Genre: Action, Drama, Martial Arts
Audio: Cantonese
Subtitle(s): English
Extras: Previews
File Size: 1.52 GB
Run: Approx. 1 hour, 47 minutes
Personal Rating: 96%
Screenshots: Right-click and open to a new tab or window

MEDIAFIRE:
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MEGAUPLOAD:
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Links are interchangeable.

Genre: Action, Animation
Audio: Japanese, English
Subtitle(s): English
Extras: Final Fantasy XIII English trailer, Final Fantasy Agito XIII trailer
File Size: 1.95 GB
Run: Approx. 2 hours, 6 minutes
Personal Rating: 87%
Screenshots: Right-click and open to a new tab or window

MEDIAFIRE:
part 1
part 2
part 3
part 4
part 5
part 6
part 7
part 8
part 9
part 10
part 11
part 12
part 13
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MEGAUPLOAD:
part 1
part 2
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part 9
part 10
part 11
part 12
part 13
part 14
part 15
part 16
part 17
part 18
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part 20

Links are interchangeable.

As if laptops aren’t portable enough, smaller versions called ‘netbooks’ have to be created. This actually started when the non-profit OLPC (One Laptop Per Child) program considered portable internet access to be a driving factor in improving child education, especially to developing countries that have less fortunate children. Hence, through the program, the organization behind it able to fabricate a light-weight, low-cost, child-friendly laptop — OLPC XO — later on referred to as a ‘subnotebook’. Eventually, Intel saw the potential and developed their own Classmate PC.

Later on, ASUS released an OLPC-inspired version for retail consumers called Eee PC, booming some time late 2007 since bulky laptops and overpriced UMPCs (Ultra-mobile PCs) are on opposite corners with nothing filling the gap — then everybody else got in on the bandwagon and the netbook began munching off market shares of its portable computer brethren.

Netbooks are primarily designed to be machines of greater portability and affordability, with stellar wireless internet connectivity, packing the most fundamental applications that the average user can’t live without at the same time. With more powerful iterations coming out lately, there has been a small blur between laptops and netbooks as far as specifications go. You’d only be able to distinguish a netbook by its common size; something between a spring notebook and a magazine.

The Acer Aspire One line is one example. From our point-of-view, I don’t think that’s a problem, furthermore when this forces laptop prices to go down at netbook range just so they could stay in the competition. The D150 model, specifically, has nearly everything the low- to middle-class laptop can offer:

*Dimensions: 27 mm (h) x 255 mm (w) x 183 mm (d)
*Intel Atom N270 ‘Diamondville’ 1.6 GHz processor (533 MHz FSB)
*10.1″ WSVGA CrystalBrite glossy TFT display, 1024×600 resolution
*160 GB Toshiba MK1652GSX HDD, 5400 rpm
*1 GB DDR2 533/667 MHz SDRAM memory (2 GB max)
*Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset main board
*Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) 950 graphics adapter
*Realtek HD Audio sound card
*0.3 Megapixel webcam (built-in)
*EDR Bluetooth 2.0 (built-in)
*Microphone (built-in)
*Microphone and earphone jack
*Atheros AR8121/AR8113/AR8114 PCI-E Ethernet Controller (10/100 MBit)
*Atheros AR5007ED 802.11 b/g wireless LAN
*USB 2.0 port (x3)
*Multi-in-one card reader (SD/MMC/MS/MSPRO/xD)
*6-cell Lithium-Ion battery pack, 5200 mAh
*Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP3
*MS Office XP Home and Student 2007 (60-day trial)
*McAfee SecurityCenter (60-day trial)

One common trade-off for added portability of a netbook is the absence of an optical drive. Since a netbook’s architecture is shrunk, there’s little space left to include a disc drive. And since it’s smaller, the keyboard is somewhat condensed — with the keys a bit reduced in size while trying to retain controls by adding more multi-function buttons. The keyboard layout of the D150 and its predecessor (the 9-inch model) are very similar, which became an issue since the update sports a wider frame. However, the buttons at the sides of the touchpad have been moved down where they should be, but the new flat design makes it hard and rather uncomfortable to click. A plus, though, is the Bluetooth button feature, making it easier to turn on and off when needed. Overall, the controls mostly still fall into the usual traps of a netbook, which can make navigating and typing uncomfortable and conventionally non-ergonomic. You could buy a USB mouse to cover the touchpad problem, but you still have the miniaturized keyboard to contend with — where your hands get busy most of the time.

Performance-wise, this netbook doesn’t disappoint. Sure, the Intel Atom can technically carry out half the tasks per given time compared to the Pentium M, but it’s barely noticeable. I’ve tried opening Firefox 3.0 with at least 6 tabs open, download from a torrent file, run anti-virus softwares from the background, encode a video, and watch a movie all at the same time. It can even hold its own during simultaneous operation of several heavy apps like Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 and Photoshop CS3 with minimal or no slowdown. I’ve learned (though haven’t personally tried) that this can also play a 1080p video file, even if it lags a little, which is quite staggering for a netbook nonetheless. Basic application usage is obviously well-covered.

If only the extra 3-cell battery pack doesn’t stick out, the keyboard spreads wider, and the screen doesn’t reflect the sunlight so much; this would be a very good buy. But considering the prices Acer placed on their netbooks, the cons just even out with the pros. Bottom line: if money is an issue, this model’s your best bet; if not, then there are a few out there that address these issues better and have most of the good features for a higher price. Acer rocks with its software array, especially the eRecovery Management tool — restoring a possible virus-infested OS to factory settings in no time — couple that with strong hardware support, and you’ve got a headstrong, light-weight computing machine.

Personal Score: 89%

If the DS is the mobile gaming genius, then the PSP is the on-the-go multimedia juggernaut that every audiophile and videophile would worship. About two years ago, Sony released a redesign of the processing monster — replacing the chubby architecture with a curvier shape and trimmed width. Not only is it powerful; it’s sexy.

So what exactly does Sony have over Nintendo that’s taking the male population by storm? Three things: testosterone-induced games (fighting, sports, racing, etc.), sixth-gen console graphics (see PS2, GCN, or XBox), and a huge screen (4.3 inch TFT widescreen). The screen is especially noteworthy. In fact, it’s the first thing you’ll notice on the device, which is even hard to ignore. Thankfully, it’s optimized not just for gaming, but also for movie-watching. The handheld has a hatch at the back where your game or movie copy should go.

PSP standard media format is the UMD (Universal Media Disc), which is a disc slightly smaller than the GameCube’s (but can hold a lot more data — 1.8 GB of it); encased for piracy and scratch protection. If you can’t always afford to buy DVD-like quality movies and games on UMD, you can always resort to software support. The PSP lets you store and play back MP4 movies from the Memory Stick. As for the games, you need your unit hacked to make it a bit programming-friendly. Once that’s done, you can simply download soft copies of games over the web and go nuts.

Being a powerful and portable processing device, along with an open-source structure after hacking, the PSP can be more. In fact, it offers the widest emulation menu (supporting classic games from past consoles like the NES, SNES, Sega, N64, and even PSX) that you can grab and use anywhere. Most of its core games may be crap, but the emulation potential is indeed worth the expense.

The handheld also plays back music, to excite your auditory sense, much like any other MP3 device out there; displays photos with a slideshow feature; and connect to the net via wi-fi. Oh yeah, most mobile electronics have these nowadays. But they’re still a fine welcome on top of a delightful visual buffet in store.

On a 2-hour charge, you can get roughly about 6 to 7 hours of non-stop use, which isn’t really bad if you consider the amount of power it demands to light up that huge, crisp display. Between the previous design and the 2000 (Slim & Lite), the only major difference apart the thickness and weight is the replacement of the eject slide with the wi-fi slide as well as the location of the speakers. You can open the UMD hatch by just a mere pull like you would an oven toaster. Standard gaming buttons like the d-pad and shape buttons now have a more tactile feel for enhanced control. In addition, you can also hook up the unit to the TV with a special A/V jack in case you feel the PSP screen isn’t enough.

It may feel corny to own a PSP (since almost everyone you bump into probably has one already), but with the things you can do with it, that can be overlooked. As far as I’m concerned, I’m quite satisfied with it. The ability to watch movies in widescreen and play my most cherished PSX games even from my rooftop? Priceless. Thanks, Sony.

Personal Score: 91%

Whenever anyone hears the name Sony, TVs come to mind. If it’s Microsoft, definitely PCs. But when the word Nintendo is mentioned, there’s no doubt that the only thing that can be associated with it are video games — and with good reason too. This untouchable industry player has been up on its knees since the 80′s: from the undeniably nostalgic Game & Watch to the flexibility of the Game Boy series, Nintendo isn’t just keeping its console line noteworthy; it also makes a ground-breaking effort to cater entertainment to on-the-go gamers. A few years back, it released a revolutionary handheld system that dares to take gameplay experience to another level.

Called the Nintendo DS, its sheer look and size may be a bit of a turn-off — prompting a remodel later on so named DS Lite. The noticeable differences between DS Lite and its original form were improvements on aesthetics, ergonomics, and functionality. The word ‘DS’ means ‘dual-screen’, which is what exactly what the handheld has. The form of the handheld takes a clamshell design, where the top portion houses a 3.0″ TFT 260,000 color screen and stereo speakers, while the bottom part have the basic control buttons (similar to the SNES) and an analog touch screen with the same size and resolution as the top screen. This handheld still goes cartridge all the way, though it can now hold a lot more data. It has two ports: Slot 1 for standard DS games located at the back, and Slot 2 for GBA carts — supporting a little backward compatibility — which is situated in front.

The DS uses both typical and touch screen controls, where the latter is used more often. Using the touch screen requires the assistance of a handy stylus, kept hidden seamlessly at the side of the unit. Although using your fingers would do just fine, just not as effective due to the screen size and game orientation. Also, the stylus has been enlarged a bit compared before to reduce finger strains during prolonged playtime. Making the stylus the primary control feature of the handheld, it’s obvious that the form is similar to holding a pen as if you are prepared to write something. That said, DS games that are stylus-heavy can be very sensitive to account for the user’s left- or right-handedness, even cuing an option to set the game’s orientation for convenience.

