Gaming Sunday: Battle for Middle Earth

Introduction

After enjoying Battle for Middle Earth II, I decided to give its predecessor a try. Suffice to say that I was given as much of a shock as Battle for Middle Earth II gave me. In my honest opinion, Battle for Middle Earth trumped it's successor in many ways. As for why they changed as they did, I don't know what was in there minds. But, then again, it might be just me. Other people might prefer BFME II though. It all comes down to personal choices I guess.

Naruto 529, Bleach 438, One Piece 616

Ahh...the first week of semester has ended. The tormenting second week is about to begin. The week where assignments are released and lectures starts fully. I should really shift up a gear in expectations of next week, but somehow can't find the motivation to do so. Enough about my probably crappy next week, lets start off with the mangas.

Naruto 529

Countdown to Duodecim 6: One More Week!

Hi one and all, with have one more week until the launch of Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy. Yes...it's next Thursday. Yippee. I can hardly contain my excitement. I can't imagine I actually followed a game from announcement to launch, with a few weeks exception in between (exams and stuff), but yea, that's amazing. Congratulations, I think. That's the word I should be telling myself. Yea, that's it.

One Piece 615, Bleach 437, Naruto 528

Hey, everyone, wish me luck for my finals tomorrow! I'm having trouble memorizing all those different dates, policy and features related to politics. Not my cup of tea if you asked me. History is suppose to be a study of interesting events, like World Wars, and read about people like Genghis Khan, Julius Ceasar or Alexander the Great. But, oh well, I'm stuck studying about Constitutions, Citizenship and Separation of Power...

One Piece 615

Okay, how is the Mato-mato a curse? I thought it was a devil fruit ability? Maybe it's because it cause Vander Decken to be unable to swim even though he is a Fishman. That and the appearance of Jimbei talking to an unknown person he calls Otohime is pretty much the only things that caught my interest in this chapter. Hodi Jones and Vander Decken bullying Hatchan and Hatchan arguing with them are really, really not my cup of tea. Something along the line of the old Fishman Pirates or Arlongs crew or something like that. Whatever. Glad to see Chopper still has that part of him, you'll know what I mean. And Robin and Franky, where are you?

War is coming, war is coming. I hope it will be something interesting. Hodi Jones + Vander Decken is assaulting Fishman Island, aiming to claim Ryuguu Palace. On the other hand, this Otohime, apparently the wife of Neptune and the mother of the Princes and Shirahoshi is at the Sea Forest, a place known as a grave. I wonder if Shirahoshi is heading there to meet her...but I guess she's dead. She caused some uproar 10 years ago with her ideals. Hmmm... interesting

Bleach 437

Hmm...Swastika Break...hang out, where the hell is the Swastika? All I see is a Manji, a reverse Swastika, other wise known as Sauwastika. Hmm...anyway, Ichigo has unleash his Fullbring power. He has turned his Shinigami Badge into a Big Manji symbol. Just what I thought Ichigo had discovered the Bleach equivalent of Rasenshuriken, he threw it, only to have it disappear. Hmm...failed Rasenshuriken? Guess not. Apparently, he has to touch the badge in order for his new found skill to work. He proceeds to make short work of the Mr Piggy.

Meanwhile, Inoue visits Sado's house and is attacked by someone. Guess the plot line is starting to thicken. I wonder who they are. I can't help but think that the Fullbringers are actually villain. Somehow. I mean look at Ginjou, he looks like a stinking replica of Aizen. Well, similar. Somehow, I doubt they are really "good" people. Somehow. 

Naruto 528

Oh well, my guess was wrong. Apparently being silent for too long is also a way to get sealed into the gourd. Darui realizes it and starts talking some nonsense. Arguing, if you well, with the Brothers about being the Right Arm of the Raikage. Bam, he gets sucked into the gourd. Guess what? Along the way of talking, he said something like "dull". It wasn't that clear in the english version, however, it should be a play of words. For example, he said something like "xxxd uller". Well, you get my drift. However, on the way into the gourd, he starts spouting some sorries. Sorry to Samui and Atsui. Saying sorry to the Raikage and a bunch of other sorries, leading to sorry becoming his most used word. The curse stops, and he fights one of the brothers, taking away his weapons and using them to seal him. The other brother gets angry, turning to a seemingly six-tailed form of the Kyuubi. He runs amok. Kakuzu states that it has been a long time since he has see that brother turning mad ad reckons that someone has defeated Ginkaku.

