Reviewing: Final Fantasy: The Crystal Chronicles

My play through of Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles was done in the summer of 2011. Although a year old, the videos provide a walk through for the game. It can be watched by clicking here.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is a game released to North America in 2004 for the GCN. It is not apart of the main Final Fantasy series, and was considered a spin-off. It features a real time combat system, and multi player with up to four characters when connecting to a Gameboy Advance system. This alone sets it apart from others with the same name. It was the first game to be released in the "Crystal Chronicle" series, and five games in the series later followed. 

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Synopsis:

The world you live in is surrounded by a powerful and evil force - miasma. Miasma is like a plague that threatens humanity. It is responsible for the presence of monsters, and is extremely toxic and dangerous to humans. The player must travel across the world searching for myrrh - the only force powerful enough to oppose the threat of miasma. In each town throughout the world, there is a crystal, filled with the power of myrrh, to drive away miasma's affect on humans. It is the player's responsibility to collect the myrrh for their town's crystal. If myrrh is not collected, the town's crystal will lose it's brightness, and it will fade, allowing miasma to engulf the town.

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Pros:

1. You're able to customize your main character, and are able to keep up to 8 save files. 

Unlike the main Final Fantasy series, you are able to choose, customize and change your main character. With 32 different character models divided into four different clans, there's a great range of choice that will cater to each player's specific preferences for aesthetic value and skills. Although each clan has specific strengths/weaknesses, they are not limited. When you pick a "class" (such as a mage), you are generally hindered in physical strength, but excel in magic. If you pick a clan that has higher base stats in Crystal Chronicles, you are not limited by that throughout the course of the game. The player is given many opportunities to increase any stats that they choose throughout the course of the game, allowing you to create a fully balanced character, or one that heavily excels in one skill.   

The game allows you to have 8 characters, which gives the game replay value, allows multiple players to use the same system/memory card, and creates choice when playing in multi player mode. Each file has it's own save file attached to it, so you can have up to 8 characters that can be in 8 different places in the story. Additionally, each character that you create will have a changeable name and family profession. Each clan has their own individual crest and weapon set, making each clan unique in their own ways.

2. Exploration and the "open world" aspect that the game is based upon.

To successfully advance on in the game's story, the player must complete three levels per year in order to return home and fill their chalice with myrrh. The player has more and more choice on what levels they would like to complete and where in the world they would like to travel as the game progresses. Because the game is technically "never ending" (if the player chooses), this gives a world of choices, and allows the player to replay levels they favor and to avoid ones that they dislike. This also allows the player to "grind" for stat boosts, items, and weapons without the game play getting stale. This also optimizes single and multi player mode, as some levels are difficult without a partner. 

The possibilities are endless, and it really makes you as the player feel like you are in complete control. Crystal Chronicles features many unique levels, towns, and an over world that is great to explore over and over again. It's a great feeling knowing that you are able to explore every nook and cranny of that world without somebody nagging at you to get back on track. Keep in mind of course that this is not always true, as there are obstacles to complete and requirements to be met to reach certain worlds when the game begins. But, I personally found it very rewarding to have a lot of "down time" in between when I was done with the main story and when it was that I wanted to fight the final boss. I had choice in when I wanted to fight the boss, and until then, I was able to take my time to prepare, and I had a lot of choice in where and how I was going to do so. 

Additionally, while on the road, the game had a series of cut scenes, events and side quests that will randomly happen while travelling. Some side quests and events progress as time goes on, and it gives more insight to the world around you. You also keep a diary with worlds that you've visited, people you've met and important details.

3. The game's unique battle system.

Final Fantasy is better known for a turn based battle system, but because Crystal Chronicles is a spin off, they tried a different battle system with the game that turned out to be one of the most interactive and exciting battle system type that I've played to date. I will admit that the system is a bit clunky at first, but when you get used to the controls, it's easy to handle. 