The hardware also features a microphone, this time moved right at the middle of the hinge in-between two screens. Vocal command comes into play not that much, but when it’s used, it certainly adds a unique touch in the gameplay. Inputs could result triggering an event or performing character actions.

Most of the time, games are played on standard view. However, there are some that are rotated a quarter turn, and the only way to play them is to turn the unit sideways, just as you would hold a book. The DS’s screens are a pair utilized in the most creative of ways. Of course, what happens from the top screen is different from below, but they usually go hand-in-hand. For instance, the bottom screen may be the main game screen, while the top shows the map. Or one could show a different angle or a different event from the other. The DS may not be the first to feature a touch function for gameplay integration, but Nintendo’s use of it, coupled with the presence of two screens, is awe-inspiring.

Graphically, DS games may look a bit plain compared to Sony’s PSP with a PSOne-ish visual engine, but heck — graphics aren’t everything. Even the simplest games like sudoku and spot-the-difference plays amazingly with the DS’s innovative gameplay system. And that’s not all. There are tons both the DS itself and its games provide that would appeal to a huge market. For those who enjoy peer competition over single-player games, they can make use of the unit’s wireless capabilities via hotspot or directly with other nearby DS units. What’s more, there are other software that provide instruction for different things of interest like foreign languages and even exercise movements.

With the use of, erm, illegal methods like ready-to-use hacking tools (*cough* EDGE *cough* or *cough* R4 *cough*), adding video and audio media for a wider entertainment menu can be possible. Bottom line: this one can take any cutting-edge mobile gaming device out there anytime. Anyone who thinks the PSP is better obviously haven’t played any of the DS games.

Personal Score: 95%

Unlike the competition, the GameCube is relatively small for such a powerful system. It cannot fit in regular-sized discs (12 cm.), but mini discs (8 cm.) — which means you can’t play an audio CD on it nor watch movies. The console is meant for gaming alone whilst trying to avoid the issue of piracy implied by the disc specifications. Naturally, the smaller the disc, the less data it can contain (1.5 GB to be technical). Having the capability to present better graphics than the PS2, expect some games to split on two or more discs.

Don’t let the medium turn you off. It pairs quite well with the console, especially when it can load games seamlessly. As for the games themselves, celebrated favorites like Mario, Zelda, Star Fox, and Metroid return for more astounding gameplay along with new winning titles that add to the Nintendo library — no matter how narrow it may be. Despite its short list of games, the GameCube still triumphs to showcase ones that can mostly be treasured compared to its contenders.

Being a long-time PlayStation gamer, switching to the GC’s controller transitioned pretty well. Maybe the layout of both controllers are pretty identical to each other. The only thing missing was the Select button (which I think was replaced by pushing Start + A at the same time). All in all, the GameCube would easily appeal to any gamer, no matter how hardcore. It’s small; easier to carry and prepare for your next gaming session, yet impressive. Truly, size isn’t everything with this one.

Personal Score: 91%

Now, Symbian technology pushes farther with their Nseries line, which makes cellphones less than what they merely were and more like a computer. One that I have right now; the N93, packs a heavy blow. It was priced around PhP40,000 in its debut nearly two years ago, and now; phased out for some reason, is priced less than half that — if you’re lucky to even get a glance at a new one.

So what could be expected from a phone of the N93′s stature? First and foremost; an improved camera over its predecessors. It sports a 3.15 or so Megapixel (2048 x 1536 photo resolution) digital camera strengthened by the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens. Not only that. It also has a 3x optical zoom for both still and moving camera functions, while having 20x and 8x digital zoom, respectively. What else; its ARM 11 processor boasts a clock rate of 332 MHz (almost as fast as the PSP) that’s fully complemented by a 50 MB flash memory and 64 MB SDRAM. The phone runs on Symbian OS 9.1; 3rd edition of the Series 60 platform.

That may be gibberish to a common audience, but it simply means it has the potential to be great in both execution speed and film capture. How about looking at the more obvious parts, then? With great features, sometimes, come great compromise. And with its dimensions of approximately 118 mm x 55.5 mm x 28 mm, it most probably won’t fit into anyone’s pocket comfortably. Plus, it’s heavier than your average mobile device. In my case, I can actually live with those since I’m not actually a small guy. Besides, I appreciate the extra weight because it reminds me that it isn’t hollow and is real, and it should be handled carefully.

Another thing great about this phone is its flexibility; form-wise, in the literal sense. The N93 has four looks — Fold-closed mode, Fold-open mode, Imaging mode, and, my favorite, View mode (or ‘Laptop mode’ for others). And its flexibility is made possible by multiple hinge placements between the base and top hatch. It’s like a character from the Transformers show.

Let’s tackle each one progressively…

Fold-closed mode
This form can be considered ‘passive’ or ‘idle.’ People who aren’t doing much with the phone normally puts it in this mode. However, small functions can be made with it. On the top hatch lies a small, 1.1 inch 128 x 36 pixel display that is able to show 65,536 different colors. With it, the user can click on a button on the side to check if there were messages, missed calls, or any other notice during the phone’s idle state. That said, the user can also see the caller’s name and, if included, picture during a call. Profiles can also be changed with scroll keys also located on the side.

Fold-open mode
The standard phone state. Upon opening the top hatch, a 2.4 inch 320 x 240 (QVGA) TFT screen that has the ability to show 262,144 different colors is revealed. Its vibrance and sharpness is to be acknowledged. The keypad is similar to the 1100 model, which feels good to click. Other included buttons are the standard Selection keys, 5-way scroll keys, Menu key, Clear key, Edit key, Call key, and End key.

The top hatch can swing away with two stretches: the 90-degree lock and the 160-degree lock. The 90-degree puts the phone in an L position that is perfect for laying the base on a surface higher than the elbow level and click away. The 160-degree lock puts the phone in its regular position for clicking while being held. Although for me, I work on the digits by laying the phone on a flat surface, in the 160-degree lock, as well.

In the Standby screen, an Active Display; included with every Nseries model, shows 6 most used applications of the phone. The user can personalize which to put and in which order. Other elements are calendar entries for the day to serve as a reminder and the wi-fi status. Selection keys are normally set for other favored functions as well.

Contacts stores nearly every necessary information — like cellphone numbers, landline numbers, name, address, etc. — of the user’s familiars. They can also be grouped for an easier relaying method; separated with a tab.

Messaging contains the usual text sending options, the inbox, outbox, drafts, and sent messages; among others. The N93 unit uses Bluetooth 2.0 for wireless file transfers in the immediate area as well as the returning infrared feature, device synchronization for transfer of important phone documents, as well as a device manager. These features are still located in the connectivity folder.

The Gallery, as many Nokia users know, holds most of the phone’s multimedia content. It houses pictures, videos, and audio tracks. Images and video are compiled in one compartment and is scrolled through an active cycle that shows the filename, date, and size when highlighted. Simple video and photo editing can also be performed upon choosing from image or video options.

The office folder consists of applications that can be associated with work. Here, you can choose to read MS Word documents, view PowerPoint presentations, or scan spreadsheets. There is also a handy PDF reader, a file compressing application we know as the Zip, and a not-so-noteworthy Barcode Reader for deciphering block-type codes.

The Calendar holds reminders, notes, to-do stuff; all featuring an audio alert of your own choice.

Tools usually keeps settings functions, device information, and other useful software to help keep you on your toes regarding proper phone.use, care, and personalization.

The My Own folder is something new with the Nseries, and it contains fun applications, extras, and third-party software that the user installs. Adding to the list is the LifeBlog, which accounts for new changes the user makes to the phone and the incoming and outgoing messages; to name some. It can also be transferred to the web for documentation and public view.

Another great thing about this unit is the presence of the IEEE 802.11 b/g wireless LAN or wi-fi; which logs on to the Net better than the network-dependent WCDMA. Upon Web browsing, your screen is provided with a mini-map that helps the user to see the page in a larger view than the screen allows during navigation.

Imaging mode
This mode goes in play when the phone is put in the L position, while the main camera faces opposite the user, the turning the top hatch sideways so that the screen faces the user. With the phone’s appearance now similar to a camcorder becomes more so because of a complimentary lens cap that can be leashed to the base’s edge to avoid getting it lost. The side buttons also become dedicated keys for this mode. There is the Shoot button, for photo capture and video recording, surrounded the Zoom ring. This ring has a trigger that zooms in when nudged upwards and zooms out otherwise. Other buttons include mini 5-way keys for settings navigation and calibration. Below those are the photo-video toggle button and the flash button.

The main camera; located on the edge of the barrel, has an auto-focus function that can capture a maximum resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels, supported by an LED flash for darker environments. The LED, however, can’t produce sufficient light to get the best results in such situations. A light sensor, which determines the lighting condition, automatically adjusts the exposure of the subject so that the shot would give better output. When returned to the Fold-open position, the secondary or internal camera is switched. The shots produced by this are on an untweakable 640 x 480 (VGA) resolution, which produced poor-quality pictures under moderate lighting, in my observation, compared to older Nokia phone models. Despite the presence of the Carl Zeiss lens, the N93 is still below par with official digital cameras. The fault could’ve been with how the phone’s software processes the images. Even in decent lighting, noise levels on N93 shots are higher than true digital cameras.

The maximum setting for video recording is an MP4 format with a resolution of 640 x 480 (VGA) at 30 fps using AAC sound at 48 kHz. The maximum single recording length is approximately 60 minutes. The lowest setting for video capture is a 3GPP format with 176 x 144 (QCIF) resolution at 11 fps using AMR sound at 12 kHz. Video mode also comes with the ‘video stabilization’ option, which helps maintain video quality for shaky handlers. The LED can also function in this mode, where clicking it once will activate it for 1.5 seconds and clicking it twice will do so for 3 minutes. This LED feature is also available for the Fold-closed mode, which makes the diode act as a temporary flashlight.

