I continue to play classic games I've had for a while but, for some reason, I haven't gotten around to finishing them. A couple of Black Fridays ago, I impulsively picked up a new Nintendo DS Lite ... the gold "Legend of Zelda" edition that came packed with the then-new "Phantom Hourglass." Well, as I was getting into the game (a fun title, by the by, if you don't have it), story points kept popping up that referenced the first title in this continuity, "The Wind Waker" on GameCube. Since I prefer to play games in order (see previous posts regarding "God of War"), I decided to fire up the old WayBack machine (in this case, the Wii) and delve into this merger of Zelda and "Waterworld."
As I looked at my original game save on my old reliable Memory Card 251--why the GCN memory cards used such oddball numbers is beyond me--it was last saved over six years ago. So I started anew ... and this time I couldn't put it down. I just finished it today, and now the story in "Phantom Hourglass" makes more sense. What I like the best about these games is that they are separate and independant from the classic Zelda games (up to and including "Twilight Princess"), and as such they can keep up both continuities at the same time. It appears that the next DS iteration, "Spirit Tracks," will be in the new universe, and while little has been said about the next Wii version, I'd wager it will be in the classic universe.
As to what game I pick up next ... not sure at the moment. Probably will continue with "Phantom Hourglass," if I were to guess, or maybe return to the Ace Attorney series (still working on "And Justice For All").
Admittedly, that didn't take too long. I just now finished the game on Normal difficulty, and I'm quite satisfied with the ending, although it does make me wonder just how "God of War II" starts. Based on my early reading, the PSP's "Chains of Olympus" is a prequel to "God of War," and what I've learned so far definitely has me curious as to how the game's story unfolded to this point. I'm trying to be cautious about just what I read, lest I spoil the events of GoW2 and CoO.
I'm very story-oriented. I've never been a huge fan of first-person shooters, like Quake and Doom, because they came across as, well, like an X-rated movie: all action with no plot. Then came "Halo" ... there was a game with exceptional graphics *and* superb story-telling. "Metroid Prime" was also a winner, combining top-notch gameplay with a riveting story. Now, "God of War" joins that same pantheon.
Next up, "God of War II" ... and maybe my first crack at GoW's God Mode, to see if I can get the other unlockable items.
Over the last couple of weeks, I've re-discovered my Sony gaming hardware. Part of that, I admit, was because of how impressed I was with the Sony press conference at E3. While, in my opinion, Microsoft had the best overall show, Sony wasn't too far behind (Nintendo did OK, but still seems to be resting on its laurels too much ... although "Metroid: Other M" was a great surprise). The digital distribution model for the PSP is very intriguing ... intriguing enough for me to track down a dirt-cheap Sandisk 8GB Memory Stick Pro Duo (only $35) so I could purchase some games. The presser also convinced me to make a purchase that I know many PlayStation 2 owners made years ago--I bought "God of War."
Not "God of War 2" or the PSP's "Chains of Olympus", but the original 2005 release of "God of War." I've been pretty focused on my Xbox/360, Wii and DS over the last few years, to the point where the Sony machines kinda got lost in the shuffle. Which is a shame, because as I'm getting back into them, I'm recalling some great titles and discovering new (to me) ones. The preview of "God of War 3" in the Sony conference was most impressive, both in scope and gameplay, and my first opinions of the original have me looking forward to its 2010 release, because I see so many of the same things in the original. The larger-than-life battles, the relative ease of controlling Kratos and how easy it was to pull off some great-looking (and incredibly brutal) moves ... this game still holds up even today.
Fortunately, I have plenty of time to finish the original, then "God of War 2" and "Chains of Olympus" before next March, when "God of War 3" is set for release (currently). Anyone else got any suggestions for games I might have missed?