• You are able to toggle between items, spells, and attack/defend commands in mere seconds, which is great with the fast active time system. This eliminates having to go through menus to find an item/spell, and allows for easy switching quickly. Additionally, you can store life restoring items which is extremely useful if your character has been downed in battle.
• There is a barrier created by the chalice that the player carries. You are unable to travel outside of this circle or you will be exposed to miasma and will get damaged. This creates environmental threat, and it is one more thing that the player must take into consideration when playing. In multi player, it forces the players to work together as a team and to take time carrying the chalice. In single player, your moogle will carry it for you, which leaves you at his mercy if he slows down or becomes stuck. 
• There is a battle condition that is randomized in each level when you enter. In the right circumstances, you can generate points at the end of the level for meeting the condition, which allows the player to get rare artifacts. This also works in reverse if the conditions were not met. 
• There are other benefits to the battle system, such as creating powerful spells with a partner (called spell fusion). Spell fusion allows you to take down difficult foes with a partner, or by finding multiple magical orbs. Spell fusion also allows you to unlock chests and other special things in certain levels.

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Cons:

1. The game is optimized for multi-player.

Back before the days of wifi, playing with friends was somewhat of an inconvenience. For those of us without working equipment, multi player was a non-existent feature. Being that Crystal Chronicles wasn't a common game back in the day and nobody I knew had it, I was stuck saving the world on my own. While the game is fantastic and still fun to play on your own, the game itself was optimized to be played with two or more people. 

There are certain levels with puzzles that are nearly impossible in single mode, but simple and easy with two or more people. A computerized moogle that only listens half of the time and has half of the abilities of a human player is much harder to deal with then just having some good ol' fashioned team work. Additionally, some skills are only available in multi-player, such as spell fusion, which by the way, is one of the most useful skills to have in the game. In single player, you need to combine different magic (which you might not even find in a level), or get your moogle to help you (and he'll only do certain spells if he's painted a certain way). Frustrating. I never minded playing in single player much until I played multi player later in my life as a group of three. I then felt like my experience of the game wasn't full for all the years I played it, and I felt a bit robbed. It would have been nice if the game creators weren't so biased for those who didn't have the privilege of being able to play in multi-player. 

2. The lack of weapons and armor.

For a game with so much customization in character design, character skills and a diverse map with many chests in each world, there was a serious lack of different weapons and armor for each class. There was only a handful of weapons/armor for each clan, and the strongest weapons were always difficult (at least for me) to craft. Items and crafting materials were supposed to change with each year, but being that items were completely random, there wasn't a strong chance that you'd be able to fully optimize a character. 

Additionally, a lot of equipment went to waste if you so happened to pick up something that was created for another clan. The game programmed it this way so you could give it to a partner in multi-player, but even then, what if you were all the same clan? It always seemed like a waste to me, especially in single player. That being said, you could always use artifacts to improve strength or defense, but that makes the amount of time you have to play longer. Not a huge flaw overall, but I love having a variety with weapons and armor, as it gives more choice and makes the game more fun. It would have been nice to have an opportunity to mix weapons and armor as well, and not keep them clan specific, but that's just my personal opinion.

3. The game may feel repetitive after a few years.

After 5 or 6 years in game, you should have done the "main" story part of the game. At this point, no new worlds will come into play, and you'll have your pick of where you want to go, but each area will be somewhere that you've already visited. Each world gets more difficult in each cycle, and enemies and chests change each year, but the maps themselves and bosses don't change. Some people may find this boring and be discouraged to quit. If you're not a dungeon crawling grinding type, then it may be hard to see the game all the way through. For me it's not necessarily a con, but for others I can see it being a problem.

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With more pros than cons, I encourage others to really give this game a shot if you haven't already. With multiple choices, a game that changes each coming year, a great multi-player system and the non-linear game play, Crystal Chronicles caters to many players. Spin off games are not necessarily a terrible thing, and this game is one of the many exceptions, and is, in my opinion a very successful spin off (even if others don't think so!)

Reviewing: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

I dreaded for the day this would come.... because this is my favorite Zelda game of all time. I am so incredibly biased about the Wind Waker that I knew it would be hard to think of things I didn't like about the game! Truth be told is that I love everything about it. This blog post may look a little different because it will more or less be things I like about the game, with things that it could have improved on... rather then things I didn't like about the game. I hope that you enjoy, as I have so very much enjoyed Wind Waker the countless times that I have played it. If you would like to see the Youtube video walkthrough I did, you can click here. Thank you! 