Again, once the top hatch is swiveled back to the Fold-open mode during video recording, the internal camera; that records in the lowest, non-adjustable video format, will activate.

View mode
One of the phone’s defining assets, this mode is perfect browsing other than anything. Convenience is emphasized by the needless additional support to sit the phone on a fixed position. During View mode, the orientation of the screen is automatically adjusted, putting everything on landscape. Videos are also instantly put on full screen upon playing, which says a lot for video enthusiasts like myself.

Everything’s perfect… Well, almost. What’s lacking in this mode is the rearrangement of the key functions, especially the keypad. N93′s brother; the N92, has this. I’m not sure why Nokia excluded that feature, but it would’ve been easier if the consumer has that available on this model as well. The addition of two more Selection keys located near the screen, near the internal camera, helps a bit but doesn’t do the feature enough justice.

Other things to look out for…
That’s it for the forms and uses of specific applications in those forms, but the review isn’t over yet. I haven’t taken note of the TV out yet; which is another great feature of the phone. Apart from the Pop-port’s USB connectivity, it’s also used to link the phone to the TV through semi-analogue cables. And it’s as easy as connecting your phone charger to the outlet.

As the unit attaches to the TV, whatever is flashed on the phone screen is also flashed on the TV. This is excellent for watching high-quality videos, playing games, viewing pictures, and surfing the internet.

What a package, huh?

The N93 isn’t without hitches. A common complaint is the software’s frequent crashing or freezing. Although there is a firmware update online, I’m not sure if it fixes the problem entirely. Another is the slow switch between still and moving cameras and back. This also might’ve been addressed by the update, but I have to try it for myself first before making a conclusion.

However fragile this phone looks and feels, considering the moving parts as priority, it’s quite durable. I’ve dropped this once — the sorriest moment of my life to date — and all functions appear to run like normal. Of course, I’m unsure if that will still hold true in the future. Hopefully, it does.

Overall, this phone is more than enough for an amateur multimedia aficionado like me. It can pretty much level with multimedia output when juxtapositioned with specialized hardwares. Mind you, this phone doesn’t just double as a camera or a video recorder, it also has other functions that no other device has in one package, not to mention the mobility. Nowadays, phones are on a class of their own — versatile, ambitious, and continuously improving at a rapid rate. Despite being almost two years out in the market; marking this review, the N93 still holds its ground around the top.

Personal Score: 90%

PS2 was the first console to feature backward-compatibility, meaning it can play games from the PS library. It also has an added DVD video playback, so if anyone wants to take a break from a game and replace it with a movie, they can just as easy.

Later on, when the Dreamcast was out of the picture because of lack of third-party support, Nintendo and Microsoft released their own versions of 128-bit strength, calling them Gamecube and Xbox respectively. The two surpassed the PS2 when it comes to juice. In the race, the PS2 was dead last due to its problems about keeping the framerate consistency and the inferior texturing ability compared to the other two. Therefore, multiplatform games look better on the competition; noticable when live samples of the three are placed side-by-side. Another cause for the PS2′s slowdown on framerate, aside from the lower clock rate, is its internal structure design.

From those problems, the PS2, however, has survived until even the release of all the new generation of consoles. With strong backup from huge names in the game-developing industry, the PS2 stood tall. It has appealed countless people with its extensive list of games that neither Nintendo nor Microsoft can conjure. Add that to the already available PS games that captivated a large percent of the gamers worldwide, and it’s virtually invincible. The PS brand has become a favorite. When console gaming comes to mind, PlayStation will be the first thing to appear. Bottom line: the PS2 is the most versatile machine of its time.

Personal Score: 90%

Looking for a game that’s simple yet different? If you’re someone who enjoys sitting at one corner while trying to solve crossword puzzles and riddles, then you’d probably like what the DS has in store. It’s none other than Professor Layton and the Curious Village. In the game, you play as the puzzle expert Hershel Layton along with his young pupil and assistant named Luke. Summoned to a village called St. Mystere, you were asked to help discover the whereabouts of a late baron’s riches through a mysterious object stated in the will.

So how well does the story come together with the puzzles? I’d say rather balanced. In fact, the number of puzzles you have to solve move in good pace with the story, which doesn’t feel half-baked at all. There’s even a nice build-up that would keep you from putting the game down, if the puzzles themselves can’t do the job. Furthermore, key plot points are accompanied by well-animated cutscenes coupled with superb voice acting that serve as a treat for the player, so getting a stiff presentation is definitely out.

You’ll encounter a total of 120 puzzles in the main quest — some are essential for moving forward, some you can solve later, and some you’ll have to find first. Layton games revolve on the idea of investigation, and controlling the professor and Luke involves a lot of touch-screen tapping. You tap certain icons to initiate movement, tap people you wish to talk with, and tap the environment to discover hidden things or clues.

Most of the time, the characters you come across with have at least one puzzle to give you. Each puzzle’s difficulty is measured by Picarats — the higher; the tougher. Once you fail a puzzle and retry, the number of Picarats go down; which would continue one more time until you finally solve it. Luckily, up to three hints are available for every puzzle but with one catch: you have to buy one with a Hint Coin. These Hint Coins are fortunately scattered throughout the whole village, where each part of town can contain up to four, depending on which story chapter you’re at. To find them, you have to tap around the area — just as you would to find a hidden puzzle.

All puzzles come in different varieties to keep you interested. Types include sliding, picking an answer from given choices, drawing, writing, and dragging. Every one is designed to test your ability to observe, reason, and understand things.

The game can take about 15 hours, more or less, to finish. Once you’re done with the story, there are more things to do that will keep you occupied. One would be getting access to even harder puzzles that becomes available in the Bonuses section by completing in-game mini puzzles and/or finishing the story. Another is the option to download weekly puzzles via wi-fi, which don’t reward you with Picarats or anything in form — they’re just around to give an extra challenge. Although my favorite would be the media compilation of every musical theme, character profile, cutscene, and some others found playing the story.

In the end, Professor Layton and the Curious Village is game that’s quite a mouthful to say, but has the promise to spark an interest in all gamers; young and old. Exercise the brain muscle and be entertained at once? Not many games can do that. The only setback I had was wishing the story went on a bit longer. Other than that, it’s a piece of work. Hopefully, the sequel will be way more satisfying. That is, if those Americans haven’t scrapped the localization project yet.

Personal Score: 93%

One of the most celebrated PS2 games of its time, I never knew how great this game was until I tried it. In fact, I only became aware of this one when it was about to come out. Yet after hearing about it — completely oblivious of what the gameplay even looks like — I slightly ignored it and continued to anticipate the games that I was waiting for. Maybe the boredom I felt from playing FFX and its snoozefest sequel was still lingering in my head. However, after successfully pushing myself to give the series another shot, I felt the same thing when I played FFVII for the first time — the experience that drew me to admire the series in the first place. Since its release, I think this title helped me see why the franchise has such a grand reputation in the first place.

Unlike most games in the FF series, FFXII doesn’t focus on one character. It, instead, pours every effort in making both plot and gameplay very engaging. The story starts with a small nation, caught in the middle of the war of its neighboring lands; Archadia and Rozzaria. Struggling with weaker forces than its brethren, this small nation, called Dalmasca, quickly gets taken over — but not according to agreement. Later on, a young orphan whose only relative dies in war becomes involved in a movement to free the kingdom and its people.

In every Final Fantasy, there are noticeable changes either in presentation or gameplay. FFXII rather takes a bold whack at them. If you’re watching out for random encounters or a shift from navigating characters on an area to a parallel battle screen, you won’t find one here. Instead, you meet and see enemies or monsters along the way as you explore regions in the game. At the same time, the actions you take to fend them off is still turn-based, but running on an active-battle design. This style is inspired by battle systems of popular MMORPGs (Massive Multi-player Online RPGs). Battle systems being a huge defining factor of an FF game, there has been mixed opinions about the change in this installment — with negative comments surfacing more than positive ones. This, thankfully, blends nicely well with the game’s more serious tone.

Another change is the License Board; a platform that displays all the available weapons, accessories, attributes, and anything that is associated with improving a character’s chances to win battles. Unless you obtain the license of a particular ability or gear first, you can’t use any of them in battle.

Fights in FFXII are quite hard to manage if done using typical manual input. This is where the new Gambit system comes in handy. Gambits are customizable predetermined actions that a character can make when a specific condition occurs. Simply put, you program your characters to kind of make decisions of their own in battle to reduce making tedious commands. Furthermore, each programmed action can easily be interrupted by your own manual input at any time if something in the programming suddenly becomes unfit for the situation. As complicated as it sounds, the Gambit setup interface makes it actually easy to grasp.

Actual character and map design was handled by the same group that worked on Vagrant Story and Final Fantasy Tactics, so if character appearances and names are somewhat familiar in FFXII, it’s because the team had incorporated some of the style and detail from those games to this one. The team did a very good job in expressing these characters visually and vocally, and the excellent graphical polish helps. Due to the exceptional facial animation and wonderful voicework, the world of Ivalice where the entire game takes place is fully realized. In fact, there is so much brilliant dialogue to read and hear that you’d hardly believe FFXII is taking place in a fictional environment. FFXII wouldn’t be a Final Fantasy if there weren’t any breathtaking FMV cutscenes around. If one of the highlights of playing an FF game for you are the cutscenes, then prepare for ultimate satisfaction. FFXII has some of the most stunning ones using the best art direction and choreography that Square can dish out yet.

The decision to tackle a serious plot over the individuality of the characters that would probably lead to a corny underlining love story was a good call, not that the characters weren’t sufficiently individualized at all. There are a number of other things you do in the game, which takes about more than thrice the time of the main plot to complete them. They include hunting Marks — where the game’s most notorious beasts can be found — participating in the Rare Game, reaching the highest rank, and tons more. And it wouldn’t be much of an RPG if this game didn’t have sidequests as such.

