It has begun.

E3 2013 is all about Sony versus Microsoft, and I think I can say for everyone that this is going to be the most anticipated, fierce, and earth-shattering year for both consumers and developers alike. For the first time ever, both Microsoft and Sony will be releasing their consoles around the same time, whereas the XBox was released 20 months after the Playstation 2, and the Xbox 360 being released a year before the Playstation 3. Everything that we’ve all heard since the start is boiling down to what’s going to happen within the next few days. There are so many websites that provide different information on the Ps4 and XBoxOne that it’s really hard to get all the facts put together in one article from a reliable and non-biased source. Real Otaku Gamer to the rescue!

I stated on twitter earlier today, videogames are not about which kind of gamer is better; it’s about a family of outcasts who come together to share their passion, not war. Unfortunately, there’s no stopping the PC/Sony/Microsoft war that’s erupting, but as an avid gamer myself, keep videogames as a hobby, not a religion. I want to make it perfectly clear that while the staff here has their own opinions and the console they’re excited for, it is not war, and the gaming community should never feel like it.

With that being said…

We’ll start with the Playstation 4.

The Dualshock 4, equipped with LED bar, touch pad, options and share buttons, and gamer sensor underneath to recognize the user.

For everyone who’s into the specs and the hardware, the console will feature 8GB GDDR graphics ram, a single chip custom processor, a low-power “Jaguar” CPU with 8 cores, and an AMD Radeon GPU. The controller itself will have a new design that will be easier to hold, featuring all the classic L and R bumpers and triggers, a touch pad, and a share button which will allow video streaming so you can prove that amazing KD ratio you tell everyone about. The controller will also have built in speakers (I’m sorry, that’s sooo cool!), rechargeable battery, LED lights so you can identify other gamers easily, see when your character is low on health, etc., and will also have the ability to sense if you’ve passed the controller onto someone else and will automatically adjust the split screen. The camera, called PS Eye, will not be required for all games, but will be fore some. That should not come as a shock to as since the available dancing and exercise games require the camera.

Let’s hop to Sony’s pros and cons with this console:

Pros:

- Because the camera will not be required in order to play this system, that will keep costs down for consumers. For more More About the Playstation Eye, click the link!

- It will use the same GPU, CPU, and hardware used in the best gaming PCs. Sony was smart in this area because they know that PC gaming is becoming the new standard. Built with a Solid State Drive, where the output will be able to have more cinematics, which is more than what many PCs can currently do. Check out the PS4 System Specs and the system specs in greater detail here.

- Sony designed this console to have a 10 year lifespan. We understand things are buggy at first release, but I think both Sony and Microsoft learned from their latest consoles what went wrong with their rings and lights of death.

- Controller can charge when the console is off. Can I get a ‘Hallelujah’?!

- Sony is keeping their focus with the “This is a game console” mentality. The KISS (keep it simple, stupid) method has always been good. When you focus on too many capabilities, you short-change on all of them, making each utility sub-par.

- Every game released for the PS4 will be available for PSN and will have a playable demo.

Cons:

- Not backwards compatible. Note: There will be an alternative BC service through Gaikai that will be offered through this console. We are also unsure on whether or not original Playstation games will be able to play.

- While the PS4 is dedicated to being a game console, it is still just that; a game console – a more powerful PS3

- There is no definitive answer as to how used games will work, whether there will be a fee, or it will work like Microsoft’s system. Thankfully, this question will be answered very soon.

- Probably the biggest problem is that we don’t know much of anything. Xbox One, at least, gave us a decent amount of information whereas Sony did not.

So in conclusion…

Playstation 4 is for gamers. It is designed to do just that, and aside from the familiar apps (like Netflix or other TV services) and capabilities (like bluray), there’s not much else. That’s not said in a drab way, but like I said, this console is designed to game. That’s it.

For more information on this beast, please visit the Sony PS4 Official Website.

Now, onto the XBox One!

The console at the reveal last month, featuring the console, controller, and Kinect.

