Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective

Ghost Trick is the latest game from the producers of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney. It's the only reason why I bought it, I love the Ace Attorney games, if you've never played them you should, the stories in them are simply fantastic, it's amazing game writing. but I must say when I first saw this game in the shop before I knew it was written by them the cover really did turn me off. The title and the cover are just... well bad. I really don't like the emphasis on 'ghost trick' in the game, it's like they're trying to make a tag line, and I really don't think that works in video games. It's just annoying. But yeah, the art style they've gone for with the character profiles are too... kid friendly. Considering this really isn't a kid game. It's a game about murder, you watch people die in it. You can be a little more complex with the art style guys. I suppose I just didn't like the main characters design, and he's on the cover, with his ridiculous pointy hair do. I know there's a thing in the gaming industry where if you're making a brand game which will have possible sequels then you need a distinguishable character. But considering the plot twist at the end, they really didn't need to make him look like a pointy penis head.

But whatever, that's just Japanese design I guess. But as for the actual playing graphics... it's simple cell shaded sort of figures. Which after a while really becomes impressive. I don't know if it's because you just get used to it, but it really does have its charm. It's simplistic, and the complicated set designs just make it work. I know a lot of people will be skeptical of a game because of its graphics, but I say don't be here. Because really, it's just amazing to see those figures move around on the screen and interact with the scenery. The set designs really are amazing to look at. visually I think it's nice, and artistic.

As game play goes it is a puzzle game, you manipulate objects to set a series of events to make something happen. Like you go back in time to prevent a death, which you are on a time limit. I have read reviews which says the puzzles at the end of the game are easier, but I don't think so. There is perhaps one puzzle in the submarine which could be classed as easy, simply because it's very quick and easy, but the puzzles before and after are still hard. And halfway through the game your roaming abilities are taken away from you. so the game does become more linear, but I think that just picks up the pace of the game, which is important because the characters are working against the clock. Seeing as it is a story focused game I really don't think it matters whether or not it becomes more linear. There are some really interesting puzzles which takes some really out of the box thinking to solve. I think the hardest puzzle in the game was the prison break one. I was stuck on that one for ages.

And finally story. This was written by the Ace Attorney people, so yeah, its story is fantastic. When I try to explain it to my friends it just sounds stupid. It really does. But it's not really a game you can explain, it's a game you have to play. Because everything makes sense within the game. I don't think there were any plot holes, the game ties up everything neatly together. You don't have to question anything at the end because you find out the answers. It has two very interesting twists, which if you're like me aren't difficult to figure out because of the hints dropped. Not to say you're entirely sure whether your suspicions are true until presented with the answers. Its a great mystery game in the way it really does make you want to find out the next bit of the story. It has good humor, and good writing, and if you let the game pull you in you will play it until you finish it. I must complain a little about the forced 'ghost tricks' tag and the weird running joke it had of people commenting on something or someone being weird and the two ghost characters at the time going 'me too', maybe amusing the first time, not so much the seventh time.

If you're wondering whether it's worth the buy, I would say yes. It's not a game you need a walk through on either, sure some of the puzzles are really hard, but because it is a puzzle game you can work it out by yourself through trial and error. And sometimes the failed results are funny. I remember when I got a combination wrong which earned a dead character a face full of hard hat, it was hilarious to watch. I think there might be some different combination to solve different puzzles too. I know it was hinted at in the prison break out that there was two ways to sneak him out. I'm not sure if other puzzles have that seeing I just solved them my way. but I'm sure cleverer people than me can figure that out. Sure it has the disadvantage of once you know the ending, that's it. But honestly I think I would happily play it again, simply because it was an enjoyable story. That's the great thing about games with a heavily focused story, you do want to play it again, just to experience the story. Plus with a game like this the game play is really easy, and doesn't hinder the story telling because the game play works hand in hand in telling the story. which is great. It really is like an interactive book. Which if you're like me, who loves good stories and good games which are fun to play, then yeah, you'll love this one.

