firsttimegamereviewer-blog

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Get To Know Me! (Through E3 2019)

As a gamer, I am shameful to admit that this is the first ever E3 in which I have followed religiously. On the bright side, it brings me tremendous joy to know that 2019 was my first REAL E3. For lack of a better word, GODDAMN IT, E3 2019 WAS AAAMMAAZING. And there are so many reasons why. (I know this is only the first reason, more to come)

I. Best In Show: Square Enix 

Now, before I go on, let me remind you that this is strictly an opinion piece, this is especially so here with this year’s Best In Show category. For obvious reasons in which you will get to see, I LOVE SQUARE ENIX. Mostly because they have rarely ever failed me (yes, I am looking at you Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII. Way to ruin one of the best characters in the history of videogames). With that aside, Square Enix is the father of the Final Fantasy franchise and the Kingdom Hearts series, creator of the best JRPG game of all time Chrono Trigger, the architect of The World Ends With You, to name a few.

Coming off of a strong performance at E3 2018 with Kingdom Hearts 3 and Dragon Quest XI, Square Enix not only had to overdo themselves but also fill the void that was left by Sony. Started the show was Final Fantasy VII remake, a star 1000 times more breathtaking than Keanu Reaves in Microsoft’s E3 conference. Let me tell you, I was drooling for 15  straight minutes, no lie. I would describe myself as someone who’s deprived of a little bit of love when I was younger and thus, hide my emotions relatively well. BUT HOLY SHIT, THERE WAS NO WAY THAT I COULD HAVE KEPT MY SHIT TOGETHER. The real-time strategy gameplay, the fact that they kept the ATB bar, and omg Tifa. ESPECIALLY when Tifa showed up. My first ever videogame girlfriend, standing in front of me, once again, looking ever more badass. I couldn’t believe it. And this badassery was translated perfectly through a mere 10 seconds of combat that she was in. Intoxicated with excitement, however, I let out a sigh of relief. Final Fantasy VII was my baby brother, my best friend, it’s practically as old as I am. I, me, and hundreds of other fans would’ve burnt down Square Enix if they had messed that one up.

After all that was over, I thought to myself “god, this is only the start of the conference?” And what did I know, Square continued to blow my mind. The crowd erupted when Square announced that they would be remastering Final Fantasy VIII, finally fulfilling the decade long wishes from fans. My heart fluttered at the sight of Kingdom Hearts 3: ReMind, at the thought that maybe, maybe, Kingdom Hearts will finally make sense. The only complaint I have (and it is a small and personal one) is that Final Fantasy XIV: Shadowbringers was a little too long. Maybe get rid of the additional subscription fee for PlayStation and then I’ll be more interested. But then again, good move Square Enix, keep making that easy MMORPG money so that you can continue to bring me more of what I love. Also to take more of my money, but please, take it! The worlds you build and the stories you create are just so touching and impactful.

PS: Dropping the release date for Final Fantasy VII: Remake, the night before your conference, in a Final Fantasy Music Orchestra performance? This is why your bae, Square Enix, <3

#square enix #final fantasy vii: remake #FirstTimeGameReviewer #e3 2019

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Stadia: How Will It Change Gaming?

In the war between PC and console gaming, I have always been on the console’s side. Now, with the introduction of Stadia, a new player has emerged, game streaming. While both PC and console gaming required players to spill out a few hundred dollars before they could begin to enjoy their games, Google’s most recent technology will bypass this by allowing players to stream games onto their TVs, laptops, phones, and the available platforms for Stadia will only grow larger over time, that is, given Stadia is successful. I would argue, however, that while Microsoft and Sony should be cautious, together, they do not have anything to worry about. And here’s why.

