed that the game would be a cinematic presentation, and said, "we are doing extensive focus tests, and using data compiled from E3, to find and fix the problem areas" of the cameras. Because of that, he said that if players "hate cinematic camera systems, nothing we can do will help you like the God of War cameras." Although the game is based on Greek mythology, the development team gave themselves "lots of freedom" to modify the myths, and Jaffe said that they took the "coolest aspects of the subject" and wrote a story around those elements. In an interview with Eurogamer, he said that while the idea for God of War was his own, the concept owed a debt to Capcom because he had played Onimusha and said "let's do that with Greek Mythology." He was inspired in part to use Greek mythology by the 1981 feature film, Clash of the Titans, saying, "the real high concept for me was ... merging it with Heavy Metal magazine." He said that he liked "the kids stuff ... with Greek Mythology", but also the idea of merging these elements with more adult themes such as sex and violence. After E3 2004, Jaffe told IGN that the creative team's goal was to "make the player feel brutal, letting their inner beast free and just going nuts." He said that the game's combat system would have an unparalleled degree of freedom. The team designed two systems of combat: a macro system, which gives players the choice between normal combat, magical attacks, and/or using mini games to kill a foe; and a micro system, where players press a sequence of buttons to perform different attacks which increase Kratos' damage output. Various types of puzzles were implemented, such as self-contained puzzles that span one to three rooms of the game, and global puzzles that spread across four or five areas of the game. Jaffe said that the game would be unique because each puzzle is different. Referencing Prince of Persia, he said that while each puzzle in that series was a slight variation of the last, "each puzzle in God of War is its own beast." Frank Cifaldi of Gamasutra covered a speech by David Jaffe on the development of God of War at the 2006 D.I.C.E. Summit in Las Vegas. Cifaldi said that "God of War was a rare opportunity for a game designer" because Sony gave Jaffe nearly complete creative control to develop a game of his own design, on his terms, and with a substantial budget. He stated that Jaffe wanted to make the game "out of passion, not fear, and that it would be a game that [Jaffe] himself, as a game player, would want to play." Jaffe said the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark also inspired the development of God of War, and he wanted to make players feel like he felt as a child watching that film, but he did not want to put the player in the role of an adventurer, referencing The Legend of Zelda. He elaborated that God of War was intentionally designed to be simplistic and forward-moving; but the game "is not innovative or unique, and that's intentional. Our system was so shallow that it forced the team to constantly create new content to trapeze the player from one area of interest to the next ... I understand modular game design, and the value of that, but I was feeling that if we didn't step outside those boundaries, at least for me, I was going to get bored." Terrence C. Carson provides the voice of Kratos, Carole Ruggier voices the goddesses Athena and Aphrodite. Veteran voice actors Steven Blum, Fred Tatasciore, Claudia Black, and Nolan North voice Ares, Poseidon, Artemis, and Hades, respectively, while Paul Eiding voices both Zeus and the mysterious gravedigger. Susan Blakeslee provides the voices of the Oracles of Athens and the Village Oracle, while the body burner and boat captain are voiced by Christopher Corey Smith and Keith Ferguson, respectively. The game is narrated by Linda Hunt. Other actors and actresses who lend their voices in minor roles include Gwendoline Yeo, Courtenay Taylor, and Rob Paulsen. Keythe Farley was Voice Director. The demo of God of War, entitled God of War: The Hydra Battle, was released on January 1, 2005. It featured Kratos battling various opponents and ended with a portion of the Hydra battle that opens the main game. The game itself was released on March 22 in North America, June 21 in Europe, July 8 in the United Kingdom, and November 17 in Japan. By the end of July, the game was the sixth best selling game of 2005, and by June 2012, it had sold more than 4.6 million copies worldwide. In 2006, it became available in the PlayStation 2 lineup of Greatest Hits. The game and its sequel, God of War II, were released in North America on November 17, 2009 as part of the God of War Collection, featuring remastered ports of both games for the PlayStation 3 platform, with upscaled graphics and support for PlayStation 3 Trophies. It was released in Japan on March 18, 2010, Australia on April 29, and the UK on April 30. The God of War Collection was released as a digital download on the PlayStation Store on November 2, 2010; it was the first product containing PS2 material to be available via download. PlayStation Plus subscribers can download a one hour trial of each game. By June 2012, God of War Collection had sold more than 2.4 million copies worldwide. On August 28, 2012, the remastered version of God of War—along with God of War II, God of War III, God of War: Chains of Olympus, and God of War: Ghost of Sparta—was released as part of the God of War Saga under Sony's new line of PlayStation Collections for the PlayStation 3 in North America. God of War received "universal acclaim" from critics. It has received aggregate scores of 93.62% from GameRankings and 94/100 from Metacritic. The game has been highly regarded for its gameplay, graphics, sound, production, presentation, and story. Tom Lane of CNN wrote, "God of War is the type of game that makes you remember why you play games in the first place." He said that the gameplay is addictive, it is one of the most violent games, and the action is balanced with a modest amount of puzzle and platforming elements. He also praised how quickly the game progresses. Raymond Padilla of GameSpy said that the gameplay was excellent and commented on the violence stating that the game has "some of the goriest, most exaggerated, and over-the-top violence I've ever seen." He praised the combo system for being generous as players can easily execute attack combinations, but it can challenge players who "throw themselves into the system." Chris Sell of PAL Gaming Network wrote that the most enjoyable thing of the game's combat is its simplicity. He said that the QTE's are "suberbly enjoyable" and "highly satisfying," but it is the boss fights where they are the most entertaining. In regards to combining combat with platforming, Sell says that "God of War pulls it off perfectly." Commenting on the story of the game, Tom Lane said that it was "compelling," while Chris Sell stated that the story is well laid out and that it rarely stalls. Raymond Padilla said it was excellent, stating that "God of War is the best thing to happen to Greek mythology" since Harry Hamlin played Perseus in the 1981 film, Clash of the Titans. He further praised the sound, stating that it is very strong. Kristan Reed of Eurogamer said that the game's audio is "a stunningly evocative example of a well-judged dramatic soundtrack and thunderous effects." Chris Sell praised the graphics, stating that they are "quite possibly the best on the PS2" and that they rival games on the Xbox. He also said that the character models were excellent and that each level has its own distinctive feel. Eric Blattberg of PlayStation Universe praised the graphics for being seamless, realistic, and capable of being able to run at 480p on a widescreen television. He said that the textures are great, and that the environments are "stunning and unbelievably detailed." Mikel Reparaz of GamesRadar noted the amount of detail in the game, elaborating that as a consequence of the aging hardware of the PS2, "the graphics occasionally stutter or even slow down." However, he gave the game a perfect score concluding, "these problems are minor nits next to God of War's creative design, riveting plot and sheer balls-out fun. One of the best action titles on the PS2, God of War stands out as an ultraviolent masterpiece." Of its criticism, Chris Sell said that there are very few flaws and that the only one worth mentioning is the camera system. He said that although the cameras do a great job of following Kratos, "there are a fair few annoying moments when you're attacked by something off-screen, or you fail to make a jump because you couldn't really see the jump properly." Other minor complaints from Sell include its lack of replayability, the amount of time it takes to upgrade items, and the final fight with Ares, which he said was "a little disappointing." Kristan Reed said that there were a few notable occasions where he found some of the platforming balancing acts "a little bothersome." He also said that players may be overwhelmed by the amount of enemies, but players will eventually get their "brain and reactions in gear and move onto the next gripping section and feel hugely satisfied". In regards to the game's sound, Raymond Padilla felt that some of the voice acting and music tracks were overstated. God of War has won over a dozen "Game of the Year Awards". At the 2005 Spike Video Game Awards, God of War was named the "Action Game of the Year" and David Jaffe won "Designer of the Year" for the game. It was also nominated for the "Game of the Year", "Best Performance by a Human Male" (TC Carson as Kratos), and "Best Original Score" awards. At the 2006 Interactive Achievement Awards, the game won several awards, including "Overall Game of the Year", "Console Game of the Year", "Outstanding Achievement for Animation", "Outstanding Achievement for Original Music Composition", "Outstanding Achievement for Sound Design", "Outstanding Character Performance for a Male", and "Action/Adventure Game of the Year". In 2009, God of War was named the seventh best PlayStation 2 game of all time in IGN's feature reflecting on the history of the console. In November 2012, Complex.com named God of War the eleventh best PlayStation 2 game of all time. On March 1, 2005, God of War: Original Soundtrack from the Video Game, composed by Gerard K. Marino, Ron Fish, Winifred Phillips, Mike Reagan, Cris Velasco and Winnie Waldron, was released on CD by SCEI as an exclusive product for the Sony Connect Music Store. Several of the tracks feature voice-over passages from the video game. Dave Valentine of Square Enix Music Online (8/10) praised the composers for avoiding the production of "a neverending dullness of action themes". The review also praised the soundtrack for having "a large number of well-developed orchestral themes, with a noticeable creative use of ancient and ethnic instrumentation." Spence D of IGN (6.9/10) also praised the use of ancient and ethnic instrumentation, but criticized the uneven transitions between tracks. At the 2005 Spike Video Game Awards, the score was nominated for Best Original Score. An official novelization of the game, titled God of War, was written by Matthew Stover and Robert E. Vardeman. It was released on May 25, 2010 by Del Rey Books. In an interview with Play (UK) magazine, co-author Robert E. Vardeman said that a mythology book dating back to the 1930s got him very interested in Greek mythology, and the chance to work on the God of War novel "was an opportunity not to be missed." In terms of following the game's plot, he said it was necessary to give the readers a solid foundation and that the novel required extra material so that it did not just follow the action of the game. Although he has not played the game, he said that God of War was based on the traditional Edith Hamilton Greek mythology, and that it is essentially "the accepted mythology on steroids." As for Kratos, Vardeman said he is a substantial character and "This conflict of motives makes him a great, if troubled, hero." In regards to future books about Kratos, he confirmed that he is working on the second God of War novel, and he said that there are many potential story ideas for Kratos and "it would be a shame" if there are not additional books to fill in the details of his quests, such as stories while a minion of Ares or before he met the Barbarian King. TheSixthAxis reviewer Gastos84 wrote that newcomcers of the series will understand Kratos. The reviewer said that the book describes the characters well, and although some have a bigger part, they all have a defined personality. In the reviewers opinion, "it's the Gods that steal this book" because it is they who "hold the whole thing together." He said that the novel provides a new level of explanation, for example, Athena is responsible for the gods aiding Kratos and the relationship between the gods is explained, which was not during the game. The reviewer did note that because of how frequent the fights are described, readers might "find [themselves] growing tired of certain confrontations." He further elaborated that all of the enemies in the game are accounted for, "but the interest in hearing about every encounter loses its appeal." The reviewer also felt that the sense of scale of the world that the novel provided did not do the game justice. Despite its minor criticism, the reviewer concluded that "Kratos and the God of War name were treated with the respect and understanding they deserved." A film adaptation of the game was announced in 2005. David Jaffe confirmed that a script had been completed by David Self and would be sent to an unspecified "huge-name director". He also confirmed that Universal Studios had committed to making the God of War movie, but he was unaware of its status, and eventually expressed doubt that the film would ever be released. During the God of War – Game Directors Live documentary (filmed on September 1, 2010), Jaffe said that the "script went out a year and a half ago to Daniel Craig who plays [James] Bond, but he turned it down." He also indicated that an actor had since signed on for the role of Kratos, and said, "this new person is pretty good, if that ends up true." In July 2012, The Hollywood Reporter reported that the writers of Pacific Rim, Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan, had been hired to adapt God of War into a film. On August 30, 2012, Melton and Dunstan spoke to IGN about the film. They said that they were hired to rework David Self's screenplay, but since it was written before Clash of the Titans [2010], Wrath of the Titans, 300, and Immortals, which had borrowed ideas from the God of War stories, they considered Self's script to be outdated. Melton and Dunstan said that they want to differentiate God of War from other movies of the same genre. Dunstan said their first step is to humanize Kratos. According to Melton, the barbarian attack during which Kratos calls upon Ares will be the movie's first act break, and that before the attack, Kratos will be mortal and will have his family. Melton also said, "We're going to learn about [Kratos] and understand how he operates. So it's potentially 30 minutes ... of building up this character so that, when he does turn and becomes the Ghost of Sparta, we understand him as a human and we understand the journey that he's going to take." According to Dunstan, "with a bigger movie like God of War, you have to go quite a bit deeper into the character as opposed to a horror film." Melton and Dunstan also have "big plans" for Ares. Melton said that they are "trying to build [Ares] up a bit more ... so that he can become a true villain" beyond his raid of Athens. To date, the movie is without a director and has a budget of $150 million.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 21:29:45 GMT -5
8. Shadow of the Colossus Shadow of the Colossus, released in Japan as Wanda to Kyozô , is an action-adventure game published by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCEI) for the PlayStation 2. The game was released in North America and Japan in October 2005 and PAL territories in February 2006. It was directed by Fumito Ueda and developed at SCEI's International Production Studio 1, also known as Team Ico; the same development team responsible for the cult hit Ico. Shadow of the Colossus is considered a spiritual successor to Ico. Along with Ico, Shadow of the Colossus was re-released in The Ico & Shadow of the Colossus Collection (ICO & Shadow of the Colossus Classics HD in the PAL region)[5] for the PlayStation 3 in September 2011; it features high-definition (HD) graphics, content previously missing from the North American version, PlayStation Network Trophies, and 3D support. The HD version was released separately in Japan. The game's storyline focuses on a young man named Wander who enters a forbidden land. Wander must travel across a vast expanse on horseback and defeat sixteen massive beings, known simply as colossi, in order to restore the life of a girl named Mono. The game is unusual within the action-adventure genre in that there are no towns or dungeons to explore, no characters with which to interact, and no enemies to defeat other than the colossi. Shadow of the Colossus has been described as a puzzle game, as each colossus' weakness must be identified and exploited before it can be defeated. Cited as an influential title in the video game industry, Shadow of the Colossus is regarded as an important work of art due to its minimalist landscape designs, immersive gameplay and emotional journey. It received wide critical acclaim by the media and was met with strong sales compared to Ico, due in part to a larger marketing campaign. The soundtrack was also widely praised. The game won several awards for its audio, design, and overall quality. Shadow of the Colossus is also referenced numerous times in debates regarding the art quality and emotional perspectives of videogames. Progression through Shadow of the Colossus occurs in cycles. Beginning at a central point in an expansive landscape, the player seeks out and defeats a colossus, and is then returned to the central point to repeat the process. To find each colossus, Wander may raise his sword while in a sunlit area to reflect beams of light, which will converge when the sword is pointed in the right direction of the next encounter. The journey to a colossus is seldom a straightforward matter: stretches of varied terrain often require that a detour be taken along the way. Most colossi are located in remote areas, such as atop cliffs or within ancient structures. Once a colossus is found, the player must discover its weaknesses to defeat it. Each colossus dwells in a unique lair, and many colossi cannot be defeated without making use of the surrounding environment. Every colossus has at least one weak point, indicated by a glowing sigil that can be illuminated and identified by the sword's reflected light. Each colossus has areas covered with fur or protruding ledges, which Wander may use to grip and scale the colossus while it thrashes about in an attempt to dislodge him. While scaling a colossus, the player must act quickly, as Wander has a limited stamina gauge that decreases while he hangs onto the creature. Wander and the colossi have life bars to indicate their remaining health. A colossus' health will decrease significantly when its weak points are attacked, while Wander can be harmed by a colossus' attacks or a fall from great height. Throughout the game, Wander is equipped with only a sword and a bow with arrows, but may obtain other weapons from completing the Time Attack trials. While the colossi are the only enemies, there are natural animals in the environment. Only one species, however, has any effect on gameplay: eating the tail of a certain kind of lizard increases Wander's stamina gauge. Likewise, the player may find fruit that increases Wander's maximum health. Wander's horse, Agro, plays a large role in the game. In addition to serving as a means of transportation, she is vital in defeating some of the colossi. There are, however, many places that she cannot reach. Colossi often inhabit areas beyond deep water or obstacles that must be scaled. Agro cannot travel beyond these, and when separated from Wander by such obstacles, cannot participate in the following battle. The environment must be used to the player's advantage more often as the game progresses. The first two battles take place on simple, large, flat areas of land, with the only goal being to discover how to scale the colossi and attack their weak points. However, the majority of the following fourteen battles require that some aspect of the battlefield be used. During Shadow of the Colossus, the player receives little information concerning the backstories of the characters and their relationships with one another. The game takes place in a fantasy setting, with most of the game's events occurring within a vast and unpopulated peninsula, known as the Forbidden Land, separated from the outside world by a mountain range to its north and sea to the south and east. The presence of ruins and other ancient structures indicate the area was once a settlement. The region is only accessible via a small cleft in the mountains to the north, leading to a massive stone bridge. This bridge spans half the distance of the landscape and terminates at a large temple called the "Shrine of Worship" located at its center. It is, however, forbidden to enter the land, which is characterized by diverse geographical features, such as lakes, plateaus, canyons, caves, and deserts in addition to human-made structures. The protagonist of the game is Wander (voiced by Kenji Nojima), a young man whose goal is to resurrect a girl named Mono (voiced by Hitomi Nabatame). Little is known about Mono other than that she was somehow sacrificed because she was believed to have a cursed destiny. Wander and Mono were designed with long hair from the start of the design process, with Mono's long hair specifically as a contrast to Yorda of Ico, who has short hair. Assisting Wander in his quest to revive her is his loyal horse, Agro, who serves as his only ally in defeating the colossi. Wander also receives aid from an entity called Dormin (voiced by Kazuhiro Nakata and Kyôko Hikami). The story revolves around these characters, but features a small supporting cast including Lord Emon (voiced by Naoki Bandô). Speaking with two voices at once (one male and one female), Dormin is a mysterious, disembodied entity. In legends of the game's world, it is said that Dormin has the power to revive the dead, and it is for this reason that Wander enters the forbidden land, seeking its assistance in reviving Mono. Dormin offers to revive her in exchange for Wander destroying the sixteen colossi. "Dormin", which spells "Nimrod" backwards, has been speculated to be a reference to the body of the biblical King Nimrod which was cut up and scattered. Lord Emon is a shaman who narrates a vision in the game's introduction, vaguely explaining the origin of the land Wander has come to, and emphasising that entry to this place is forbidden. He is portrayed as having extensive knowledge regarding the containment of Dormin, and the ability to use powerful magic. He has a small group of warriors at his command, and is pursuing Wander to prevent the use of "the forbidden spell", the ritual involving the destruction of the sixteen colossi and the restoration of Dormin's power. The colossi are armored, most often enormous creatures with forms ranging from various humanoids to predatory animals, and live in all manner of surroundings and environments including beneath water and flying through the air. Their bodies are a fusion of organic and inorganic parts such as rock, earth, fur, and architectural elements, some of which are weathered or fractured. Some colossi ignore Wander and will only attack when provoked, while others will attack on sight. Inhabiting specific locations in the forbidden land, they do not venture outside their own territory. Once slain they will remain where fallen as a mound of earth and rock vaguely resembling the original colossus. The story of Shadow of the Colossus begins as Wander enters the forbidden land, traveling across the long bridge at its entrance on his horse, Agro. According to Lord Emon later in the game, prior to entering the forbidden land Wander had stolen an ancient sword, perhaps of Emon's possession, which is the only weapon capable of slaying the colossi of the forbidden land. Led to the massive Shrine of Worship at the center of the region, Wander carries with him a body wrapped in a cloak, which he lays upon an altar in the shrine. Removing the cloak, the body of a barefoot maiden named "Mono" is revealed. A moment later, several shadow-like creatures with humanoid forms appear and prepare to attack Wander, but he easily dismisses them with a wave of the ancient sword in his possession, which emits strong beams of light. After vanquishing the shadow creatures, the voice of the disembodied entity known as "Dormin" echoes from above, expressing surprise that Wander possesses the weapon. Wander requests that Dormin return Mono's soul to her body, which it states may be possible, but only if the sixteen idols lining the temple's hall are destroyed. It explains that this task can only be accomplished by using the ancient sword to kill sixteen colossi located throughout the land. Each contains a portion of Dormin's own essence, though this is not revealed until late in the game. Despite a warning from Dormin that he may have to pay a great price to revive Mono, Wander sets out to search the land for the colossi and destroy them. In a sequence after the eighth's slaying, a deterioration of Wander's body is shown clearly—his skin becoming paler, his hair darker, and dark streaks growing across his face. After the death of the twelfth colossus, it is revealed to the player that Wander is being pursued by a group of warriors led by Emon. Urged to hurry with his task by Dormin, Wander soon heads off to defeat the sixteenth and final colossus. On the way to this confrontation, he travels on horseback across a long bridge, which begins to collapse as he is halfway across. As Agro jumps over the last gap in the bridge, the portion she lands on begins to separate from its foundation, causing her to nearly lose her footing. Sensing the impending fall, Agro jerks forward to throw Wander to safety on the other side, sacrificing herself and falling into the river hundreds of feet below as the bridge finally gives way. Wander goes on to defeat the final colossus, and Emon's company arrives in the Shrine of Worship just as the last temple idol crumbles; Wander appears soon afterwards, his eyes and skin now both entirely pale, and two small horns protruding from his head. Declaring that Wander has been "possessed by the dead", Lord Emon orders his warriors to kill him. While he struggles to reach Mono, one warrior shoots Wander in the leg with a crossbow, while another stabs him through his heart with a sword. Black blood sprays from the wound as Wander's body becomes covered in darkness and falls to the floor—a death identical to those suffered by the colossi. Afterward, Dormin's spirit possesses Wander's body, transforming it into a shadowy giant. Dormin, now speaking in its masculine voice, explains that it had been separated to sixteen pieces—the colossi—to seal away its power, and that by entering Wander, who absorbed physical form from defeating each colossus, it is now whole again. While his men flee, Lord Emon casts the ancient sword into a small pool at the back of the temple's hall, creating a whirlwind of light that consumes Dormin and Wander. Emon and his men flee the forbidden land as the bridge connecting to the temple collapses behind them. As they safely arrive at the entrance to the forbidden land, Emon expresses hope that if Wander survived, someday he may be able to atone for his crimes. In the temple, Mono awakens, restored by Dormin in accordance with its agreement with Wander, and Agro limps into the temple with an injured hind leg. Mono follows her to the pool into which Wander and Dormin were pulled by Emon's spell, finding a male infant with tiny horns on his head. She takes the child with her, following the horse to higher levels of the Shrine of Worship, and arrives at a secret garden within the shrine as the game ends. The story of Shadow of the Colossus begins as Wander enters the forbidden land, traveling across the long bridge at its entrance on his horse, Agro. According to Lord Emon later in the game, prior to entering the forbidden land Wander had stolen an ancient sword, perhaps of Emon's possession, which is the only weapon capable of slaying the colossi of the forbidden land.