There’s no denying the uproar and outrage about the recent news and information Microsoft reveal. Some people just don’t care because they love Microsoft, they love all the utilities it’s capable of, and that’s great for someone who can and will use them all to the max. Microsoft will be providing over 300,000 servers as opposed to the 15,000 that the 360 currently has. This console also features the 8 core x86 processor like the PS4. It will have 8 GB of RAM and a 500BG HD.

Pros:

- The long awaited Blu Ray abilities will be available.

- You can download your games straight to the cloud. No more missing/scratched disks. You can access your movies and game saves anywhere, anytime. And no need to spend money on extra hard drive space because the games will be stored in the cloud. That also includes no more waiting for game updates.

- You can add up to 1000 Live friends as opposed to the original 100.

- It’s an all-in-one media center that will connect your gaming needs, music, cable, Skype, Netflix, and everything else into one place, all voice activated. No more switching inputs!

- A multi-useful Kinect that will sense your body and movements better than its predecessor. You will also be able to skype with your friends while watching TV or playing your games. If you play on a Fantasy league, your stats will be automatically updated for you.

-  Personalized console that knows what you like and what you don’t, and saves your preferences.

In all honesty, there is a lot to be said about the XBox One due to the fact that it does so much. This console is going to be great for those who love everything and don’t have enough screens to do them all with. Microsoft has put all control in your hands and your voice; your gaming, your way. For a full list of its functions, please visit the XBox One Official site.

Cons:

We all have heard, and given these cons, I agree that we’re really being screwed over. On the other hand, we don’t know much about the PS4 either, so it’s just a waiting game.

- The Kinect is required in order for the Xbox to do its functions. Because there is additional hardware that comes sold, the initial cost will be much higher. The Kinect also cannot be shut off, and if it does break, then you’re really out of luck with playing your console.

- You must connect to the internet on your console once every 24 hours. If not, you will not be able to play and the Xbox will be a pretty paperweight until you can connect.

- Only certain, pre-approved retailers will take your trades. Because less places take the trade, you will get less money for it. You cannot lend games, rent games, but you can sell games if the person has been a friend on Live for at least 30 days. Once they purchase it, it will be theirs forever and it cannot be sold.

-Not backwards compatible.

- If you’re sitting with your significant other while one wants to watch a game while the other wants to watch Teen Mom, at the sound of the voice, the TV will switch. “XBox, play Knicks Game.” Switch! “… XBox, play American Idol.” Switch! Very prone to trolling.

To sum it up…

I think the cons are tending to outweigh the pros in this area. But when looking at what it can do as a whole, it really gives the player ultimate control over all entertainment.

Putting PS4 and Xbox One Into Perspective

Understand that this is not a final list, but this is a good chunk of what all gamers should know going into Microsoft and Sony’s conferences. Us here at Real Otaku Gamer want you to be as informed as possible, without bias, straight from the source (or at least the credible ones). The pros and cons are great and concerning on both ends for this to be considered a very neck-and-neck competition.

So what do you all think about the story so far? Will PS4 win over the population, or Microsoft sway the audience with their all-in-one media center?

First Appeared on The Legend of Lorie

Rhinos, gorillas, and chimps, oh my! Donkey Kong Country Returns is back but now in 3D. If you missed out on Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Nintendo Wii system then this is the perfect opportunity to experience this classic platformer. Nintendo has made some small changes and added some extra features that will have old fans and new fans going bananas for this refreshing port.

If you are not familiar with the original Donkey Kong Country which released on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1994, then no problem. New fans of the Donkey Kong Country series can “swing” right into this game without previous knowledge of it’s older counterpart. Old fans, however, you are in for a real treat. The story begins when Donkey and Diddy Kong’s stash of bananas is stolen and all of their jungle friends are hypnotized. Of course, this infuriates the duo so their mission is to retrieve all of their bananas by overcoming the craziest and most challenging stages and bring peace to Kong Country.