To start, Stadia does offer 4K, HDR at 60 FPS with 5.1 surround sounds. That is amazing. But, this is also fairly standard in the game industry now if you want to compete (except for Nintendo, as we all know). Here’s the catch. You will only be able to play your games in 4K at 35 Mbps. At 10 Mbps, you’ll be playing your game in 720, and who wants to play their game in 720p. Furthermore, what happens if your internet speed is less than 10Mbps. You simply just won’t run into those problems on a console. Here’s another factor to take into account. While 35 Mbps internet speed isn’t too difficult to acquire here in the U.S., this usually is not achievable elsewhere. Included in this post is also an image of the average internet speed in countries in South East Asia. As you can see, citizens of Singapore are the only people that are capable of playing Stadia games in 4K. 

(https://e.vnexpress.net/news/business/data-speaks/vietnam-ranks-74th-in-global-internet-speed-report-3626168.html)

Another problem that Stadia might face has to do with the games themselves. In Stadia’s most recent Connect video, they introduced Baldur Gate 3. As a fan of any form of Role Playing games, whether it be table tops or in front of a screen, (and I admit, I have not played the Baldur Gate series) Baldur Gate 3 looks amazing. But aesthetic here isn’t the most important factor. The most crucial thing here to realize is that this is a game that is exclusive to Stadia (at least for now). While this is a good start, it is also a good thing that Stadia decided to host their Connect a few days before the start of the Electronic Entertainment Expo, E3. If Stadia had shown this at E3, they would not have achieved the same reaction and attention from the press. In order for them to compete in the U.S. and more developed countries in gaming, they will need to acquire first-party game developers, and they need to do so fast. And unless Stadia can start convincing more game developers to release their games simultaneously as they release them on consoles while acquiring first-party studios, Stadia will always be behind Microsoft and Sony. 

While a subscription of $9.99/month and $69.99 for a Stadia controller isn’t much, I don’t see why Americans or British or New Zealanders would pay this price when they can’t access the most recent games the day, if not the week after it comes out.

I can, however, see this being a hit out of the park for developing nations. Due to stricter Intellectual Property Laws and tightening of these regulations in foreign countries, gaming has become a hobby for children of the elites. For example, a brand new PS4, not even a PS4 Pro, is $269.00 at Walmart. While that isn’t a lot for many of us here in America, that is the equivalent of over 6 million VND (Vietnam Dong). To put this in perspective, a Vietnamese college graduate with a good paying job, say in the finance sector, make at most 1 million VND per month. And this is the population that can realistically afford and enjoy videogames here in developed nations. I don’t know how Google would be able to bypass the idled internet speed issue in these countries, but then again, is there even enough money in these countries for Stadia to be interested in?

Sometimes I wish capitalism wasn’t so prevalent. 

“I was born stupid. However, I will not die hungry. Videogames forever.” - Tim Rogers

#stadia #firsttimegamereviewer

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A First Time Reviewer: Upcoming

Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of An Elusive Age.

Dragon Quest XI belongs in one of my favorite gaming genre of all time, Role Playing Game, but more specifically, Japanese RPG. From all different mainstream Pokemon games to Final Fantasy to Kingdom Hearts and the Fire Emblem series, JRPG was the first person to ever really steal my heart. My attraction towards these games is unexplainable. At times, I am blown away by their art direction, pure creativity, or even just minor adjustments to the traditional JRPG gameplay (i.e. the Bravely Default series/ Octopath Traveler). But one thing is for certain, I LOVE, LOVE the stories that are told and the messages that are being conveyed in these games. The LOVE, FRIENDSHIP, PAIN, and overall EMOTIONS that these games invoke. Dragon Quest XI just happened to be the biggest, most recent AAA  JRPG release of 2018 and also the first Dragon Quest game on a home console since the PlayStation 2. I had to play it.

As a child, I have played a few Dragon Quest titles, all without completing any of them. As you will painfully come to see, I DO finish video games, it just happens to be a rare occurrence (but that’s a rant for another post). Currently, I am about 75% complete with the DQXI (60+ hours) and am slowly digesting the last bit of it as to give this game the justice it deserves. I will save most of my opinions for the final review. Right now, however, I will say that I am enjoying this game A LOT, with emphasis on A LOT. There are times where I do experience a little RPG fatigue due to the nature of 100+ immersive, role-playing games, but that is unavoidable.

#DragonQuestXI #FirstTimeGameReviewer #JRPG