[34] Led to the massive Shrine of Worship at the center of the region, Wander carries with him a body wrapped in a cloak, which he lays upon an altar in the shrine. Removing the cloak, the body of a barefoot maiden named "Mono" is revealed. A moment later, several shadow-like creatures with humanoid forms appear and prepare to attack Wander, but he easily dismisses them with a wave of the ancient sword in his possession, which emits strong beams of light. After vanquishing the shadow creatures, the voice of the disembodied entity known as "Dormin" echoes from above, expressing surprise that Wander possesses the weapon. Wander requests that Dormin return Mono's soul to her body, which it states may be possible, but only if the sixteen idols lining the temple's hall are destroyed. It explains that this task can only be accomplished by using the ancient sword to kill sixteen colossi located throughout the land. Each contains a portion of Dormin's own essence, though this is not revealed until late in the game.[30][38] Despite a warning from Dormin that he may have to pay a great price to revive Mono,[39] Wander sets out to search the land for the colossi and destroy them. In a sequence after the eighth's slaying, a deterioration of Wander's body is shown clearly—his skin becoming paler, his hair darker, and dark streaks growing across his face. After the death of the twelfth colossus, it is revealed to the player that Wander is being pursued by a group of warriors led by Emon. Urged to hurry with his task by Dormin, Wander soon heads off to defeat the sixteenth and final colossus. On the way to this confrontation, he travels on horseback across a long bridge, which begins to collapse as he is halfway across. As Agro jumps over the last gap in the bridge, the portion she lands on begins to separate from its foundation, causing her to nearly lose her footing. Sensing the impending fall, Agro jerks forward to throw Wander to safety on the other side, sacrificing herself and falling into the river hundreds of feet below as the bridge finally gives way. Wander goes on to defeat the final colossus, and Emon's company arrives in the Shrine of Worship just as the last temple idol crumbles; Wander appears soon afterwards, his eyes and skin now both entirely pale, and two small horns protruding from his head. Declaring that Wander has been "possessed by the dead", Lord Emon orders his warriors to kill him.[40] While he struggles to reach Mono, one warrior shoots Wander in the leg with a crossbow, while another stabs him through his heart with a sword. Black blood sprays from the wound as Wander's body becomes covered in darkness and falls to the floor—a death identical to those suffered by the colossi. Afterward, Dormin's spirit possesses Wander's body, transforming it into a shadowy giant. Dormin, now speaking in its masculine voice, explains that it had been separated to sixteen pieces—the colossi—to seal away its power, and that by entering Wander, who absorbed physical form from defeating each colossus, it is now whole again. While his men flee, Lord Emon casts the ancient sword into a small pool at the back of the temple's hall, creating a whirlwind of light that consumes Dormin and Wander. Emon and his men flee the forbidden land as the bridge connecting to the temple collapses behind them. As they safely arrive at the entrance to the forbidden land, Emon expresses hope that if Wander survived, someday he may be able to atone for his crimes. In the temple, Mono awakens, restored by Dormin in accordance with its agreement with Wander, and Agro limps into the temple with an injured hind leg. Mono follows her to the pool into which Wander and Dormin were pulled by Emon's spell, finding a male infant with tiny horns on his head. She takes the child with her, following the horse to higher levels of the Shrine of Worship, and arrives at a secret garden within the shrine as the game ends. With a team of thirty-five people, Shadow of the Colossus began development in 2002 under the project name Nico (a portmanteau of "Next Ico") and was intended to be a sequel to Ico. An early technology demo for the project shown at the DICE Summit in 2003 depicted a group of masked, horned boys riding horses while attacking and defeating a colossus. However, Fumito Ueda expressed that, at the time, it was simpler to reuse the character design of Ico's protagonist, and that he never explicitly desired a sequel to Ico. Japanese pre-orders of Shadow of the Colossus later included a bonus DVD with the concept video, a trailer describing Nico's plot, and an introduction the development team states they wanted to use in Shadow of the Colossus. Ueda and producer Kenji Kaido held their team to a high standard throughout production. An admitted perfectionist, Ueda felt that only one or two out of 500 artists who applied to work on Shadow of the Colossus met his criteria, and often demanded thorough changes in design until it matched his vision. For his part, Kaido challenged the programmers to meet the concept of realistic physics in relation to the movement of the colossi and the subsequent effect this movement would have for Wander, both in terms of how he might be displaced and how he may be able to use this movement to his advantage. For instance, if a colossus were to shake, Kaido wanted Wander's position to shift realistically in response. Additionally, if a colossus' limb was currently horizontal, Kaido wanted the player to be able to run across the limb as though it were any other flat surface. He referred to these two concepts as "player dynamics and reactions" and "organic collision deformation". The realistic physics engine produced as a result required that faster colossi had to be smaller as well. Ueda wished the game to have a unique presentation and change how both players and developers perceived the idea of what bosses should be in video games. To achieve this, he ensured that the game's only enemies would be the sixteen colossi, that they could only be approached one at a time, and that they would have various behavior patterns. Though limiting the presence of enemies to only bosses was partly intended to differentiate the game from others, Ueda also expressed that it was to ensure that the programmers' focus was entirely on the colossi so that their quality would be as high as possible. In accordance with this focus upon the colossi—and his preference for simple controls—he intended that one button on the game controller be used solely for targeting the colossi during battles. A theme of companionship between the player and an AI-controlled partner was a concern for Ueda. In Ico, this theme was presented through the protagonist and the character Yorda, whom the player was required to work with and protect while navigating the game's environments. Similarly, a key element in Shadow of the Colossus is the relationship between Wander and his horse, Agro. Intended to be a realistic representation of a horse, Agro will occasionally ignore commands. In Ueda's words, "a real horse ... doesn't always obey. It's not like a car or a motorcycle, it won't always turn when you say 'turn!'" However, he has admitted that the team had to seek a balance in how often Agro did not respond to commands so as to not sacrifice playability in the pursuit of realism. All elements of the game—including audio, gameplay and visuals—were used to achieve an atmosphere of a "lonely hero", which Ueda considered important in the development of the game. Lighting, in particular, was used to establish a dark, fearsome setting for the forbidden land, while the protagonist's sword would provide a means of navigation that was "direct and only expressible visually". Like Ico, Shadow of the Colossus uses a distinct style of lighting. The game's engine uses elements such as desaturated colors, motion blur and partial high dynamic range rendering, with a heavy emphasis on bloom lighting. A PlayStation 3 remastered version of Ico and Shadow of the Colossus was announced at Tokyo Game Show 2010 and released in September 2011. Developed by Bluepoint Games, both were improved graphically to take advantage of the PlayStation 3's hardware and HDTVs, and now run in up to 1920x1080 (Ico) or upscaled from 960x1080 (Shadow of the Colossus), with numerous other improvements implemented. While the game has an extensive orchestral soundtrack, the music is only heard during cut scenes and colossus encounters, while time spent at the Shrine of Worship and traversing the landscape is silent save for the sounds made by the protagonist, his horse and their surroundings. The open nature of the game world and lack of life, coupled with this limited use of music, aids in establishing an atmosphere of solitude, similar to that of Ico. Shadow of the Colossus: Roar of the Earth, a soundtrack album containing music from the game, was released in Japan on December 7, 2005. There are currently no announced plans to release the album in other territories. The game's score was composed by Kow Otani, whose previous video game work included the soundtracks to the PlayStation 2 flight simulator Sky Odyssey and the PlayStation shooter Philosoma. He has also worked on several of the 1990s-era Gamera films, as well as a variety of anime. Roar of the Earth won the award for "Soundtrack of the Year" in the US-based video game magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly. The PAL version of the game was released in February 2006. Much like the PAL release for Ico, the game came in cardboard packaging displaying various pieces of artwork from the game, and contained four art cards. The game also came with a "making of" documentary, a trailer for Ico and a gallery of concept art, accessible from the game's main menu. Sony Computer Entertainment also re-released Ico in PAL territories at the time of Shadow of the Colossus's release, both to promote the game through Ico's reputation, and to allow players who did not buy Ico during its original limited release to "complete their collections". Some confusion has arisen in PAL regions concerning the official name of the protagonist primarily because of the manual's usage of "Wanda", while the North American manual and the game itself uses the name "Wander". In fact, the Japanese version of the game spells the name "Wander" (Wanda), which is also the common transliteration of the English name "Wanda", hence the mistake in the manual. Shadow of the Colossus's commercial reception was positive, with sales of 140,000 copies in its first week at retail in Japan, reaching number one in the charts. Almost 80% of the initial Japanese shipment was sold within two days. These figures compare favorably with Ico, which was well received by critics but failed to sell a significant number of units. The game was placed on Sony's list of Greatest Hits titles on August 8, 2006. Unlike Ico, Shadow of the Colossus received far more exposure, due in part to Sony putting its weight behind a massive advertising campaign. It was advertised in game magazines, on television and on the internet, including a viral marketing campaign launched in October 2005. The site posted links to several websites claiming that the remains of five giants resembling certain colossi had been discovered in various parts of the world. The website has since been taken down. Some speculate that Ico's sales figures could have been improved if similar advertising efforts were made before its release. Shadow of the Colossus received critical acclaim and was well received by the media, with an average critic score of 91.56% at Game Rankings,[64] making it the 11th-highest rated game of 2005. These include the Japanese magazine Famitsu, who rated the game 37/40, the UK-based Edge, who awarded an 8/10, and Electronic Gaming Monthly, who granted 8.8/10. GameSpot's review gave it an 8.7, commenting that "the game's aesthetic presentation is unparalleled, by any standard", while multimedia website IGN hailed the game as "an amazing experience" and "an absolute must-have title", rating it 9.7/10. GameSpy described it as "possibly the most innovative and visually arresting game of the year for the PS2". A retrospective Edge article described the game as "a fiction of unquestionable thematic richness, of riveting emotional power, whose fundamental artistic qualities are completely fused with its interactivity." Dave Ciccoricco, a literature lecturer at the University of Otago, praised the game for its use of long cutscenes and stretches of riding to make the player engage in self-reflection and feel immersed in the game world. Many reviewers consider the game's soundtrack to be one of its greatest aspects. In addition to Electronic Gaming Monthly's award of "Soundtrack of the Year", GameSpot commented that the musical score conveyed, and often intensified, the mood of any given situation, while it was described as "one of the finest game soundtracks ever" by a reviewer from Eurogamer. However, the game has been criticised for its erratic frame rate, which is usually smooth while traversing the landscape, but often slows down in fast-paced situations, such as colossus battles. Concern was also expressed about the game's camera, which was described by GameSpy as being "as much of an opponent as the Colossi", "manag[ing] to re-center itself at the worst and most inopportune times". Reviewers are often mixed about Agro's AI and controls; while gaming website Thunderbolt insists the realism of her movement and behaviour "create a videogame experience unlike any other", Edge commented that the controls were "clumsy, crude, and unpredictable". Other critics like Game Revolution and GameSpot felt the game was too short (average playthrough time estimated 6 to 8 hours), with little replay value given the puzzle elements to each colossus battle.
Shadow of the Colossus has received several awards, including recognition for "Best Character Design", "Best Game Design", "Best Visual Arts" and "Game of the Year", as well as one of three "Innovation Awards" at the 2006 Game Developers Choice Awards. At the 2006 DICE Summit, the game won the award for "Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction" at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences, while it received one of two "Special Rookie Awards" at the Famitsu Awards 2005. It was nominated for "Best Original Music", "Best Artistic Graphics" and "Best PS2 Game", yet also "Most Aggravating Frame Rate" in GameSpot's awards for 2005, while it won "Best Adventure Game" and "Best Artistic Design" in IGN's Best of 2005 awards, who cited Agro as the best sidekick in the history of video games. Two years after its release IGN listed Shadow as the fourth greatest PlayStation 2 game of all time. Games Radar awarded it Best Game Of The Year 2006 (being released in the UK in early 2006, later than the US), while the game's ending was selected as the fourth greatest moment in gaming by the editors of GamePro in July 2006. The readers of PlayStation Official Magazine voted it the 8th greatest PlayStation title ever released. Destructoid named the game #1 in their list of the top 50 video games of the decade, IGN named Shadow of the Colossus the best game of 2005, and the second game of the decade, behind Half-Life 2.
The game plays a significant role in the 2007 Mike Binder film Reign Over Me as one of the ways Adam Sandler's character copes with his primary struggle – with aspects of the game mirroring the tragedy that befell Sandler's character; Shadow of the Colossus falling giants mirroring the crashing towers of the September 11 attacks in which his wife and children died, and the game's lead character trying to resurrect his deceased love are two of the main themes which strike a similarity. Sandler is said to have ad libbed a detailed description of the control scheme in a scene with Don Cheadle, who plays his old friend. Both actors are said to have become experts at the game during the filming.
In April 2009, it was reported that Sony Pictures would adapt Shadow of the Colossus into a film. Kevin Misher, producer of The Scorpion King, The Interpreter and the recent attempted remake of Dune, is negotiating to produce. It was revealed that Fumito Ueda, the game's creator, will be involved in the film's production. On May 23, 2012, it was reported that Chronicle director Josh Trank would be directing the film adaptation. Kevin Misher will still be producing the film. As of 2012, no cast or release date has been announced.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 21:48:14 GMT -5
7. Shin Megami Tensai: Persona 3 Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3, originally released in Japan as simply Persona 3, is the third video game in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series of role-playing video games developed by Atlus, which is part of the larger Megami Tensei series of video games. Persona 3 was originally published in 2006 on the PlayStation 2 by Atlus in Japan; the North American release of the game was delayed due to issues with the publication of the official art book. An add-on disc entitled Persona 3 FES, containing a "director's cut" of the original game, as well as a new epilogue, was released alongside Persona 3 in Japan in 2007, and in 2008 in other territories, with a 2012 re-release on the PlayStation Network. In Persona 3, the player takes the role of a male high-school student who joins the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad (SEES), a group of students investigating the Dark Hour, a time period between one day and the next that few people are aware of. During the Dark Hour, the player enters Tartarus, a large tower containing Shadows, creatures that feed on the minds of humans. To fight the Shadows, each member of SEES is able to summon a Persona, a manifestation of a person's inner self. The game's most iconic feature is the method by which the members of SEES release their Personas: by firing a gun-like object called an Evoker at their head. In addition to the standard elements of role-playing games, Persona 3 includes elements of simulation games, as the game's protagonist progresses day by day through a school year, making friends and forming relationships that improve the strength of his Personas in battle. There are official soundtracks for Persona 3, Persona 3 FES, and Persona 3 Portable, as well as an arrangement album containing music from multiple games in the Persona series. Music from the game has also been performed live at two concerts dedicated to the Persona series. Persona 3 has seen a manga adaption, multiple radio dramas. Critical reception of Persona 3 was mainly positive; reviewers enjoyed the game's social elements, while some found its combat and environments repetitive. Persona 3 FES was said to give narrative closure to the original game, although it was criticized for not featuring the simulation aspect of Persona 3. A PlayStation Portable version of Persona 3, titled Persona 3 Portable was released in Japan on November 1, 2009, and in North America on July 6, 2010. The remake adds the ability to play as a female protagonist, new story elements and music, and a new interface designed for the PSP. In 2008, an original anime set 10 years after the events of Persona 3, entitled Persona: Trinity Soul, was released in Japan. Combining elements of traditional role-playing video games and simulation games, the gameplay of Persona 3 involves following the day-to-day life of the game's protagonist, as he attends school and works to build relationships with other people. Each day is broken up into several periods of time, such as "Morning", "After School", or "Evening"; certain activities are restricted to certain times of the day. Free time can be spent engaging in a number of activities, including participating in a sports team or club meeting, seeing a movie, eating at a restaurant, or spending time with someone to improve a Social Link. Social Links are of friendship the Protagonist formed other characters associated with Major Arcana of the Tarot deck. Each Link has its own narrative arc, starting at Rank 1; spending time with a Social Link character progresses their story, and increases the Rank of the Link. Increasing Social Links usually needs certain conditions - attributes, friendship points, or require other Social Links or items. Bringing the Persona with the same Arcanum to the Social Links will increase friendship level better, although it is not a must to achieve the Social Link. It is noted that leaving a Social Link unattended for too long, or doing something like meeting multiple girlfriends or selecting incorrect option in some Social Link may get the Arcanum reversed, preventing the Protagonist to summon that arcana's Personas unless it reverses back again. The worst case, however, may "break" the Arcanum which cannot be reverted again through the game. The Protagonist has three social attributes—Academics, Charm, and Courage—which can be improved by engaging in specific activities. For example, studying after school or at night will increase Academics, correctly answering a question during a class increases Charm, and singing karaoke at night will increase Courage. Some Social Links cannot be started unless a specific attribute is at a certain level. At night, the player may enter Tartarus, the primary dungeon of Persona 3. Tartarus is a tower containing over 250 floors, divided into several "blocks" . The floors of Tartarus are randomly-generated, each containing chests with money or items inside, enemies to fight, and a stairway to the next level. Certain floors contain mini-bosses that must be defeated before moving on, or having road-blocks that is inaccessible without certain movements in story, along with a teleport point which allows the player to return to the entrance of Tartarus (or returning from the entrance to that point). To fight Shadows, the player may bring into Tartarus up to three members of SEES, in addition to the Protagonist and the supporting-member (which is fixed and only changed once as story's movement) who did not engage in battles; these five characters comprise the player's "party". The condition of members of the player's party will worsen as they continue to participate in battles. A "tired" or "sick" character will perform worse in battle, and must be given time outside of Tartarus to recover. Every full-moon day's midnight the story's plot will have a big movement, which they're usually accompanied with boss battles, which may, or may not happen in Tartarus. While in Tartarus, the player will encounter numerous Shadows roaming each floor. When the player's character comes into contact with a Shadow, or strikes it with his weapon, the game switches to a battle screen where combat takes place. Battles are turn-based, meaning the player's characters and enemies wait their turn to attack. In original and FES version, the player only directly controls the actions of the Protagonist, but the actions of other party members may be guided via a "Tactics" menu. Each character can perform a basic attack using an equipped weapon, summon their Persona to use a special ability, or use recovery and battle items. Offensive abilities are classified by type of damage done, such as "Slash", "Fire", "Ice", or "Darkness". Enemies, as well as members of the player's party, have a set of strengths and weaknesses to these attack types; striking a foe with an attack it is weak against will knock it down. This allows the attacker to act again, and requires that the knocked-down combatant use its next turn to stand up. If all on-screen enemies are knocked down at once, the player may commence an "All-Out Attack", in which the party rushes the knocked-down enemies, creating a large cloud of cartoon-like smoke and inflicting a high amount of damage. Each member of SEES has a Persona they can summon during battle. Each character's Persona has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, as well as its own unique set of abilities. It also identifies with one of the Major Arcana. When a battle is won, each Persona gains experience points, eventually causing it to level up, increasing its strength in battle and granting it new abilities. The Protagonist is unique among the members of SEES, as he is able to carry multiple Personas. By switching between them during battle, he has access to a wider variety of skills than any other character. In addition, he is the only character who has access to the Velvet Room, in which the player is able to fuse multiple Personas together to create a new, more powerful one. A new Persona inherits several abilities from the Personas used to create it; in addition, it can gain an experience point bonus, based on the rank of the Social Link that matches the Arcana of the Persona being fused. The player is limited by the level of his character when fusing a Persona; the level of the Protagonist must be at least equal to the level of the Persona to be fused. There is also a Persona Compendium which contains all previously-owned Personas; this allows the player to retrieve, for a price, an older Persona to be used. The story of Persona 3 takes place in a 2009 CE Japanese city called Iwatodai, built and funded by the Kirijo Corporation. Experiments carried out ten years ago created the Dark Hour, a period of time that exists between one day and the next. During this time, most people are transmogrified into coffins and are not aware of the Dark Hour; however, there is a select group of people who aren't. The Dark Hour bends reality; Gekkoukan High School, where most of the characters attend school during the day, becomes a huge labyrinthine tower called Tartarus, and beasts known as Shadows roam the area, preying on the minds of those still conscious. The Shadows leave their victims in near-catatonic states outside of the Dark Hour. To investigate and learn about the Dark Hour, Shadows, and Tartarus, the "Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad", or SEES, was created. SEES is a group of high-schoolers capable of summoning beings known as Personas to combat Shadows. The Persona 3 instruction manual describes Personas as being "a second soul that dwells deep within a person's heart. It is an entirely different personality that emerges when a person is confronted with something from outside his world." Persona-users usually summon their Persona by firing a gun-like object called an Evoker at their head. The main character of Persona 3 is a silent protagonist, named by the player at the start of the game. He is a teenage boy, orphaned as a child, returning to the city he grew up in ten years prior to attend Gekkoukan High School. After learning of his ability to summon a Persona, he joins SEES, which is composed mostly of students at his school. In manga, he is named Minato Arisato. : Yukari Takeba, a popular, cheerful girl; Akihiko Sanada, a calm and collected senior who leads the school's boxing team; and Mitsuru Kirijo, the Student Council President and daughter of the head of the Kirijo Group, who provides backup during battle. As the game progresses, SEES gains several new members: Junpei Iori, a class clown and the protagonist's best friend; Fuuka Yamagishi, a shy girl who replaces Mitsuru as a support character; Aigis, a female android designed by the Kirijo Group to fight Shadows; Ken Amada, an elementary schooler whose mother was killed by a Persona-user; Shinjiro Aragaki, a former member of SEES who left the group due to prior events; and Koromaru, a dog capable of summoning a Persona. Persona 3 begins with the Protagonist (hereafter referred to as Minato Arisato) transferring to Gekkoukan High School, and moving into a dorm in the city, meeting classmates Yukari Takeba and Junpei Iori, chairman of the club SEES Shuji Ikutsuki, and third-year Mitsuru Kirjio. SEES carries out strange operations at night, and one night, third-year Akihiko Sanada bursts in, saying that he is fleeing from a monster. Yukari goes to awaken Minato, and the two flee to the roof, where they are attacked by the Magician Arcana Shadow. Minato awakens a Persona known as Orpheus to defeat it, but it turns into Thanatos, which destroys the Magician. Minato passes out and awakens in a room known