Use your 3DS controls to ground smash, roll, jump, and vine swing to collect all your bananas. This might sound like an easy task but the developers of Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D made sure it was not.  A  “new mode” has been added to the Nintendo 3DS port that was not available on the Nintendo Wii version. In this mode, developers did try to make playing DKCR 3D a little less difficult than it’s predecessors. By adding in an inventory of items like a green balloon that can save you from a fall and making DK’s life bar a little longer, gamers will be relieved to find out that the game eased up just a little on it’s difficulty. Don’t let this by any means fool you into thinking this game isn’t difficult. There have been many times where I have almost thrown my cute, blue 3DS XL out the window in sheer rage from falling off a cliff just a slight bit away from the end of the level.

Donkey Kong would be nothing without his trusty little sidekick, Diddy Kong. Just like in the previous Donkey Kong Country titles, Diddy acts as a sort of “extra life” if you pick him up out of a barrel. Diddy also acts as nifty “power up” that allows Donkey Kong to hover while jumping. Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D features a very frustrating multi-player mode. Be forewarned, Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is already incredibly difficult but adding on a secondary player who takes the role of Diddy is even tougher. If you’re willing to take on the local multi-player challenge, the second player will need to have his own copy of the game.

The music in Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is fantastic. The developers have brought on the same soundtrack from the original Donkey Kong Country game and revamped it. Old fans will adore the rebooted soundtrack and new fans will find themselves bobbing their heads to the catchy tunes. Just be careful not to bob too much, you might miss that jump over the lava! Besides lava flooded levels, there are other treacherous stages for Donkey and Diddy to overcome and the great thing about the port is that 4 new stages have been added that were not available in Donkey Kong Country Returns on the Nintendo Wii.

Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D looks exquisite in 3D. I almost feel like Nintendo should have originally made the reboot of the Donkey Kong Country series exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS instead of releasing it on the Nintendo Wii and then porting it years later. From hopping on enemies that appear to fly at you in the screen, shooting out of barrels, or riding rickety train carts; the game is truly the best in 3D. Of course if your eyes get tired there is always the option of turning the 3D down or completely off but then you might be missing out on a unique experience. Some levels are just better in 3D like a level where Donkey and Diddy must evade crashing waves on a dark beach. In 3D, this level is amplified and really pulls you into the world of Kong Country while playing. One of the downsides, however, is one slight turn of your handheld and your 3D experience will be slightly skewed causing Donkey and Diddy to fall to their death after trying to make a close shot from a barrel.

Although most people groaned about a Donkey Kong Country Returns port, Nintendo and developers managed to make Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D a unique experience for new and old players of the Donkey Kong Country franchise. With stunning 3D graphics, a catchy soundtrack, a new mode to alleviate the frustrations of the modern day gamer, and 4 new levels; Donkey Kong Country Returns 3D is a game that fans of platformers will truly enjoy.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Ah, the end of the Final Fantasy 13 series, finally. It’s been a long time coming, and initially I felt that it should have ended a very long time ago. Playing the first one, I hated nearly every second of it. Despite my mind talking me out from repeatedly picking up the controller, it seemed that I just played it simply because it was in my console. And then FFXIII-2 came out, and I let out a soft sigh, mumbling here we go again. I do have to admit that the second installment was 10 times better than the first with a much more cohesive and comprehensible story line  enjoyable worlds to visit… very reminiscent of Kingdom Hearts in a way. After I beat it, I was left with 25% of my brain saying that I couldn’t wait to see what was next. Albeit a bit late, the game now takes a change in what seems to be for the better. Before we get into technicalities, we need to establish the background of this latest installment.

A screenshot during Toriyama’s presentation in Tokyo, Jan 2013.

Following the events in FFXIII-2, In 1000 AF, Valhalla and Gran Pulse have merged after Etro’s death. The result of the chaos is called the Nova Chrysalia – the four continents in the Sea of Chaos and Bhunivelze as the new Cocoon. Due to the merge of Valhalla and Gran Pulse, people have stopped aging. On one of the continents named Luxerion, the citizens start to form a closed religious city where those who do not believe are cast out. Lightning then awakes, and in 13 days, 13 hours, the world will be decimated. She is then called by the god Bhunivelze to save the world. She reunites with the old gang along the way and fights her way through those who oppose her mission in hopes of saving mankind.

