Modern Otaku: Its about everything, see?

Us Californians just have to worry about California breaking off.... to go hang with Hawaii....Alaska can come too.

This time around, I figured I'd try a new format; have someone interview me to get the information that is probably important, and maybe a few topics I hadn't thought of.

(06:20:42 PM) Modern Otaku: Hello everyone and welcome to my interview. I'd like to introduce you to my friend, who's chosen (or has been forced at gunpoint...) to stage an interview concerning my perceptions and opinions on the name game, Assassin's Creed 2 by Ubisoft's critically acclaimed Montreal studio. Go ahead and introduce yourself.

(06:22:51 PM) Batman: Hi there, Otaku, and thanks for having me here today. I'm the principal writer on "The Bat-Log", a blog about whatever I'm thinking that day. Call me Batman.

(06:24:51 PM) Batman: Let's get started then. I've heard nothing but good things about Assassin's Creed 2, but I haven't played it personally. Let's first hear your overall thoughts on the game. Sum it up in two or three sentences, please.

(06:25:50 PM) Modern Otaku: Lets see. Three sentences.

(06:28:15 PM) Modern Otaku: Well, the game takes place in renaissance Italy, a place rich in art, history and of course, the pretty damzels. The game follows the life of a betrayed young noble name Ezio de Auditore di Firenze, as he seeks revenge against..someone. Theres two sentences, at least.

(06:29:41 PM) Batman: Thanks, Otaku. It sounds like there's been a significant setting change between the original one and the sequel - how has the main character been changed to fit in?

(06:32:51 PM) Modern Otaku: Well, for instance, the character is no longer part of an ancient order of assassins. Hes a (for the time at least) modern Italian lad, fully clothed in the fashions of the day. Although the hero's outfit may be different, it still clings onto certain elements of Altair's original dress. Also, he seems to be a lot more directionless, less sure of himself, as well as perhaps a little more susceptible to his own feelings.

(06:36:06 PM) Batman: Interesting! Let's jump right into the gameplay then. Tell us a little bit about the missions and strategy of the game.

(06:39:43 PM) Modern Otaku: Well, that's really the focus isn't it? For the missions, I'm happy to report that the number and variety of missions have been greatly increased. Gone are the basic mission types of interrogation, eavesdrop and pickpocket. They're still there, but there's SO much more variety now, and missions may even change during the missions themselves. For instance, you may be getting paid to deliver some mail to someone on a timer, but during that, the recipient may decide he doesn't like whats written, and thusly decide to "shoot the messenger".

(06:42:51 PM) Batman: I see. One of the major criticisms of the original had been that the missions were very repetitive - I'm glad to hear that's changed

(07:00:24 PM) Modern Otaku: As for strategey, it remains mostly the same. You can rely on your skills in remaining unseen or unrecognized, or you can swashbuck your way to victory in essentially any instance. The choice really is yours, but keep in mind that all actions have repercussions.

(07:02:22 PM) Batman: Gotcha. The standard 'repercussions' system in games like these has usually been increased recognition among the city guards. Is there a similar system in place here?

(07:06:06 PM) Modern Otaku: Its actually exactly that. The notoriety system can be influenced negatively by being active criminally, and positively by tearing down wanted posters, bribing officials or disposing of witnesses, which adds a whole new level of excitement. Nothing better then the thrill of the chase.

(07:08:24 PM) Batman: Very cool.

(07:08:50 PM) Batman: Tell me about the control system. How much freedom do you have? Special moves, etc?

(07:12:51 PM) Modern Otaku: The classic swashbuckling is still there with a few improvements in animation and timing, which also means there's many more ways and weapons to run through your enemies. There are actually some special moves in this game, befitting master assassins of the silver screen. The ability to throw sand in your opponent's faces, for instance, is an excellent addition. Thankfully, your able to pick up dropped weapons this time around, which enables you to wield large and long weapons, like axes and spears, respectfully. All in all, there's a nice variety of ways to fight.

