Yeah, its mostly just me critiquing GTA 4. Tired and couldn't think up much else to say, but felt like pulling one out. Enjoy. Or don't, whichever you feel more comfortable with. Just remember....they're always watching...

I reserve the right to be dorky at any moment.

Not much to say here. First blog, not much in the way of an edit. Enjoy! (or don't)

So...best game to me eh? Well, I'd have to say its Shining Force II on the Sega Genesis. SF is a long running s-rpg series (for those who didn't know). Broke my heart to find out they went a-rpg with the newer games. But, back to SF2.

I've been playing this game for...12 or more years now. I'd have to have beaten it at least 5 or 6 times. There isn't a hidden item or battle that I don't know, and I could tell you the basic plot and where/what type of battles you fight at every point in the game. I've played it just that much. I still remember back when I was just waist high (to a basketball player anyway) and cracking out on this game, obsessed with murdering all sorts of monsters an ne'er do wells. Good stuff.

The story is a bit cliche these days, good old fashioned young dude in school managed to get swept up into saving the world from a past sealed ultimate evil. However, the transition is good, they don't just send the young boy off to the save the world right off the bat. It works its way up. Most of the characters have a well defined attitude and personality that they stick to, but like most of the SF games, its driven far more off NPC dialog rather than your characters'.

The battle system is classic. Unlike a lot of s-rpg games, this one uses the speed based turn system, which I like. Nothing will piss you off more than having a great setup going, then having the 'Enemy Phase' where every single baddie gets to beat up on your leader at once. Another good point, is that when you die (yes, when the leader gets downed yer team is finished) its not a game over, you go back to the last town you saved in, sans half your gold. Plus, you still have to revive anyone that was downed.I even like the status screen on this game. Course, it has all the standard battle relevant stuff with spells/inventory, but it also lists how many times that character has died, and how many enemies they've killed. Easy way to find your favorite power hitter.

The graphics are about what you'd expect for the time. Bright, clean, fairly well animated sprites for the standard map moving and what have you. Once you go into the attack/attacked 'cutscene' theres some really nicely designed effects and characters, unfortunately the animation is no where near fluid, and theres usually just a few frames for each person. But at least they look nice. The backgrounds, in and out of the battle cutscene are also well done, nice clean and purdy.

Sound and music, to me at least, are great. Maybe a few of the sound effects are a bit odd, but on the whole I think its all pleasing to the ear. And I simple loved the music. Still get some of the plains battle music stuck in my head to this day.

Thats about all I can think of to say anyway. So yeah, another blog-ish thing prompted by the man who lost his ham. Catch you weirdies whenever I feel like typing something else. Teh Yoingz!