Synopsis:

Link's quiet island life is quickly turned upside down in an instant. When his young sister is kidnapped, Link goes to save the day! Link enlists the help of pirates to search the great seas, in an attempt to save his sister from her captives. Our young blonde hero has more then his sister's life at stake - he must also save the land of Hyrule! With the help of some friends, Link awakens as the Hero of the Winds and embarks on a great journey. 

What I love:

1. The creators of the Wind Waker dared to be different, and created a colorful and fun art style.

Most 3D Zelda games (although all animated) have a more realistic looking graphic and art style. Comparing Twilight Princess and Wind Waker is like comparing night and day. I feel a lot of people don't like the extremely cartoony nature of the Wind Waker, but this is, in fact what I (nearly) love most about this game. It's so incredibly quirky, and sets itself apart from other Zelda games in the series. I see absolutely nothing wrong with bright colors and a more "cute" style for the characters. If anything, it made the game so much easier to see, and gave the game a positive feeling right from the beginning. Link's large eyes and stubby legs really gave him a lot of character, as he's small but deadly. Facial expressions were done very well, and because Link's a silent character, I feel they were that much more meaningful. I feel this game's atmosphere is built around the style of the game, and the two go so well together. So if you like your whites whiter, your oceans bluer, and your blondes blonder... then this is the game for you. 

2. The game is easy to handle with a well implemented controller and camera system.

I feel that the Gamecube controller is the best controller out there to date. It fits in the hand well, the buttons are all in a great place, and the mapping just makes sense! There's nothing better then a game that controls well, and Zelda in general does a good job with this. It follows the formula of a lot of Zelda in terms of how the buttons are set up, so it's familiar to previous Zelda players. The thing I think I love most about Wind Waker is the free camera! Camera angles in this game are never a problem, which I think is huge. I think that it also sets it apart from the rest, as it's certainly been a huge problem in other games. It's especially useful when looking for chests or when you're out on the map doing free exploring. If you don't want your camera to be free, just have it focus back on Link and it will be a set camera again. I love not having to worry about crappy camera angles or terrible button controls.

3. The setting and method of travel.

It's too bad that the sea exploration part of Wind Waker seems largely unappreciated. I think that sailing as opposed to just walking around was an interesting twist. It was the first 3D Zelda game (now that Skyward Sword has come out) that dared to deviate from the norm. Because the game title "The Wind Waker" is about the wind (duh), making the game in a traditional "Hyrule Field" type of setting wouldn't have made any sense. Having your feet planted on solid ground doesn't exactly put you at the wind's mercy. However, being in a sailboat in the middle of the ocean definitely suits the game's theme of using the wind. You gotta get some wind in those sails!  I do admit that sailing can feel boring, because there's not a whole lot of scenery on the great open sea. However, the game does compensate for the large amount of sailing with songs to warp and change the wind's direction. One can argue that travelling in most games can become tedious at times. Although some may find it dry and dull, I think there's something appealing about looking at the big open blue and feeling the wind on your face. Plus, who the hell doesn't love the King of Red Lions?

4. Your companions and main characters that are included in your journey.

 I feel that the Wind Waker did a fine job of mixing in older Zelda characters with some new and unique ones. Classic and long lasting races in Hyrule like the Gorons, Zoras and Kokiri are mentioned, but are not the main focus of attention. This is a refreshing change from other 3D Zelda games from it's time (Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, and Twilight Princess a few years later). Some of the main characters are seen exuding some similarities to ones in the past, but manage to have their own twist on things.

Medli and Makar are both very important characters in game, and are both from two new races that Wind Waker created. They are both well rounded characters with their own quirks, and both serve as great companions later on in the game. Medli is one of my favorite characters from the game, and I just cannot imagine playing Wind Waker without her in it. Princess Zelda (as expected) appears later with an amazing plot twist. Her matter of fact and tomboy personality is the perfect partner to Link. Additionally, I like that "help" characters are not irritating. Tetra dropping you occasional hints throughout the game is something that is reasonable and manageable to deal with. I love the King of Red Lion's character, and the fact that he knows when to stop talking (unlike a certain blue fairy that we know) is nice. Wind Waker's difficulty level in comparison to other Zelda games is low, so you don't need a lot of guidance in the first place, and the companions reflect this perfectly.