as the Velvet Room, where it's proprietor Igor says that the room is between consciousness and unconsciousness, and that he and his assistant Elizabeth will create new Personae for Minato. Minato is asked by Mitsuru to join SEES, which destroys Shadows under the guise of an after-school club, during the Dark Hour, an hour between one day and the next, when Shadows roam free and people without "the potential" are trapped inside coffins to protect them. After Junpei joins, she takes SEES to Tartarus, a gigantic tower full of Shadows that Gekkoukan High transforms into during the Dark Hour, and Minato is appointed leader. During the next Full Moon, the party defeats the Priestess Shadow as she tries to crash a monorail car. A bullying victim named Fuuka Yamagishi is later locked in Gekkoukan's gym and is trapped there when it becomes Tartarus. The party goes to rescue her, and discovers that the Empress and Emperor Shadows have been spiriting away anyone who bullied Fuuka. The party manages to save them, with Fuuka awakening a Persona and joining SEES, taking over the support role from Mitsuru. During the next Full Moon, the Hierophant and Lovers try to mind control the party, but they break free and defeat them both. During summer break, Mitsuru takes SEES to stay in her family's holiday house, as she is the heiress to the famous Kirjio Group. Minato feels uneasy, as if something is watching him. On the second day of the vacation, Junpei takes Akihiko and Minato to find girls on the beach, but they fail each time. Fuuka, Mitsuru and Yukari go on a walk into the forest, and are told by Ikutsuki about an anti-Shadow weapon escaping from the Kirjio Group. They then encounter a girl named Aigis in a blue dress, who rejects Akihiko and Junpei but claims that her top priority is to be by Minato's side. She runs off to the forest and Minato follows her. The party meets up again and Ikutsuki reveals that Aigis is the weapon, and her human shape allows her mind to recognize itself as human, and thus be able to summon a Persona. He then takes everyone back to the Kirjio Group's summer house, where the party watches a video of Yukari's father, Eiichiro Takeba, saying that the twelve Shadows must be defeated. Yukari runs down to the beach, and Minato goes to look for her, and the two discuss Minato's deceased parents. Junpei arrives as they embrace and tells them that they must get back before the Dark Hour. Meanwhile, Akihiko's friend Shinjiro Aragaki, a former SEES member, receives drugs from a group known as Strega, who oppose SEES' desire to eliminate the Dark Hour. When they go home, Aigis joins SEES and becomes obsessed with Minato, even breaking into his room to monitor him. During the next Full Moon, the party meets Jin Shirato, Takaya Sasaki and Chidori Yoshino, the members of Strega. They run a website called "Revenge Request", which takes requests for murders that Strega carry out during the Dark Hour, by removing the victims from the protective coffins. Strega takes Junpei hostage, but he convinces Chidori to let her guard down and SEES saves Junpei and takes Chidori hostage, also defeating Chariot and Justice underground. A little later, the party finds a dog named Koromaru, who awakens a Persona protecting his owner's shrine from Shadows. The party learns that his owner died going to work, and Koromaru waited at his shrine for him. During the Film Festival, Minato meets a grade schooler named Ken, who can summon a Persona. He later officially joins SEES, along with Shinjiro. The party head for Club Escapade during the next Full Moon and defeat the Hermit Shadow after he causes a power outage. The next Full Moon sees Ken and Shinjiro elsewhere, and the party defeating the Strength and Fortune Shadows. Ken confronts Shinjiro about his mother's death, and it is revealed that Shinjiro's Persona went out of control and killed Ken's mother, causing him to leave SEES. Since then, he has been given Persona suppressants by Strega, who were part of the Kirjio Group's experiments for artificial Personae that could kill the user if they did not take Persona suppressants. Ken tries to kill Shinjiro, but Takaya arrives and shoots him, killing him. At the funeral, Akihiko's Persona evolves from Polydeuces to Caesar, as Akihiko reveals that he and Shinjiro grew up in the same orphanage along with Akihiko's sister Miki. Miki died in a fire in the orphanage, causing Akihiko to try and become strong to prevent any more death. Ken's Persona later evolves from Nemesis to Kala-Nemi, as he resolves to live for his mother and Shinjiro. The next Full Moon has SEES battling Jin and Takaya, who dive off the Moonlight Bridge and seemingly die. The party battles the final Shadow, the Hanged Man, and Mitsuru promises a feast for the party. Takeharu Kirjio, Mitsuru's father and current head of the Kirjio Group, shows up to congratulate her. However, the Dark Hour still occurs. Confused, the party goes to Tartarus, where they discover Aigis with Ikutsuki, who reveals that he manipulated SEES into killing all the Shadows. In truth, this will cause them to reunite with the Shadow they originally came from, Death. Aigis, having been reprogrammed by Ikutsuki, takes out SEES, allowing Ikutsuki to crucify them on Tartarus. However, Aigis refuses to sacrifice them for The Fall to occur as Ikutsuki wishes, freeing them and a tied up Takeharu. Ikutsuki and Takeharu shoot each other, and Takeharu is killed. Ikutsuki tries to kill them anyway, but he forgot to crucify Koromaru, who stops him. Ikutsuki dives off Tartarus to his death, and the party do not know what to do next. Fuuka gives Yukari a file she found on Ikutsuki's computer, and it is revealed to be the original tape from her father (Ikutsuki doctored the one shown at Yakushima). It talks off Mitsuru's grandfather wanting to bring about The Fall by experimenting with Death, herald of Nyx. Yukari's Persona evolves from Io to Isis, as Fuuka's has from Lucia to Juno when her new friend Natsuki Moriyama moved away. The little boy who has been communicating with Minato at night, known as Pharos, now disappears for good and a new boy named Ryoji Mochizuki joins Minato's class, and Aigis takes an immediate inexplicable dislike to him. Yukari and Ryoji convince Mitsuru to authorize the school trip to Kyoto, as she is the Student Council President (because the Kirjio Group built the school over the site of their experiments, explaining why it becomes Tartarus every night). During the school trip to Kyoto, Yukari says that she used to live here, and she and her mother moved after her mother desperately tried to find a new boyfriend. Mitsuru's Persona evolves from Penthesilea to Artemisia, and Junpei, Ryoji, Minato and Akihiko are nearly caught in the Hot Springs trying to spy on the girls. When they return to Tatsumi Port Island, Junpei informs Chidori of Takaya and Jin's suicide, but she is taken away by them later on. On the steps to Tartarus, Chidori goes mad and starts to attack the party. Takaya shoots Junpei, killing him, but Chidori comes to her senses and uses her healing powers to revive him, at the cost of her own life. In a fit of rage, Junpei's Persona evolves from Hermes to Trismegistus, and he attacks Jin. Strega escapes with a smoke bomb. A while later, Ryoji and Aigis are standing on the Moonlight Bridge, having regained their memories. The rest of SEES comes down to the Bridge, and Ryoji reveals everything - ten years ago, after the twelve Arcana Shadows were separated from him, he fought Aigis and was sealed inside Minato, leading to the accident which killed his parents. Ryoji appeared to Minato as Pharos, but was allowed to escape and become Ryoji when he united with the Arcana Shadows. Death/Ryoji is the herald of Nyx, the being who will bring about The Fall, the end of the world, heralded by cases of Apathy Syndrome, which removes a person's self. Aigis is put out of commission, and returns with her Persona Palladion having evolved into Pallas Athena. Ryoji gives SEES the option to kill him, making their deaths painless, as Nyx cannot be beaten. Minato refuses, despite Ryoji's transformation into Thanatos, and the party decides to find a way to fight Nyx. Akihiko takes everyone for ramen after losing a bet, and they examine a newspaper headline relating to an end-of-the-world-cult. It turns out to be headed by Takaya. On January 31st, the day of Nyx's arrival, the party climbs Tartarus, defeating Jin, who sacrifices himself to fight the Shadows invading from lower floors, and Takaya. On the top floor, they meet Ryoji, who has become Nyx Avatar. He says that he enjoyed his time with them, but he must end the world now. The party defeats Nyx Avatar, but Nyx defeats Minato, who awakens in the Velvet Room. The Social Links Igor told him to form over the year now call out to him, allowing Igor to form the Universe Arcana. However, it is too weak to destroy Nyx (the green moon seen in the Dark Hour). Minato uses his Ultimate Persona Messiah to form the Great Seal on Nyx. Life returns to normal, but everyone has lost their memories of the events of the past year, and Junpei does not recognize Aigis. Minato fulfills his promise to meet with everyone on Graduation Day, and Aigis comes knocking on his door, claiming that she remembers everything. On Graduation Day, Mitsuru tells everyone that her father died from sudden illness, but does not believe it herself. Aigis and Minato sneak up the roof, where Aigis becomes more human and promises to live, even crying. As everyone comes up onto the roof, regaining their memories, Minato's soul slips away to close the Great Seal, killing him. In March 2006, the first details on Persona 3 were unveiled in the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsû. In addition to announcing the game's Japanese release date of July 13, the three-page article detailed the game's premise, combat systems, and the Social Link system (known as Community in the Japanese version). It also profiled three characters—the Protagonist, Junpei, and Yukari—as well as their respective Personas: Orpheus, Hermes and Io. While localizing Persona 3 for English-speaking countries, the honorifics used by the characters in the original Japanese script were retained. According to Atlus script editor and localizer Nich Maragos, their use "adds so much more meaning to the text." In an interview with RPGamer, project editor Yu Namba explained that during the process of translation, some of the Japanese humor, "things that made absolutely no sense in western culture…were replaced with jokes that at least somewhat parallel the originals." In an interview with the magazine Play, lead director for Persona 3 Katsura Hashino discussed why the decision was made to have party members be directed by an artificial intelligence: "I think it's more fun to have the party members controlled by their AI, so each member's characteristics and personality are on vivid display. There were no objections raised among the Persona 3 development team, either." He also notes that the system "wasn't well received" by players of the game. Persona 3 does not include the negotiation elements of previous Persona or Megami Tensei games, which allowed players to talk to enemies during a battle to recruit them, earn money, or obtain items. However, the social elements of Persona 3 (and its successor, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4) are considered the equivalent of the negotiation system by the development team. Maragos said in a 1UP.com interview that "negotiation isn't gone…And [it] still factors into Persona Fusion; it's still a big part of the game. I feel like it's disguised, but it's there." The animated cutscenes were animated by Sunrise (codenamed Point Pictures), the studio that had made popular anime like Gundam, GinTama, Kekkaishi, Inuyasha, Sgt.Frog, and Cowboy Bebop. The soundtrack for Persona 3 was composed entirely by Shôji Meguro, with the exception of "Adventured act:", which was composed by Yosuke Uda. It was released as two discs on July 19, 2006 by Aniplex in Japan. A selection of tracks from the original soundtrack was bundled with the North American release of Persona 3. An arranged album titled Burn My Dread -Reincarnation: Persona 3- was released in Japan on April 18, 2007 by Aniplex. It contains eleven arrangements of tracks from Persona 3, as well as an extended version of the song "Burn My Dread." Reincarnation was composed and arranged by Shôji Meguro. Meguro has said that the development of Persona 3 was one of his first opportunities to fully realize his music in video games. In the past, the hardware limitations of the original PlayStation required him to compose music in 100-200 kilobyte samples, which he felt made the music sound "pretty cheap". The move to the PlayStation 2 allowed for real-time streaming of music. Meguro considers this "the point at which I was finally able to express my music without making any compromises". Meguro returned to compose new music for Persona 3: FES. Released in Japan on May 2, 2007 by Aniplex, the soundtrack contained the original score for FES, as well as arrangements of music from earlier games in the Persona series. "The Snow Queen", composed by Kenichi Tsuchiya, is a remix of the theme to Revelations: Persona. "Maya's Theme", composed by Kenichi Tsuchiya, and "Time Castle", composed by Toshiko Tasaki, are remixes of tracks from Persona 2. Persona 3 Portable contains new background music, which can be heard if the player chooses to control the game's new female protagonist. The game's official soundtrack was released by Aniplex in Japan on November 25, 2009. Music from the Persona series has been performed at two live concerts presented by Aniplex. The first, Persona Music Live: Velvet Room in Akasaka Blitz, was held in Akasaka, Tokyo on August 22, 2008, and featured music from Persona 3, Persona 3: FES, Persona 4, and the anime series Persona: Trinity Soul. The setlist was mainly composed of tracks from Persona 4, however, which was a recent release in Japan. Aniplex released a DVD of the event in September 2009. The second, Live in Velvet Room, was held at the Wel City Hotel in Shinjuku, Tokyo in September 2009. The concert featured music from Persona 3, Persona 4, and two PlayStation Portable remakes in the series: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona—a remake of Revelations: Persona, the first game in the Persona series—and Persona 3 Portable. When the original PlayStation 2 version of Persona 3 was first released in Japan, it sold 127,472 copies in its first week and 210,319 copies overall in Japan by 2008. The North American release of Persona 3 shipped as a collector's edition box, containing the game, a soundtrack disc, and a 52-page art book. The game's original release date was July 24, 2007. However, Atlus encountered a problem with the manufacturing of the art book several days before the intended ship date. Instead of shipping the game without the book, the company decided to push its release back three weeks, to August 14. Atlus issued a press release explaining that they were delaying the game so as maintain the quality of the package, which would have been "irreparably compromised" if they had "revise[d] or abandon[ed] the deluxe package." Persona 3 FES was first released alongside the original game in two forms: the "Regular Edition" — containing both the "director's cut" version of Persona 3, and the new epilogue — as two separate discs, and the "Append Edition", containing only the epilogue, on a single disc. Persona 3 and its expansion were released simultaneously in Japan on April 19, 2007. At the time, Atlus had not announced plans to release FES outside of Japan. This announcement did not come until February 2008, when the game's North American release date was revealed to be April 22, 2008. An exclusive Amazon.com limited edition bundle was released on November 28, 2008, containing Art of Persona 3 artbook, Persona 3 soundtrack disc and the FES edition in a cardboard sleeve. The FES edition of the game was also released on PSN on April 10, 2012.[citation needed] Persona 3 Portable was released as a stand-alone game and as part of a bundle package, which includes a t-shirt and desk calendar. The game on its own retails for 6,279 yen (US$68), while the bundle (known as Persona 3 Portable DX) sells for 8,495 yen (US$92). In its first month of release, Persona 3 Portable sold over 158,000 copies in Japan. During the North American release, Atlus offered Junpei's hat as a pre-order bonus for purchasing "Persona 3 Portable". Persona 3 has seen generally positive reviews since its release, earning a Metacritic score of 86. Shane Bettenhausen of 1UP.com called the game a "refreshingly new take on the MegaTen [Megami Tensei] concept", and "the best RPG hitting the PS2 this year." He praised the "excellent" AI created to direct the actions of party members during battle, which he felt created "the series' speediest and most dynamic battle system to date." This sentiment was shared by other reviewers: Play magazine's Eric Patterson said that the game's characters are a "smart bunch" in battle; in addition, Patterson wrote that the concept "strengthens the idea that each character is not just some sprite in a video game, but a real character in a real world." Jeff Haynes from IGN criticized the system, finding that it would occasionally result in the death of the player's character, which causes a game over. GameTrailers gave the game a score of 9.0, calling it "a rare supernatural delicacy" stating it's an RPG that fans of the genre shouldn't miss out on. GameSpy's Patrick Joynt praised the social elements of Persona 3, calling the game's Social Links "almost universally fascinating." While he suspected the simulation elements would "probably be the biggest hurdle" for fans of role-playing or Megami Tensei games, in his review he wrote that he "can't stress enough how well-done it is." Heidi Kemps of GamesRadar found the game's teenage themes to be "a refreshing change" from those of other games in the genre, as they touch on "the social awkwardness common at that point in life." Patterson commended developer Atlus for how "utterly enjoyable" they made the "mundane life of a typical Japanese high school student" be. Jonathan Hunt of G4 commented on the day-to-day structure of Persona 3, which he found to be both "a blessing and a curse." While "look[ing] forward to seeing what new characters or events are revealed" each day, "having to visit a single dungeon…is not always appealing." Similarly, Game Informer's Joe Juba found the game's environments to be weak, as "most of the game takes place within one tower [Tartarus]." He also in his review noted that the game's roots in the Megami Tensei series would come across as foreign to new players. "If you don’t know anything about fusing Personas, or simply that 'bufu' means 'ice attack,' you have some catching up to do." Persona 3: FES received a score of 89 on Metacritic, slightly higher than that of Persona 3. The plot of The Answer provides "much-needed narrative closure" to the story of The Journey, according to Shane Bettenhausen. Kevin VanOrd called FES a "wonderfully enhanced version of an already-great RPG"; in his review, he recommends the game to new players and those who had already finished the original game. The gameplay of The Answer was criticized by several reviewers for not including the social elements of the original game. VanOrd found the new chapter to be "less interesting" because of this. Jeff Haynes commented that the change "harkens back to a classic, more hardcore RPG experience of fighting and grinding", while done at the expense of what "made Persona 3 so intriguing in the first place." The reviews of GameSpy and IGN reiterated issues found with the original game, such as the inability to directly control party members in battle. While some critics like IGN criticized Persona 3 Portable for "losing some of its polish", it was the most acclaimed version of the game, receiving a 91 out of 100 from Metacritic, making it the second best reviewed PSP game on the website. It was praised for, despite having been released twice already, being an adventure worth playing again. This was echoed by GamesRadar, IGN, 1UP.com and GamePro. It received a score of 32/40 from Famitsû; one reviewer wrote that the remake includes "enough differences in the Social Links to make it fun even for old players.", and perfect scores from websites such as Destructoid and GamePro. GameTrailers went on to nominate the game for "Best PSP Game" in their awards, losing to God of War: Ghost of Sparta and "Best RPG", losing to Mass Effect 2. Three websites specific to coverage of RPGs honored it in annual award postings, namely RPGamer (Best Re-release), RPGFan (Best Traditional RPG on Handheld), and RPGLand (Best Port). Shane Bettenhausen considered the inclusion of Evokers "a ballsy and shocking move" on the part of Atlus, but felt their inclusion created "an edgy sensibitliy that fits perfectly with the overall dark tone" of the game. Similarly, Joe Juba thought the concept fit "perfectly" with the game's "dark tone". Jeff Haynes found the animations of characters using their Evokers to be "intriguing and shocking at the same time". While previewing Persona 3 for GameSpot, Kevin VanOrd said that the continued use of Evokers "never gets old and it never gets any less awesome to watch, and considering that you could play this for fifty, sixty, seventy, eighty hours or more, that's saying something." Atlus U.S.A. did not remove the Evokers from Persona 3 for its worldwide release, despite the possible controversy. Nich Maragos said on 1UP.com's Retronauts podcast that the company did not receive any criticism for their inclusion, however. "There was never any Jack Thompson-ing…we didn't get any letters from concerned parents." Persona 3 was named the best role-playing game of 2006 by Famitsû, and of 2007 by GameSpot and RPGFan. GameSpy gave the title its 2007 PS2 RPG of the Year award and placed it second in the 2007 PS2 Top 10 Games of the Year. IGN placed Persona 3 FES fifteenth in their feature "The Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time". 1UP.com's 2007 game awards, which ran in the March 2008 issue of Electronic Gaming Monthly, included Persona 3, given the award for "Most controversial game that created no controversy". In 2010, Persona 3 ended up coming first place in RPGamer's "Top RPGs of the Decade" list, and second place in RPGFan's "Top 20 RPGs of the Past Decade" list behind Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga & Digital Devil Saga 2. According to IGN's Top 100 RPGs of All Time, Persona 3 ranks 69th. Several figurines of the characters have been produced by Kotobukiya, a Japanese collectible toy company. They include the Protagonist of the game, Aigis, Mitsuru, and Akihiko. The figurines have interchangeable parts, such as an Evoker or weapon, which can be stored in the base. Alter, another Japanese company that specializes in collectibles, has also released 1:8 scale figurines of Elizabeth, Aigis, and Mitsuru. The headphones worn by the Protagonist are sold by Audio-Technica, model ATH-EM700(Japan-only version). Atlus collaborated with the Japanese publishing company Enterbrain to publish the game's multiple strategy guides and an artbook detailing character and setting designs. Udon recently announced that they will release an English edition of Enterbrain's Persona 3: Official Design Works artbook to be released June 10, 2012. There is also a manga adaptation of Persona 3, written and illustrated by Shûji Sogabe, and was published monthly in the Japanese magazine Dengeki Maoh until it went on hiatus once Persona 4 was released. However, it began serialization again starting November 7, 2011, moving from Dengeki Maoh to Atlus's official Persona Magazine. As of June 2012, 6 volumes have been released. A non-canonical spin-off anime to Persona 3 entitled Persona: Trinity Soul aired in Japan starting in January 2008 and ran for twenty-six episodes. Taking place ten years after the events of the game, the anime features Akihiko as a secondary character. NIS America licensed the show and released it in two half-season deluxe edition box sets with the original Japanese dub in 2010. In June 2012, the end of the newly released Persona 4 film announced that Persona 3 would be adapted into a film. Several series of radio dramas based on Persona 3 and Persona 3: FES have been released in Japan. Persona 3 Drama CD: A Certain Day of Summer features an original story voiced by the game's original cast. Persona 3 Drama CD Vol. 2 -Moonlight- links the story of Persona 3 and the epilogue released with Persona 3: FES. From February to June 2008, a series of character dramas were released as five CDs. The volumes respectively focus on the Protagonist and Ryoji;[ Junpei and Chidori; Fuuka, Ken, and Aigis; Yukari and Mitsuru;[140] and Akihiko, Shinjiro, and Koromaru. In early 2009, a two-volume side story about Mitsuru was released.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 22:02:03 GMT -5