I have to say, the idea sounds pretty frickin’ awesome and solid.

Motomu Toriyama, the series director, stated that Lightning will face her final battle. Whether or not she will return or not in any future games outside of FFXIII is not clear, but what is clear is that this trilogy featuring Lightning’s story is over. Toriyama made it a point to the directors to bring the power and glory in her eyes, to make her fierce, persistent, and relentless towards her mission. I like it! That tells me that there will be even greater graphics to bring emotion onto the field, trying to close the chasm between player and character. Let’s move on as to what will make this game very different from what we’re used to.

When it comes to gameplay, think of the doomsday clock element of Majora’s Mask and the interactive abilities of Assassin’s Creed. She will be able to hang off ledges, duck around corners, jump, etc. The characters will also be able to freely move during combat, which is an element that didn’t really catch on much in the Final Fantasy series. In addition,  this game will feature a more realistic time setting where the day is split into morning, afternoon, and night and interactions with other NPCs (non-playable characters) will vary depending on the time of day (inspired by Skyrim). The monorail that takes you from continent to continent or between cities will run on a regular schedule as well, so yes, you might have to practice your patience when transferring to different places. Yet another familiar feature are the Schematas, where Lightning can change outfits that will change her abilities during combat (a la Final Fantasy X-2) instead of the Paradigm Shifts that we’ve been accustomed to. In one person’s review of the demo, the combat system is very easy to get accustomed to and requires less strategy that was required in the series’ predecessors. That’s not to say that the boss battles will be easy nor simple. It does make it convenient that we no longer have to worry about the different paradigms that are in the queue in order to survive.

The demo will make its debut at E3 next week, where we will have more information on whether or not the game is a yea or nay. Check out the E3 trailer below and tell us what you think!

The game is set to release Fall of 2013 for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

IPod Touch, Only One of Many Forms of Second Screening.

Now, this is only my opinion on the matter and even though I’ve only had one form of  “Second Screening”, this is going to be my overall take on it, going from TV and iPod connectivity alone and do not reflect the obvious differences of the Wii U.  After the first hour of a 3 hour episode of WWE Raw, I’ve got to say that I’m not impressed with the first experience.

The Good:

The idea of having behind the scenes videos during commercials is the best thing any company can do during shows, live or otherwise. What is normally bathroom breaks, is me awkwardly walking to the bathroom with my iPod and Tritton Kunai headset as I am keeping a eye on show content. During the live portion of the show, the app is continuously updating with polls and tweets from the fans as I browse the app after the video abruptly cuts off for  reasons beyond my control.

The Bad:
The content that updates while the show is going on, actually kept me from watching a Pay Per View quality match. I was too in depth with what the WWE Universe (Stupid Fans as Glen Beck puts it.) that I completely missed parts of it, and was super happy that they replayed the dive that Danial Bryan did mid match. This is the only downside to the entire second screening experience, as I have not yet dove into the other realm of watching while a episode of “The Walking Dead” is on.

What Did I Get From Popping My Cherry?:

Second screening is pointless. I’ve heard people talk about this awesome experience as people tweet, Facebook and interact with friends about what they are watching, but the only thing I’ve gotten out of it was a poor excuse to promote a app, and whore out their wares from their website.

As Far As Gaming Goes:

With the most recent updates to the Playstation 3 and the PSVita, they added the ability to play ranked and player matches on Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3 and Street Fighter X Tekken from your PS Vita to the console counterpart. Does anyone remember the Dreamcast VMU’s and the ability to have stats of your Madden, or Ready To Rumble matches on it? I do, and as shitty as it was, we loved it when we could take it to school and breed Chaos in the middle of study hall. What about using the PSVita for the ability to see your stats in sports or RPG titles? No one will ever think of it, because Sony is using the Vita as a handheld and not as a potential platform for a killer gaming experience.

