RandomNPC – Video Game RPG Reviews, Editorials, and Features

Half Baldur’s Gate, half Mass Effect, Dragon Age: Origins hits too many of the right notes for fans of either to ignore. It’s big, it’s epic, it has tight production values, and it does a superb job of creating a unique set of mythos for its world, staple fantasy elements notwithstanding. Unfortunately, a score of small issues drag down much of the game’s interaction and controls, and some aspects of the story aren’t as clever as they think they are. Still, if you can get into the complex, well-written story, Dragon Age will grab you and not let go.

Continue reading ‘Dragon Age: Origins – Staff Review’ »

A month or two ago, I wrote up a series of articles for the various classes of Dragonica Online, but having now taken a Knight past the second job change, I feel I may have been a bit unduly harsh on this defensive Warrior. With some new changes to the game’s systems and a bit of fresh perspective, I thought it might be about time for a second look at this unfairly maligned character class.

Continue reading ‘Strategy Session – Dragonica Online: Addendum’ »

The early PSOne game Revelations: Persona is widely considered to be the victim of one of the biggest localization hack jobs of all time. Besides a lackluster translation filled with poorly conceived attempts at mythological nomenclature, the localization team saw fit to fiddle with the game’s balance, alter character art in order to make the cast appear more western, and even remove whole sections of the game for no readily apparent reason. And so when a PSP port-slash-remake was announced, there was a great sigh of relief in the Western Hemisphere. And, thankfully, Shin Megami Tensei: Persona does indeed improve vastly on the localization of the original game. Unfortunately, with a poorly executed plot, badly balanced combat system, and a mishmash of aesthetic elements, the game lying hidden underneath the piles of meddling heaped on Revelations: Persona isn’t exactly a diamond in the rough.

Continue reading ‘Shin Megami Tensei: Persona – Staff Review’ »

Max Talbot is a hilarious human being.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 12/05/09’ »

BioWare’s Community Coordinator, Chris Priestly, released a few more choice details about the hardware Mass Effect 2 comes with and requires. In particular, he confirmed the following information:

Continue reading ‘Even More Mass Effect 2 Details: Two Discs Makes It Go Faster’ »

Level-5 and SCEA have announced that the international edition of White Knight Chronicles will be reaching North American shores come February 2 of 2010. Apart from the game, the IE will include the following features: over 50 disc-based online quests, which may be completed solo or cooperatively; voice chat; additional side conversations between the hero and his companions; and the Georama, which allows players to construct an online village into which they may invite other players.

Feel good!

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 12/03/09’ »

Namco Bandai has pushed back the release date for .hack//Link, the latest and supposedly final installment in the series. The launch currently stands at March 4, however a demo is available through the Japanese Playstation Store.

This would’ve been the ultimate viral marketing campaign if they’d managed to release an actual MMO back in ’07. And somehow surpassed the popularity of World of Warcraft by about ten million people.

Source: Siliconera

Why does a puzzle game have art?

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 12/02/09’ »

Just in case you think BioWare needs to show more things from Mass Effect 2, here comes the latest trailer featuring one of the new recruitable characters: Samara, an Asari biotic who appears to be more morally flexible than a certain other Asari squadmate. The trailer doesn’t suggest much other than that she’s quite powerful and engages in rather Jediesque biotic duels with another Asari.

Whether she’ll have the high ground, however, remains to be seen. In the meantime, the trailer can be found via Gamespot.

Legend has it that Shiren’s the kind of guy that likes to roam around. Be that as it may, the official website for Atlus’ upcoming Shiren the Wanderer has gone live, and can be found here. According to the site, the Wii title is expecting a February release in 2010, although a specific date has not been announced. The game’s trailer can be viewed either through the website or courtesy of the YouTube.

It probably has no relation to this song, which is a shame.

When I accepted the review assignment for Adventures to Go, I expected that it would be an easy review that would fit well into my schedule. I could pick up the game, play through an order or two, and set it down for a while. No need to play for hours at a stretch, no deep storyline to follow, and minimal gameplay mechanics to learn.

Continue reading ‘Adventures to Go – Staff Review’ »

With the release of Diamond and Pearl, the Psychic type got flooded with Levitating Pokemon. All four of the Legendary Psychic-type Pokemon introduced carry Levitate, making competition between them for the same spot very fierce. Uxie, being the most defensive of the three sprites, is a bit outclassed by Cresselia, unfortunately. He just can’t keep up with the instant recovery she gets through Moonlight. While Uxie does still have the Rest / Sleep Talk combo and ten points in Defense over its rival, Cresselia can Sleep Talk too, in some cases even better than Uxie, given her huge advantage in HP. To use Uxie properly, the best thing to do is to be creative; his defenses are by no means weak, and his support options are still rather impressive.

Continue reading ‘Strategy Session – Competitive Pokemon XVIII: Uxie’ »

In a recent interview, BioWare’s Christina Norman unveiled a few more tidbits about Mass Effect 2, especially as pertains to biotics in general and the Adept class in particular. Bullet points under the clip:

Continue reading ‘Mass Effect 2: Adept Redux and Save Import Details’ »

That Ys game is a PSP remake of a PC remake of Ys III. Just pointing that out.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 11/28/09’ »

Vector, Inc’s free-to-play online RPG Seventh Dragon will be available on PC and Mac platforms come December 1. In addition to desktop computers, the game will also be accessible via netbooks and iPhones. The game’s persistent online world will allow players to issue instructions to their characters when going offline and check back later to view their progress.

A certain Mog House butler could learn a thing or two from this. Yes, I’m talking about you, Mister let-my-plants-die-again-even-though-the-crystals-were-right-there-on-the-table. Never trust a moogle gardener, folks.

If any of you readers need a Christmas gift idea for me, I could use a new PS3 controller.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 11/27/09’ »

Shiren the Wanderer 3 remains the title despite the localization, so as not to screw up our tags. Carry on.

Continue reading ‘Mass Media 11/25/09’ »

The official PC requirements for the upcoming Mass Effect 2 have been posted. BioWare asked for a lot from players’ computers in the past with Mass Effect and the recent Dragon Age, and this is no exception. Take a gander, if you are so inclined:

Continue reading ‘Mass Effect 2 PC Specs: Single-Core Processors Need Not Apply’ »

Although not likely to feature singing man-eating plants, Harvest Moon: My Little Shop is available today on WiiWare. Selling for 1200 WiiBucks, the game centers around a shop and farm the player inherits from their grandparents, using what they grow at the farm to sell at the shop. Clearly, a game for those interested in seizing the means of production without involving antique political theory or those pesky Bolsheviks.