6. Okami Ôkami is an action-adventure video game developed by Clover Studio and published by Capcom. It was released for Sony's PlayStation 2 video game console in 2006 in Japan and North America, and 2007 in Europe and Australia. Despite the closure of Clover Studio a few months after the game's initial release, a version for Nintendo's Wii console was developed and produced by Ready at Dawn, Tose and Capcom, which was released in North America in April 2008, in Europe in June 2008, and in Japan in October 2009. Set sometime in classical Japanese history, Ôkami combines several Japanese myths, legends and folklore to tell the story of how the land was saved from darkness by the Shinto sun goddess, named Amaterasu, who took the form of a white wolf. It features a distinct sumi-e-inspired cel-shaded visual style and the Celestial Brush, a gesture-system to perform miracles. Ôkami was one of the last PlayStation 2 games selected for release prior to the release of the PlayStation 3. Although it suffered from poor sales, Ôkami received critical acclaim, even earning the title of IGN's 2006 Game of the Year. The Wii version has earned similar praise though the motion control scheme has received mixed reviews. A high-definition port of the game was released on the PlayStation 3 via the PlayStation Network in October 2012 and for retail in Japan on 1 November 2012, supporting the use of the PlayStation Move motion controller. A sequel for the Nintendo DS titled Ôkamiden was released in Japan on 30 September 2010 and in North America and Europe in March 2011. Ôkami has the player controlling the main character, Amaterasu, in a woodcut, watercolor style, cel-shaded environment, which looks like an animated Japanese ink-illustration (known as sumi-e) with other styles of art. The gameplay style is a mix of action, platform, and puzzle gaming genres, and has been noted by many reviewers to have numerous similarities in overall gameplay style to The Legend of Zelda series, an inspiration that director Hideki Kamiya, a self-proclaimed Zelda-fan, has admitted has influenced his general game design. The main story is primarily linear, directed through by Amaterasu's guide Issun, though numerous side quests and optional activities allow for players to explore the game world and take the story at their own pace. By completing quests, side quests and small additional activities (such as making trees bloom into life or feeding wild animals), Amaterasu earns Praise, which can then be spent to increase various statistics of the character, such as the amount of health and number of ink wells for Celestial Brush techniques. Combat is staged in a ghostly virtual arena, and Amaterasu can fight enemies using a combination of weapons, fighting techniques and Brush methods to dispatch the foes. At the end of combat, money (as yen) is rewarded to Amaterasu, with bonuses for completing a battle quickly and without taking damage. The money can be spent on numerous items from merchants across the land, including healing goods, better weapons, tools and key items for completing quests. The money can also be used to buy new combat techniques at dojos throughout the land. Additionally, rare Demon Fangs can be earned through combat which can be traded for additional, unique items that are beneficial in gameplay but not required to complete the game. Weapons inspired by the Imperial Regalia of Japan (the Reflector, the Rosaries and the Glaive) can be equipped on Amaterasu as either main or sub-weapons (one each), and used in addition to other melee attacks that the player can have Amaterasu learn through the course of the game. Unique to Ôkami is the Celestial Brush. Players can bring the game to a pause and call up a canvas, where the player can draw onto the screen, either using the left analog stick on the PlayStation 2's DualShock controller in the original games, or pointing with the Wii Remote or PlayStation Move controller in subsequent remakes. This feature is used in combat, puzzles and as general gameplay. For example, the player can create strong wind by drawing a loop, cut enemies by drawing a line through them or fix bridges by painting on the broken one, amongst many other abilities. These techniques are learned through the course of the game by completing constellations to release the Celestial Brush gods (inspired by the Chinese zodiac) from their hiding spots. It is also possible to upgrade or modify certain Brush powers later in the game; for example, the Celestial Brush power "Inferno" can gain a new power called "Fireburst", which has a different drawing pattern, and allows players to create flames without relying on torches or other related items. The player's ink for drawing is limited by the amount available in special ink wells, preventing the player from solely using Brush techniques to defeat enemies; ink is restored in the wells over time when the Brush is not used. The game is set in a Nippon (Japan) based on Japanese folklore, and begins with a flashback to events 100 years prior to the game's present; the narrator describes how Shiranui, a pure white wolf, and Nagi, a swordsman, together fought the eight-headed demon Orochi to save Kamiki Village and the maiden Nami, Nagi's beloved. Shiranui and Nagi are unable to defeat Orochi, but manage to seal the demon away. In the game's present, Susano, a descendant of Nagi and self-proclaimed greatest warrior, breaks Orochi's seal due to the fact that he does not believe in the legend and wants to prove it false; Orochi escapes and curses the lands, sapping the life from every living being. Sakuya, the wood sprite and guardian of Kamiki Village, calls forth Amaterasu, the sun goddess, known to the villagers as the reincarnation of the white wolf Shiranui, and pleads for her to remove the curse that covers the land. Accompanied by the artist Issun (an inch-high creature known as a Poncle), Amaterasu is able to restore the land to its former beauty. Throughout the journey, Amaterasu is hounded by Waka, a strange but powerful individual who seems to have the gift of foresight and further teases Amaterasu and Issun to his own mysterious ends. Additionally, Amaterasu locates several Celestial Gods who have hidden in the constellations; the gods bestow upon the goddess powers of the Celestial Brush to aid in her quest. Soon, Amaterasu, along with Susano, must battle Orochi to protect Kamiki Village and rescue Susano's beloved, Kushi, recreating events from 100 years prior. This time, the duo are able to fully conquer the demon, causing a black, evil spirit to float northward. Amaterasu and Issun then embark on a journey across Nippon, befriending many people along the way through their good deeds, and continue to remove Orochi's curse on the land through defeating other demons that release similar dark presences, all of which float northward. As Amaterasu travels to find the source of these evil spirits, she is brought to the wreckage of a ship able to travel through the stars: the "Ark of Yamato", trapped in the frozen plains of Kamui. Waka appears and reveals himself as a member of the Moon Tribe, a race who used the Ark to escape from Orochi's assault on the Celestial Plain and sail the heavens – unaware of the evil spirits imprisoned on the Ark; the demons attacked and killed all but Waka himself, resulting in the Ark crashing to earth. Yami, the demon controlling all the evil spirits, appears and strips Amaterasu of her Celestial Brush powers before engaging her in battle. Issun takes up his role as the Celestial Envoy and encourages all those they have helped to send their thoughts and prayers to Amaterasu, causing her to regain her powers and defeat Yami, ridding both the Ark and Nippon of these evil beings forever. With her mission done, Amaterasu departs with Waka on the Ark to sail back to the Celestial Plain together. The player controls Ôkami Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun, in the form of a white wolf.[29] Amaterasu is referred to in the Japanese and European version of the game as a female, while in the North American version she was genderless.[29][30] While Amaterasu, when endowed with ink power, is seen by the player with red markings, cloud-like fur on her shoulders, and weapons on her back, most of the human characters in the game only see her as a plain white wolf; some believe Amaterasu to be the reincarnation of Shiranui (the white wolf that fought Orochi 100 years prior to the game's present), and do not recognize her spiritual nature. If the player depletes their power by overuse of the celestial brush, Amaterasu will temporarily revert to this mundane white form. Issun, an arrogant, inch-tall "wandering artist" seeking out the 13 Celestial Brush techniques for himself, accompanies Amaterasu (whom he calls "Ammy" or "furball") and serves as a guide, dialogue proxy, and as comic relief. He grows in character along with Ammy throughout the game, becoming her true friend, inspiration, and eventually her savior.[29] At the end of the game, Amaterasu encounters Yami, the main antagonist and final boss of the game. Yami resembles a small fish inside a huge sphere, whose design is altered through the different stages of the battle. Each form represents a different form of evil * His true form shows that even small and innocent things can become evil and that all great evil starts out small. * His first form, which is a sphere with red markings, shows humans' desire to destroy things. He demonstrates this using Hammers, Buzzsaws and missiles during his battle with Amaterasu. * His second form, which is a sphere with green markings, shows how humans like to incinerate things. * His third form, which is a slot machine with blue markings, shows how humans are always taking risks. * His fourth form, which resembles a yellow two-legged walker with whips for arms shows humans' desire to use Technology for their evil needs. Yami is also the ruler of the demons. Before battle, he drains Amaterasu of her powers and leaves her as a plain white wolf. Amaterasu regains her powers throughout the fight, but, after the fourth round, Yami destroys them all again and leaves Amaterasu in a near-dead state. However, when Issun gets everyone to believe in Amaterasu before the fifth and final round, she changes into her most powerful form and battles Yami, vanquishing him forever. In the final battle, Yami also has a huge clawed hand, which demonstrates the evil which comes from Humans' hands. The word 'Yami' means 'darkness' in Japanese. Two other characters also reappear several times within the quest. Waka appears to Amaterasu several times in the game as a beautiful young flute-playing man in costume resembling a tengu (more precisely, a tengu dressed like a yamabushi, which is a frequent tengu appearance). He is aware of the goddess's true identity and foretells her future and at times battles with her. He leads the Tao Troopers whose members Abe and Kamo are based on the two famous onmyôji Abe no Seimei and Kamo no Yasunori. Waka's dialogue, dropping French affectionate terms at times, conveys a sense of familiarity with Amaterasu, as it turns out that Waka is much older than he appears and has walked with Amaterasu on the Celestial Plain hundreds of years ago. The other is Orochi, the eight-headed demon and a major villain within the game which the player will encounter several times. Orochi repeatedly has threatened Kamiki village, demanding a sacrifice of a young woman. Each of its eight heads is infused with a different elemental magic power, but the entire demon is susceptible to a special brew of sake available only at Kamiki Village, allowing Amaterasu to defeat it while in its stupor. Throughout the game, the player encounters several other characters that are inspired from Japanese folklore. Ôkami resulted from the combined ideas of Clover Studio. The game was originally built around "depict[ing] a lot of nature", but had no central concept or theme, according to lead designer Hideki Kamiya. Kamiya eventually created a minute-long demonstration movie showing a wolf running about a forest, with flowers blossoming in its wake, but still lacked any gameplay. Kamiya and other members of the team introduced ideas around the nature aspect and eventually led to the game's initial prototype, which Kamiya admitted was "incredibly boring to play". Kamiya suggested that he allowed so many ideas from the team that resulted in the development moving off-target, including creating more of a simulation. Eventually, they settled onto the gameplay found in the final product. The art in Ôkami is highly inspired by Japanese watercolor and wood carving art of the Ukiyo-e style, such as the work of Hokusai. Ôkami was originally planned to be rendered in a more photorealistic 3D style. However, Clover Studio determined that the more colorful sumi-e style allowed them to better convey Amaterasu's association with nature and the task of restoring it. The change was also influenced by limitations in the PS2 hardware to render the photorealistic 3D graphics. As a result of the switch to the watercolor style, the idea of the Celestial Brush came about. Atsushi Inaba, CEO of Clover, noted that "Once we fixed ourselves on a graphical style and got down to the brushwork, we thought 'Wouldn't it be great if we could somehow get the player involved and participate in this artwork instead of just watching it?' That's how the idea of the Celestial Brush was born". Original concepts for enemies included the use of dinosaurs, but the designs settled onto more demon-like characters. Amaterasu's initial designs were aimed to avoid having the character look like "your pet wearing clothing". The developers had considered having Amaterasu change into a dolphin when in the water and a falcon when jumping off a cliff, but dropped these ideas. Sakuya, designed around a peach motif, was envisioned with what were called "level 2" and "level 3" designs where the character would wear less clothing as the story progressed, but the "level 3" appearance, effectively naked, was vetoed by Inaba. Waka's character was aimed to be a Tatsunoko-like character, with the hood designed to be reminiscent of those worn by the Gatchaman. Orochi in Japanese mythology is a gigantic creature, so lead character designer Takeyasu Sawaki designed the back of the demon to include a garden and palace; this inspired the game designers to include a bell in those structures that would be Orochi's fatal weakness in the game. The localization team had to translate 1500 pages of text to make sure it made sense in a "native check", due to lack of plurals in the Japanese language and the large number of characters and conditional conversations that the player could interact with. The team recognized that certain elements of the game would not be recognized by Western audiences, but left enough text and details to allow the players to look up the information for themselves. Only one puzzle in the game had to be changed as it required knowledge of the steps in drawing a kanji character which would be readily known for Japanese audiences; for the Western release, these steps were demonstrated in the game. The team noted that personalities of characters could be easily conveyed in Japanese text simply by the way sentences were constructed or slurred, a feature that could not directly be applied to localization. Instead, working with Kamiya, the team scripted the localization to either recreate the personality to match the Japanese version, or to create a whole new set of mannerisms for the characters as appropriate. Ôkami was shown at the 2005 E3 Convention, approximately 30% complete, with a planned release in 2006. At this point, the game had much of the core gameplay, including the Celestial Brush and the combat system in place. The game was released a year later in 2006. However, just a few weeks following its release in North America to strong critical reception, Capcom announced the closure of Clover Studio. The Ôkami: Official Complete Works art book was published by Udon in May 2008. The game was re-released under Sony's "Greatest Hits" in Japan in August 2008. The title of the game is a pun; the word ôkami in Japanese means "wolf". However, the kanji characters used as the title of this game, pronounced identically, mean "great deity", so the main character is a great wolf deity. The same characters are also used to write the full name of the sun goddess Amaterasu-ômikami. The localization team opted to use shorter versions of Japanese names (for example, a boy named "Mushikai" was localized as "Mushi") instead of replacing the names with Western-style ones. Issun's informal name for Amaterasu in the Western translation, "Ammy", was inspired by Kamiya, and is similar in tone with the Japanese informal name, "Ammako". Throughout the game, Ôkami includes several references (in visual effects, animation, or dialogue) to other Capcom titles such as Viewtiful Joe, which Clover Studios also developed. For example, Mrs. Orange's technique for making cherry cake parodies Street Fighter's Akuma's Shun Goku Satsu, complete with a kanji word displayed on screen with her back-facing the screen. All of the music in Ôkami is original and inspired by classical Japanese works. The final song, played over the credit sequence, "Reset", is sung by Ayaka Hirahara. Capcom has released an official 5-disc soundtrack for Ôkami, which is available exclusively in the Japanese market. In the US.. and European release, the player can unlock a jukebox to hear the in-game music upon completion of the game. At the 2008 BAFTA Video Games Awards Ôkami won Best Score. Suleputer has also published another album, a piano arrangement, entitled Ôkami Piano Arrange. It was released on 30 March 2007. Mika Matsûra both arranged the 10 songs, and performed it on the piano. The characters' speech in the game is actually created by scrambling samples of voice actors' speech, with more emotional lines being created from voice work given in that emotion. Sales of Ôkami were considered poor for justifying a sequel; in July 2008, in response to users' questions on the possibility of a sequel, Svensson stated that "I think we need a lot more people buying the current version before we seriously consider a sequel". However, after the appearance of a Japanese trademark by Capcom on the word "Ôkamiden" a few months before the Wii version of Ôkami in Japan, many speculated that a sequel was pending. The September 2009 issue of Famitsu announced that Ôkamiden was indeed a sequel to Ôkami for the Nintendo DS, to be released by Capcom in Japan in 2010. The game takes place nine months after the end of Ôkami, with the player in control of Chibiterasu, a wolf puppy with the same powers as Amaterasu, but not yet at his full potential, and features the same style of gameplay, including the Celestial Brush using the DS's touchscreen controls. Ôkami was acclaimed by critics, with a score of 92.65% on Game Rankings, making it the eighth highest overall game of 2006 and second for the PS2, behind Konami's Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence. GameSpot gave it a 9 out of 10 and selected it as an Editor's Choice, citing that its "visual design instantly stands out, but it turns out to be just one of many inspired aspects of this impressive action adventure game." IGN gave the game a 9.1 out of 10, as being "beautiful, charismatic, engaging and one of the most original games you'll play anytime soon." Electronic Gaming Monthly's three reviewers gave it a 9, 9.5, and 9 out of ten, one saying: "I'll be surprised if you can find a better game on any system this fall." Newtype USA named Ôkami its Game of the Month for October 2006, heralded the pacing as "nearly flawless" and proclaimed "Ôkami is that rarest of beasts: a game without any obvious flaws. Clover's creativity and attention to detail are on full display here. Shame on any gamer who passes up this divine adventure." Eurogamer.net scored the game 10/10 saying "Right from the start it conjures an atmosphere of being something special, but to keep that level of quality up consistently over 60 hours ensures that this will be a game that will be talked about for years to come". In 2007, Ôkami was named eighteenth best PlayStation 2 game of all time in IGN's feature reflecting on the PlayStation 2's long lifespan. Famitsu gave the game a near perfect score of 39 out of 40, the 15th game to date to receive this score from the publication. However, the game was noted to have some flaws. The game was criticized for its uneven difficulty. Reviewers have also noted some difficulty in getting the game to recognize the correct Celestial Brush patterns, as well as excessive amounts of dialog, particularly at the introduction, which was also hampered by the computer-generated voices used instead of voice acting. The Wii version of Ôkami has received generally similar praise to the PlayStation 2 version, with GameSpot stating that the support for widescreen and the Wii controls "make it even more relevant today than it was in 2006". The use of the Wii Remote for the Celestial Brush was well received; in GameSpot's review, they noted that the Wii functionality with the Brush "improves the pace of the game". However, other aspects to the controls were found to be weaker, particularly in combat. In their review, Nintendo Power recommended the PlayStation 2 version of the game over the Wii, stating that "Though you can overcome the drawing and attacking issues with practice (and by sticking to whip-style weapons), it's a hurdle you shouldn't have to leap." The Wii version was received the 'Game of the Month award from IGN for April 2008. It was a nominee for multiple awards from IGN in its 2008 video game awards, including Best Artistic Design and Best Use of the Wii-Mote. The high definition release on the PlayStation 3 was praised for being the "definitive" version of the game, with the rendering in 1080p helping to make the graphics style of the game stand out. Cam Shae of IGN did express some disappointment that the PlayStation 3 version did not attempt to address the "pop up" of far-off objects due to draw distance, a limitation of the PlayStaton 2 version. Oli Welsh of Eurogamer considered that the game remains as relevant as it was when it was first released in 2006, being one of the few video games of the Zelda style. Ōkami's initial showing at the 2005 E3 Convention garnered severals awards and recognition, including 1UP's Best PS2 Game, 2nd Best Game of Show, and 3rd Best Action Game; IGN's Best PS2 Game of Show, and runner-up for Best of Show and Most Innovative Design; and X-Play's Most Original Game. GameSpy recognized it as the 5th best game showing for the convention. Upon release, Ōkami appeared as the Game of the Month for IGN, Electronic Gaming Monthly, and Game Informer. IGN, Edge Magazine and Game Revolution rated it as the best overall game of 2006, while Game Trailers and Official PlayStation Magazine, named it best PS2 game for 2006. IGN further awarded the game the Best Overall and PS2 Adventure Game, the Best Overall and PS2 Artistic Design, the Overall and PS2 Most Innovative Design, and the Best Overall Story. GameSpot awarded the game for the Best Artistic Graphics for 2006. IGN named Ōkami the ninetieth top game of all time in a December 2007 Top 100 list. Ōkami has also won awards from outside the mainstream gaming press. The game earned the Best Character Design and only one of three Innovation Awards at the 2007 Game Developers Choice Awards. Ōkami won the Grand Prize in the Entertainment Division of the 2006 Japan Media Arts Festival. On 13 August 2007. It was also awarded the best Animation in a Game Engine, Art Direction in a Game Engine, Outstanding Original Adventure Game, and Game of the Year in the 2006 awards by the National Academy of Video Game Testers and Reviewers (NAVIGaTR). Ōkami was given an "Award for Excellence" from the Japanese Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA) at the Japan Game Awards 2007 and was later given 2009 CESA Developers Conference (CEDEC) award for "Visual Arts". The game was awarded the Best Anthropomorphic Video Game in the 2006 Ursa Major awards. It also won the 2007 BAFTA awards for Artistic Achievement and Original Score. Ōkami sold 200,000 copies in North America in 2006, grossing approximately US$8 million and ranking as the 100th best selling game of the year in the region. By March 2007, the total sales of the PlayStation 2 version were near 270,000. By comparison, Ōkami sold 66,000 copies in Japan for 2006. While it was initially thought that poor sales of Ōkami and God Hand (another Clover title released in the same time frame) were the cause of the closure of Clover Studio, it was later revealed that three key developers within Capcom and Clover Studios, Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil series), Hideki Kamiya (Devil May Cry series), and Inaba, had left the company, and the studio was dissolved, such that "now all the resources should be used more effectively and more efficiently since they are centralized." Inaba, Mikami, and Kamiya went on to form the video game development company "Seeds Inc", later merging with a company called "ODD" to become "Platinum Games". On 30 July 2008, Capcom revealed that the Wii version of Ōkami had sold approximately 280,000 copies in North America and Europe since its release date. The Wii version debuted in Japan with a modest 24,000 copies sold in its first week in the region. It was the sixth-bestselling game in Japan on 23 October 2009. Total sales for the game remained under 600,000 total units by March 2009, and was named the "least commercially successful winner of a game of the year award" in the 2010 version of the Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition. Ben Mattes, producer for the 2008 Prince of Persia video game, cites Ōkami as well as Ico and Shadow of the Colossus as influences on the gameplay and artwork for the game. Capcom's Street Fighter IV is also stated to have models influenced by Ōkami with hand-drawn images and brushstroke-like effects. A new Disney video game, Epic Mickey, uses similar drawing aspects as Ōkami, allowing the player to draw and modify parts of levels to proceed. The final boss, Yami, appears as the main antagonist and final boss in the crossover fighting game, Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars. Amaterasu appears as a playable character in Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. After Clover's dissolution and most of its staff's subsequent reformation as Platinum Games, one of their next games, Bayonetta, contains several references to Ōkami; the most notable of these is when the title character transforms into a panther and, like Amaterasu, a trail of flowers and plant life follows her. For the 2010 San Diego Comic Con, Capcom raffled a limited run of T-shirts designed by Gerald de Jesus and iam8bit that placed Amaterasu and Chibiterasu (from Ōkamiden) into a homage to the Three Wolf Moon t-shirt.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 23:01:25 GMT -5
125 Favorite PS2 Games 125. Duel Hearts 124. Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu 123. Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore 122. Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis 121. Timesplitters 120. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 119. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon 118. Legends of Wrestling 117. Beyond Good And Evil 116. Dragonball Z: Budokai 115. Showdown: Legends of Wrestling 114. Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht 113. Virtua Fighter 4 112. King of Fighters 2000 111. KOF: Maximum Impact 2 (aka King of Fighters 2006) 110. Burnout 3: Takedown 109. Legends of Wrestling II 108. Rogue Galaxy 107. Maximo: Ghosts To Glory 106. Silent Hill 3 105. MLB Slugfest 2003 104. Guitar Hero 103. Wild Arms 3 102. Need for Speed: Most Wanted 101. Megaman X8 100. Pro Evolution Soccer 3 99. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence 98. Dragonball Z: Budokai 2 97. Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 96. Megaman X Collection 95. Soul Calibur 3 94. Tekken 4 93. Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy 92. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando 91. Killer7 90. Freekstyle 89. Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 88. Grandia III 87. Dark Cloud 86. Hot Shots Golf: Fore 85. We Love Katamari 84. Madden NFL 2003 83. Guitar Hero III 82. Garou: Mark of the Wolves 81. Rumble Roses 80. Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude 79. Tekken Tag Tournament 78. Escape from Monkey Island 77. Tony Hawk Underground 76. James Bond 007: Nightfire 75. Guilty Gear X 74. NBA Ballers 73. Ratchet & Clank 72. Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers 71. Pro Evolution Soccer 6 70. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 69. NBA Street Vol. 2 68. Jak II 67. Half-Life 66. Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves 65. Def Jam Vendetta 64. ESPN NFL 2K5 63. Star Wars Battlefront II 62. Futurama 61. Suikoden Tactics 60. Megaman Anniversary Collection 59. The Simpsons: Road Rage 58. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 57. Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction 56. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal 55. Tekken 5 54. Sonic Heroes 53. Jak 3 52. Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories 51. Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millenium 2001 50. Wild Arms: Alter Code F 49. Suikoden IV 48. Madden NFL 2004 47. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne 46. Scarface: The World Is Yours 45. SOCOM: US Navy Seals 44. Pro Evolution Soccer 5 43. X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse 42. Gran Turismo 4 41. Dark Cloud 2 (Dark Chronicle) 40. Devil May Cry 3 39. Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus 38. Bully 37. The Warriors 36. Final Fantasy XII 35. Devil May Cry 34. God of War II 33. Star Ocean: Till The End of Time 32. Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 31. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy 30. SSX 3 29. The Simpsons: Hit & Run 28. Suikoden III 27. Sly 2: Band of Thieves 26. Silent Hill 2 25. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 24. Smackdown vs. Raw 2006 23. Soul Calibur 2 22. Ico 21. Psychonauts 20. Grand Theft Auto III 19. Shin Megami Tensai: Persona 4 18. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 17. Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth 16. Final Fantasy X-2 15. Katamari Damacy 14. Suikoden V 13. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty 12. Fire Pro Wrestling Returns 11. Resident Evil 4 10. Kingdom Hearts 2 9. God of War 8. Shadow of the Colossus 7. Shin Megami Tensai: Persona 3 6. Okami
It's almost over........here are the clues to the final five games
* CJ returns home
* Elimination Chamber and Bra & Panties
* Heartless
* Naked Snake
* Pilgrimage to defeat Sin
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Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2012 23:18:35 GMT -5
I think I know the "Elimination Chamber and Bra & Panties" one.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 23:20:27 GMT -5
5. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (commonly abbreviated to MGS3) is a stealth action video game directed by Hideo Kojima. Snake Eater was developed by Konami Computer Entertainment Japan and published by Konami for the PlayStation 2, and was released on November 17, 2004 in North America; December 16, 2004 in Japan; March 4, 2005 in Europe; and on March 17, 2005 in Australia. The game, which serves as a prequel to the entire Metal Gear series, was followed by three direct sequels titled Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. Set in the Cold War-era Soviet Union, the story centers on FOX operative Naked Snake as he attempts to rescue a weapons designer and sabotage an experimental superweapon. While previous games were set in a primarily urban environment, Snake Eater adopts a 1960s Soviet jungle setting, with the high tech, near-future trappings of previous Metal Gear Solid games being replaced with the wilderness. While the setting has changed, the game's focus remains on stealth and infiltration, while retaining the series' self-referential, fourth wall-breaking sense of humor. The story of Snake Eater is told through numerous cut scenes and radio conversations. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was well-received both publicly and critically, selling 3.6 million copies worldwide by August 2005. and scoring a highly positive 91% on the review aggregate sites Game Rankings and Metacritic. The gameplay of Snake Eater is similar to that of previous games in the Metal Gear Solid series. Snake, controlled by the player, must move undetected through a hostile, enemy-filled environment. Although Snake acquires various weapons (ranging from handguns to rocket propelled grenades), the emphasis is on using stealth to avoid confrontations. A number of objects and gadgets can be found along the way to aid in this, including motion detectors to track hostile soldiers, and the Metal Gear series' trademark cardboard box, which Snake can hide under to avoid visual detection. Despite the fundamental similarities, Snake Eater introduces many new aspects of gameplay not present in previous Metal Gear games, including camouflage, a new hand-to-hand combat system called "close-quarters combat" or "CQC", a stamina gauge, and an injury-and-treatment system. Approximately two-thirds of the game is set outdoors in a Soviet Union rainforest, and using this varied environment to its fullest potential is often the key to success. Of the new features, particular emphasis is placed on camouflage and using the jungle environment itself (for example, climbing trees or hiding in tall grass) to avoid being seen by the enemy. The advanced radar from previous games has been removed in favor of a simple motion detector and sonar system more suitable for the game's time period. A percentage value called the "camouflage index" gauges Snake's exposure, on a scale from negative values (highly visible and attracting attention) up to 100% (completely invisible to the enemy). In order to minimize visibility, the player must switch between different camouflage uniforms and face paints to blend in with the environment; for example, wearing a bark-patterned uniform while leaning against a tree, or wearing striped face paint while hiding in tall grass. Other devices for camouflage, such as a fake gavial head to decrease chances of being detected in water, are also available. The basic close combat from previous installments has been heavily refined and expanded into the CQC system. When unarmed or using a one-handed weapon, Snake can grab opponents and put them in a chokehold, at which point a variety of actions can be performed, such as choking the enemy unconscious or interrogating them at knifepoint to obtain information. The context, pressure applied to the button, and movement of the analog stick determine the action performed. While previous games used only a simple life bar, Snake Eater also keeps track of injuries over the entire body. For example, a long fall could fracture Snake's leg, slowing him down until the injury is properly treated with a splint and bandage. Unless these injuries are treated, Snake will not be able to fully recover his health for some time. The location brings in the need to rely upon native flora and fauna to survive. This is manifested in a stamina gauge, which constantly depletes during gameplay. Failure to restore the gauge by eating has detrimental effects on gameplay, such as decreasing Snake's ability to aim his weapon and being heard by the enemy due to Snake's loud stomach grumbles. Food can be stored in the backpack until it is needed. However, some types of food rot over time, and consuming rotten foods may result in Snake developing a stomach ache, causing the stamina gauge to deplete faster. The PlayStation 2 versions of Snake Eater include a minigame called Snake vs. Monkey, in which Snake has to catch Ape Escape-style monkeys. In addition to containing tongue-in-cheek humor, bonus items usable in the main game can be unlocked by progressing through various stages. The protagonist of Snake Eater, Naked Snake known as Big Boss in subsequent games, is a former U.S. Special Forces (Green Beret) and CIA operative. During the mission, Major Zero, a former member of the British Special Air Service, aids Snake by providing mission advice and battle tactics. Para-Medic and Sigint provide specialist advice on flora and fauna, and weapons and equipment, respectively. The two primary antagonists of the game are Colonel Volgin, an electricity-controlling GRU colonel and member of the extreme Brezhnev faction, who are attempting to overthrow Nikita Khrushchev to seize power for Leonid Brezhnev and Alexei Kosygin, and The Boss, former mentor to Naked Snake. Cobra Unit, a Special Forces unit led by The Boss, is composed of The End, a venerable expert sniper credited as the "father of modern sniping"; The Fear, who has supernatural flexibility and agility; The Fury, a disfigured former cosmonaut armed with a flamethrower and a jetpack; The Pain, who can control hornets to both defend himself and attack his enemies; and The Sorrow, the spirit of a deceased medium. Other characters include Sokolov, a rocket scientist whom Snake must rescue; EVA, Snake's love interest,American defector, and KGB agent sent to assist him, and a young Ocelot, commander of the elite Ocelot Unit within Volgin's GRU. Some joking references are also made to previous games: Major Raikov, Volgin's effeminate gay lover, parodies the criticized effeminate appearance of Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty protagonist Raiden, and the grandfather of recurring incompetent and incontinent soldier Johnny Sasaki makes an appearance as a cell guard. Metal Gear Solid 3 is set during the Cold War in 1964, where a CIA agent, codenamed "Naked Snake", is sent to the jungles of Tselinoyarsk, in the USSR. Aided over radio by Major Zero, Para-Medic, and his former mentor The Boss, his mission is to rescue a defecting Soviet scientist named Sokolov who is secretly developing an advanced nuclear-equipped tank called the "Shagohod". The mission goes smoothly until The Boss defects and provides her new benefactor, Colonel Volgin, with two Davy Crockett miniature nuclear shells. Sokolov is captured by Cobra Unit and Snake is heavily injured and thrown off a bridge by The Boss, allowing Volgin and his cohorts to escape with Sokolov. Volgin detonates one of the nuclear shells to cover up its theft, which is subsequently blamed on The Boss. Having detected the U.S. aircraft which deployed Snake flying over Soviet soil, the Soviet Union declares the United States responsible for the nuclear attack, tipping both nations to the edge of a nuclear war. In a secret conference between U.S. President Lyndon Johnson and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, a deal is hatched to prove the U.S.'s innocence and restore peace. The United States agrees to stop Volgin's renegade faction, destroy the stolen Shagohod and eliminate the American defector, The Boss. A week after being rescued from the region, Snake is redeployed into the Soviet jungle as part of "Operation: Snake Eater", to fulfill the United States' promises. During the mission, he gains the assistance of another American defector, ex-NSA agent EVA, who defected a few years earlier (though he is informed he would be helped by ADAM, who defected with her). After numerous encounters with the elite Ocelot Unit (led by a young Ocelot), and defeating nearly every member of Cobra Unit, Snake succeeds in locating Sokolov and the stolen Shagohod, only to be captured in Volgin's military fortress, Groznyj Grad. After listening to Volgin brutally beat Sokolov to death, Snake is tortured and takes a grazing bullet in his eye while protecting EVA from Ocelot's bullet; Snake ultimately escapes. When he returns to the facility to destroy the Shagohod, Snake learns of "The Philosophers". Made up of the most powerful men in the United States, Soviet Union, and China, they were an Illuminati-like organization who control the world behind the scenes. However, after the end of World War II, they began to fight amongst themselves, and the organization broke down. The Philosopher's Legacy, a fund the organization had jointly amassed to finance their wars ($100 billion), was divided up and hidden in banks all over the world. Volgin had illegally inherited this money, and Snake learns that the U.S. is attempting to retrieve it. Snake continues his mission, destroying the facility and the Shagohod tank, while engaging Volgin, who is killed by a bolt of lightning during the battle. Snake and EVA travel to a lake, where a WIG ground effect vehicle is hidden. Before they use it to escape the region, Snake confronts his old mentor, The Boss, whom he must kill to complete his mission. After an emotional battle, Snake overcomes his feelings and defeats her. He and EVA escape to Alaska, and spend the night together. During the night, EVA disappears, and leaves behind a tape revealing herself to be a Chinese spy sent to steal the Philosopher's Legacy for China. The tape continues, and EVA reveals that The Boss did not defect to the Soviet Union; rather, she was under orders to pretend to defect so she could infiltrate Volgin's ranks and find the location of the Legacy, which could be brought back to America. The final part of her mission was to sacrifice her honor and die at the hands of Snake, under the guise of a traitor, to prove the U.S.'s innocence in Volgin's nuclear attack from the beginning of the game. Snake is awarded the title of "Big Boss" and given the Distinguished Service Cross for his efforts by President Johnson in front of his FOX Unit and other officials; however Snake has become so distraught and demoralized after EVA's revelation that he leaves almost immediately after getting his medal, hardly acknowledging Major Zero, Para-Medic and Sigint. Later, he arrives at an anonymous grave, The Boss's, just one of thousands located in Arlington National Cemetery. Laying down The Boss's gun and a bouquet of lilies upon the nameless gravestone, he scans the endless rows before him, salutes, and sheds a single tear. After the credits roll, Ocelot is heard talking to the CIA director on the telephone. Ocelot informs him that the microfilm stolen by EVA was a fake and that half of the Philosopher's Legacy is now in America's hands. It transpires that Ocelot has been triple-crossing everyone from the very beginning. He then reveals that he is in fact ADAM, and he has been working for the CIA all this time. Originally, the game was supposed to be developed for the PlayStation 3, but due to the long wait for the PS3, the game was developed for the PlayStation 2 instead. From the outset, the game's director Hideo Kojima wished to drastically change the setting from previous games. He stated that the jungle setting is what both his development team, and the Metal Gear fans, wanted. However, he acknowledged that the elements of a jungle environment, such as the weather, landscape and wildlife, were features that would present problems during the game's development. Whereas in previous installments the player starts out close to, or even within, the enemy base, Kojima wished Snake Eater to be more realistic, with Snake starting out miles from civilization and having to work his way to the enemy encampment. Kojima commented that the outside environment was very difficult to create. He explained that the reason previous games were primarily set indoors is because the current consoles were not powerful enough to portray a true jungle environment. In contrast with urban environments, the jungle does not have a flat surface. The protagonist in Snake Eater has to cross uneven terrain, including rocks, dirt mounds and treestumps. As a result, the collision engine used in previous installments could not be used, and a new one had to be built from scratch. Setting up the motion capture technology so players could walk over these mounds was a problem during development. Many fans wanted Snake Eater to use a 3D camera, but this was ultimately not implemented in the game. Kojima views Metal Gear Solid, Sons of Liberty and Snake Eater as a trilogy, and wished to keep the camera the same as the previous two in order to keep the feel of the three games the same. He did, however, acknowledge that the current trend for video games is to use the 3D camera. The camera was later implemented in an updated version of Snake Eater titled Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence, and further installments in the franchise. Kojima designed boss battles of Snake Eater to be totally different from those in previous Metal Gear games, or any other games. He said that the boss battle with sniper The End best represented free, open gameplay in the game. The battle takes place over a large area of dense jungle, and the player must search extensively for The End, who attacks over long range from an unknown position. This battle of attrition can last for hours, and contrasts with other boss fights in which the enemy is right in front of the player and in view the whole time. In addition, the player has the ability to both avoid this boss battle altogether by killing The End earlier in the game; or save and quit during the fight, wait a week, and reload the game to find The End having died of old age. Kojima commented that features like this do not appear in other games. The musical score of Snake Eater was composed by Norihiko Hibino and Harry Gregson-Williams, who provided material for both cut scenes and the game itself. Hibino wrote the game's opening theme, "Snake Eater", a distinctly Bond-like vocal track which also appears in the game proper, as performed by Cynthia Harrell. Composer and lyricist Rika Muranaka provides a song called "Don't Be Afraid" which is played during the ending for the game. The song is performed by Elisa Fiorillo. In a break from tradition, one of the ending themes of the game is not an in-house production, but Starsailor's "Way To Fall". Hideo Kojima later revealed in his blog that he originally wanted to use "Space Oddity" and "Ashes to Ashes" (by David Bowie) for the ending themes because of the space development theme of the game, but during the game's development that theme lost its significance. One of his colleagues then advised him to listen to Stellastarr*, but Kojima heard Starsailor. He liked the song "Way To Fall" and chose it as an ending theme. Snake Eater was a commercial success and sold 3.6 million copies worldwide by August 2005. Although this is considerably lower than Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, which has sold 7 million copies to date, critics were pleased with the new protagonist, Naked Snake—who strongly resembles the series protagonist Solid Snake—after fans were disappointed by Raiden in MGS2. Some fans, as well as some critics, who found the lengthy dialogues and multitude of plot twists in Sons of Liberty to be detrimental to the game experience found the storyline of Snake Eater a pleasing throwback to the original Metal Gear Solid, with less of the "philosophical babble" present in Sons of Liberty. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was well received by the media, and was given high scores by some of the most prominent gaming critics. On the review aggregator Game Rankings, the game has an average score of 91% based on 92 reviews. On Metacritic, the game had an average score of 91 out of 100, based on 68 reviews. Gaming website IGN awarded a 9.6/10 and UK-based magazine Edge rated it 8/10. GameSpot, who granted it an 8.7/10, commented that the game is "richly cinematic" and "a great achievement." GameSpy hailed it as "probably the best Metal Gear Solid game yet", and Eurogamer called it "overwhelmingly superior to MGS2: Sons of Liberty" in their review. IGN users voted it the 10th best game of all time in, and the 5th best in the 2008 Top 100 list. Reviewers had mixed opinions about the game's camouflage system. Edge commented that "laying, camouflaged, in short grass inches away from a patrolling enemy is a gripping twist on stealth," while GameSpy criticized it as "just a number to monitor and not a terribly interesting one." Out of the variety of new features, GameSpot called it "the most important and best implemented." The game has also been criticized for its low frame rate, which has been reduced to 30 frame/s (compared with 60 frame/s in Sons of Liberty). The cut scenes of Snake Eater have been called "visually exciting and evocative, beautifully shot" by Edge. However, they commented that the script "ranges from awkward to awful" and criticized David Hayter's performance as Snake, concluding that "Snake Eater's speech is not up to the standard of other games, let alone cinema." GameSpot said that some of the humor "falls flat, as if lost in translation from Japanese" and "should appeal to... hardcore fans but... takes you out of the moment." Since its release in 2004, the game has received numerous awards. Notable ones include "best overall action game", "best overall story" and "best PS2 use of sound" in IGN's Best of 2004 awards, and "best story" and "best sound effects" in Gamespot's Game of the Year 2004 awards. Snake Eater's theme song won the "Best Original Vocal Song - Pop" from the Game Audio Network Guild at the Game Developers Conference in August 2005, while the game itself won the award for "Best PS2 Game" at 2005's Game Convention in Germany. David Hayter, voice of Snake, was nominated for the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences award for "Outstanding Achievement in Character Performance." Snake Eater was developed as a prequel to the entire Metal Gear series, and was followed by three direct sequels titled Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker and Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes. In 2011, Kojima revealed that he floated the idea of a Metal Gear Solid 5 set during the World War II invasion of Normandy, showing The Boss and Cobra Unit's assistance in the fight. However, the team was hesitant about such a big project and Kojima later felt that "simply dropping MGS5 on the younger staff members was a bit heavy." A spin-off game, Metal Gear Solid Rising, was eventually developed instead. Like Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty before it, Snake Eater was first released in North America; the Japanese release was held back for almost a month after that. However, the Japanese version featured a downloadable camouflage pattern unavailable in North America. A limited edition premium package of Snake Eater was released alongside the standard version in Japan. The premium package came with a special DVD, two special booklets and a painted 1/144-scale model of the Shagohod. A special limited edition CD was given away to those who preordered the Japanese version of Snake Eater, which included several songs from the game's soundtrack, as well as computer screensavers and additional camouflage for the main game. The pre-order package allowed cell phone users to access a special site featuring image and music downloads. For the European release, Konami added several new features, including the "European Extreme" difficulty setting, a Demo Theater of the game's cut scenes, and a Duel Mode, where players can replay boss battles from the main game, in addition to extra facepaints based on European flags and two new Snake vs. Monkey levels.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 23:32:16 GMT -5
4. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is a 2004 open world action-adventure video game developed by games developer Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. It is the third 3D game in the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise, the fifth original console release and eighth game overall. Originally released for the PlayStation 2 in October 2004, the game has since been released for the Xbox and Microsoft Windows (PC) in June 2005, and has received wide acclaim and high sales figures on all three platforms. It is the best-selling game of all time on PlayStation 2. It was made available on Steam on January 4, 2008, and on Intel-based Macs running a minimum of Mac OS X 10.6.6 in September 2011. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was succeeded by Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories and was preceded by Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. The game is set in the semi-fictional state of San Andreas, which contains three metropolitan cities: Los Santos, based on Los Angeles, San Fierro, based on San Francisco and Las Venturas, based on Las Vegas. Set in 1992, San Andreas revolves around the gang member Carl "CJ" Johnson returning home from Liberty City to Los Santos, San Andreas, after learning of his mother's murder. CJ finds his old friends and family in disarray. Over the course of the game, CJ gradually unravels the plot behind his mother's murder. The high-level plot strongly resembles the LAPD Rampart scandal and the game even culminates with a spoof of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. San Andreas is structured similarly to the previous two games in the series. The core gameplay consists of elements of a third-person shooter and a driving game, affording the player a large, open world environment in which to move around. On foot, the player's character is capable of walking, eating, running, sprinting, swimming, climbing (the first GTA game in which swimming and climbing are possible) and jumping as well as using weapons and various forms of hand to hand combat. Players can drive a variety of vehicles, including automobiles, buses, semis, boats, fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, trains, tanks, motorcycles and bikes. Players may also import vehicles rather than steal them. The open, non-linear environment allows players to explore and choose how they wish to play the game. Although storyline missions are necessary to progress through the game and unlock certain cities and content, they are not required as players can complete them at their own leisure. When not taking on a storyline mission, players can free-roam and look around the cities, eat from the restaurant, or cause havoc by attacking people and causing destruction. Creating havoc can attract unwanted and potentially fatal attention from the authorities. The more chaos caused, the stronger the response: police will handle "minor" infractions (attacking pedestrians, pointing guns at people, stealing vehicles, manslaughter, etc.), whereas SWAT teams, the FBI, and the military respond to higher wanted levels. The player can partake in a variety of optional side missions that can boost their character's attributes or provide another source of income. The traditional side missions of the past games are included, such as dropping off taxi cab passengers, putting out fires, driving injured people to the hospital and fighting crime as a vigilante. New additions include burglary missions, pimping missions, truck and train driving missions requiring players to make deliveries on time, and driving/flying/boating/biking schools, which help players learn skills and techniques to use in their corresponding vehicles. Not all locations are open to the player at the start of the game. Some locales, such as pay 'n spray, gyms, and shops, become available only after completing certain missions. Likewise, for the first portion of the game, only Los Santos and its immediate suburbs are available for exploration; unlocking the other cities and rural areas again requires the completion of certain missions. Unlike GTA III and Vice City, which needed loading screens when traveling between different districts of the city, San Andreas has no load times when the player is in transit. The only loading screens in the game are for cut-scenes and interiors. Other differences between San Andreas and its predecessors include the switch from single-player to multiplayer Rampage missions (albeit not in the PC version), and the replacement of the 'hidden packages' with spray paint tags, hidden camera shots, horseshoes, and oysters to discover. The camera, fighting, and targeting controls were reworked to incorporate concepts from another Rockstar game, Manhunt, including various stealth elements, as well as improved target crosshairs and a target health indicator which changes colors from green to red to black depending on the target's health. The PC version of the game implements mouse chording; the player has to hold the right mouse button to activate the crosshairs, and then click or hold at the left mouse button to shoot or use an item, such as a camera. The player has a gunfight with members of an enemy gang. In addition, players can swim and climb walls for the first time in the series. The ability to swim has a great effect on the player as well, since water is no longer an impassable barrier that kills the player (although it is possible to drown). For greater firepower, players can also wield dual firearms or perform a drive-by shooting with multiple gang members. Due to the size of San Andreas, a waypoint reticule on the HUD map can be set, aiding the player in reaching a destination. Rockstar has emphasized the personalization of the main protagonist by adding many role-playing video game elements. Clothing, accessories, haircuts, jewelry and tattoos are now available for purchase by CJ, and have more of an effect on non-player characters' reactions than the clothing in Vice City. CJ's level of respect among his fellow recruits and street friends varies according to his appearance and actions, as do his relationships with his girlfriends. Players must also ensure CJ eats to stay healthy and also exercises properly. The balance of food and physical activity has an effect on his appearance and physical attributes. San Andreas tracks acquired skills in areas such as driving, firearms handling, stamina, and lung capacity, which improve through use in the game. CJ may also learn three different styles of hand-to-hand combat (boxing, kung fu and Muay Thai) at the gyms in each of the game's three cities. CJ can also speak with a number of pedestrians in the game, responding either negatively or positively. According to Rockstar, there are about 4,200 lines of spoken dialogue. In total, there are 211 vehicles in the game compared to approximately 85 in GTA III. New additions include bicycles, a combine harvester, a street sweeper, a hovercraft, trailers and others. Car physics and features are similar to the Midnight Club series of street racing games, allowing for much more midair vehicle control as well as nitrous upgrades and aesthetic modification. There are several different classes of vehicles that serve different purposes. Off-road vehicles perform better in rough environments, while racing cars perform better on tracks or on the street. Jets are fast, but usually need a runway to land. Helicopters can land almost anywhere and are much easier to control in the air, but are slower. While previous Grand Theft Auto games had only a few aircraft that were difficult to access and fly, San Andreas has 11 airplanes and nine helicopters and makes them more integral in the game's missions. There is also the ability to skydive from aircraft, using a parachute. Several boats were added, while some were highly modified. Other new features and changes from previous Grand Theft Auto games include: * Gang wars: Battles with enemy gangs are prompted whenever the player ventures into enemy territory and kills at least three gang members. If the player then survives three waves of enemies, the territory will be won and fellow gang members will begin wandering the streets of these areas. The more territory owned by the player, the more money that will be generated. Occasionally, the player's territory will come under attack from enemy gangs and defeating them will be necessary to retain these areas. Once all marked territories are claimed from one of the two other gangs for the Grove Street Families, that gang can no longer attack. Once the player takes control of all the territories, none can come under attack.