What is your thoughts on the ability to have a “Second Screen Experience” and where do you think It can go with gaming in the next generation? Tweet me @CupcheckGE

Hello everyone and welcome to another GovPancakes game review. Today I will be reviewing one of my personal favorites, Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate or MH3U for short.

The world of Monster Hunter is full of excitement and danger. The whole series puts you, a regular human against all kinds of monsters that are similar to prehistoric dinosaurs. The main concept of the game is to defeat a monster and you carve parts from it and make new weapons and armor, even items as well.

The story for this version starts as you, the new hunter in town, arrives to Moga Village. A village that’s pretty small and on the coast of this island. This place has plenty of resources for you to use on your journey. Item Shop, you can meet up with the traveling ships and trade items, you have a farm you have access to, and also a smithy to make your new weapons. Now the story itself is pretty dull, your just a hunter that is trying to live then the village gets attacked and you of course have to save it. For old MH fans they all know, for new fans don’t look forward to anything deep.

NOW here is the plus to the game. The game play. The gameplay is ASTOUNDING! There are 12 to choose from and they all have their own play style and advantages and weaknesses. There are 9 melee classes, Long Sword (my favorite), Great Sword, Sword and Shield, Dual Blades, Lance, GunLance, Switch Axe, Hammer, and the Hunting Horn. Along with three long ranged classes, The Light Bow Gun, Heavy Bow Gun, and the Bow. Though there are plenty choices every weapon can be used to take down every monster.

Weapons, Armor and Items come from gathering, buying or hunting. You can buy items but you can also gather them from certain areas or farm them, so it gives you the option to do both. That is the main excitement of the game. Making whatever you want! Defeating this enormous monster and being able to make a weapon out of it! If a enemy has really high defense the armor you make will have the same. If the enemy can shoot fire you can make a weapon that causes explosions when you contact a enemy!

The quest get kind of repetitive BUT the downside to that is they get more dynamic as you go. You start fighting chump monsters and eventually you get to higher classed monsters who get a serious upgrade after awhile, and you may even have to fight 2 or more at once. Another good thing is throughout the story you gain access to two small helpers who cast buffs or heal you or even fight with you depending on how you set them up. You can also play multiplayer locally on 3DS and WiiU but the WiiU has online as well. So your not alone.

All in all Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate is an amazing experience that everyone should at least try. If you get a group of people to play with you it is probably one of the best multiplayer experiences ever, but also a good solo game as well. Graphics pretty nice, music is kind of bland except fighting bosses, but the game play is astounding. Amazing experience to the old hunters and the new ones as well.

  The type of game that keeps you entertained for hours. EA’s Tetris Blitz takes an already addictive game and adds a  fun new twist. I played for an hour without even realizing where the time had gone. Swipe controls make it faster and easier for mobile game players to enjoy this 80s classic.

A two minute time frame to snatch as many points as possible. Similar to Bejeweled, you gain points per line that you complete. Power-ups can be bought with coins you receive based on your overall score or they can be purchased. The more power ups you use the higher your score will be. Some cool power ups include a cascade of Tetris blocks, known as minos that drop to fill in gaps or one that swipes all minos to the one side of the screen.

By forming lines you fill up a frenzy bar at the bottom of your screen. Once you fill the bar you go into Frenzy mode which is like a bonus round where cascades of blocks form huge combos and lines are worth double the points. This is where you will get the most points for your overall score.

Like most iOS games it often feels like a money grab. You have to pay gold coins every 2 minute game, to buy power-ups and upgrades, to spin a wheel to win random prizes alongside with many ads and prompts to share with your friends on Facebook. With one single game mode that ends so fast, the price for coins even after even being given many during the game doesn’t quite seem fair and you do run out quickly.