What could be improved:

1. Rupee grinding

We all know that side questing is a common trend in Zelda. Rupees can be found nearly everywhere in the game, and yes, there are uses for rupees in nearly every single game to a certain extent. I will admit that even for me, rupee grinding became tedious from time to time. Because this game is largely situated around money, the rupee grinding carries on throughout nearly the entire game. If you're not aware of how much money you'll need at the end of the game, you can easily waste many valuable resources. By the end of the game, if you have exhausted chests, you'll be forced to hunt for money using other methods. Trying to fish for treasures in the ocean can be hit or miss, because you don't always know how many rupees you'll get. Selling accessories doesn't get you a sizeable amount of rupees, and grinding is a pain. There's no open field to cut down grass to look for rupees either. Although there's plenty of methods for gathering your much needed (and very necessary) rupees, it's not always easy and by the end you'll feel cheated.

2. Tingle. *angry face*

I'm glad that there are many other characters to make up for Tingle's character in this game. If I could, I would have left him locked up on Windfall Island, but unfortunately he is actually necessary in this game. Who would have thought? That rupee grinding I mentioned in point number one? Yeah. You have to give this jerk off all of your money. It's easy to miss Tingle if you don't explore around Windfall Island your first time there. Tingle even has his own very island, where he practices slavery while he stands there like a gigantic asshole. Tingle's role is to decipher charts that are actually necessary in the game. You'd think that him being your number one fan boy would land you a discount.. but no. There are 9 charts in total to decipher and Tingle charges 398 rupees per chart. PER FRIGGIN CHART. Case and point: I hate this rip off. I wish that he would decipher charts that weren't necessary to the game, maybe for some heart pieces or something. That way you wouldn't need to fork out so much of your hard earned money and spend so much time searching for rupees. 

3. Lack of customization. :c

This really isn't a complaint, as much as it is a suggestion. I personally (maybe because I'm a chick) like being able to customize Link's look. I loved the tunics, swords, shields, and boots featured in Ocarina of Time and Twilight Princess. In the Wind Waker, there are no additional tunics available until you finish the game once. If you complete the game once and play through the game again on this completed file, you will get a change of clothing. However, you're stuck with this new outfit and are unable to change it. Although cool, it would be nice to have a choice between the traditional tunic and a more laid back look. The same goes with shields. You only get two shields in the game, and once you get the second one, you lose the first one forever.  I can't complain though because it doesn't take away from game play and I can't think of a specific situation in which the cosmetic changes would become useful in the game. It's a bonus to Zelda games that I've just been spoiled by!

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End.

Phew. Alright, well that's it for that super long review! Because I feel most people don't love Wind Waker as much as I do, feel free to share why you disliked/liked it. I'd love to hear some thoughts, and I hope you enjoyed my review! I leave you with Zelda's super adorableness. :3

Reviewing: Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life

Back when I was very new in the Youtube community I did a very amateur job of capturing footage of this game. Harvest Moon: A Wonderful Life was the first Harvest Moon game that I had ever played. I have this game to thank for my love of the series as I grew up. I have, and will always love Harvest Moon. I have played and own both the male and female version. Since they are very similar, I will be only reviewing the main male version, but I will include examples of the female version: Another Wonderful Life. I put the female version on my Youtube page, which can be viewed here. I apologize for the quality! 

Synopsis: For those of you that are not familiar with the series, Harvest Moon is a game that never ends. With no ending, the player can play as much or as little as they'd like and they have many choices to make to effect how their life turns out. Because it is a simulation game, it's very similar to The Sims. Your character (either a female or male, depending on the version) has come to a quiet valley to start a new life. Your father has passed away, and you've decided to take over his farm. That's all - the rest is up to you! Have a... WONDERFUL LIFE. See what I did there?