FFXII was the rebirth of the series in the PS2, and the glorified version of it in the form of the limited-time release Collector’s Edition just showed how much value this game has. Its tin case coupled with the engraved label — which also holds a bonus DVD showcasing team interviews, trailers, a history of every FF game that came before it, and much more — gives gamers the opportunity to own the game the best possible way. Even without these extras, the game is a gem by itself. It’s a must-own and a must-play. It’s also the best one I’ve played in ages.

Personal Score: 97%

One of the first DS titles also happens to be one of the best racing and all-fun game in any handheld and console alike. So how could something as repetitive as a racing game be that ground-breaking, you ask? Throw in a cast of wacky yet memorable characters to choose from, theme-inspired tracks, and an arsenal of items you can use for either an offensive or defensive strategy and there you have it.

However different and entertaining as they all sound, this is not something new in the video game world. Mario Kart has been around for more than a decade; making its debut in nearly every Nintendo system since the SNES. This means that each new Mario Kart game introduced should possess an outstanding feature for it to surpass its predecessors.

What is new this time is the availability of online play and local wireless competition where up to 8 players can participate — even if only one has the game card. Also, there has been a couple of additions in the items you get in the race like the Spiny Shell (chasing after the lead cart and explodes upon reach) and the Bullet Bill (transforming the user into Bullet Bill, blasting through the track at great speed for a short time and knocks off any unlucky racer in the way). The game features four original cups — two default and two unlockable — plus a collection of select courses from previous Mario Kart titles that came out before. It also has four unlockable characters and up to seven karts for every character available.

While the single player mode can be perpetually thrilling and challenging, the multi-player mode brings fun to new heights, especially if all player slots are filled. In multi-player mode, a host creates a group, gets to pick the game choice (whether to race, take part in the Balloon Battle, or compete for Sun Sprites), sets the rules, and chooses the battle stage. Using DS Download Play, the options for those who don’t have the game card are very limited. However, if every participant has one, everything that has been unlocked in the game can be used for advantage and personalization.

Who can’t love this game? Even I, who thinks that playing any racing game would be a trip to boringville, love it. Lucky for me, 8 of us at the office have a DS and we all compete in this game whenever we get the chance — and oh, how often that chance arises. Blowing up balloons in the Balloon Battle through the microphone alone is a novelty moment, much more when we all chase each other for survival. This game is almost perfect. The only thing regretful is the lag during multi-player sessions, though non-frequent. In standard play, the game runs in a very nice, smooth frame rate — 60 fps as I’ve read.

If you have a DS and you think racing games are a drag to play — no pun intended — this one will change your mind. It’s truly one that will deserve your library just with the single player mode alone. Once you’ve gotten used to the racing quirks of this game, you’d be wanting to find a worthy contender to race with online or just around your bend.

My Mario Kart DS friend code: 429679-519896

Personal Score: 99%

Set the DS sound to maximum and ready your stylus because this is one game that will get your groove on. From the Dance Dance Revolution fame, timing-based music games can now come to a size that fits your palm. So how does it deliver? Very well.

Depending on the difficulty you choose, you end up with a variety of three representatives from a special government agency aimed to address people who cry for help. Basically, you motivate people overcome situations, that can otherwise be accomplished by themselves, through dance executions. The agents come alive as you successfully complete each marker, chained one after another, throughout the entire song. The higher the difficulty setting, the more markers you have to deal with in quantity and assortment.

The top screen displays the outcome of your efforts that reflect success or failure in comic-style presentation, while all the gameplay input goes on at the bottom screen. The key to ending each sequence is rhythm. If you don’t know the song very well, it could take you more than a couple of tries to at least get it right.

The challenge is to keep the gauge from falling down to the red area of the line — hits bump the cursor away from it and misses kick it down. Precise completion of each marker will award you of up to 300 points; not-so-precise successful inputs will give you as low as 50. At the end of each mission, you are graded for your performance. Stringing high scores will move your rank up, unlocking new songs after a certain number of rank upgrades is achieved. There are more than 10 songs and missions included in a standard game, which would be more than enough to keep you busy. Progress is automatically saved after each mission you take on.

Because the importation of the Japanese-exclusive DS game entitled Osu! Tatakae! Ouendan were spiking, its creators thought it would be a splendid idea to make a westernized counterpart of its sequel; all redone to cater to non-Japanese gamers — or the EBA we know today. And man were they right.

Tying the game’s rhythmic element to the handheld’s touch feature is like a match made in heaven — seamless and offers entertainment to the greatest level no matter where you go. Just make sure your DS unit is equipped with a formidable screen guard if you don’t want the touch screen getting skids and swirls after extensive playtime.

Personal Score: 95%

At first glance, you’d think Hotel Dusk is actually a horror game from the misleading title to the box cover. Nevertheless, it’s still an interesting find. You play as Kyle Hyde, an ex-cop who tries to track down his former partner when he learned that his body never showed up after shooting him for his betrayal. About to lose hope, he hits a place called Hotel Dusk during his assignment as a salesman, where he suddenly feels all his questions will be answered there.

The game runs like a point-and-click PC adventure, but you move Kyle through his representation on the touch screen along the map laid out like a floor plan, as you hold the handheld sideways. On the other screen, you get a 3D first-person view of the surrounding you’re in. The point of the game is to investigate everything and find clues that will lead to the answers, which manifests itself through key areas in the place that you can look closer into and individually inspect. Other actions involve using the door icon for every door you get close to, jotting notes into your handy pad, and talking to the people you bump into.

There are a handful of other characters who are checked in at Hotel Dusk and later on, you’ll find out that everyone of them has something to hide — each one you have to discover in order to progress the story. There are points in your conversations where you’ll be required to input lines that could either move things forward or run you in circles. On some, pick the wrong line and you get kicked out, which means it’s game over.

There are quite plenty of puzzle solving sequences that can be found in-between events of the game — a few use the DS’s technical features like the built-in microphone and the unit’s folding mechanism. While most of the puzzles can be easy to figure out, there are definitely a handful that are brain teasers. However, none that are too difficult that would force you to quit playing. On the 3D plane during inspections, there are moments where the rough textures get in the way. Sometimes, an object becomes hard to distinguish from the ones beside it as it becomes quite blocky when you move in close. However, the ability to pan out to a particular angle makes them forgivable.

The first thing you’ll notice when you start the game is the stylish sketch-like presentation of the characters. Most of the time, they are displayed in black-and-white; always combined with colored pre-rendered backgrounds. This touch makes them stand out even more, especially with the cut-out appearance they show. It’s a good thing the style isn’t the only winning characteristic of the game. The way the story goes has a way of pulling you in. Couple that with clever dialogue that creates a genuine personality for each of the game’s characters, and you’ve got excellent entertainment.

Some parts that involve getting in a conversation may be a bit draggy since the people you meet tend to linger quite a lot on what they wanted to say, but that won’t really keep you from playing deeper. Depending on how good you are with the puzzles and how keen you are on surrounding details, gameplay will take you around 10 to 15 hours before you finish. DS owners who are intrigued with good story-telling and compelling mystery-solving will be more than pleased to play this one.

Personal Score: 84%

If you haven’t seen this in any game store shelf before, then maybe it’s because this wasn’t meant to be sold. You can either get this only as a bundle, if you registered two games at Nintendo.com, or renewing a subscription to Nintendo Power last 2003. So I guess the only way you’d get it is by buying it off from someone who has it.

So what’s so special about this? Well, it only has four classic Zelda games along with a 20-minute Wind Waker demo plus a couple of extra vids. Two of the four games that are in this package are the original NES The Legend of Zelda and Zelda II: Link’s Adventure titles; reprogrammed to fit the GCN controller. The other two are the revolutionary The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time and its direct sequel; The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask. The compilation itself is worth having for Ocarina of Time alone, since it gives gamers who missed the first ever 3D Zelda the opportunity to play it — now more than ever, with the doubled resolution of 640×480.

Other than those, people who were lucky to get this collection will also have the chance to get their hands of a Wind Waker demo; especially fitting if you think its cartoony take is ruining the series. Also included are two videos: A Zelda retrospective (showing all the Zelda titles that have come out up to The Wind Waker) and a Wind Waker montage special.

With just one disc containing all of the greatest Zelda games ever, it’s weird that they didn’t include A Link to the Past — a gripe shared also by others faithful to the franchise. But like I mentioned; it’s four games in one disc. It’ll be a while before you could burn through all of them. It’s also meant to be free (sucks for us who don’t live in the States). These said, it’s a must-own for all Zelda followers. If you don’t have it, inspect every online auction site and get it right away.

Personal Score: 92%

Move over, Mario. Luigi has the floor now.

When the GameCube launched, a Mario game wasn’t one of the starter titles. Instead, the console’s intro was left in the hands of his underexposed brother, Luigi, this time around. So how did it go? Pretty well. Luigi’s Mansion became the game that displayed what can be expected from the little purple Cube, no matter how young launch titles naturally are at presenting themselves graphically.

You start the game with no other than the puzzled and frightened Luigi; walking past creepy tree after tree, hoping to locate the house that he won from a mysterious contest. Getting to the prize (which turns out to be a haunted mansion), he learns that Mario is also being kept somewhere in the spook-infested domicile and to reach him, all ghosts need to be cleared of first.

Helping Luigi on his quest is the mildly enthusiastic specter scientist, Professor E. Gadd. Aided by his invention, you use a special vacuum equipment designed to suck ectoplasmic beings. Low-level ghosts can easily be pulled in by pointing a flashlight immediately followed by the vacuum, but there are also those of higher level that require more effort to be contained successfully. Basically, story progression rides on exploring every detailed room of the game and vanquishing every dwelling ghost of them. The game objectives and mechanics may be very simply, but the actual experience can immerse you deeper than you could have imagined.

The first thing you’d probably notice from your first hour of playtime is how the environment reacts to certain scenarios. Dust kicks up when Luigi kind of jogs across platforms, objects cast a shadow that follows the direction of a light source, table cloths and hanged towels can be pulled in depending on how much vacuum power is used — just to name some. Attention to detail has been an obvious investment on this game, especially evident whenever Luigi unlocks a door. For a launch title, Luigi’s Mansion surpasses the usual benchmark both in visual appeal and playing experience. Despite the GCN’s demise more than two years ago, the game still remains strong and able to deliver the impression it wanted when it first came out.