[16] * Car modification: Most automobiles in the game can be modified and upgraded at various garages. All car mods are strictly visual apart from the stereo and nitrous oxide upgrade which increases bass and gives the car a speed boost when activated respectively; and hydraulics, which lowers the car's height by default and allows the player to control various aspects of the car's suspension. Other common modifications include paintjobs, rims, body kits, side skirts, bumpers and stereo system upgrades. * Burglary: Continuing the series' tradition of controversy, home invasion is included as a potential money-making activity.[17] By stealing a burglary van, CJ is able to sneak into a residence at night, and cart off valuables or shake down the occupants. * Minigames: Numerous minigames are also available for play in San Andreas, including basketball, pool, rhythm-based challenges (dancing and 'bouncing' lowriders with hydraulics), and video game machines that pay homage to classic arcade games. In addition, there are the aforementioned casino games and methods of gambling, such as betting on virtual horse races.[18] * Money: The money system has been expanded upon, compared to previous titles. Players can spend their cash on gambling, tattoos, meals, etc. Excessive gambling loss can force the player to sink into debt, which is shown in red negative numbers. When the player leaves a safehouse, CJ gets an unexpected call and a mysterious person tells him about his debts. Four gang members suddenly appear and shoot Carl on sight if he does not erase the debt when the mysterious person calls him a second time. * Multiplayer: Rampages have been modified to allow two players to complete them. The players are both shown simultaneously on the screen, meaning they must stay within close proximity of each other. The multiplayer rampages were removed from the PC version of the game. While multiplayer modes were absent on the PC version (as with the previous games), third-party modifications like Multi Theft Auto and San Andreas Multiplayer provide such functionality. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas takes place within the state of San Andreas, which is based on sections of California and Nevada. It comprises three major fictional cities: Los Santos corresponds to Los Angeles, San Fierro corresponds to San Francisco, and Las Venturas corresponds to Las Vegas. The environments around these cities are also based on settings within the Southwestern region of the United States. Players can drive up the half-mile (800 m) tall Mount Chiliad (based on Mount Diablo), parachute from various peaks and skyscrapers, and visit 12 rural towns and villages located in three counties: Red County, Flint County, and Bone County. Other notable destinations include Sherman Dam (based on the Hoover Dam), a large secret military base called Area 69 (based on Area 51), a large satellite dish (based on a dish from the Very Large Array), Vinewood (based on Hollywood) and the Vinewood sign (based on the Hollywood sign) which is located in Mullholland, and many other geographical features. Interestingly the bridges in San Fierro are based on the Forth road and rail bridges which link Edinburgh, the home of Rockstar North, to Fife although the road bridge is highly similar to the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. San Andreas is 13.9 square miles (36 square kilometers), almost four times as large as Vice City, and five times as large as the GTA III rendition of Liberty City. The three cities are linked by numerous highways, a train system, and air travel. While its predecessors' areas were limited to urban locations, San Andreas includes not only large cities and suburbs, but also the rural areas between them. It also has a fictional version of the Nellis Air Force Base called ingame the Verdant Meadows Airfield. The characters that appear in San Andreas are relatively diverse and relative to the respective cities and locales which each of them based himself in. This allows the game to include a significantly wider array of story lines and settings than in Grand Theft Auto III and Vice City. The player controls Carl "CJ" Johnson (Young Maylay), a young African-American gang member who serves as the game's protagonist. The Los Santos stages of the game revolve around the theme of the Grove Street Families gang fighting with the Ballas and the Vagos for territory and respect. East Asian gangs (most notably the local Triads), an additional Vietnamese gang (the Da Nang Boys), and a force of Hispanic thugs working for the local "Loco Syndicate" (the San Fierro Rifa) are evident in the San Fierro leg of the game, while three Mafia families and the Triads who all own their respective casino are more prominently featured in the Las Venturas section of the game. Like the previous two GTA games, the voice actors of San Andreas include notable celebrities, such as David Cross, Andy Dick, Ron Foster, Samuel L. Jackson, James Woods, Peter Fonda, Charlie Murphy, Frank Vincent, Chris Penn, Danny Dyer, Sara Tanaka, William Fichtner, Wil Wheaton, rappers Ice-T, Chuck D, Frost, MC Eiht and The Game and musicians George Clinton, Axl Rose, Sly and Robbie, and Shaun Ryder. Young Maylay makes his debut as the protagonist, Carl. The Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition lists it as the videogame with the largest voice cast, with 861 credited voice actors, including 174 actors and 687 additional performers, many of those performers being fans of the series who wanted to appear on the game. In 1992, Carl "CJ" Johnson (Young Maylay) returns to Los Santos to attend his mother's funeral after five years living in Liberty City following his brother Brian’s murder. Upon returning, corrupt C.R.A.S.H. police officers Frank Tenpenny (Samuel L. Jackson) and Edward "Eddie" Pulaski (Chris Penn), whom Carl has had history with, apprehend him and threaten to frame him for a fellow officer's murder unless he assists them in their illegal operations. Carl returns to his former home on Grove Street. Carl reunites with his brother Sweet (Faizon Love) and fellow gangsters Ryder (MC Eiht), Big Smoke (Clifton Powell) and OG Loc to reestablish Grove Street Families as the predominant gang in Los Santos. Carl, Ryder and Big Smoke begin intercepting shipments of weapons, waging war with rival gangs "Ballas" and "Vagos" for turf, and reducing the influence of crack cocaine among Family members. Carl also begins helping OG Loc establish a music career by ruining the career of prominent rapper Madd Dogg (Ice-T). While working to re-establish the gang, Carl begins mending relationships and gradually earning back respect from his family and allies especially earning back respect from Sweet, for leaving Los Santos five years prior. Shortly before a gang battle, Carl receives a call from his sister Kendl’s boyfriend Cesar Vialpando (Clifton Collins, Jr.), a leader of the smaller Hispanic street gang "Varrios Los Aztecas", who shows Carl a green "Sabre" (the vehicle long-rumored to have been involved in his mother’s shooting) being escorted by Big Smoke, Ryder, a group of Ballas, and Tenpenny. Carl is too late to save his brother from being ambushed and is arrested and dumped in the San Andreas countryside to assassinate a witness threatening Tenpenny and Pulaski. Meanwhile, Ryder and Big Smoke, now openly in league with the Ballas, take over Los Santos, flooding it with crack cocaine. Tenpenny enlists Carl to work with an aged marijuana farmer and hippie "The Truth" (Peter Fonda) in preparation to discredit a district attorney. In the meantime, the similarly exiled Cesar sets Carl up to assist in a robbery spree with his cousin Catalina and joining in underground street races. Through these races, Carl meets the blind Triad leader Wu Zi “Woozie” Mu and wins the deed to a garage in San Fierro from Catalina. With help from The Truth, Carl works to convert the garage to a chop shop by hiring mechanics Dwaine and Jethro, and electronics expert Zero (David Cross). Besides performing jobs for Tenpenny, Carl insinuates himself into the Loco Syndicate, Smoke and Ryder's supplier. Carl eventually assassinates the Syndicate leaders, killing Ryder, and blowing up their crack factory. He also helps Woozie fend off a rival San Fierro Vietnamese gang, the Da Nang Boys. Zero also phones Carl to tell him that his landlord is selling his shop. Carl can choose to buy Zero's shop to save his business, and help him wage an RC war against his rival, Berkley. Carl is contacted by the presumed-dead Loco Syndicate leader Mike Toreno (James Woods), who reveals he's a secret government agent and agrees to secure Sweet's release from jail in return for Carl's help. Carl meets The Truth once again, who asks him to steal alien technology off a train. Later, Carl is invited by Woozie to become a partner in the Four Dragons Casino in Las Venturas, where they are facing harassment from the Mafia-run Caligula's Palace casino. To displace the Mafia, they begin planning to rob Caligula's. Through The Truth, Carl meets music producer Kent Paul (Danny Dyer) and his client Maccer. Carl meets Caligula's manager Ken Rosenberg (Bill Fichtner), under pressure for support from the three Liberty City families. When Salvatore Leone (Frank Vincent) comes to Las Venturas to take over all of Caligula's for himself he takes Rosenburg, Kent Paul, and Maccer hostage, but Carl helps them escape under the guise of helping Salvatore. Whilst working for Salvatore Carl is sent back to Liberty City in order to take out a mafia family operating at Saint Mark's Bistro. After final planning Carl and Woozie carry out their heist, taking millions of dollars from Salvatore's Casino. After the heist Carl receives a phone call from an enraged Salvatore who repeatedly tells Carl he's, "Dead!" along with threats of murdering his friends and family. Carl mocks Salvatore and hangs up. Salvatore isn't heard from again for the rest of the game. Meanwhile Tenpenny and Pulaski, now under indictment, try to kill Carl, but Carl manages to kill Pulaski. Carl also saves the fallen Madd Dogg from killing himself, becoming his manager, and reestablishing him in Los Santos. Shortly after Carl does one last odd job for Toreno, Sweet is finally released and has Carl once again help him restore Grove Street. Tenpenny goes to trial for several felonies, but the charges are dropped for lack of evidence since all the prosecution's witnesses are either disgraced, missing, or dead. Tenpenny's release sends anger and shock throughout Los Santos, triggering the in-game rendition of the 1992 Los Angeles Riots. Meanwhile, Cesar has also returned to Los Santos and requests that Carl help him reestablish the Varrios Los Aztecas, as the Vagos have taken over the area. After Cesar returns to his gang, Sweet manages to track down Big Smoke who is living in a fortified crack fortress. Carl breaks through all of the defenses and kills Big Smoke in a shootout only to be confronted by Tenpenny who steals all of Big Smoke's drug money and escapes in a fire truck. Carl and Sweet pursue Tenpenny through the streets of Los Santos until Tenpenny loses control and crashes off a bridge, landing at the entrance of the Grove Street cul-de-sac. Tenpenny manages to crawl free of the wreckage before collapsing. As Tenpenny is dying Carl considers shooting him, but Sweet stops him, saying that they shouldn't leave evidence that Tenpenny was killed instead of it just being an accident. In the aftermath Carl's family and friends arrive at the Johnson house for a meeting. Madd Dogg announces that he's received a gold record for his new album. Cesar proposes to Kendl. As his friends and allies celebrate their success, Carl turns to leave. When Kendl asked where he's going, he replies, "Fittin' to hit the block, see what's happening." As with the previous two entries in the Grand Theft Auto series, San Andreas has an exhaustive number of tracks taken from the time period in which the game is based. San Andreas is serviced by eleven radio stations; WCTR (talk radio), Master Sounds 98.3 (rare groove, playing many of the old funk and soul tracks sampled by 1990s hip-hop artists), K-Jah West (dub and reggae; modeled after K-Jah from GTA III), CSR (New Jack Swing, Modern Soul), Radio X (alternative rock, metal and grunge), Radio Los Santos (gangsta rap), SF-UR (old school Chicago house music), Bounce FM (funk), K-DST (classic rock), K-Rose (country) and Playback FM (classic hip hop). The music system in San Andreas is enhanced from previous titles. In earlier in the series, each radio station was essentially a single looped sound file, playing the same songs, announcements and advertisements in the same order each time. In San Andreas, each section is held separately, and "mixed" randomly, allowing songs to be played in different orders, announcements to songs to be different each time, and plot events to be mentioned on the stations. This system would be used in Grand Theft Auto IV. WCTR, rather than featuring licensed music and DJs, features spoken word performances by actors such as Andy Dick performing as talk show hosts and listener callers in a parody of talk radio programming. Lazlow again plays as himself on the show "Entertaining America" on WCTR in the same persona as in III and Vice City. He takes over after the former presenter, Billy Dexter, is shot on air by in-game movie star Jack Howitzer. Lazlow interviews guests such as O.G. Loc, who is one of the three characters Carl encounters during the game that is on the radio, along with Big Smoke and The Truth. The Xbox and Windows versions of the game include an additional radio station that supports custom soundtracks by playing user imported MP3s, allowing players to listen to their own music while playing the game. This feature is not available on the PS2 version of the game or when played on the Xbox 360. Upon its release, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was met with universal critical acclaim, with many calling it one of the PlayStation 2's best games. It received an average review score of 95%, according to Metacritic, tying for the fifth highest ranked game in PlayStation 2 history. IGN rated the game a 9.9/10 (the highest score it has ever awarded to a PlayStation 2 game), calling it "the defining piece of software" for the PlayStation 2. GameSpot rated the game 9.6/10, giving it an Editor's Choice award. GameSpot said "San Andreas definitely lives up to the Grand Theft Auto name. In fact, it's arguably the best game in the series". San Andreas also received an A rating from the 1UP.com network and a 10/10 score from Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Common praises were made about the game's open-endedness, the size of the state of San Andreas, and the engaging storyline and voice acting. Most criticisms of the game stemmed from graphical mishaps, poor character models, and low-resolution textures, as well as various control issues, particularly with auto-aiming at enemies. Some critics commented that while a lot of new content had been added to San Andreas, little of it had been refined or implemented well. Nevertheless, since its release, San Andreas has been regarded to be one of the greatest games of all time, placing at number 28 in Edge's Top 100 Games to Play Today. Edge declared that the game remains "the ultimate expression of freedom, before next-gen reined it all back in." By March 3, 2005, the game had sold over 12 million units for the PlayStation 2 alone, making it the highest selling game for PlayStation 2. As of September 26, 2007, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has sold 20 million units according to Take-Two Interactive. As of March 26, 2008, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has sold 21.5 million units according to Take-Two Interactive. The Guinness World Records 2009 Gamer's Edition list it as the most successful game in the PlayStation 2, with 17.33 million copies sold for that console alone, from a total of 21.5 million in all formats. In 2010, GTA: San Andreas is the 3rd Best Selling game of all time. In 2011, Kotaku reported that according to Rockstar Games, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has sold 27.5 million copies worldwide.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 9, 2012 23:50:49 GMT -5
3. Kingdom Hearts Kingdom Hearts is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The first game in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is the result of a collaboration between Square Enix and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney animated features with those from Square's Final Fantasy series. The story follows a young boy, Sora, as he is thrown into an epic battle against the forces of darkness. He is joined by Donald Duck, Goofy, and other classic Disney characters who help him on his quest. The game was a departure from Square's standard role-playing games, introducing a substantial action-adventure element to the gameplay. Kingdom Hearts has an all-star voice cast and includes many of the Disney characters' official voice actors. It was longtime Square character designer Tetsuya Nomura's first time in a directorial position. Kingdom Hearts was praised for its unusual combination of action and role-playing, as well as its unexpectedly harmonious mix of Square and Disney elements. It was a dominating presence in the 2002 holiday season, receiving numerous year-end "Best" video game awards, and went on to achieve Sony "Greatest Hits" status. Since its release, Kingdom Hearts has sold over 5.6 million copies worldwide and has prompted numerous sequels. Kingdom Hearts is currently the ninth best selling PlayStation 2 game of all time and the most commercially successful entry in the series to date. Kingdom Hearts is influenced by its parent franchise, Final Fantasy, and carries gameplay elements over into its own action-based, hack and slash system. The main battle party consists of three characters: Sora, Goofy, and Donald Duck. Sora is directly controlled by the player from a third person camera angle. All other party members are computer-controlled, though the player can customize their behavior to an extent through the pause menu. Donald and Goofy comprise the party in most areas but nearly every level features a character who may replace them. For instance, Jack Skellington can join the player's party in Halloween Town, but cannot accompany the player elsewhere. In some worlds, the party changes its appearance, has abilities unique to that world, or both. For example, the party can fly in Neverland and acquire aquatic forms in Atlantica, which enable them to survive underwater. Like traditional role-playing games, Kingdom Hearts features an experience point system that determines character development. As enemies are defeated, the player characters gain experience and grow stronger, gaining access to new abilities. Unlike other games of its type, Kingdom Hearts allows a degree of character development customization through a short tutorial found at the beginning of the game. The tutorial allows the player to select from one of three main attributes¨Dstrength, defense, or magic¨Dfor Sora to excel in and one to lack in. By choosing certain options, the player may manipulate how Sora learns abilities, grows statistically, and gains levels. Donald, Goofy, and any other additional party members are assigned specific areas of strength from the outset. Donald excels in magic, while Goofy excels in defense and special attacks. The game progresses linearly from one story event to the next, usually presented as a cutscene, though there are numerous side quests available that provide bonus benefits to the characters. Most of the gameplay occurs on interconnected field maps where battles take place. Combat in Kingdom Hearts occurs in real time and involves pressing buttons to initiate attacks by the on-screen character. An action menu, similar to those found in Final Fantasy games, found at the bottom left of the screen provides other combat options such as using magic and items. There is also a context-sensitive option at the bottom of the menu, usually used for interacting with the environment or performing special attacks. This menu is manipulated by using the right analog stick or digital pad, while movement is controlled by the left analog stick, allowing the player to navigate the menu while avoiding or approaching enemies. The Gummi Ship is the mode of travel between the various locations in Kingdom Hearts. The gameplay for piloting the vessel is very different from the rest of the game as it switches to a rail shooter format. The player controls the Gummi Ship from a rear third-person perspective as it travels in an outer space setting. While traveling, the player must avoid obstacles and defend against enemy ships that attempt to destroy the player's vessel by firing missiles or ramming it. Surviving the route allows access to the next world. At the beginning of the game, there are few options available to customize the vessel, but as the game progresses, new weapons, engines, and armor become available. Different pre-designed blueprints can be found throughout the game that can be used to quickly construct Gummi Ships. The universe of Kingdom Hearts is a collection of various levels, referred to as "worlds", through which the player must progress. Thirteen can be accessed in the game and one, Disney Castle, is shown in cutscenes. Additional worlds are mentioned by various characters, but are inaccessible because they have been destroyed by the Heartless, beings of darkness. Ten of the worlds are based on Disney fiction, primarily from the Disney animated features canon, and the other four were created by Square specifically for the game. The graphics and characters of each world were designed to resemble the artwork style of its respective Disney film. Each Disney world is inhabited by characters from their respective film; Hercules and Philoctetes inhabit Olympus Coliseum, while Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, and Jafar inhabit Agrabah. Each world is disconnected from the others and exists separately. Most characters in the worlds are unaware of the other worlds' existence, with few exceptions. Players travel from one world to another via Gummi Ship. The worlds created specifically for the game mirror the overall appearance of the other worlds and feature either new characters or characters from several Final Fantasy games. The new worlds include: Destiny Islands, where the story opens; Traverse Town, which serves as a launching point for most of the game; Hollow Bastion, which many of the Final Fantasy characters call home; and End of the World, a large, dark world created from the remnants of various worlds consumed by the Heartless. The main characters travel from world to world to seal each "Keyhole"; this protects the world from the Heartless and ultimately from destruction. They also try to minimize their interaction with characters of other worlds to maintain a balance of separation. This sometimes requires Sora, Donald, and Goofy to blend in with the world inhabitants by changing their physical appearance. The collaboration between Disney and Square resulted in a mixture of familiar Disney and Square characters, as well as several new characters created and designed by Tetsuya Nomura. The primary protagonist of the game is Sora, a 14-year old boy chosen to wield the Keyblade, a large key-like weapon for battling darkness. The game also features two friends from his home world, Riku and Kairi. For most of the game, Sora is joined by Donald Duck and Goofy. Donald, the court wizard, and Goofy, captain of the royal guard, were sent from Disney Castle to find the Keyblade. The three join forces to search for King Mickey Mouse, Kairi, and Riku. The primary antagonist is Ansem, who seeks power and knowledge by using dark beings called the Heartless. The Heartless, hearts corrupted by darkness, serve as most of the enemies encountered in the game and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. As a game meant to explore the fictional universes of various Disney films, over one hundred Disney characters are featured in various capacities. While many serve as major characters in the story, others appear in cameo roles, such as the One Hundred and One Dalmatians playing a part in a side-quest. Most worlds also feature a Disney villain whom the player must defeat. The player can summon various Disney characters to fight alongside Sora in battle, causing Donald and Goofy to withdraw from the battlefield for the duration of the summon. Available summoned characters include the Genie from Aladdin, Tinkerbell from Peter Pan, and Simba from The Lion King, among others. Square also incorporated several characters from the Final Fantasy series into the game, though the characters were slightly altered to fit the game's back-story. On Destiny Islands, the player meets younger versions of Tidus and Wakka from Final Fantasy X and Selphie from Final Fantasy VIII. In Traverse Town, the player encounters Squall Leonhart (known in the game as "Leon") from Final Fantasy VIII as well as Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII. Rikku from Final Fantasy X was originally set to appear, but was replaced by Yuffie. Cloud and Sephiroth, both from Final Fantasy VII, make appearances in Olympus Coliseum, where the player can fight them in tournaments. The emphasis on characters from later Final Fantasy installments stems from Nomura's hesitation to use characters he did not design. The game also uses other Final Fantasy icons such as the Moogles who mediate item synthesis. Kingdom Hearts begins on Destiny Islands, where Sora, Riku, and Kairi live. The three friends want to leave the islands to explore new worlds and have prepared a raft for this purpose. One night, the islands are attacked by shadow creatures¡ªthe Heartless. Sora seeks out his friends, finding Riku, who disappears into a dark portal. At the same time, Sora obtains the Keyblade, a weapon effective against the Heartless. However, the islands are destroyed and Sora drifts into space. Meanwhile, King Mickey has left his own world to deal with the increasing numbers of Heartless and left instructions for Donald and Goofy to find the "key" that will protect the worlds from the encroaching darkness. Donald and Goofy use the Gummi Ship to reach Traverse Town, where Sora has drifted. Sora meets Leon, who explains that the Heartless are beings that consume hearts, and that the Keyblade is the only weapon capable of defeating them. A man named Ansem is said to have studied the Heartless. Sora then meets Donald and Goofy, and the three decide to travel together¡ªDonald and Goofy to find King Mickey, and Sora to find Kairi and Riku. The three go to various worlds based on Disney films, finding that the Keyblade also locks "Keyholes", passages to the "heart" of a world which, when sealed, prevent it from being consumed by the Heartless. Meanwhile, a group of Disney villains, led by Maleficent, seek out the seven Princesses of Heart to unlock the final Keyhole that leads to "Kingdom Hearts", a repository of knowledge and power and the source of all hearts. This group includes Riku; Maleficent promises that she will help him find Kairi in exchange for his support. Maleficent sows distrust in Riku, telling him that Sora abandoned him and Kairi for new friends and the Keyblade. An increasingly antagonistic Riku finds Kairi's body, but cannot find her heart. Sora and his friends eventually arrive at Hollow Bastion, Ansem's home world and Maleficent's current headquarters. Riku takes the Keyblade from Sora, claiming to be the true Keyblade master and that Sora only received it in his absence. Donald and Goofy, having been explicitly ordered to follow the "key", reluctantly leave Sora for Riku. Sora challenges Riku, stating that his heart derives strength from his friends; his friends return to him, as does the Keyblade. Shamed, Riku meets a cloaked man who goads him to give into the darkness. Meanwhile, the three engage and defeat Maleficent. Sora finds Kairi's body and confronts Riku, who reveals that he is possessed by Ansem. Ansem explains that Kairi is a Princess of Heart, and that her heart has been hiding within Sora's body since Destiny Islands was destroyed. After defeating Ansem, Sora impales himself with Ansem's Keyblade, releasing both his and Kairi's heart. Kairi's heart returns to her body, in