Bad Games

Do you know what I hate? (Besides everything, hohoho.) Bad Games. No... Actually I can bare with bad games. What I really hate is bad games which could have been good. I've been playing Divinity 2: The Dragon Saga. And you know, it has a lot which makes it a good game. It really does. It has nice graphics, niceish dialogue, lots of cool gear, nice dungeons, so on and so forth. It's a bit hard. and you can turn into a dragon. But what it fails on is clarity.
So I complete first mission to kill ghost in cellar, commander tells me good job, she and the rest are going to kill the dragon. okay I say, what do I do? the game gives me nothing. No quest or direction. Alright I think, I'll go do that tower quest I have seeing you've left me with no main quest. I wonder along and finally run into the plot lying in my path. A dying dragon. she gives me dragon powers and tells me that a great evil is going to befall the world. no real explanation. just shows you evil stuff, and now you have to stop the evil. but first to the tower! So I go to the tower, the monsters around it are too over powerful, I go down a difficulty level and still struggle but I kill them, I get to the tower and it is locked. Okay, I go around to the other entrance. That one is locked too... wonderful. I scower around its base and find a third entrance. That doesn't even have a handle. Now what? I check my inventory for any books about the tower. I have none. there are some platforms which in a good game I could get the character to jump across to and jump over the gates. But this is not a good game where the character can grab ledges and pull itself up. or manage well jumping across platforms. in fact, I am convinced that the platforms are just to tease me, as if saying "You wish this was a platforming game don't you?" It's times like these I wish every RPG had tried to be like Prince of Persia.
So now what? I check the near by dungeon where the skeletons were, nothing. I go back to villager to talk to the priest who gave me the original tower quest. nothing. Nothing in this game tells me how to get into this rotten tower! And if I go to a walk through and find that I do need to use precision platforming with a character who can't grip ledges I will scream.
So yes, I hate games that think non-linear means don't tell the player shit. Urgh, I'll probably end up wandering the game trying to find more mysterious leavers to pull in hope that it'll win me some open doors in the tower. But I bet it wont. Or I'll give up. Being able to turn into a dragon just isn't worth this level of hassle, and I own far better RPG's to waste my time on.

The Obsession

Has anyone ever experienced 'The Obsession'? I'm sure I can't be the only one. You're just minding your own business and then you come across something you love. It can be something absurd and simple, but once you've found it you can't stop thinking about it, you've got to keep focused on it. You spend every second of every day googling and you tubing everything associated with it!

That is 'The Obsession'. Sometimes it can be a good thing. Definitely if it's work related. I do some of my best work when I'm on obsession mode. So worked up about something and so inspired that I write out masterpieces. Which once the obsession runs it course I instantly forget about. Because of course, Obsessions die. But my obsessions tend to be more focused on other peoples works. Which is okay, because they inspire me to go into obsessive creative mode too.

I can still sort of remember my main obsessions. Mainly because they tend to last months rather than days or weeks:
1. Dragon Ball Z: Sad but true. As a kid I was obsessed with this show. I spent every single bit of free time on DBZ fan sites, and writing bad fan fiction. It is the only show I have written fan fiction for. Mainly because my parents found my idolizing writing and laughed at it. So now I no longer write fan fiction.
2. Pokemon: Yeah, still a little obsessed on this one. In that I buy all the games, even though I haven't completed a game since emerald green. Sad I know. >.< GOTTA CATCH THEM ALL SUCKAS!
3. Harry Potter: Mainly because it was the first big book I read. The first four books I have read over ten times. If I had no new books to read I would just read them again. I knew these books so well I could quote paragraphs. PARAGRAPHS! But this obsession pretty much ended around the same time the first movie came out, followed by the 5th book. Worse on top of worse! So yeah, used to love them, knew every single thing about them, now I hardly remember anything.
4. House: I probably did have obsessions before House, bu I can't remember them. So, they weren't true long period obsessions. I love House. I have box-sets 1-5. when I started watching the shows I could re-watch episodes up to three times. I was a shameless fan. Even now when new episodes come out, if they're really good ones I'll just watch them again on the same day. No shame there. I love House. My flat mate scorns me for my love. He thinks Hugh Laurie should of stuck to the old stuff he was doing. I tell him that his career has moved on from then. And House is amazing. I never feel like House is trying to stupidfy itself for its audience. It is definitely one of the best American dramas.
5. Hetelia: NO THIS IS NOT JAPANESE PORN! Hetelia and Hentai are two different things. Hetelia means Italy in Japanese I think. Cause it's a little anime about Italy personified.... well it's about the countries of the world personified, and it's mostly focused on the period around World War 2. Each episode is about 5-6 minutes long. It was a online webcomic before it became an anime, and I did read the webcomic before watching the anime. They're both a little different, I think the webcomic is perhaps funnier than the anime. Unless it's English dubs. Because the English dubbed version of Hetelia is hilarious. They use accents and everything. and you don't really feel too bad about laughing at it because Hetelia makes fun of pretty much every country. Every single stereotype is probably in there. I love their personification of England and France. So cute! Definitely worth watching. And try not to get too obsessed. It is good. x3

So what is my new obsession which inspired this post? Minecraft. I wasn't going to play, it and now I did, and now all I can think about is bloody Minecraft. The worlds most simplest game. What's it about? Mining and crafting! Duh! and that's basically it. But if you dare play it you will lose a day. Seriously. It is one of those games that you can forget to to eat after playing it. It sucks you in, especially if you have a project. and then next thing you know it's 1am and you haven't eaten since yesterday. So I guess this is why I'm writing this. To warn the world of Minecraft. You might think it looks like pixerlated polygrammed shit, but you play it and you will be lost to us all! It takes allot of self control to sit here and write this and not just go on it and play. It really really does. I am planning what to build, where to dig my mine, so and so forth >.< It's like harvest moon! but more addictive!!! So this is a note to the world. Do not play Minecraft. Unless you have allot of free time on your hands. Because you might mean to do work, and then you play it and BAM! There goes your work time..... Obsession is an evil thing indeed. definitely when added to addictive games >.<