Personal Score: 81%

Nearly after 6 years from its PlayStation debut comes the revamped version, oddly enough, for the GameCube — with all the visual upgrade and a few minor changes. Being a fan of the series, I can’t help but notice a few things about this game that didn’t just quite level with my expectations. Sure, the graphics have improved and the addition of being able to shoot in first-person view is great, but what happened to voice cast?

Naomi, Mei Ling, and Nastasha all lost their respective accents. Now, they all sound so… American. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but having played the original MGS, I felt like this one was a bit of a cheap imitation with better graphics. Speaking of which, the visuals was quite the letdown too. Sons of Liberty looked smoother compared to this (which came out about 3 years earlier) and had better character animation, especially on the facial expressions. With the GameCube being superior to the PS2 when it comes to graphical capability; this title just didn’t give it justice.

However, what it lacks due to its mentioned drawbacks, it makes up for in the action department. The difficulty have been ‘upped’ a bit as guards now own up to their reputation of being ‘genome soldiers’. They’re no longer as dumb as before — they can even see slightly past their visual range, apart from being able to detect the sound of your footsteps.

Adding to Snake’s basic artillery is the M9 tranquilizer gun, which was first featured in Sons of Liberty. Navigating a Nikita rocket is now done in first-person view; feeling all the same from its previous setup nonetheless. There isn’t really anything to look forward to in this one for gamers who’ve already gone through the original except for the better graphics. Extra dialogue and extended cutscenes can be bypassed, especially when all the good and bad changes just seem to cancel each other out.

If you’re new to the series and prefer a clearer look of the game, this one may be worth your time. But if you’ve already played this one and know where to go by heart (the map pretty much remains unchanged), then there’s no need to look into this — unless you want to witness how much of a squirrel the game manages to make Otacon appear, then buy it otherwise.

Personal Score: 82%

The GTA series has become a gaming icon since its release in the market. Rockstar, the makers of the said series, tries to experiment with its successful formula by mixing it in a scene familiar to all — school; where, as the title implies, bullying is inevitable. Welcome to Bullworth Academy, an upstanding boarding school on the outside that says different on the inside. Playing this game will bring back memories of the sorts of experiences while making your way to graduation.

The game revolves on Jimmy Hopkins, a spunky lad of courage and strong will, who doesn’t tolerate injustice whenever existent. The story’s starting point is marked when his mother and rich step-father drops him off to his new school in preparation for their honeymoon. Mischief begins when a school bully named Gary, along with his semi-sidekick, Pete, makes a proposition with your character and guides you as you make a name for yourself. You meet an assortment of your regular school cliques — like nerds, preps, jocks, and some others — as the story develops.

Like a many in GTA, you have missions, a map that leads you to your destination, violence, except you have a mild grand-theft auto. The missions are countless and will keep you entertained due to variety. Imagine the different ways you can go wild to make yourself known in school. Yeah, that many. Also similar to GTA, you can pick a fight with almost anybody. You acquire a collection of mischief-making tools that either hurt or delay your target, from fire crackers to stink bombs, itching powders to scud guns, slingshots to rotten eggs — all of which you either earn or purchase. Only if you hurt the wrong person, like a prefect or police officer, you usually get taken away, ending a progressing mission in the process.

But what is school without education? Of course, you can opt to skip class. But why bother when the mini-games are almost just as fun as the game itself? Plus, once successful, you are awarded with new abilities or items that you can always use for doing more of the naughty. The story, however, takes a good toll when you are betrayed by Gary, which doesn’t affect the fun at all. In fact, it gives you lots more to do, like earning back each of the cliques’ respect for one.

Bully definitely has tons of entertainment factor that doesn’t seem to stop. In the end, you’ll have to force yourself to take a breather from time to time. Voice acting is pretty nice but the graphics isn’t much of a looker. Still, that’s fairly negligible once you’ve immersed yourself in the game. Relive the school days, release your inner demons, and not get in an actual trouble. It’s the perfect simulation for what could’ve been if we were bad. That is, if we’ve been actually good before.

Personal Score: 91%

Being the first Dragon Quest game I’ve ever played, apart from its striking popularity in the Japanese soil, I must say that its simplistic qualities were refreshing, if not classy. The adventure starts with the control of a royal guard travelling the lands with a short-king-turned-imp, beautiful-princess-turned-horse, and a once-brute-thief-turned-loyal-ally in search of a notorious magician named Dhoulmagus; a powerful being responsible for the curse of the castle in which you stay, where everything and everyone but yourself was affected. Eventually, the party expands a bit.

Of course, like your average RPG, you meet monsters as you course through your quest for battle experience. In their defeat, they drop money and, at times, various items. The game reflects both day and night scenes which roll like the clock, where upon night time, monsters are stronger and give more experience. Battle formation supports up to four characters at a time for your party, while at the enemy’s can go up to seven, maybe more. Having the world map as a function doesn’t help much, more likely when you get lost. It can be viewed in two ways — the map as a whole, or focused on your location, which isn’t really useful since you can’t navigate it when you want to know what’s above or beyond.

Despite the quaint battle menu design and its turn-based system, the challenge isn’t far behind. The game features a few “handicaps” that would have you grinding your head with strategies to keep your party afoot, especially in huge, monster-infested areas. Saving game data and even reviving a fallen member from the early part to the near middle of the game can only be performed in churches, and not all places you visit have them. So it means the right action in a battle is crucial. Although, some of your characters have a few nifty spells from the moment you control them that compensate for the trade-offs, like the power to exit a dungeon and the power to instantaneously transport your party to places you’ve previously been for a minute MP cost — certainly convenient especially when you’re trying to level each one up. Another thing amusing about this game is the item called “Alchemy Pot”, which combines up to three random items and makes it into a new one. Weapons, armors, accessories, and even other useful items can be made with that. Recipes found in many places help determine which should mixed with what.

The game’s graphics style a cel-shaded, cartoony look. And with character designer, Akira Toriyama, the creator of the world-renowned Dragon Ball series, at the frontline, the treatment would just be savvy. Voice-acting is impeccable featured by convincing perfromances by British artists — safe to say, the humor and dialogue will have an English feel — pair in great with the setting of the story. Overall, the game is pleasant everywhere. But with that foundation, gamers might find the combination of trade-offs with the simple form fashion draggy later on, especially the long travels on vast world map platforms and many random encounters on them.

Personal Score: 90%

One of the games that drew the hardcore action gamers to the PS2 was a little title called Devil May Cry. DMC is a Capcom original; featuring the very loose but skilled part-demon, Dante. When a mysterious woman assaults him in his cove, a revelation makes him decide to take her up on an offer that would lead to finding the creature responsible for his current situation.

This high-speed game offered gamers to experience action to new heights. With controls that drive Dante to swing a slash and shoot in styles unseen before in any game, DMC earned an impression on its name. A gauge that describes the effect of an attack, style-wise, is displayed as a combination of attacks are landed on the opponent. Moves like shooting mid-air after a jump, swinging enemies upward then shooting them on their flight are some of the eyecandy action that can be witnessed in the game, that is if you can manage your button punches well. It is tricky at first, but a few hours spent practicing will make it second nature.

Dante, apart from the use of guns, left and right, and a crafty sword can acquire a few more weapons within the mission area. Later on, upon retrieval of those items, a side ability to change into a form that enhances default attacks will be available, given the particular weapon with that ability is equipped. Graphically, DMC appears premature and jagged, but it doesn’t affect the animation nor the action at all. The score is an addition to the adrenaline since it uses pinches of rock music, complimenting the awesome acrobatic prowess of the lead character. After nearly 7 years since the PS2 went public, this game is still a deserving competitor with even the latest titles of its kind. Such is the wonder that Capcom is capable.

Personal Score: 94%

Fan of Japanese culture? Want a game that’s completely refreshing and addictive at the same time? If your answer is “yes” and “yes”, then Ōkami is just the ticket to a redeeming yet educational voyage. The first thing you’ll notice about the game is its unique, fascinating visual style that looks as if a painting came to life. The camera rotation can almost move on every angle, presenting each would-be brush stroke with admirable justice. Each vibrant scene upon scene is so gorgeously designed, you’d pause in the middle of the game once in a while just to be in awe.

Character dialogue uses a “babbling” style, no word can literally be understood. But its ability to convey emotions through levels of intonation helps personalize each character. In fact, the chosen type of speech suits the game design well, the preferred use of actual human voices by others would seem out-of-place. Ōkami tells of a wolf’s journey to cleanse the land of the evil that was placed by a dreaded eight-headed monster; unleashed by accident. The story is composed of pure Japanese legend and folktale; the orchestration is actually remarkable. Some of the appearing characters may sound familiar since they are extensively used in Japanese cartoons that reach different shores, others are a treat to behold.

Ōkami is an action-based adventure game that has traces of platforming in many areas. The main character, Amaterasu, is more than your average mutt since it can understand people, do crazy jumps, even use weapons to have the upper hand. One creative feature of the game is the “Celestial Brush” ability. It allows the player to summon a massive brush at will, turning the game into a canvas with everything static. It even has flexible near 360-degree control that enables you to paint from anywhere. The Brush isn’t only for show. Its purpose is to draw abilities from nature by stroking it along a particular set of patterns. These abilities aid you in getting through some story events, removing barricades, and fighting battles alike. Despite its subtle problem to recognize some patterns at times, it’s still an inventive concept for starters.

Fights are a joy to endure, especially with the Brush at your disposal. Enemy encounters are entered as you bump floating scroll-looking things. Once that happens, a short transition of the environment occurs and a spiritual arena is created. Enemies rise and the battle starts. You can use three type weapon types all acquirable later on; the Reflector, the Rosary, and the Glaive. Each can be equipped as either main or sub; different combinations of which make room for offensive or defensive variety. The whole setup of the game truly bestows a god theme matched with elegant artistic cultural styles. Ōkami even has the nutty idea of integrating references from previous reputable Capcom titles like Viewtiful Joe, Devil May Cry, and Street Fighter into some of its characters; telling more of the game’s quirky potency. There are rare moments of framerate slowdown, but this is only due to the processing boundaries of the console. Effectively, it’s more than just a pleasing experience that calls for ownership. It’s about time that someone came up with something new. Trust me, you’ll love it.

