Day 31: One Month Done

Today is the last day of Month 1 of the 6-Month Challenge.  Here's a list of the games I have completed.

Sonic Unleashed

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus

Prince of Persia

Grand Theft Auto IV

Catherine

Rugrats: Search for Reptar

Ed, Edd, and Eddy: The Mis-Edventures

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?

Katamari Damacy

I have to say, I am a little disappointed in my ability for this first month.  Only 9 games, and four of those were completed before I even started the challenge.  But because I didn't want to play them again this year I added them to the list.  There is still a lot more to play, and a lot more that I want to play on my list.  Some of the games I own, I have only played a few minutes to find out if they even work.  Up next is a list of games I currently have files made.

Final Fantasy XIII

Final Fantasy XIII-2

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony

Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned

Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Dark Cloud

The Legend of Zelda II: The Adventure of Link

Pokémon FireRed

Pokémon White

Phantasy Star Universe

The last one I started last night after I posted yesterday's entry.  I completed Chapter 1 in one hour and 28 minutes.  It isn't exactly the kind of RPG I like to play, but it is still good.  Ethan Waber reminds me of a less whiny Tidus for Final Fantasy X, in that Ethan is so strong in spirit.  He's so sure of himself, it seems.  I didn't really like the whole underwear scene at the beginning of Chapter 2, but the fact that he was able to put on his clothes at the touch of a button was really cool.  I know I could definitely use that.  It would save time in choosing each day.  Up next is a small list of games I want to start for the coming month.

Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht

Metal Gear Solid

Crash Bandicoot

Super Mario Bros. 3 (GBA version)

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (GBA version)

The last three in this list are generally short games.  I need to work on a few of the shorter games in order to help get the average completion up to a level I am proud of.  I think I may work on a few of the games in Atari Anthology as well.  Those are also quite short, because the capabilities at the time for those games was really limited.  But I don't know yet.

Despite the poor results this month, I am really pleased that I was able to stick to the challenge for a month.  I hope I am able to complete the other five, and complete every game on my list.  One major goal for this month is to NOT buy any more video games.  First, because I can't afford it.  Second, because it just makes this challenge that much more difficult.

As always, if you have any suggestions on what I should play, or if you have any questions; feel free to leave a comment.  That's all I have for today.  For the coming day, enjoy every game you play!

Michael, aka me3lingual, aka 情郎

Day 24: Dark Cloud on a Sunny Day

I received a copy of Dark Cloud today in the mail.  I have had a copy once before, but it wasn't mine.  It also didn't work in my PS2 either.  My silver PS2 doesn't play some games, like Xenosaga I, Metal Gear Solid 2, Gran Turismo 4; and Dark Cloud is another on that list.  But all of those games are playable on my black PS2.  So I wanted to finally try it out.  I have to say, I really like this game.  But before I played it, I didn't like the concept of it.

For those that don't know, the main character in this game has to basically put the world back together when it was destroyed by the Dark Genie, being controlled by some guy in a military suit (I haven't reached the part where I find out his name, or I missed the part that tells it).  No, the world isn't physically in pieces just floating around waiting for the hero to come by some magic glue to stick the pieces back together.  But all of the houses, people, belongings, trees, fences, roads, rivers, etc. are all in these magical spheres.  The Fairy King put all of these things in the Atla (the magical spheres), and it is up to the chosen one (whose name is Toan) to collect them and put them back on the world.

That is the main thing that separates this game from other RPGs, the ability to make towns however you want.  Yes, you will fight monsters and search dungeons and whatnot; but you also find the Atla to restore the world to how it was.

When I was first told about this game, I didn't think that rebuilding the world would be fun.  I thought that it would be just a boring mini-game that would unlock special areas or something.  I am glad I still gave the game a chance, because I like it a lot.  I die a lot, because I forget to heal myself sometimes; but I like the game.  Right now, I am still in Norune Town (or whatever it's called).  I forgot to save, so I have to go and start the dungeon all over.