Pros:

1. The pace in which time passes in game.

In traditional Harvest Moon games, a year is 120 days divided into 4 seasons. This gives the player plenty of time to do time specific tasks and events in a month. Each month has 30 days, and you generally have 16 hours (approximately) in a day to do what you need to do. A minute in real life generally causes 10 minutes in game to pass. This makes for a very, very long game. Especially when the game never ends, and some things are missable! 

However, A/Another Wonderful Life is unique in that they do not have the same system! Each month only has 10 days rather then 30. They've kept the four seasons, and having 40 days in a year instead of 120 makes a huge difference. The game has compensated so that it does not interfere with game play. A second in real life is a minute in game time, and you can see the minutes tick by so you know exactly what time it is. It's a much more effective system. I love it and wish that more Harvest Moon games would do the same.

  

2. The amount of content was perfect. I never felt overwhelmed! 

Everything in this game was planned out so nicely that you never felt you were on a tight schedule. There wasn't so much to do that you never got around to things you wanted to do, but there wasn't a lack of things either! It was perfectly acceptable to do your chores for half of the day, and still have time for other things later on in the day. The number of love interests and villagers incorporated into the town was just right, and you actually really wanted to engage in conversation with everybody. They included various Harvest Moon variables from other games, but they did it in moderation. It is honestly very invigorating, and makes the game so much more enjoyable. Even to do those mundane tasks that nobody likes doing in Harvest Moon games (generally)!

3. It's got a touch of realism to it that other Harvest Moon games don't have.

Harvest Moon is meant for audiences of all ages, and so the content of the game is clearly very G rated. Harvest Moon: A/Another Wonderful Life got away with having a E rating, but still adds very real life characteristics that other games didn't have. A few examples include: divorce, aging, characters dyiing, and somewhat graphical scenes when your animals die. I enjoyed that your own character, your family, and villagers actually aged as the years went by. You had to maintain relationships with people, or else things wouldn't stay the way they were, and characters were "killed" off. It bought a very refreshing bit of changes as the years went on, and allowed for some great character development. This game also technically has an "ending" unlike a lot of games, just like your life eventually comes to an end. It made this game so much better, and put it in my list of favorite Harvest Moon games.

4. Your children actually develop, grow up, and you have influence in their lives. 

By far my FAVORITE part of this game, which puts it apart from every single Harvest Moon game. In most games, your child goes from a baby stage to a small child, but then growth stops. A/Another Wonderful Life is beautifully unique in that your child grows into a young adult! It takes 7 full game years (until the game ends), but it was so rewarding in a sense to see something come out of your efforts. Your child develops his own unique personality, own appearance, and you can even sway your child's career choices. It's something that I am praying more Harvest Moon games of the future do, because it's such an under rated idea that Natsume really ought to look back on. It is again, part of that realism part of the game. You don't just have this little baby forever, you age, along with your child. You run into the good (and the bad) as they grow up, and you see them blossom into a human being. Metaphorically, of course. The amount of diversity in this feature is something that again, is sorely missed.

Cons:

1. The map is unfortunately very dull, small, and doesn't offer much variation. 

As much as I love the pace of this paticular Harvest Moon game, it slows down after a few years of playing. You don't want to stop playing, because things change every year. However, things easily become dull and repetitive and it's very hard to keep playing after 3 or 4 years. The terrain doesn't change much, villagers don't hustle and bustle or change often, and there's never any new areas unlocked. The only area that you are able to go that's outside of the actual village is only accessible by connecting a Gameboy to the Gamecube. It's a huge hill that just teases you! Other villagers will come and go, but you never can. *sigh* Even expanding onto your farm isn't all that interesting, unfortunately. If the map was bigger, there might be more to explore, and more things to do in a day to keep the game a bit fresher as the years went by. 

2. Your character gets hungry, and the game reminds you. CONSTANTLY.

One of the most annoying bits of the realism part of the game is that your character does in fact get hungry! He/she does have to eat. If you choose not to feed your character, then be ready to face the consequences. The game is not shy in reminding you, every few minutes (or so it seems) that your character needs to eat! Your character will hold their stomach as it growls. The more time you allow to pass without feeding your character, the less of a gap there will be in between growling. This really interferes with game play. It slows you way down! Fortunately, your character can and will eat practically anything edible in game. Having to go and search for food when you are trying to perform another task, however, is just an added nuisance.