Personal Score: 95%

Most sought out after its predecessor, Ico, a game I’m dying to get my hands on because of the dominant positive gamer feedback on the Web, emerges Shadow of the Colossus (unofficially named Ico 2 by avid fans). The game’s objective is very simple; you seek out all the titanic creatures that are scattered around the vast unknown land, as directed by a mysterious voice, and bring them down. The objective may sound easy, but the task is mind-boggling; which is one of the turning points of the game.

Once the game loads, you will be greeted by a sequence of a boy’s journey; saddled on a horse, riding solo with some sack as luggage. Weather changes and terrain distinction clue you in about the length of the travel. Amidst the destination lies a long stone bridge; much awaited to be seen by the young man. The scene then fades to white and options appear. Playing the game for the first time will bring forth questions about the origins of the main character. Only his wish to revive the girl and the stated mission are clear, adding more mystery to what the game is about. Once you start riding your almost pitch-black horse outside the temple, you’ll feel the enormity of the area. And it spreads out really wide. One could easily get lost on the huge, detailed, desolated landscapes and ruins of the SotC world. Galloping around takes time, and you won’t help but admire the gorgeous surroundings that will fill your screen. Another great thing about this game is the way it was designed. During your rides to seek one gargantuan creature after the next, there is little interruption from loading — an excellent feature that maintains the flow and momentum of the grand adventure it tries to achieve.

The only objective is to find all the Colossi; giant beings that roam the land, and slay them accordingly. The characters converse in a language that sets the game in an authenticity of its own, where subtitles are naturally provided. A strong, echoing voice in the altar tells you which to go after and how many are left. It is also allegedly the one responsible for giving back the soul of the girl’s body you brought along in exchange for the near-impossible quest. Why “near-impossible”, you ask? Would you think facing a bunch of fearsome, reactive giants with nothing but a bow, a sword, and a horse is a piece of cake? I didn’t think so. That’s where the game’s originality and true beauty comes from.

Each “monstrosity” is countered with a different tactic from another. It will require decisive judgement, accurate timing, using the environment to your advantage, great courage (yes, courage), and loads of patience to successfully strike them to their demise. Don’t worry; once you find the weak spots, they’re easy to kill. But with their ridiculous physical structure, you would seriously have to climb them and scour every limb for positioning to execute a critical blow. The movements of your character displays a believable fluidity, you could almost feel sorry for the guy every time a creature tries to shake him off. And with that, the creatures are so massive, your hands will often be drenched in your sweat whenever you meet one — let alone ride them. The graphics have helped a lot. The design and use of texturing gave the PS2 everything it has to present them with such majesty in both appearance and movement. A creative concept and a very big map to explore, not to mention all of the sixteen Colossi that you must find and face; you’d be exhausted and satisfied at the same time upon completion.

Personal Score: 92%

Kingdom Hearts II continues the story 2 years after the first. It is started by a young boy connected with the main character, Sora, in some way. Later on, Sora and company journeys forth, still in search of their lost friends, and bumps into a bunch of characters; slicker and stronger than their past foes that work together as an organization. With them, the mystery clouding the story widens.

This returning action-based RPG adds a little from the gameplay while retaining the initial formula. Reaction Commands, solely executed by the triangle button, are almost essential to use in all fights. Each Reaction is based on a type of enemy that either acts offensive, defensive, or counter-offensive. Stylish, but doesn’t help the game’s nature-of-ease status. One thing that Final Fantasy gamers would notice on the game is the inclusion of Limit Breaks. Pairing with many different characters enable you to perform a desperation attack of combined effort. “Drive Forms” are also new and one of the most anticipated pre-release of the game. This allows Sora to combine with his permanent comrades — Goofy, Donald, or both — and become a more powerful entity, having you use two Keyblades on both hands in most of them. These “Forms” also carry a distinct ability that grows stronger with the particular fulfillment of condition under a specific form.

The piles of level that become available are now more influential, but still somehow stays limited in terms of exploration value. Minigames like the Gummy Ship travels have more flavor since the last. Some characters were updated from their previous look; like those from FFVII who now fit the Advent Children description, and of course, major players grew older in effect of the time skip. A larger range of stellar voice cast, another huge factor in the game’s popularity, was put in action to fit entering but familiar characters. The ambitious series received high acclaim not only for its obvious production investment, but also its continuing plot shrouded by mystery and intrigue. This one will keep any gamer from putting the controller down and doing something else.

Personal Score: 86%

MGS takes a turn back in time and explores the Cold War with the first ever Snake. A first-hand run through MGS’s roots certainly shows its historical value; seeing how the future MGS games were affected and still leaving enough intrigue to have one go forward.

Since it’s the olden days, expect vintage technology at Snake’s disposal. You might feel a little awkward using Sonars and Motion Detectors instead of the Nanotech Radar at first, but the game’s nature will have you mastering it in no time. The firepower, which are no less exciting than the ones seen in previous MGS games, very much gives the sense of importance — leaving you exposed and vulnerable without them. Rocket Launcher, anyone?

Although not having any long-range weapon makes you uneasy, fear not. CQC has your back. Close-Quarters Combat (CQC) is a creative addition to Snake’s control that is similar to Judo. You can bend, knock down, take enemies as leverage, or block using them with a gun at hand or nothing at all. It takes some practice, especially with the button-pressure sensitivity, but it’s very useful when accustomed to.

Another quality feature of Snake Eater is the overall use of camouflage. Because most of the game takes place outdoors, a barrage of clothing patterns and face paints will be on the ready, having you almost unseen given the appropiate match made. Stealth is the primary purpose of every MGS installment, and this one doesn’t get any better. Another striking characteristic of the game is the Stamina Bar; affecting your aim and affected by the quality of food you find around the area. You can eat plants, fruits, and animals by cutting or shooting them. Some of them rot, which can also be of some use in a few situations, but if they do, it’s better to dispose them rather than to ingest.

Snake Eater is the core essence of MGS, and nearly everything about it is stunning. Graphics, voices, and score are really to die for — not to mention the dialogue and action. Battles are like chocolate-chipped cookies, it will make you hungry for more. Both story and gameplay are things to look forward; actually a double whammy. It’s a hardcore action gamer’s recipe for an addiction. Replayability won’t be a question.

Personal Score: 94%

The first ever real sequel for a Final Fantasy game. FFX-2 follows right after the FFX heroine; Yuna, finds something that drives her to become a “Sphere Hunter”. Joined by previous comrade; Rikku, and new character; Paine, the three dig up clues all over Spira to uncover the mystery of which they are searching. Along the way, they meet new friends and some familiar faces as their changed world tries to pace itself. A little dispute here and there, a little bending of the rules; X-2 really has a lot to offer.

Returning to the traditional level system, this Final Fantasy tries to tweak out a few things. Here, things called “Garment Grids” are the norm where “Dress Spheres” are attached. These “Spheres” actually allow the user to change from one form to another; such as Gunner, Thief, White Mage — among others — and back. With the rising stats brought by experience points, stats for every form used in battle also improve, giving more abilities for the user. The change from one form to the next shows a sequence that reminds me of the Sailor Moon anime.

While the style is new, it feels like nothing that wasn’t thought of before. As the story tries to pick up, later on, sidequests that squeeze in the relevant missions become a lot disorienting; breaking the game’s momentum significantly. The whole game actually feels like a huge sidequest rather than a sequel, making the player lose interest somewhere after 10 hours. But this is just one opinion. One or two of what this game offers might catch your attention more than what was thought to be boring.

Personal Score: 72%

The Prince of Persia has been there since the early days of gaming. It was known to be an action puzzle game taking place in extensive dungeons. Now in the age of high-polygon video games, the popular franchise tries to go through a makeover. And what an excellent result it was at the waiting end. The prince gets more characterization and some others. First test of the action comes when you, as the prince, search the Maharajah’s chambers for the mysterious Dagger of Time. Then upon possession, the story proceeds with the vizier tricking you into activating the Sands of Time and turning nearly everyone into sand creatures. The prince works his way back to the Sands of Time, from perilous dungeon to dungeon, in order to deactivate it and return everything to the way it was.

This installment of Prince of Persia is an eye-opener to what it should’ve really been about. Each obstacle-populated dungeon is brilliantly designed and arranged to give the gripping experience the game meant to show since its creation. Areas in the game have save points that act as crystal ball, showing the things lying ahead and how to go around some of them. A leap from one wall to another is so breath-taking, your palms will end up sweating a lot. And the game is full of leaps. Required actions to progress will have you hanging from the edge of your seat, wishing you’d make it. The prince’s movements are so believable, you’d think the one making the jumps.

There are key fights in different intervals of the dungeons that need you to use the Dagger of Time, equipped as a secondary weapon. The dagger absorbs the sand of a fallen enemy and recharge the gauge that can be used to either slow time or rewind a few seconds of past actions — very handy when making mistakes in certain areas. Sometimes, the princess; one of the unaffected characters in the game, will aid you on some fights and obstacles improbable for a single character to overcome. There are loads of mind-boggling puzzles on piles of stages to keep your adrenaline going and you on the watch. That said, it’s a game that will surely be on your shelf less than the others.

Personal Score: 93%

Sequel to the lacking mech simulator comes The 2nd Runner. This one improves what didn’t sell from the first; better visuals, more relatable characters, intensified action and controls, and greater delivery.

Here, you play a once-skillful pilot who chooses to live an excavator’s quiet life after his comrades got killed in the battlefield. Wanting to avenge their deaths for sometime, an opportunity suddenly surfaces as co-pilots suddenly invade his location in pursuit of a prized machine called an “Orbital Frame”, which later on is discovered to be the lead robot from the first game. Getting to the machine before the others, a mission begins to form and the story begins.