turn completing the final Keyhole, while Sora becomes a Heartless. Kairi recognizes Sora's Heartless and the light in her heart restores him to human form. He resolves to confront Ansem. Ansem is found in End of the World, the combined remnants of worlds taken by the Heartless. Ansem seeks Kingdom Hearts, hypothesizing it to be the ultimate darkness. Upon opening the door to Kingdom Hearts, however, it reveals its light, overwhelming and destroying Ansem. Beyond the door are King Mickey and Riku, and they help Sora and the others close the door, as there are many Heartless beyond it. Mickey and Sora use their Keyblades to lock the door. The worlds lost to the Heartless reconstruct themselves; as the Destiny Islands reform, Kairi returns there while Sora is forced to part with her. The game concludes as Sora, Donald, and Goofy resolve to find Riku and Mickey. The idea for Kingdom Hearts came about when producer Shinji Hashimoto met a Disney executive in an elevator; Square and Disney had previously worked in the same building in Japan. The production team consisted of over one hundred members from both Square and Disney Interactive. The game began development in February 2000 and originally focused more on the gameplay with a simple story to appeal to Disney's target age range. After executive producer Hironobu Sakaguchi told director Tetsuya Nomura the game would be a failure if it did not aim for the same level as the Final Fantasy series, Nomura began to develop the story further. When choosing the Disney worlds to include in the game, Nomura and his team tried to pick worlds that had distinctively different looks. They also tried to take into account worlds with Disney characters that would be interesting. Though they had few restrictions on which worlds they could use from the Disney franchises, they tried to remain within each character's boundaries set by their respective Disney films. Additional content was added to the North American release that was absent in the initial Japanese release: new optional bosses, one of which was named after the winner of the official website's "Name-In-Game" sweepstakes, an extra difficulty level, and a teaser of Kingdom Hearts II accessible by meeting certain criteria. Nomura included the teaser in order to gauge fan reaction to the possibility of a sequel; he felt that if the idea was unpopular, then it would be best to leave certain events in the game unexplained. The new content was later added to the Japanese re-release titled Kingdom Hearts Final Mix. Final Mix also included additional content such as new items, cut scenes, and enemies. The new content further hinted at plotlines that would be explained in sequels. Some content omitted from Kingdom Hearts was later added into Kingdom Hearts II. A world based on The Lion King, for instance, was unfeasible because an additional program was required to process movement on four legs¡ªa necessity since Sora would become a lion in that world. Due to time constraints, the developers left out an optional boss battle, similar to the Sephiroth battle, against Tifa Lockhart. She was later included in Kingdom Hearts II as a more developed character. Kingdom Hearts was announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in May 2001. Initial details were that it would be a collaboration between Square and Disney Interactive and would feature worlds developed by both companies and Disney characters. New characters were designed by Nomura and included Sora, Riku, Kairi, and the Heartless. A playable demo was available at the Tokyo Game Show in 2001. The gameplay of the demo showcased many action role-playing game elements that would be included in the final product. To help market the English release of the game, Square launched the official website in April 2002, which featured trailers, a "Name-In-Game" sweepstakes, and other Internet content. On May 14, 2002, a press release announced a list of the English voice actors. The list included Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, and Hayden Panettiere as the three new characters introduced in the game. It also announced that many of the Disney characters would be voiced by the official voice actors from their respective Disney films. Other marketing efforts included auctions of the game and related items before the North American release and a Consumer Demo Day in San Francisco, California. Yoko Shimomura composed the music of Kingdom Hearts. While there are arranged melodies derived from previous Disney films, most of the soundtrack consists of original themes written specifically for the game by Shimomura. The opening orchestration and ending credits theme were arranged and orchestrated by Kaoru Wada and performed by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra. The main vocal theme for the original Japanese release is titled "Hikari". The English version of "Hikari", "Simple and Clean", was used in the Western releases and the Japanese re-release, Final Mix. Both versions were composed and performed by Hikaru Utada. Her involvement, along with the Japanese song title, was announced in January 2002. Utada was the only singer Nomura had in mind for the Kingdom Hearts theme song. This marked the first time Utada had produced a song for a video game. The single, "Hikari", was released in Japan on March 20, 2002 and proved to be very popular; by August 2002, it had sold over 860,000 copies in Japan. The Kingdom Hearts soundtrack was released on a two CD set on March 27, 2002 in Japan and a year later in the United States. The soundtrack was later included in the Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack Complete, which was released in Japan on March 28, 2007. Music from Kingdom Hearts was also included in Yoko Shimomura's best works compilation album Drammatica. Kingdom Hearts featured well-known voice actors for both the Japanese and English versions. The Japanese version featured Miyu Irino as Sora, Risa Uchida as Kairi, and Mamoru Miyano as Riku. Other notable voice actors included K¨ichi Yamadera, Hideo Ishikawa, and Maaya Sakamoto. A special effort was made to preserve the official voice actors of characters from the Disney movies used in Kingdom Hearts. Some of the voice actors from the related television series or direct-to-video sequels were chosen over the original voice actors from films, where applicable (e.g. Dan Castellaneta as Genie, rather than Robin Williams). The English version featured Haley Joel Osment as Sora, David Gallagher as Riku, and Hayden Panettiere as Kairi. Other notable voice actors included Billy Zane, David Boreanaz, James Woods, and Mandy Moore. Kingdom Hearts received positive reviews and sales figures. During the first two months of its North American release it was one of the top three highest-selling video games and was among the top selling titles during the 2002 Christmas and holiday season. In November 2002, UBS Warburg listed it as the 6th highest console game in terms of sales during the week of November 5. At the end of April 2003, Square announced that Kingdom Hearts had sold its millionth copy in the United States, which made it eligible for PlayStation's "Greatest Hits" status, and over 3.0 million worldwide. Sales reached 1.2 million in Japan in the first quarter of 2004, and broke 4.0 million worldwide. In December 2005, the NPD Group listed it as "one of the top ten best-selling PlayStation 2 titles of all time in North America". As of December 2006, Kingdom Hearts had shipped over 5.6 million copies worldwide with 1.1 million in PAL regions, 1.5 million in Japan, and 3.0 million in North America. The game received high ratings among reviewers. In IGN's Best of 2002 awards, it was nominated for "PS2's Best Game of 2002 Editor's Choice Award" and was a runner up for "PS2's Best Game of 2002 Reader's Choice Award". In 2007, the website listed Kingdom Hearts as the 22nd best PlayStation 2 game of all time. Critics commended the visuals, orchestral score, voice acting, and hybrid action-adventure and role-playing feel to the game. IGN named it "Best Art Style/Direction", runner-up for "Best CG Graphics", and honorable mention for "Best Animation" in IGN's 2003 list of "Best Looking Games on PS2". GameSpy listed Kingdom Hearts twice in its "Top 25 Video Game Cinematic Moments". GamePro stated that the graphics were "gorgeous", giving them high marks. The audio was also praised, particularly the quality of the voice-overs and musical score. GamePro had positive comments on the overall audio and gave that aspect a perfect score. Criticism about the gameplay was mixed. Many reviews complained that the camera was at times frustrating and the Gummi Ship portions were out of place. GameSpot cited "tedious" gameplay and Gummi Ship sections as "pale imitations of the Star Fox series", but stated that the combat was fun, particularly the boss fights. Dengeki Online commented on the camera controls, saying that the camera would often run into objects while being rotated by the player. GamePro compared the battle system to "old N64 Zelda games" and had positive comments about Donald and Goofy's artificial intelligence. GameSpot commented that the concept of mixing the serious elements of Final Fantasy with the lighter elements of Disney seemed impossible, but was pulled off quite well. Because of that they awarded Kingdom Hearts "Best Crossover Since Capcom vs. SNK" in their 2002 Best and Worst of the Year awards. GameSpy noted that the periodic departure from the main plot into the Disney side stories was disappointing, and when the original plot builds to a climax, "the story fails to gel thanks to a confusing mish-mash of vague terms and symbolism that probably made more sense in the director's head than in this final product." Aside from the plot, they stated that the overall package was worth playing through to the end. G4TV awarded it "Best Story" at their 2003 G-Phoria awards show. Fan response was also positive; Kingdom Hearts was voted as the 19th best game of all-time by readers of the Japanese magazine Famitsu, 16th by the users of website GameFAQs, and 92nd by IGN users. Kingdom Hearts ranked ninth on IGN's most recent "Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time" list. It was also a nominee for the Best Game Award from the CESA Game Awards for 2001-2002. Multiple versions of Kingdom Hearts have been released. The first was the original Japanese release, followed by the North American and PAL releases, which includes additional content. The game was later re-released in Japan as Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, which features the content of the North American/PAL release, as well as more new content. Both Square and Disney also released numerous types of merchandise before and after the release of the game. Merchandise ranged from toys and figurines to clothing items and books. Like the Final Fantasy games, Square released an Ultimania book on Kingdom Hearts in Japan following the release of the game and a revised edition following the release of Final Mix. In North America, a strategy guide was released by Brady Games. It featured a comprehensive walkthrough and a sticker activity journal. A manga series based on the game was released in Japan and the United States. A novel series also based on the game was released in Japan. It was authored by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. The novel series consists of two volumes and was released in North America on March 25, 2008. Released only in Japan, Kingdom Hearts Final Mix has several events and a number of gameplay tweaks that are not in previous releases. Spoken dialogue is in English, with Japanese subtitles. New scenes, clarifying certain plot points, such as Riku's journey and foreshadowing of Kingdom Hearts II, were included. A gameplay option allows the player to skip cut scenes after seeing them once. The optional bosses first included in the English version were introduced to Japanese players for the first time, along with a new fight against "Unknown Man", in an attempt to raise interest for the sequel. In another attempt at foreshadowing, a video titled "Another Side, Another Story ¡¾ deep dive ¡¿" plays at the ending if the player accomplishes certain tasks. New music tracks incorporated were "Disappeared" and "Another Side". The "Night on Bald Mountain" and "One-Winged Angel" tracks from the English version were included as well. Other changes include new abilities, new weapons, new items, additional and recolored enemies, and gameplay tweaks to make the game easier for the player, along with two new levels of difficulty. When first released, Final Mix included either a deck of Kingdom Hearts cards or special music CD. A limited "Platinum Edition" version of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix was later released with an action figure of Sora, a sticker set, and sketches of some of the main characters. The game was adapted into a manga by Shiro Amano. The story follows the events that took place in the game with a few minor differences to account for the loss of interactivity a video game provides. Some events that took place in the Final Mix version were also included. The manga was originally serialized in Japan by Enterbrain's Famits¨± PS2, but has since been released worldwide in four volumes. The volumes have been published in English in the United States by Tokyopop. The first volume was released on October 11, 2005, and the fourth volume was released on July 10, 2006. The entire series was later released in a boxed set on October 10, 2006. The manga series has had moderate success. The first volume was ranked 95th in USA Today's "Top 150 best sellers" during the week of its release. IGN praised Amano's artwork and commented on wanting to replay the game after reading. They criticized the lack of new content and stated the transition from game to print lost most of the story's appeal. The series was followed by others based on the game's sequels: Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II. Kingdom Hearts was followed by several sequels, becoming the first game in the Kingdom Hearts series. It was followed by a direct sequel, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, which was released in Japan on November 11, 2004. Kingdom Hearts II is the third game in the series, set one year after Chain of Memories, and was released in Japan on December 22, 2005 for Sony PlayStation 2. Like the first game it was re-released as Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix alongside a PS2 remake of Chain of Memories. A Kingdom Hearts game was developed exclusively for V CAST, Verizon Wireless's broadband service, and was released on October 1, 2004 in Japan and on February 4, 2005 in the United States. In November 2008, Kingdom Hearts coded was released for mobile phones in Japan, the game takes place after the events of Kingdom Hearts II. A midquel entitled Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days was developed for the Nintendo DS and released in Japan on May 30, 2009 and in North America on September 29, 2009. A prequel was released in Japan on January 9, 2010, entitled Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, for the PlayStation Portable, which takes place 10 years before the events of Kingdom Hearts. The following title in the series was Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance for the Nintendo 3DS, released in 2012.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 10, 2012 0:15:15 GMT -5
2. Final Fantasy X Final Fantasy X is a role-playing video game developed and published by Square (now Square Enix) as the tenth entry in the Final Fantasy series. Originally released in 2001 for Sony's PlayStation 2, the game is currently scheduled for a high-definition re-release for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. The game marks the Final Fantasy series' transition from entirely pre-rendered backdrops to fully three-dimensional areas, and is also the first in the series to feature voice acting. Final Fantasy X replaces the Active Time Battle (ATB) system with the "Conditional Turn-Based Battle" (CTB) system, and uses a new leveling system called the "Sphere Grid". Set in the fantasy world of Spira, the game's story revolves around a group of adventurers and their quest to defeat a rampaging monster known as Sin. The player character is Tidus, a blitzball star who finds himself in Spira after his home city of Zanarkand is destroyed by Sin. Shortly after arriving to Spira, Tidus joins the summoner Yuna on her pilgrimage to destroy Sin. Development of Final Fantasy X began in 1999, with a budget of more than US$32.3 million and a team of more than 100 people. The game was the first in the main series not entirely scored by Nobuo Uematsu; Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano were signed as Uematsu's fellow composers. Final Fantasy X was both a critical and commercial success, selling over 6.6 million units worldwide. In 2003, it was followed by Final Fantasy X-2, making it the first Final Fantasy game to have a direct game sequel. Like previous games in the series, Final Fantasy X is presented in a third-person perspective, with players directly navigating the main character, Tidus, around the world to interact with objects and people. Unlike previous games, however, the world and town maps have been fully integrated, with terrain outside of cities rendered to scale. When an enemy is encountered, the environment switches to a turn-based battle area where characters and enemies await their turn to attack. The gameplay of Final Fantasy X differs from that of previous Final Fantasy games in its lack of a top-down perspective world map. Earlier games featured a miniature representation of the expansive areas between towns and other distinct locations, used for long-distance traveling. In Final Fantasy X, almost all the locations are essentially continuous and never fade out to a world map. Regional connections are mostly linear, forming a single path through the game's locations, though an airship becomes available late in the game, giving the player the ability to navigate Spira faster. Like previous games in the series, Final Fantasy X features numerous minigames, most notably the fictional underwater sport "blitzball". Final Fantasy X introduces the Conditional Turn-Based Battle system in place of the series' traditional Active Time Battle system, first used in Final Fantasy IV. The new system was developed by battle director Toshiro Tsuchida, who had Final Fantasy IV in mind when developing the CTB system. Whereas the ATB concept features real-time elements, the CTB system is a turn-based format that pauses the battle during each of the player's turns. Thus, the CTB design allows the player to select an action without time pressure. A graphical timeline along the upper-right side of the screen details who will be receiving turns next, and how various actions taken will affect the subsequent order of turns. The player can control up to three characters in battle, though a swapping system allows the player to replace them with a character outside the active party at any time. "Limit Breaks", highly-damaging special attacks, reappear in Final Fantasy X as "Overdrives". In this new incarnation of the feature, most of the techniques are interactive, requiring button inputs to increase their effectiveness. While initially the Overdrives can be used when the character receives a significant amount of damage, the player is able to modify the requirements to unlock them. Final Fantasy X introduces an overhaul of the summoning system employed in previous games of the series. Whereas in previous titles a summoned creature would arrive, perform one action, and then depart, the "aeons" of Final Fantasy X arrive and entirely replace the battle party, fighting in their place until either the aeon wins the battle, is defeated itself, or is dismissed by the player. Aeons have their own statistics, commands, special attacks, spells, and Overdrives. The player acquires five aeons over the course of the game, but three additional aeons can be obtained by completing various side-quests. As with previous titles in the series, players have the opportunity to develop and improve their characters by defeating enemies and acquiring items, though the traditional experience point system is replaced by a new system called the "Sphere Grid". Instead of characters gaining pre-determined statistic bonuses for their attributes after leveling up, each character gains "Sphere Levels" after collecting enough Ability Points (AP). Sphere Levels allow players to move around the Sphere Grid, a predetermined grid of interconnected nodes consisting of various statistic and ability bonuses. "Spheres" are applied to these nodes, unlocking its function for the selected character. The Sphere Grid system also allows players to fully customize characters in contrast to their intended battle roles, such as turning the White Mage-roled Yuna into a physical powerhouse and the swordsman Auron into a healer. The International and PAL versions of the game include an optional "Expert" version of the Sphere Grid; in these versions, all of the characters start in the middle of the grid and may follow whichever path the player chooses. As a trade-off, the Expert grid has fewer nodes in total, thus decreasing the total statistic upgrades available during the game. Final Fantasy X is set in the fictional world of Spira, consisting of one large landmass divided into three subcontinents, surrounded by small tropical islands. It features diverse climates, ranging from the tropical Besaid and Kilika islands, to the temperate Mi'ihen region, to the frigid Macalania and Mt. Gagazet areas. Although predominantly populated by humans, Spira features a variety of races. Among them are the Al Bhed, a technologically-advanced but disenfranchised sub-group of humans with distinctive green eyes and unique language. The Guado are less human in appearance, with elongated fingers and other arboreal features. Still less human are the lion-like Ronso and the frog-like Hypello. A subset of Spira's sentient races are the "unsent", the strong-willed spirits of the dead that remain in corporeal form. In Spira, the dead who are not sent to the Farplane by a summoner come to envy the living and transform into "fiends", the monsters that are encountered throughout the game; however, unsent with strong attachments to the world of the living may retain their human form. Other fauna in Spira, aside from those drawn from real animals, such as cats, dogs, birds, and butterflies, include the gigantic, amphibious shoopufs (which are similar to elephants); and the emu-like chocobo, which appears in most Final Fantasy games. Spira is very different from the mainly European-style worlds found in previous Final Fantasy games, being much more closely modeled on Southeast Asia, most notably with respect to vegetation, topography, architecture, and names. There are seven main playable characters in Final Fantasy X, starting with Tidus, a cheerful young teenager and a star blitzball player from Zanarkand, who seeks a way home after an encounter with Sin transported him to Spira. To do so, he joins Yuna, a summoner on a journey to obtain the Final Aeon and defeat the enormous whale-like "Sin". Journeying with them are: Kimahri Ronso, a young warrior of the Ronso tribe who watched over Yuna during her childhood; Wakka, a blitzball player whose younger brother was killed by Sin; and Lulu, a stoic black mage close to Yuna and Wakka. During the journey, they are joined by Auron, a former warrior monk, who worked with both Tidus and Yuna's fathers to defeat Sin 10 years prior; and Rikku, a perky Al Bhed girl and the first friendly person Tidus meets upon arriving in Spira. Final Fantasy X begins late in the story, with the main protagonist, Tidus, waiting with his allies outside the ruins of an ancient city. Tidus narrates the events that led to his current situation, spanning most of the game's storyline. It begins in Tidus' home city, the high-tech metropolis of Zanarkand, where he is a renowned star of the underwater sport blitzball. During a blitzball tournament, the city is attacked by an immense creature which Auron, a man not originally from Zanarkand, calls "Sin". Sin destroys Zanarkand, taking Tidus and Auron to the world of Spira. Upon arriving in Spira, Tidus is rescued by Al Bhed salvagers in the area. Upon asking him where he is from, one of them, Rikku, tells him that Sin destroyed Zanarkand 1000 years ago. After Sin attacks again, Tidus is separated from the divers and drifts to the tropical island of Besaid, where he meets Wakka, captain of the local blitzball team. Wakka introduces Tidus to Yuna, a young summoner about to go on a pilgrimage to obtain the Final Aeon and defeat Sin; and her guardians, Lulu and Kimahri. Meanwhile, Tidus joins to help Wakka in the upcoming blitzball tournament to find a way back home. The party travels across Spira to gather aeons, defending against attacks by Sin and its "offspring"—fiends called Sinspawn. After the tournament, they are joined by Auron, who convinces Tidus to become Yuna's guardian. He reveals to Tidus that Yuna's father, Lord Braska; Tidus's father, Jecht; and himself made the same pilgrimage to defeat Sin ten years ago. Tidus thought his father had died at sea ten years earlier. Following another attack from Sin, they are joined by Rikku, later revealed to be Yuna's cousin. When the party arrives in the city of Guadosalam, the leader of the Guado, Seymour Guado, proposes to Yuna, claiming that it will ease Spira's sorrow. At Macalania Temple, the group sees a message from Seymour's late father Jyscal, who declares he was killed by his son, who now aims to destroy Spira. The group reunites with Yuna to engage Seymour in battle, killing him; soon afterward, Sin attacks, separating Yuna from the others. While searching for her on Bikanel Island, the homeland of the Al Bhed where they had surfaced at, Tidus learns that summoners die after summoning the Final Aeon, leading to his desire to find a way to defeat Sin while keeping Yuna alive. The group finds Yuna in Bevelle, where she is being forced to marry the unsent Seymour. They crash the wedding and escape with Yuna. The group is captured at the Bevelle temple, and are ordered to stand trial. After escaping from their sentence, the group heads towards the ruins of Zanarkand, seen in the introduction of the game. On the way there, Tidus learns that he, Jecht, and the Zanarkand they hail from are summoned entities akin to aeons based on the original Zanarkand and its people. Long ago, the original Zanarkand battled Bevelle in a machina war, in which the former was defeated. Zanarkand's survivors became "fayth" so that they could use their memories of Zanarkand to create a new city in their image, removed from the reality of Spira. One thousand years after its creation, the fayth have become exhausted from "dreaming" their Zanarkand, but are unable to stop due to Sin's influence. Once they reach Zanarkand, Yunalesca—the first summoner to defeat Sin and has been unsent ever since then—tells the group that the Final Aeon is created from the fayth of one close to the summoner. After defeating Sin, the Final Aeon kills the summoner and transforms into a new Sin, which has caused its cycle of rebirth to continue. Yuna decides against using the Final Aeon, due to the futile sacrifices it carries and the fact that Sin would still be reborn. Disappointed by their resolution, Yunalesca tries to kill Tidus' group, but she is defeated and vanishes, ending hope of ever attaining the Final Aeon. After the fight, the group learns that Yu Yevon, a summoner who lost his humanity and mind, is behind Sin's cycle of rebirth. This leads the group to infiltrate Sin's body to battle Seymour and Jecht's imprisoned spirits. With Sin's hosts defeated, Tidus' group battles and defeats Yu Yevon. Sin's cycle of rebirth ends, and the spirits of Spira's fayth are freed from their imprisonment. Auron, revealed to be unsent, goes to the Farplane, having died years ago after confronting Yunalesca. Just then, Dream Zanarkand and Tidus disappear, now that the freed fayth stopped the summoning. Afterward, in a speech to the citizens of Spira, Yuna resolves to help rebuild their world now that it is free of Sin. In a post-credits scene, Tidus is seen swimming towards the ocean surface, and the screen fades to white. This scene segues into the sequel, Final