Quite the epic battle, but I'm still more hopeful of looking at other battles, but knowing Kishimoto, he'll probably end one fight before starting another. I wonder how Darui knew that Kinkaku looked just like the Kyuubi? I mean, did he ever see it? Regardless, he was only half right, since the real Kyuubi was nothing like that, rather the Six Tailed form of Naruto.

Countdown to Duodecim 5: Gilgamesh and more!

Ladies and gentlemen, in two weeks time, we will be enjoying ourselves crazy with Duodecim, albeit it is in Japanese. I'm sure most of you would get it anyway. Joining the "officially announced" characters, is Gilgamesh, the cult icon that appeared in most Final Fantasies since FF5. However, this will be his FF5 incarnation as well as some allusions to his later appearances. He will be the first NEW and hopefully not the last Warrior of Chaos to join the battle in Dissidia 012: Final Fantasy. Although Desperado Chaos is most likely a playable character, I wouldn't count him as a proper Warrior of Chaos. Sure hope there are some new Chaos Warriors, like Barthandelus or Eald'narche, although Prishe confirmation (coupled with developers considering Eald'narche and his brother before choosing Prishe) seems to deny Eald'narche a place in Duodecim.

Gaming Sunday: Battle for Middle Earth II

Introduction

I've been wanting to play this game since it was out. I never knew about Battle for Middle Earth (BFME), but I once saw BFME II at a shop selling PC Games. Being a passionate Lord of the Rings fan, I laid my sights on it. Few years down the road, that is to say this year, armed with a new laptop and helpful friends, I have achieved that goal! Although wanting to play the game, I never looked deeper into gameplays and such, the words Lord of the Rings were enough for a guaranteed play. Especially since it is a Real Time Strategy game. I was therefore both amazed and disappointed at several aspects of the game. Coming right up!

Naruto 527, Bleach 436, One Piece 614

Mangas this week. I've realized that after I got into reading these mangas, I seldom watch the anime anymore. Some people might find that mangas are hard to read, due to the lack of animation and color, personally, i feel mangas are more interesting, mostly because they are free of stupid fillers. Each to his own, I guess.

Naruto 527

Countdown to Duodecim 4: Box Art, OST and Stuff

Hey, one and all, it's around three weeks until Dissidia 012 [Duodecim]: Final Fantasy is released. The hype is pretty much building up, with Box Art, OSTs and Stuff being revealed along the way. There is at least one playable character who has not been officially revealed, and up to three characters who will possible be revealed, namely Gilgamesh, Desperado Chaos and the mysterious Moogle/FFXIII Cosmos Warrior. I can't wait, I can't wait, I want it NOW!

Gaming Sunday: Lord of Arcana

Introduction

Another addition to a series of Square Enix PSP Games that are being released. Is it just me or is Square Enix a total fan of the PSP? It does sit well with me, since I only have a PSP. Just hope they don't switch to NGP too soon, at least not until I have the money to buy it. Lord of Arcana is a tad bit different then usual Square Enix games. For one thing, it doesn't really have a plot. I guess that is Square Enix's answer to legions of fans who are condemning their games for having poor stories written by 5 year olds. Lord of Arcana is much like the PSP heavyweight Monster Hunter in terms of gameplay, although couple with Square Enix's designers such as Nomura and Amano added with composer Nobuo Uematsu, Lord of Arcana may prove to be a superb game.

One Piece 613, Naruto 526, Bleach 435

It's been a pretty uneventful Chinese New Year. The usual visits coupled with the usual handshakes, conversation and so on. I actually spend the first day playing games and the second day watching anime. Not a good thing to do, but it was better than laying around waiting for someone whom you would probably only see once a year.

So anyway, mangas... they, I'm afraid, is also pretty much uneventful...with the exception of One Piece I guess...

One Piece 613

Countdown to Duodecim 3: Prishe and more

Been pretty messed up lately, just realized I totally missed last week's Countdown to Duodecim. With all the midterm tests preparation last week, history and morals...urgh... and preparation for Chinese New Year this week...ungahh!!! For those of you who do not know, Chinese New Year is a day the Chinese celebrate for the coming of a new year base on the Lunar Calendar. We clean our houses, probably what most people would know as Spring Cleaning. We also give away stuff like cookies, cakes and red packets (ang pau) and we receive them back again. Pretty redundant really. But it is all done in the name of relationship between "long lost" relatives. By the way, it's tomorrow.

Anyway, back on topic, not much news on Duodecim lately, I tried to dig up what I missed last week, but nothing much really. There are a few interesting ones though. FEW.