3. The game forces you to have children and get married.

This isn't something that bothers me personally, because I always get married in the game (eventually). You always have a child when you get married, so that comes naturally. But I don't think it's fair that the game forces you. If you don't know much about the game, or about the girls/boys that are available to marry, you might not get the results you want. You may miss events, or miss opportunities to impress one person or another. You only have 40 days to impress the one you want to marry, and if you don't propose to somebody they will come to your house and propose to you! If you say no to the proposal, the game will only go on for another year before it ends for good. The game will not let you continue without getting married, and you lose your chance after the first year. Most games give you plenty of time to get married, giving you time to get used to the game. Luckily for you, you only have three choices to choose in between... but be prepared to make a quick decision!

My Favorite Game!

TALES OF SYMPHONIA

Yes, Tales of Symphonia! My favorite game on my favorite system. Tales of Symphonia came out on July 13th, 2004 for the Gamecube (and is also available on the PS2). It has a high rating by readers, raters, and players alike. A jam packed RPG containing two disks, I would recommend this to anybody who loves a classic RPG. I'm going to tell you a few things I love about this game.

Now mind you, I don`t know EXACTLY what it is about this game that I adore to pieces. I have played so many RPG`s in my time.. but there is nothing that can even stand up to the godliness that is Tales of Symphonia. Maybe I`m a bit of a fan girl for the game and never tried to understand it, but really, when you love something, how easy is it to ever explain?

This is in no way, shape, or form a REVIEW. I don't like to think of myself as a review person.. because I'm honestly not good at it. (I'm never stern enough to review good and bad parts of a game..) I am just going to be sharing with everybody why it is that I love the game (because generally people want to know what it is that makes the game your favorite), and it might just inspire you to pick up and play this magnificent work of art. 

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5 Things I Love:

1.  Battle System: The battle system in the third person, in real time. Turn based systems are good for the strategic type, and I have played multiple RPG's with different battle systems. I can say for certain that real time combat is my favorite. Being in third person you not only feel like you get to watch the whole thing happen before your eyes, but you're also the one controlling it. It's fast, it's fun, and there's nothing better then beating the snot out of monsters without having to wait your turn! Hell, who has time to think? I actually WANTED to grind and run into every single enemy because the battle system wasn't unbearable for me.

2. Characters: CHARACTERS, OH MY GOD.. YES CHARACTERS. Seriously. Don't even get me started. Maybe I freak out a bit too much over the characters.. but oh man.. Sure, you have some of the "typical/stereotypical" characters you find in many games. But even if that is the case, you can relate to them in some way or another. If you can't relate to them, you can at least empathize with them and say to yourself, "Yeah, I can see why you would act/feel that way." There is not one main character in this game that had me saying, "Shut up, shut up, shut up, I hate you sooooo much." With most games (or maybe that's just me), you generally have at least ONE character that's like that. But not this one! Every character has something to bring to the table, and they all compliment each other beautifully. The developers also did a phenomenal job linking some of the characters together (when you find out things later on in the story line). All of the characters are all very well rounded, and very developed. Hell, you know, even the bad guys aren't so bad. The main characters are the best by far, but really, the game didn't do such a bad job on the baddies either. Most of them are much more complex then they seem at first. 