If you can soldier through the obvious need to snatch at your wallet you will find that the game is very entertaining and includes great graphics along with new renditions of the original themes. Not  exactly the classic game itself, Tetris Blitz offers a fun, on-the-go, easy to play mini game for anyone who loves a good round of Tetris.

Amazing is one of the many words that can describe the game. Many of our editors have given the game a go, many were left in shock and in awe on how beautiful this game is. The Uncharted series creators, Naughty Dog,  have done it again and absolutely have another hit on their hands with The Last of us.

**WARNING THE FOLLOWING DOES CONTAIN SPOILERS, SCROLL DOWN TO CONTINUE**

The demo was recently released to those that bought God of War: Ascensions, load the game and download the demo from there if you haven’t already done so. After downloading it, there will be a second download when launching the game.

The game does a great job of showing the mechanics of how the game works. The first part of the game takes you through the scenery  allowing you to experience the games graphics. It also gives you a basic understanding of how to crouch, climb and pick up items. At one point in the game, I ran into a situation where I couldn’t figure out how to climb up a wall with vines growing out of it. Maybe it was just me, but I spend quite some time on it. I cut that out of the video considering how time consuming that was. Moving past the dead bodies that have been torn to shreds, we are presented with a body so “infected” that once the main character moves the body it turns into dust. From here we are introduced to our first enemy, a Clicker.

Clickers are infected humans that are so badly infected they are completely blind and use a clicking noise as a type of sonar to find their prey. In the game they are best described as bats. In the game if you hide behind something they can’t see you, seeing as how the noise passes overhead or around you. At that point you can launch a brick or bottle to get their attention else where and away from you. These are the most difficult enemies to beat in the demo.

After getting passed the Clicker and moving a bit forward, you’re presented with some eerie moaning coming from all sides. This is where the game basically tells “Hey you like this game so far? Well, f*** you. Here have a ton of Runners after you”. Yes, we are now introduced to Runners. Runners are NOT blind and chase after you. They chase you so that they can give you hugs…. deadly hugs. This part of the game almost made me rage, I was killed several times.

The demo was a great idea on Naughty Dog, I would highly suggest to them to make this demo more available to the public instead of a download via GOW. I’m sure when the game is available on June 14th, we should see a demo. This is a must have game! Naughty Dog did an excellent job with this game and I’m just speaking on the demo. I can only imagine what the actual game will be like.

There are not a lot of special product for straight otaku girls out there. And just what do I mean by that? I’m mostly talking about the shortage of body pillows, wall scrolls, sexy figures, and many other similar products featuring attractive male characters. Do a search for “pillow” on a reputable website and the amazing majority in that department is female characters. So once I saw this nice reasonably priced official body pillow I had to get my mitts on it immediately instead of risking the possibility of having it sold it. For $24.99 I can’t complain about what I got.

The only description of the body pillow was just 70 cm so I knew it wouldn’t be the type of body pillow you could give a full body embrace to but at least provides someone to hug on lonely nights. Any other detail about the pillow was left out, which is where I come in. The listing looked like this, and I was super excited because the unbearably attractive bodyguard, Soshi Metsukami, from one of my new favorite shows Inu X Boku Secret Service had his very own pillow, despite the fact THERE ISN’T AN ACCURATE FIGURE OF HIM YET (as a figure collector I hate that the show has no figure replicas of their male leads whom are all attractive) at least I can now have a body pillow of him.

I suffered over ten days of agony waiting for him to arrive and was quite excited when I got him. The pillow has no packaging and was put in a clear bag for convenience so the first thing I saw was the side the listing didn’t show, I was hoping maybe a full body shot of him like with Ririchiyo would be there but it was just a plain purple side. I like to call those sides “3D sensors.”

But now to the interesting side, it does look much better in real life. The quality of the printing is of high caliber and, dare I say, the colors are vivid and makes Soshi look like he came straight out of the anime (or manga, whatever). I love the checkered background which makes it stand out from other pillows and Soshi’s nine-tailed fox manifestation in the background is a nice touch.