Fantasy X-2, in which Yuna investigates Tidus' possible survival in order to find him. Final Fantasy X's development began in 1999, costing approximately ¥4 billion (approximately US$32.3 million)[57] with a crew of over 100 people, most of whom worked on previous games in the series. Executive producer Hironobu Sakaguchi has stated that although he had concerns about the transition from 2D to 3D backgrounds, the voice acting, and the transition to real-time story-telling, the success of the Final Fantasy series can be attributed to constantly challenging the development team to try new things. The development of the script was much longer than the ones from previous games, due to the addition of voice acting. Scenario writer Kazushige Nojima was particularly concerned with establishing a connection in the relationship between player and main character. Thus, he penned the story such that the player's progress through the world and growing knowledge about it is reflected in Tidus' own understanding and narration. Nojima collaborated with three other staff members on writing the scenario for Final Fantasy X, the process of which took about three to four months. Daisuke Watanabe acted as the assistant scenario writer and Motomu Toriyama was the scenario supervisor. The game was initially going to feature online elements, offered through Square's PlayOnline service. The features, however, were dropped during production, and online gaming would not become part of the Final Fantasy series until Final Fantasy XI. Map director Takayoshi Nakazato wanted to implement a world map concept with a more realistic approach than that of the traditional Final Fantasy game, in-line with the realism of the game's 3D backgrounds, as opposed to pre-rendered backgrounds. As a player of the games in the Final Fantasy series, battle director Toshiro Tsuchida wanted to recreate elements he found interesting or entertaining, which eventually led to the removal of the Active Time Battle system, and instead, incorporated the strategy-focused Conditional Turn-Based Battle system. Originally, Final Fantasy X was going to feature wandering enemies visible on the field map, seamless transitions into battles, and the option for players to move around the landscape during enemy encounters. Battle art director Shintaro Takai has explained that it was his intention that battles in Final Fantasy X come across as a natural part of the story and not an independent element. However, due to hardware and system limitations, these ideas were not used until Final Fantasy XI and XII. Instead, a compromise was made, whereby some transitions from the field screen to battle arenas were made relatively seamless with the implementation of a motion blur effect. This also led to the implementation of the new summoning system seen in the game. Yoshinori Kitase has explained that the purpose behind the Sphere Grid is to give players an interactive means of increasing their characters' attributes, such that they will be able to observe the development of those attributes firsthand. Kitase decided to make the world more linear so that the player would constantly move forward and see event scenes. This was inspired by the well received initial events of Final Fantasy VII that depicted a more linear gameplay. Kitase remembered that it was Toriyama that was responsible for the Midgar sections of Final Fantasy VII and so wanted him to work in a similar capacity on Final Fantasy X. Character designer Tetsuya Nomura has identified the South Pacific, Thailand and Japan as major influences on the cultural and geographic design of Spira, particularly concerning the geographic location of the southern Besaid and Kilika islands. He has also said that Spira deviates from the worlds of past Final Fantasy games in the level of detail incorporated, something he has expressed to have made a conscious effort to maintain during the design process. Producer Yoshinori Kitase felt that if the setting went back to a medieval European fantasy, it would not seem to help the development team advance. While he was thinking of different world environments, Nojima suggested a fantasy world that incorporated Asian elements. Sub-character chief designer Fumi Nakashima's focus was to ensure that characters from different regions and cultures bore distinctive characteristics in their clothing styles, so that they could be quickly and easily identified as members of their respective sub-groups. For example, she has said that the masks and goggles of the Al Bhed give the group a "strange and eccentric" appearance, while the attire of the Ronso lend to them being able to easily engage in battle. Final Fantasy X features innovations in the rendering of characters' facial expressions, achieved through motion capture and skeletal animation technology. This technology allowed animators to create realistic lip movements, which were then programmed to match the speech of the game's voice actors. Nojima has revealed that the inclusion of voice acting enabled him to express emotion more powerfully than before, and he was therefore able to keep the storyline simple. He also said that the presence of voice actors led him to make various changes to the script, in order to match the voice actors' personalities with the characters they were portraying. The inclusion of voice, however, led to difficulties. With the game's cutscenes already programmed around the Japanese voice work, the English localization team faced the difficulty of establishing English-oriented dialogue and the obstacle of incorporating this modified wording with the rhythm and timing of the characters' lip movements. Localization specialist Alexander O. Smith described the process of fitting natural-sounding English speech into the game as "something akin to writing four or five movies' worth of dialogue entirely in haiku form [and] of course the actors had to act, and act well, within those restraints." Final Fantasy X marks the first time regular series composer Nobuo Uematsu has had any assistance in composing the score for a game in the main series. His fellow composers for Final Fantasy X were Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano. They were chosen for the soundtrack based on their ability to create music that was different from Uematsu's style while still being able to work together. PlayOnline.com first revealed that the game's theme song was completed in November 2000. As Square still had not revealed who would sing the song, GameSpot personally asked Uematsu, who jokingly answered "It's going to be Rod Stewart." The game features three songs with vocalized elements, including the J-pop ballad "Suteki da ne", which translates to "Isn't it Wonderful?". The lyrics were written by Kazushige Nojima, and the instrumentals were composed by Uematsu. The song is performed by Japanese folk singer Rikki, whom the music team contacted while searching for a singer whose music reflected an Okinawan atmosphere. "Suteki da ne" is also sung in Japanese in the English version of Final Fantasy X. Like "Eyes on Me" from Final Fantasy VIII and "Melodies of Life" from Final Fantasy IX, an orchestrated version of "Suteki da ne" is used as part of the ending theme. The other songs with lyrics are the heavy metal opening theme, "Otherworld", sung in English by Bill Muir; and "Hymn of the Fayth", a recurring piece sung using Japanese syllabary. The original soundtrack spanned 91 tracks on four discs. It was first released in Japan on August 1, 2001, by DigiCube, and was re-released on May 10, 2004, by Square Enix. In 2002, Tokyopop released a version of Final Fantasy X Original Soundtrack in North America entitled Final Fantasy X Official Soundtrack, which contained 17 tracks from the original album on a single disc. Other related CDs include feel/Go dream: Yuna & Tidus which, released in Japan by DigiCube on October 11, 2001, featured tracks based on Tidus' and Yuna's characters. Piano Collections Final Fantasy X, another collection of music from the game, and Final Fantasy X Vocal Collection, a compilations of exclusive character dialogues and songs were both in Japan in 2002. The Black Mages, a band led by Nobuo Uematsu that arranges music from Final Fantasy video games into a rock music style, have arranged three pieces from Final Fantasy X. These are "Fight With Seymour" from their self-titled album, published in 2003, and "Otherworld" and "The Skies Above", both of which can be found on the album The Skies Above, published in 2004. Uematsu continues to perform certain pieces in his Dear Friends: Music from Final Fantasy concert series. The music of Final Fantasy X has also appeared in various official concerts and live albums, such as 20020220 Music from Final Fantasy, a live recording of an orchestra performing music from the series including several pieces from the game. Additionally, "Swing de Chocobo" was performed by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra for the Distant Worlds – Music from Final Fantasy concert tour, while "Zanarkand" was performed by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra in the Tour de Japon: Music from Final Fantasy concert series. Independent but officially licensed releases of Final Fantasy X music have been composed by such groups as Project Majestic Mix, which focuses on arranging video game music. Selections also appear on Japanese remix albums, called dojin music, and on English remixing websites. The Japanese version of Final Fantasy X included an additional disc entitled "The Other Side of Final Fantasy", which featured interviews, storyboards, and trailers for Blue Wing Blitz, Kingdom Hearts, and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, as well as the first footage of Final Fantasy XI. An international version of the game was released in Japan as Final Fantasy X International in January 2002, and in PAL regions under its original title. It features content not available in the original NTSC releases, including battles with "Dark" versions of the game's aeons and an airship fight with the superboss "Penance". The Japanese release of Final Fantasy X International also includes "Eternal Calm", a 14-minute video clip bridging the story of Final Fantasy X with that of its sequel, Final Fantasy X-2. The video clip was included in a bonus DVD for Unlimited Saga Collector's Edition under the name Eternal Calm, Final Fantasy X-2: Prologue. It was first released in Europe on October 31, 2003, and featured English voice-overs. The international and PAL versions include a bonus DVD called Beyond Final Fantasy, a disc including interviews with the game's developers, and two of the game's English voice actors, James Arnold Taylor (Tidus) and Hedy Burress (Yuna). Also included are trailers for Final Fantasy X and Kingdom Hearts, a concept and promotional art gallery for the game, and a music video of "Suteki da ne" performed by Rikki. In 2005, a compilation featuring Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 was released in Japan as Final Fantasy X/X-2 Ultimate Box. Square also produced various types of merchandise and several books, including The Art of Final Fantasy X and three Ultimania guides, a series of artbooks/strategy guides published by DigiCube in Japan. They feature original artwork from Final Fantasy X, offer gameplay walkthroughs, expand upon many aspects of the game's storyline and feature several interviews with the game's designers. There are three books in the series: Final Fantasy X Scenario Ultimania, Final Fantasy X Battle Ultimania, and Final Fantasy X Ultimania Ω. On December 18, 2012 the game will be re-released as part of the Final Fantasy 25th Anniversary Ultimate Box release. On September 13, 2011, Square Enix announced that Final Fantasy X would be re-released in high-definition for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita, in celebration of the game's 10 year anniversary. In January 2012, production of the game had started. Producer Yoshinori Kitase will once again be involved in the production of the game, wishing to work on its quality. Final Fantasy X received critical acclaim by the media, and enjoyed high sales figures. Square expected the game to sell at least two million copies worldwide owing to the reduced PlayStation 2's fanbase, making it smaller than the last three released titles. However, within four days of its release in Japan, the game had sold over 1.4 million copies in pre-orders, which set a record for the fastest-selling console RPG. These figures exceeded the performances of Final Fantasy VII and IX in a comparable period, and Final Fantasy X became the first PlayStation 2 game to reach two million and four million sold copies. In October 2007, the game was listed as the 8th best-selling game for the PlayStation 2. The game has sold 6.6 million copies as of January 2004. Japanese and Western critics have generally given Final Fantasy X high review scores. The Japanese video game magazine Famitsu and Famitsu PS2 awarded the game a near-perfect 39/40 score, and readers of the former magazine voted it the best game of all time in early 2006. Another Japanese gaming magazine, The Play Station, gave the game a score of 29/30. Famitsu, Famitsu PS2, and The Play Station expressed particularly favorable responses toward the game's storyline, graphics, and movies. The game maintains a 91% approval rating on GameRankings and 92 favourable reviews out of 100 on Metacritic. Producer Shinji Hashimoto stated that the overall reception to the game was "excellent", having received praise and awards from the media. IGN's David Smith offered praise for the voice actors and the innovations in gameplay, particularly with the revised battle and summon systems, the option to change party members during battle, and the character development and inventory management systems. They also felt that the game's graphics had improved on its predecessors in every way possible, and that the game as a whole was "the best-looking game of the series [and] arguably the best-playing as well". Greg Kasavin of GameSpot praised the game's storyline, calling it surprisingly complex, its ending satisfying, and its avoidance of role-playing game clichés commendable with Tidus viewed as an appealing protagonist. He also lauded the music, feeling it was "diverse and well suited to the various scenes in the game". Similarly, GamePro described its character building system and battle system as "two of the best innovations in the series". The visuals of the game were commended by GameSpy's Raymond Padilla, who referred to them as "top-notch", as well as giving praise to the character models, backgrounds, cutscenes, and animations. The voice casting was praised by Game Revolution who noted most of them were "above average" and called the music "rich". Edge rated the game considerably lower, criticizing many aspects of the game for being tedious and uninnovative and describing the dialogue as "nauseating", particularly panning Tidus. Andrew Reiner of Game Informer criticized the game's linearity and that players were no longer able to travel the world by chocobo or control the airship. Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell noted that the game's puzzle segments were "depressing" and "superfluous", and that although the Sphere Grid was "a nice touch", it took up too much of the game. The linearity of the game was positively commented on by GamePro who stated that a player would not be required to participate in side-quests or the mini-game to reach the game's conclusion, finding some of them unappealing. Game Revolution complained that cutscenes could not be skipped, some even being too long. Final Fantasy X received the Best Game Award from the Japan Game Awards for 2001–2002. In GameSpot's "Best and Worst Awards" from 2001, it came seventh in the category "Top 10 Video Games of the Year". Final Fantasy X came in fifth on IGN's "Top 25 PS2 Games of All Time" list in 2007 and sixth in "The Top 10 Best Looking PS2 Games of All Time". In a similar list by GameSpy, the game took the 21st place. 1UP.com listed its revelation during the ending as the third-biggest video game spoiler, while IGN ranked the ending as the fifth best pre-rendered cutscene. In a Reader's Choice made in 2006 by IGN, it ranked as the 60th-best video game. It was also named one of the 20 essential Japanese role-playing games by Gamasutra. It also placed 43rd in Game Informer's list of "The Top 200 Games of All Time". In 2004, Final Fantasy X was listed as one of the best games by GameFaqs, while in November 2005 it was voted as the 12th "Best Game Ever". In a general overview of the series, both GamesRadar and IGN listed Final Fantasy X as the fourth best game. At the sixth annual Interactive Achievement Awards in 2003, it was nominated for "Outstanding Achievement in Animation" and "Console Role-Playing Game of the Year". At the end of 2007, it was named the ninth best-selling RPGs by the Guinness World Records. Readers from GameFaqs also voted it as Game of the Year during 2001. In 2008, readers of Dengeki magazine voted it the second best game ever made. It was voted first place in Famitsu's and Dengeki's polls of most tear-inducing games of all time. Both Tidus and Yuna have been popular characters in games in general due to their personalities and their romantic relationship. Due to its commercial and critical success, Square Enix released a direct sequel to Final Fantasy X in 2003, titled Final Fantasy X-2. The sequel is set two years after the conclusion of Final Fantasy X, establishing new conflicts and dilemmas and resolving loose ends left by the original game. As a result of the title's popularity, Yoshinori Kitase and Kazushige Nojima decided to establish a plot-related connection between Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy VII, another well-received Final Fantasy game. The advancements in portraying realistic emotions achieved with Final Fantasy X through voice-overs and detailed facial expressions have since become a staple of the series, with Final Fantasy X-2 and other subsequent titles (such as Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy XII) also featuring this development. Traversing real-time 3D environments instead of an overworld map has also become a standard of the series, as demonstrated in Final Fantasy XI, XII, XIII and XIV.
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 10, 2012 0:19:37 GMT -5
AND here is #1 and I am suprised by your choice. 1. Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain (Known as Exciting Pro Wrestling 5 in Japan) is a video game released on the PlayStation 2 console by THQ on October 27, 2003. It is a sequel to WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth and is part of the WWE SmackDown! series based on World Wrestling Entertainment's weekly TV show of the same name. It was the first SmackDown! game to feature a catchphrase not linked back to The Rock in its title. It was also the final WWE game under the SmackDown! name and it was succeeded by WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw. The game introduced a more traditional grappling system while retaining the series’ fast gameplay. In this new grappling system also included were body damage meters, individual character scales that consisted of stats such as strength, endurance and speed, and submission meters for both the person applying the move and the person breaking out of the move. As well as the ability to break the submission hold when being close to the ropes. This game marks the first time the Elimination Chamber and the Bra and Panties Match would be featured in a wrestling game. The game features a number of wrestlers who were members of the WWE roster at the time. This would be the final SmackDown!-branded game to feature Brock Lesnar, Val Venis, and Rikishi, as well as the only WWE licensed game to feature Ultimo Dragon and Sean O'Haire as playable characters. It is also the first game in the SmackDown! series to have John Cena, Batista, Chavo Guerrero and Rey Mysterio as playable characters. This also marks the final time that Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock would appear in a SmackDown! game as non-legends. Also it is the last game to feature Undertaker before he dropped his biker gimmick and the first game to depict Kane without his mask. Arenas are: * SmackDown! * Monday Night Raw * WWE Heat * WWE Velocity * Royal Rumble 2003 * No Way Out 2003 * Wrestlemania XIX * Backlash 2003 * Judgement Day 2003 * Bad Blood 2003 * Vengeance 2002 * SummerSlam 2002 * Unforgiven 2002 * No Mercy 2002 * Survivor Series 2002 * Armageddon 2002 * Insurrextion 2003 * Rebellion 2002 The development version featured Jeff Hardy, Hulk Hogan (along with his alter-ego Mr. America and his 1980s appearance) and Ultimate Warrior. Hogan and Hardy were removed when they left WWE and Warrior was omitted due to a legal dispute with the company. Data for other omitted wrestlers, including Spike Dudley, Billy Kidman, Billy Gunn, William Regal, Bradshaw and Three Minute Warning remains on the final discs. The concept of having multiple versions of Hogan in one game was finally realized with the release of WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW 2006. Unlike its predecessors WWF SmackDown! Just Bring It and WWE SmackDown! Shut Your Mouth, no in-game commentary or ring entrance announcements were included. The only voice is the ref's voice, which is the same for both Earl Hebner and Mike Chioda. Its successor, WWE SmackDown! vs. Raw would have extensive voice overs. The game received favourable reviews and high scores from the critics. It gained an aggregate score of 86.46% from GameRankings based on 50 reviews, and an aggregate score of 85/100 from Metacritic based on 27 critics. IGN rated the game a 9.1/10, calling it: "One of the best wrestling games we've ever played...With its ultra-improved gameplay mechanics, enhanced visual engine, smarter career mode, and established create-a-character feature, Yukes and THQ are definitely the track to success." GameSpot rated it a 9/10, stating: "What the game lacks in innovation, however, is more than made up for in sheer playability." Eurogamer gave the game a rating of 9/10, calling it: "A superb blend of traditional and wrestling-specific fight mechanics, and there's so much variety here that it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say you could play this one from now until the next SmackDown without getting bored or running out of things to do." Other reviews were more mixed. 1UP.com gave the game a B+ grade, stating: "The total package is solid, and while it's not the holy grail fans have hoped for since the N64's "No Mercy," it's light-years beyond what THQ used to try and sell under the SmackDown! name." The Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine called it: "The first game in the series that tries to accommodate both sides by combining quick action with the technical elements of wrestling, and it works -- almost." Won best fighting game at the 2003 Spike Video Game Awards beating: Backyard Wrestling: Don't Try This at Home, Bloody Roar 4, Capcom vs. SNK 2 EO, Def Jam Vendetta, Pride FC, Soulcalibur II, Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution & WWE Wrestlemania XIX
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Post by Seth Drakin of Monster Crap on Dec 10, 2012 0:21:17 GMT -5
Here is the final list.
125. Duel Hearts 124. Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu 123. Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore 122. Jurassic Park: Operation Genesis 121. Timesplitters 120. Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 119. Mortal Kombat: Armageddon 118. Legends of Wrestling 117. Beyond Good And Evil 116. Dragonball Z: Budokai 115. Showdown: Legends of Wrestling 114. Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht 113. Virtua Fighter 4 112. King of Fighters 2000 111. KOF: Maximum Impact 2 (aka King of Fighters 2006) 110. Burnout 3: Takedown 109. Legends of Wrestling II 108. Rogue Galaxy 107. Maximo: Ghosts To Glory 106. Silent Hill 3 105. MLB Slugfest 2003 104. Guitar Hero 103. Wild Arms 3 102. Need for Speed: Most Wanted 101. Megaman X8 100. Pro Evolution Soccer 3 99. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence 98. Dragonball Z: Budokai 2 97. Smackdown vs. Raw 2007 96. Megaman X Collection 95. Soul Calibur 3 94. Tekken 4 93. Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy 92. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando 91. Killer7 90. Freekstyle 89. Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 88. Grandia III 87. Dark Cloud 86. Hot Shots Golf: Fore 85. We Love Katamari 84. Madden NFL 2003 83. Guitar Hero III 82. Garou: Mark of the Wolves 81. Rumble Roses 80. Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude 79. Tekken Tag Tournament 78. Escape from Monkey Island 77. Tony Hawk Underground 76. James Bond 007: Nightfire 75. Guilty Gear X 74. NBA Ballers 73. Ratchet & Clank 72. Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers 71. Pro Evolution Soccer 6 70. Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 69. NBA Street Vol. 2 68. Jak II 67. Half-Life 66. Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves 65. Def Jam Vendetta 64. ESPN NFL 2K5 63. Star Wars Battlefront II 62. Futurama 61. Suikoden Tactics 60. Megaman Anniversary Collection 59. The Simpsons: Road Rage 58. WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 57. Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction 56. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal 55. Tekken 5 54. Sonic Heroes 53. Jak 3 52. Disgaea 2: Cursed Memories 51. Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millenium 2001 50. Wild Arms: Alter Code F 49. Suikoden IV 48. Madden NFL 2004 47. Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne 46. Scarface: The World Is Yours 45. SOCOM: US Navy Seals 44. Pro Evolution Soccer 5 43. X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse 42. Gran Turismo 4 41. Dark Cloud 2 (Dark Chronicle) 40. Devil May Cry 3 39. Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus 38. Bully 37. The Warriors 36. Final Fantasy XII 35. Devil May Cry 34. God of War II 33. Star Ocean: Till The End of Time 32. Dragonball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3 31. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy 30. SSX 3 29. The Simpsons: Hit & Run 28. Suikoden III 27. Sly 2: Band of Thieves 26. Silent Hill 2 25. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 24. Smackdown vs. Raw 2006 23. Soul Calibur 2 22. Ico 21. Psychonauts 20. Grand Theft Auto III 19. Shin Megami Tensai: Persona 4 18. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City 17. Smackdown: Shut Your Mouth 16. Final Fantasy X-2 15. Katamari Damacy 14. Suikoden V 13. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty 12. Fire Pro Wrestling Returns 11. Resident Evil 4 10. Kingdom Hearts 2 9. God of War 8. Shadow of the Colossus 7. Shin Megami Tensai: Persona 3 6. Okami 5. Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 4. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas 3. Kingdom Hearts 2. Final Fantasy X 1. Smackdown: Here Comes The Pain
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Post by Koda, Master Crunchyroller on Dec 10, 2012 2:09:37 GMT -5
Of course a forum comprised of wrestling fans would pick the best wrestling game on the system as their favorite game of the system. And that's not a diss, I voted for it too.
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Bo Rida
Fry's dog Seymour
Pulled one over on everyone. Got away with it, this time.
Posts: 23,586
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Post by Bo Rida on Dec 10, 2012 14:49:38 GMT -5
Yeah I expect HctP was on every last list, I doubt any other PS2 game was bought/liked by everybody.
By that reasoning I understand why FFX and Kingdom Hearts are above Persona 3, more people would have owned them and some who have played all of them would have preferred FFX. However I don't get why Persona 4 is so bar below Persona 3 (or how Final Fantasy X-2 finished above it but that's just personal preference).
Oh and it was interesting to see the American cover of SYM, I can't believe the Rock isn't on the front of a game named after one of his catchphrases. Some of the other covers were interesting to see too, FFX looks way better in America but Ico looks terrible in comparison.
Anyway that a good top 125 list, thanks.
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