This fast-paced game will pump adrenaline to anyone who tries it. Robot movements and maneuvering are fluid; experience is definitely enjoyable. The use of different, pseudo-cel-shaded graphics also turns the game for the better. Newer enemies of unbelievable strength will test your skill to control and utilize the core abilities of the machine, giving the feeling of a well-orchestrated challenge. The subweapons, which are received after every major enemy or mission completed, are so versatile that you can form different attack and defense patterns to conquer various adversaries.

A “Previous Story” feature, which tells of the first game, will orient the player new to the story and prepare the sequence for the new chapter. Finishing the game will award you an option to start over with an improved “Frame”; having all subweapons included or not. Game length is just on par with the most common action games around — tremendously decreases upon choosing the improved version of the robot. Still, it has a lot of replay value to keep one busy. This has much potential that just shouldn’t be ignored.

Personal Score: 86%

Sequel to the Metal Gear Solid from the PS console, yet another that fans wanted to see have the 128-bit upgrade. This time, Snake infiltrates a marine ship to confirm the existence of the new Metal Gear design. An ambushing Russian horde suddenly takes over the immediate guarding marines and plans to secure Metal Gear their way. Ignorant of Snake’s prescence, he must now make his way down without being spotted. Having his back through the mission is the returning Ocelot.

This game actually allows you to play two missions, having the option to choose the first or the two as whole. On the first one, you play as the repolished Snake, equipped with a tranquilizer gun and on the second, you play as the new-comer Jack who tries to follow in the footsteps of the legendary Solid Snake. The first mission actually appears to be more of an intro to the second one due to the considerably shorter mission span compared to the next. Snake and Jack have some similar moves and some different. Both, however, can now peek from a corner then do a quick shot on that direction — an added feature.

The older, beloved weapons and items found from its predecessor is mostly acquirable in the game apart from the new ones. Explosions and fights are now more entertaining due to the improved visuals and movements of the characters. The complex build-up of the plot may confuse the average gamer with the story, especially with the numerous chatty cutscenes. But that probably won’t keep anyone from staying on their toes and enjoying the experience.

Personal Score: 81%

The PS2′s very first own Final Fantasy. There was so much hype on how it’s going to receive the 128-bit polish, moreover, it is the first FF game to feature speaking voices; and fans were anxious. This one takes its story in the world of Spira, where you play a young lad on his way to compete in a sporting game called Blitz. Unfortunately, in the middle of the game, a monstrous creature ravages the event and sucks him in vortex. Enter the beginning of his quest.

This one still retains main elements of an RPG — you start alone, meet people who eventually form a party with you, fight baddies in order to grow stronger, and play a few mini games as side quests. But unlike the previous FFs, this one doesn’t have a level system. Instead, vanquishing foes would gain you points for the Grid, which appears like a web with nodes on them. You can freely choose where to go on the grid and acquire whichever ability you choose, given you have the qualifying requirements. Higher abilities are locked with keys that can be received later on as the story progresses. In the end, you can have all characters with the same abilities.

In battle, you can automatically switch with a reserve member by clicking on one of the shoulder buttons of the controller. Being an active turn-based system, doing this won’t cost you a turn. But in typical RPG fashion; the more different reserves you call to back you up, the more the points will get divided. There are still desperation attacks, now called “Overdrive”, and they are activated depending on how much damage a character receives. Summon monsters, called “Aeons”, are still existent. But only a single character can cast them. Choosing to call upon an Aeon would evacuate the other party members, leaving the Aeon and the caster only. The Aeon can choose to attack, defend, and leave. These creatures also have their own Overdrive gauge, which would really help when the battle is siding on the enemy’s favor. Weapons, armors, and accessories can be purchased, customized, or received.

Difficulty-wise, FFX is quite on the hard setting. Since it has a few modifications from the previous ones, it’s going to take a little practice and exposure. The graphics have improved although some characters move a little rigidly, especially on the facial expressions. It’s not the most compelling FF story around to play. It’s a bit draggy even. Although these are fairly overlookable knowing that there are tons to do ahead to keep one occupied, not to mention the eye-candy cutscenes.

Personal Score: 80%

Squaresoft has been known to produce a stride of quality games that the moment one game gets the “Squaresoft treatment”, most role-playing gamers will be raving about it from the day it gets publicized up to the time when they finally get their hands on it. Now, Square does something with an extra twist that might either impact the gaming community or stain the name. Behold, Kingdom Hearts.

KH combines the familiar and not-so-familiar Square characters with the very popular, unlikely-to-pair-with Disney characters. How does the idea actually work? Try combining a newly-introduced 12-year-old kid with whom most can identify and a few debuting, fresh supporting characters, a palette of famous Square faces, Disney favorites, and a provocative plot fueled by a well-manipulated concept derived from the simplest source — you know something great is brewin’. Since its release, KH made a name for itself. Who knew many would favor the mix?

Graphically, KH uses a very colorful tone on distinct character and terrain models, mimicking a 3D cartoony look. This was fairly received by the public. Although one that strikes a great deal of input in the overall value of the game are the battle controls. Many were disappointed when they felt the game was a button-masher, giving an impression that it lacked difficulty for hard-core gamers. Personally, I don’t mind it since the whole setup and quest to reveal more Square and Disney faces was keeping me busy the whole time. It’s all about fun. Being an action RPG, it’s no surprise that some battle controls still apply during exploration. Most Disney character voices are genuine, and the use of powerhouse names to voice the “mute” Square characters was a treat. With the odds that more than half of the gaming community either really liked it or was okay with it, chances are, you’d go with the majority too.

Personal Score: 83%

In this next one, you play as James, puzzled by the invitation of his dead wife from a letter, he goes to Silent Hill as she requested and meet her — only to be faced by a dead town. One more element that makes this game so creepy is the dense fog that surrounds nearly every part of the map, not to mention the grainy effects that styles a worn-out look. Equipped with nothing but a stick with a rusty nail near the beginning, you will be caught running around town desperately in search of the very first gun you could get your hands on. With creatures so weird and tormenting will be at your tail from most corners, you’ll be wanting to stop playing but keep on going at the same time. Your head will play: “What ever happened to this town?” the whole time, and you will never stop playing until you find out.

Bizarre psycho female nurses with pointy objects and the Pyramid Heads that’re totally invincible to any shot will have you running from the room’s end to the other. Puzzling scenarios will further confuse you from getting answers. Unbelievable layout, object placement, and lightplay give an experience close to reality. Playing this game in the dark, you’d even believe something might grab you from the shadows. Konami has truly lived to its reputation.

Personal Score: 90%

With streets and buildings infested with mindless zombie-like individuals, no place is safe. Prepare for a sense-numbing experience when you travel and survive the city that has become the perilous maze. Every room arouses a creepy, soundless, nothing-out-of-the ordinary vibe that packs strategic, literally surprising events that would make anybody jump out of their skin. Of course, no survival would be as fun without firepower, and that becomes available whenever the need surfaces. Make your way to the big guns while avoiding hordes and hordes of blood-sucking meanies that don’t play games. Essentially, you play as the sexy Claire also, so you will be able to explore with a little variety as the two scenarios connect. Exciting and it has more action than a Van Damme movie. What kid will wait?

Personal Score: 83%

Much like the game Parasite Eve, this one is a solo turn-based action RPG, which also uses minor platforming and puzzle-solving. But unlike PE, this is completely real-time. There is a huge share of dungeon exploration, holding many creatures that are essentially weak with specific attacks. One factor that affect the damage is the type of weapon equipped, another is the type of element used against an enemy.

Battles are engaged on the same platform, actions are usable once a target within the allowable range. The biggest strategy for winning fights is by chaining, which are conveniently customizable with single buttons for either an offensive, defensive, or healing as the next immediate action. Pulling them off, however, will take tremendous amounts of patience and practice since they need timely execution from split-second cues. The more successful chains there are, the higher risk points get. Risk points make the character vulnerable to greater damage, greater chance of missing the next chain move, but, at the same time, allows greater damage to the enemy upon the connection of the attack.

The inherent mystery that the story and gaming environment suggests will allure anyone to proceed from one scene to the next; this shows the versatility of which the genre is becoming capable.

Personal Score: 92%

Though shrunk, they are still equipped with signature moves that would throw anyone unconscious. Everytime one character does successful damage to the other, gems, which come in different shapes and sizes, are dropped. The gems give a power boost, the significance of which depends on the size, that upgrades certain moves. Charging the special-attack button will reward you with a huge gem from the enemy once it hits.

Combos are just a joy to watch; each character does a costume change along with a funny attack on the press of a connecting button. Throwing objects like bombs and banana peels is funny, especially when it hits the opponent. This is, no doubt, Capcom’s lighter side at work. A formidable fighter regardless of its kiddie gimmick.

Personal Score: 82%

A thousand years after the events of the first Lunar game comes Eternal Blue. Here, Dragonmaster Alex and his friends have since become legendary heroes; proclaimed in every region. You start with a young lad named Hiro, and like in the former, he is accompanied by a self-proclaimed baby dragon.

Starting as treasure hunters, Hiro and his companion escapes unscathed while taking a valuable treasure in fully booby-trapped cavern. A designated knight of Althena, the cherished goddess of their world, passes by on their way back home and is later on seen talking to Hiro’s grandfather as they returned. Puzzled, the boy interferes and ends up going on a journey with them both. From then onwards, events led them to take part on a huge epic journey.

There were a few changes in the system but they’re barely recognizable. Graphics remained true from the first, although the cast design appeared to be slight imitations of the original bunch. A sequel of the Silver Star Story that contains a striking plot; holding up to the well-received praise of the previous. Longer with a lot of revealing surprises, this game does justice on the series more than what was expected.