The most neat thing about this body pillow is that it comes as a pillow and it is not just a cover. This makes it a great deal because typically pillow covers are sold separately from the pillow itself. These are quite costly, and having to buy the pillow gives another hit in the wallet. I’d say typically $100 at least for both of them.

The pillow is 100% polyester which brings me to my only complain, it isn’t what I would call soft. However it’s still feels good enough to sleep with.

An authentic pillow has this label and tag with a sticker from Aniplex.

I hope this doesn’t become pirated as it is a reasonably priced official good. Usually my product reviews stop at this point, but this product can only be found in one place from my research, so here is the link.

As more products fangirls can enjoy are released, I’ll try to cover the most I can. Just remember this, support the industry and show them you want this merchandise by buying it and they will deliver.

First Appeared on The Legend of Lorie

Fire Emblem Awakening is a game that you do not want to miss out on. If you own a Nintendo 3DS, then you need to give this game a chance and if you don’t own a Nintendo 3DS… well, this game is reason enough alone to go out and purchase one. If you are new to the Fire Emblem series, don’t worry, you do not need to play the past Fire Emblem games to be able to jump right into this one. The Fire Emblem series has always centered on being strategy based. Think of this game as chess but the “chess pieces” have fancy abilities and in Fire Emblem: Awakening, can develop relationships with each other. In the beginning of the game, you are able to almost completely customize your character. You are able to change your characters voice, hair, and other features. This is just the first step where Nintendo traps you into feeling almost attached to the characters. As you play the game (with the character you made) you are able to make choices that affect your entire gameplay. Do you want to add your level 3 Mage to the front lines in the off chance that you might be able to level her? There are plenty of things to think about before making a move in this game.

In Fire Emblem Awakening, if one of your party members dies (unless you are not playing classic mode) they are gone for good. You can’t use magical revive spells or “Phoenix Down” like items… they are ultimately gone for the entire game which also means that party member that the character you made who fought next to you in numerous battles who you also became close to and got know is gone for the entire game. For example, I was really fond of the Pegasus Knight, Sumia., however, she was incredibly weak in the beginning of the game. I took my chances though in hopes that I could sneak in a few levels to get her beefy but unfortunately an archer came along and well…. Goodbye Sumia! Losing a party member would not be so bad but developing relationships and friendships in Fire Emblem: Awakening is what makes the game so great. Before my Sumia died, my main character had just gained relationship B with her. I witnessed a heartwarming cut scene involving her and my character. Besides growing slightly attached to Sumia, I had also developed better attack strategies involving her and my character. In Fire Emblem Awakening, when a character gains a relationship rank (C, B, A, or S) it also benefits the characters in battle. When they are next to each other on the battlefield, the chance increases that the character will defend their friend or attack right after.  This battle system in the game is fairly easy to get used to and it also gives the player more incentive to spend time pairing characters in battle to witness fun cut scenes or just get their characters in a quirky romance.

Besides the fun battle system, Fire Emblem Awakening features a neat class system. Almost all of your characters will start out as either a first class or even a secondary class if you obtain a new party member towards the end of the game. Obtaining a certain level like level ten for instance grants you the ability to change your class (if you are still using a primary class) to a secondary or master class. For example, everyone starts out with Chrom who is initially a “Lord” class. When he obtains level ten with the use of a “master seal”, you will be able to change Chrom’s class to a “Great Lord” which not only boosts party member’s stats but in Fire Emblem Awakening, it also adds the ability to use an extra weapon that could not be used as a “Lord” class. Besides being able to change party member’s to their “ultimate class”, with an item called a “secondary seal” players can also change their character’s class to another primary class completely. For instance, Panne is a Taguel that uses a Beaststone. Taguels cannot be promoted to a master class, however, if the player wants to change Panne to a different class then it can be done with a “secondary seal”. Panne can then change from a Taguel to a Mage or an Archer. Weapons in the Fire Emblem Awakening are just as customizable as your party mechanics. With the ability to customize stats on most weapons, your options are endless in this game to play as you want with the party and weapons that you want.