3. Storyline: Storyline.... is what I live and breath for. I have a hard time playing a game without storyline, which is why games like Minecraft are uninteresting to me. Storyline is for me, what makes a game a true masterpiece. I think it's because everything has been done before.. and gamers are constantly looking for something unique and captivating. I'm not going to give any spoilers about the storyline itself, but I'll tell you what it is that I love about the idea around the storyline. It starts with a simple idea.. one that's easy to follow. It slowly adds on (keeping you entertained at the same time mind you), and then BAM you get hit with HUGE twists and turns. Now, generally, I get lost at the twists and turns trying to piece everything together. But.. the thing I admire most about the storyline is that it adds on throughout the whole game, but it never confuses you. You get character development, storyline development, twists and turns.. and all of that good stuff, but it's all very well explained and executed. The best thing? It never stops with the storyline development... and it never stops keeping you guessing, or theorizing. HUGE plus for me. There is nothing more that I hate then when a video game just... stops with the story line and only focuses on game play for the next little while making you wonder when it is you're going to get more development. Sure, they do go a little quickly for some.. but I think its perfect. The storyline is one of my favorites in any game in the face of the earth, and they made it easy for my dumb ass to understand. The two go hand in hand.

4. Artwork/Design: This game... is beautiful. Sure, it's not the most "graphically" beautiful thing compared to today's standards.. but you still have to appreciate it. The bright colors are what do it for me (did I mention I like bright colors?) Just like with the Wind Waker.. I'm a sucker for the beautiful, bold, bright colors. The colors really do set the mood, because they stand out so much. I think it adds emotion to what's going on in the story. You're listening to what's going on.. but you're also seeing it. I'm not much of an artsy person, and so this section  may not be described as technically or as clearly as it maybe should be. it's hard to put into words what I'm trying to express... but do you know what I mean? The design of this game is great too. All of the areas you visit are all vastly different from the last, and each place leaves you with some what of a memorable picture of the area. The world is creative, bright, and diverse. There are no towns or dungeons that are really a gigantic eye sore, and I think the creators and designers worked very hard to make the artwork and colors flow nicely with what's going on in the story. Does this make sense? I don't know. JUST KNOW I THINK THIS GAME IS NICE LOOKING, OKAY?!

5. Music: Now.. I know a lot of video games have nice music. So I guess this one is tough to say that I love it over all video games. Nonetheless, I think it deserves mention. I think the thing that catches my attention most about the music is that it's always so suiting. The music always feels so.. natural. Like it belongs. It's not overdone dramatically to make you pay attention to it... you just take note of it naturally, you know? There's not a lot of "recycling" (putting the same track into a bunch of areas) which I appreciate. It makes each area unique and special, and the tunes just add emotion. It makes an area more dramatic, more devastating, or cheerier. I think good music really adds to a game, and I very much enjoyed the music that were incorporated into this game. Again, I'm not a huge music "expert", but just know that again, this game has some very fitting music.

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There it is guys.. I know it seems like I just wrote a damn essay, but I could easily go on. I have spent over 800 hours of my life time playing this game (although arguably, I think it was paused for a good chunk of that time), and I never get any less tired of the game each time I pick up that controller. Every time I pick that controller up.. and I see the game come up on my TV.. I smile all over. Maybe this is a creepy fascination with the game I have, or maybe I'm simply crazy. All I know is that, as a gamer there are games that you like.. and games that you dislike. Then... there are games that you love. Games that make you want to play the next game, and the ten more to follow. The games that you love.. inspire you to keep going. To find the next game to make it in to your "I love this game so much" list. Tales of Symphonia made me fall head over heels in love with the RPG genre. It has touched me in ways I never thought possible, and there will never be enough words to describe how much I love it. I will keep searching to find my new "Tales of Symphonia" - a new game that makes it right up there on the list of things that are more to me then just a video game. It's like reading a good book.. or watching a really inspiring movie. Sure, it's just a book.. just a movie.. or just a video game, but there are connections that you make that nobody could rob from you.

I don't know if I'd ever do a Let's Play of this game.. because I hold it so sacred. I feel that I could never do the game justice, and that my work would never be good enough. I think that when you love something..  you tend to critique yourself harder then you normally would because you want to give back to something that gave you so much. I'm still in a toss up about it.. maybe in the future when I am 100% comfortable with my abilities as a Let's Player. Either way, I've wasted enough of your valuable time. I know this was incredibly long, but thank you so much to anybody who bothered to read this whole thing! Kudos to you!

Leave something in the comments telling me what your favorite game of all time is and what it means to you! Am I the only one who has a crazy obsession with a game like this? Probably. But if not, I'll feel a little better about myself! Thanks everybody.