Personal Score: 88%

Though FFIX dates back, some elements of later FF fashion; like airships and forms of high-technology, remain. It starts off with a theatre ship; known for going from place to place to treat the masses with its alluring plays, visiting the kingdom of Alexandria. The play, this time, turns out as a ruse to kidnap the princess. Ironically, the princess reveals her plans to stow away with the crew when she comes up to them while the plot was taking place. The plan nearly fails when the Queen witnesses the whole thing up front and sends a volley of attacks in the attempt to stop them; the beginning of the adventure.

Story-wise it is captivating. CG cutscenes of majestic and powerful summon creatures in action, shown for the first time, greatly intensifies the atmosphere of the theme. An “active time event”, a new feature that allows to view a scene that simultaneously happens with the story scene, is a helpful tool to advance the story in some situations that adds flavor to the gameplay. The fights are still random and are similar to its predecessors. Summon action has been toned down a bit but still delivers enough visual jolt. A charming game with defined characters; what’s not to love?

Personal Score: 85%

Return to the world of FF where the existence of magic is a norm like, say; someone stupidly getting their body part blown up on New Year’s Day. This time, magic is themed and celebrated. You start on a hospital bed, regaining consciousness after dueling your arch-rival; Seifer. Then you are retrieved by your professor only to find out that your character gets in trouble a lot yet maintains composure. Your character: Squall Leonhart, student of a very modernized Hogwarts, called Balamb Garden.

Like its past brother, FFVII, the main character here is calm, mostly silent, and enigmatic. The Materia system has been replaced by the Draw and Junction systems; quite the tedious modification, but it takes away the MP element. The summon creatures; called Guardian Force, when called, replaces the user’s HP with its own for a short period of time then comes out to attack when it’s over. Once the enemy attacks during that time, the GF’s HP will take the damage and not the summoner, which is quite a useful feature for tactical reasons. Weapons are upgraded via the catalogue and the remodelling of the current.

When visiting towns and other places, you see all party members running around, unlike past arrangements. Some of the touches were nice, some were unnecessary. The plot design is pretty interesting, but it seems radical on a few parts, which evidently feels out-of-place when identified. There are epic moments, still, but most of them happen on the side-quest battlefield. In total, it’s a good RPG that wins the favor of many gamers.

Personal Score: 83%

The first thing that appealed me to play this barely-pronouncable game was the introduction. It briefed about all of the available fighters so well that it made me want to try them out one by one. All of the characters are unique from each other and their individual attacks are just an eyecandy to perform. It almost moves away from a standard 3D game by integrating melee action scenes; making sequences feel like taking control of an adrenaline-induced anime character rather than some wanna-be fighting game that will be forgotten after the first play.

Choose from 9 immediate, distinct fighters (10 including the unlockable) — few yet enough. Controls may be simple and easy to grasp, but the grade of action will keep anyone playing to the finish. Like many fighting games, they’re better to play with a friend, and this surely will keep you and your company duking out for hours. There is an English version of this, titled “Evil Zone”, but from the tests; the original grabs the tastebuds better.

Personal Score: 82%

Konami comes back with a vengeance because here enters a game of ground-breaking proportions: MGS. With its movie-like introduction, it will be hard to even divert your attention from the TV screen. Action after the next happens when you assume the role of a legend codenamed “Snake”; a classic James Bond — but way cooler — who will never pass off a smoke and do women, even from a long distance, as well as he does his missions.

Intensity starts after being briefed about the objective: to infiltrate the enemy territory and report their capability of launching a nuclear missile while being the invisible man. That said, stealth is everything. Once found, a standby guard will alert the others and an army will come at you in seconds. Meet skillful yet troubled characters; friend and foe alike, as you quietly pass through a wormhole of baddies and knock on hell’s gate.

Action is a bit on the sensitive side and it takes a while to master. Once that’s over, it will be like Christmas for the Al-Qaeda. Having fists for weapons might give the feeling of a sitting duck at first, but fret not. Receiving the first handgun would be faster than anyone can say “Supercalifragelisticexpialidocious”. Just don’t get too trigger happy. That’s more appropriate after getting the good ending. But in the mean while, feast on what else is grabbable in the later parts: a fast-firing FAMAS, a powerful rifle, a nifty remote-controlled NIKITA, and a heat-seeking STINGER. Exciting? You have no idea. Better prepare your savings for this one.

Personal Score: 93%

PE surfaces in 1998 and was dubbed “cinematic RPG” for its intact arrangement likely felt when watching a movie. The story makes its way in the life of a female cop named Aya Brea, whose identity was being redefined after witnessing a mysterious incident. Set in modern-time New York City, she goes to every monumental locale, under the assignment of her work, connected to the incident while slowly being revealed to the truth about herself. The actual available places that can be visited in the game — like Central Park, Rockafeller Center, and the Chrysler Building — incorporates a sense of realism and, therefore, enhances the experience; subtle or no.

Actual gameplay feels like Resident-Evil-meets-Final-Fantasy in its own way. While it can be relatively interesting, the lack of character voices might reduce the excitement a little. But more on the plus side, the cutscenes are thought-provoking. Battles are random and they run on an action, turn-based system; evade attacks by running but taking action still require waiting for the enemy’s turn to end.

Graphics are usually gritty due to the theme but are very well-presented. Dialogues reflect the characters without being too overboard. For an RPG, Parasite Eve is short, running just a little over 10 hours. If an issue as such can be dismissed, a great, satisfying game it still is.

Personal Score: 83%

Taken from the legendary skilled samurai, Musashi Miyamoto, Square shapes the figure and reduces him to a whiney midget. In fact, most of the characters in BFM are bubbly and whiney. At least they have voices in many parts, which is unusual for PS RPGs. But don’t let that repel you from the derivable entertainment of this game. If you look past the colorful entourage, BFM can actually be challenging.

The game is action-based and it runs on a fully real-time environment. Summoned by a princess whose kingdom is in peril, Musashi disarms everyone of his minute stature. Determined; he proves himself worthy by claiming the legendary sword of which he was known to use. Musashi uses four primary actions: swinging his katana, swinging a broad sword, jumping, and doing special actions. The special action depends on what he last “assimilated”, a technique that lets him use an enemy’s ability.

Later on, the princess gets kidnapped; the cue for the real start of the quest. The goal is to obtain all elemental scrolls, which will eventually show the secrets of an empire that took the princess, and restore tranquility back to the village. While gameplay and controls are standard, the camera angles can be very problematic, especially when fighting a major opponent. Jumping from one platform to another alone can be annoying many times. Although the fun factor will keep you moving forward to the finish.

The world on which Musashi takes step cycles through morning, afternoon, and evening times of the day; which, on macrospect, advances the date — affecting events both important and routine. Journeying continuously would eventually exhaust the pint-sized hero, but a sleep feature that replenishes energy; the effect of which depends on the length taken, and fast-forwards time along with the events. Two nice touches that makes the game a little realistic. With all that has been said, BFM stands tall aside from its minor, overlookable drawbacks.

Personal Score: 84%

Square’s first ever FF title to cross over the third dimension, and their first one on Sony. This game marked the rebirth of RPGs on any console from its time and became the most influential of the series to date. Who could ever forget the massive-sword-wielding, yellow-haired, calm and cool Cloud? And who was his nemesis? Oh you mean the silver-haired badass who carries a mile-long blade? Can’t remember.

Final Fantasy has been known for quirky dialogues and characters, jagged polygons, and an awesome battle map, from which succeeding Final Fantasies worked their ways. Witness the great pioneer that broke barriers and inspired many games on raw. VII is all about facing one’s own fears to conquer a greater threat, virtually impossible to subdue, that would obliterate any strength opposing it.

Customizable character abilities drawn from items called “Materia” are the core element for a winning battle strategy. Once you’ve set them up, you can watch them burn a trail through countless enemies with mind-blowing choreography. The fight scenes may be the icing on the cake, but there are more to look forward to than just that. There are piles of minigames, sidequests, to secrets keep one busy and entertained until the third disc. A real keeper. Buy it at all costs.

Personal Score: 96%

Square’s attempt to make a solid real-time title takes form in Xenogears. This pseudo-futuristic RPG diversifies traditional gameplay to newer environments. Control the dreaded “Gears”; huge mechanical creatures, typically humanoid, designed for warfare. Apart from their existence, choosing to fight using the characters themselves can be optional, and vice-versa.

Still running on a turn-based system, this, however, makes battles more interactive by introducing combos with the use of various entries of the action buttons. This will determine the range of attack styles and damage depending on which values of the action buttons are put in.

The game’s graphics, on its own, will appeal at first glance. Character structure clearly references the Chinese culture from the design, to the movements, to the beliefs. Cutscenes are presented using either full anime or full CG randomly. Exploration in towns and cities indulges a 360-degree camera control; perfect for the purpose itself. Storyline, dialogue, and themes are more geared for an older audience since it imbues sophisticated political overtones all-throughout. It is, overall, a treat of intrigue within hours and hours of playtime that has ever graced the PS console.

Personal Score: 93%

Lunar was a Sega CD original and was remade for the Sony PlayStation in 1999. The graphics, since then, was preserved but the sound, score, dialogue, and speech were tweaked. Addition of anime-inspired cutscenes were introduced in key moments to better the experience with the emotion of the story.

The game starts with a boy, named Alex, who dreams of becoming a Dragonmaster; a hero that led the saving of the world from destruction. Accompanied by a colorful bouquet of supporting characters, destiny begins to unfold for the young dreamer and his friends as their harmless adventure paves the way to life-changing obstacles, unbelievable circumstances, and troublesome conspiracies.

Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete collector’s edition

Lunar may look daunting at first, but once a generous amount of attention is spent on it, the story flow alone would entice any flexible RPG fan. The old-school feel of the visuals induces nostalgic episodes of a time when great games were young, simple, and innocent. Couple that with a witty script and you’ve got a gold mine. Controls and in-game options are pretty much straight-forward, making this turn-based genre easy for a gamer of any age to play. Its use of clever material for an engaging plot best portrays the calibre of creativity that was poured in the making of this craft. Would there be an available copy of this in sight, it’s madness to even make second thoughts of purchase.

Personal Score: 98%