The gameplay in Fire Emblem Awakening was very satisfying. Nintendo continues to pump out very cheap downloadable content maps for the game so even if you finish the main story, you can still play additional maps ranging from $2.50 to $5.00. If you do not want to dish out any extra money then you can challenge yourself after finishing the game by restarting the game on a harder difficulty. The story is touching and focuses a lot of friendship and teamwork as you learn from using the battle system.

Visually this game is absolutely gorgeous and it was completely meant to be played in 3D. I switched back and forth between 3D and no 3D and found myself wanting to experience the game more in 3D. The music was also very catchy. This game is very aesthetically pleasing and it really proves that the 3D on the 3DS is not a gimmick but incorporates the player into the world of Fire Emblem Awakening.

Fire Emblem Awakening is truly a game that you donot want to miss out on. If you are fond of role-playing games, games that involve strategy, or want to play a game that looks perfect in 3D then this is the game for you. With beautiful graphics, music, and fantastic characters that you will fall in love with, this game was a wonderful experience and I can honestly say it is the best Nintendo 3DS game I have played thus far.

First Appeared on The Legend of Lorie

Sandbox games are becoming quite popular these days. Animal Crossing, one of my favorite games, is what made me so interested in sandbox games. If you are not familiar with what a “sandbox” game it, it basically is an entire world in the game that you can modify yourself. Minecraft and Terraria are two examples of sandbox games. Don’t Starve is a game developed and published by Klei Entertainment that takes a new and unique twist on the “sandbox” theme.

Don’t Starve is an open world survival game. Unlike Minecraft or Terraria, you do not have unlimited lives. The objective of the game is to see how long you will survive in the world. In the beginning of the game, you will only have one unlocked character but there are eight characters that you eventually get to play who all have different abilities to help survive in the game. When you start a game, the world is generated randomly. The world map is different every time you start a game with randomly placed items and monsters. To survive, you have to keep your character’s sanity, hunger, and health from reaching zero.

With Tim Burton style artwork, the game has an eerie and spine-chilling feel to it. The world itself is very dark and the creatures are very twisted. This all adds to the effect that your sanity (something that you must maintain to survive) is constantly draining. Whether you are running around in the dark, entering strange wormholes to get around the world quicker, or eating raw meat; your sanity will drain. Once your sanity gets to about 60%, you character will start seeing hallucinations. Eventually when your sanity gets low enough, these hallucinations will start physically harming you. Sustaining your health is important in Don’t Starve as it is in most survival games. Once your health reaches zero, your world is destroyed and you must start over in another randomly generated world. Starving, being attacked by creatures or hallucinations, and eating dangerous or spoiled foods will start depleting your health. Last but not least, don’t starve. Forage and hunt for food so your hunger level does not reach zero or you will die.

Death is inevitable in Don’t Starve and each time you die, you gain experience to unlock more characters. There are so many different ways to die in Don’t Starve and it’s one of the reasons why the game is so enjoyable. The Don’t Starve universe is dark, treacherous, and dangerous but don’t let that steer you away from exploring the map. Exploration is very important in game play as you will have to find more food and more creatures to obtain supplies for crafting. Like most sandbox games, crafting is an essential aspect of Don’t Starve. Build shelters, campfires, a crock pot to make better food, and various machines to unlock more recipes. Building, poking, and learning are important in your survival in Don’t Starve.

Don’t Starve also features an adventure mode if you have survived for awhile and want to challenge yourself, however, adventure mode must be found in sandbox mode. Adventure mode consists of several grueling  stages varying from never-ending darkness, year long winter, and other very difficult scenarios. If you die in adventure mode, you will be ported right back to sandbox mode.

If you are looking for a new and challenging open world game then Don’t Starve is worth the $14.99 on Steam. The game is constantly being updated and lets players know when the next update will take place right on the title screen. The game is engaging, fun and a refreshing change from the typical Minecraft-esque sandbox game.