I actually have more experience with Dark Cloud 2, because I borrowed both of them and only 2 would play in my PS2 at the time.  However, I couldn't take the game seriously.  When your first weapon is a wrench, I can't believe you are serious about a journey to save the world.  And the game was really slow to open up for exploration.  I didn't have access to the one mechanic that the Dark Cloud games have going for them.  I have a bid on a copy of Dark Cloud 2, but the auction for it ends in two days.  So, only time will tell on whether or not I will complete the set.

The only other game I played today was Pokémon White.  I finally earned my second Gym badge.  It was surprisingly easy now that I had two Fighting-type Pokémon in the party.  There were I think only five turns I made in the entire battle.  And now I am in the Forest looking for the Team Plasma people after they stole the dragon skull from the museum.  Here's a question: Why would the curator of a museum ask a ten-year-old kid (I assume they are still ten) to go chase after a gang of thieves, rather than alerting the authorities to the theft?  Just because they have Pokémon with them means they are suitable to do such a thing.

Anyway, I will be going back to the Pokémon Center to switch out a couple of my team members, as they aren't really suited for the next Gym's Pokémon.  I tried finding out the main character's age, and discovered the names and preferred Types for the Gym Leaders.  My current team won't do too well against Bug-Types.

Before I forget, I should tell you all that I completed Katamari Damacy last night before I went to bed.  It wasn't too hard at all.  I love that game and I knew beforehand where I needed to go in order to get the required sizes as fast as possible.  I only had to redo one level, and I only had to redo it once.  Sure the night sky isn't as full of stars as it could be, but I reached the credits, and rolled up most of the countries.  It was 171 regions of the world by the end of the song.  In the end, a completion is a completion, and I completed one more game on the list.  So, that's 9 finished, and only a whole lot more to go.

Well, that's is everything I played today.  I hope to see you back here tomorrow, and I wish you lots of luck finishing every game you play in the coming day!

Michael, aka me3lingual, aka 情郎

Day 23: Rolling up some balls.

I caught a Tympole today when I played Pokemon White. It is so CUTE! I caught it, and then stopped playing. I hope that when I see its evolved form that it stays cute. I would hate to see it become some big ugly bullfrog or something. If it does, I think I may cry, or never ever battle with it. One thing I noticed is that unless you level grind for hours, you really have to listen to the hint-givers and go where they suggest you go in order to win. Before I battled Cilan, I was told to go to the Dreamyard and train. That's when I was given Pansear and the battle was a piece of cake. Now I am told to catch a Fighting-type Pokemon in order to combat the Leader's Normal-types. The trainer battles in the museum were super tough. That's why I followed the advice and I am now looking for a Fighting-type Pokemon. That's when I caught Tympole.

I am working on traveling back to Cloud Ruler Temple to give Martin the book in Oblivion. I also completed a few other quests in Cheydinhall as well.  I received a recommendation from the Mages Guild.  And saved the painter dude from the painted trolls in the painting world.  I found incriminating evidence against the Captain of the Guard.  Right now, I am in some cave on a weapons delivery for the Fighters Guild.  I have done this quest a couple times already today.  The first time I completed it, but the people I delivered the weapons to ended up dead.  It looks bad for my reputation, so I reloaded the file.  The second time I tried it I ended up protecting them too much and didn't look after myself.  I ended up dead.  That's even worse.  So I stopped playing and moved on to something else

And I looked up game completion times online this evening. I wanted a short game that I owned that I could play and post about in my gaming blog. The shortest game the person listed was one I owned.  That game was Katamari Damacy.  And I must say, it really is a short game.  I am already almost finished with it.  I am just doing the Make A Star levels, and in the hour that I played, I have already completed 6 stars.  I believe the constellations are optional, so I am not doing those.  I need to get more games completed, so researching the short games and completing those are key right now.  The longer games are fine to work on, but if I don't add some short games in the mix then I will not see results in this challenge until the end of it.

Well, that's what I played today.  And now I have a question for you.  What are you currently playing?  Leave your comments at the end of this post.  Also, if you have any tips on any of the games I am playing that will help me complete them faster, please tell me.  I have the feeling I will be using the Magic Whistle to teleport when I start playing Super Mario Bros. 3.

Until next time, have fun playing what you are playing.

Michael, aka me3lingual, aka 情郎