(07:15:21 PM) Batman: Excellent. Let's move to more technical aspects of the game. First off, what platform did you play the game on?

(07:18:30 PM) Modern Otaku: *snork* Playstation 3.

(07:19:58 PM) Batman: PS3 is known for having excellent sound and video quality for their games. How would you say that AC2 stacks up in those categories?

(07:24:24 PM) Modern Otaku: Well, the first game had alot of texture problems and lighting issues for the PS3 (alot of which we're resolved by using the proper settings on your PS3 such as SuperWhite and full RGB settings). However, it seems like Ubi went the extra mile with this release and really worked out all the kinks; the imagery is easily as-good-as or better-than the Xbox version with sharp figures and rich colours. However, the Xbox seems to sport warmer colours, while the Playstation sports "cooler" colours; just as vivid, just a different flavor. The audio is very good; my only complaints are that the combat sounds are a little dry as compared to some other recent games *coughDemon'sSoulscough*.

(07:27:23 PM) Batman: Good to hear. Okay, let's finish up with the most important category. Is it fun?

(07:29:08 PM) Modern Otaku: Flat out? Yes, its a blast. Think of your favorite swashbuckling movie, add in a dash of history, and you've got one great game. Not to mention Ezio is buddies with Leonardo Di Vinci.

(07:29:59 PM) Modern Otaku: And that never hurts, right?

(07:30:49 PM) Batman: Ha! Not at all.

(07:30:59 PM) Batman: Thanks, Otaku. Anything else you want to say before we wrap this up?

(07:33:04 PM) Modern Otaku: Well, I had it on my mind; in case you we're wondering who did the music for this particular gem, the man behind the wheel is none other then Jesper Kyd of well...pretty much every game fame. First games that come to mind are Hitman and (from what I hear, at least) Borderlands. Thats pretty much it.

(07:36:51 PM) Batman: Cool. Again, thanks for having me here, and I'll see you next time. Turning it back over to you.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

And that's it for the interview, folks. Be sure to check back for my random quips in the following weeks, and the announcement of my next review, which will be....I don't know. But something, I assure you. Till next time.
~Otakun

I find the strangest stuff. Watch it if you want; I'm not saying anything here.

Blood Lines on the PSP looks *great*.

Obtained a copy of Assassin's Creed 2. Review to come (hopefully) in the next week or so. Stay tuned!
~Ota-Kun

I met this guy at the Christmas party the other night; he's pretty funny, at least to me. Actually sat down and chatted with him for over an hour after the show. It was great.

Nothing can stand up against my Soul Ray! *pew pew*

I watched the younger golden retriever pet my vizsla on the head with his paw, for twenty minutes. I swear he thinks he's a person.

Tried to invade a player's world today; ending up playing as the boss. How sweet is that? Oh..and I won.

Danny Choo is my hero. Punch "Tokyo Stormtrooper" into Youtube, and be amazed.

Ever tried prying a space bar off your face? Its not hard or anything, but man do you look dumb...and its obvious you need a new keyboard. Oh well, off I go.

Well, I suppose its about that time, folks. Its been so darned busy lately, that I haven't had time to post anything more then excuses. People going on holidays, family emergencies, computer issues, upgrades; I've faced it all in the last week or so, so I'm pretty much worn out. However, for you guys, I'll do anything. Onto the review.

Demon's Souls is brilliant, as far as action RPGs go. Think of it as a healthy mix of Phantasy Star Online and Diablo, at its best. Now, just make it really hard, based on timing, skill and persistence, and your getting close. You would think for a japanese RPG of any type, it would have alot of backstory or dialog, but it really doesn't. Essentially, the King of Boletaria attempted to used the demon-powered abilities of Soul Arts (*cough*magic*cough*) in order to bring peace and prosperity to his lands. However, in his quest, he unwittingly awakened a deadly force; The Old One. Basically, the old one is a legendary beast, living under the land of Boletaria, who when awakened, goes on a soul-stealing tirade against humanity, using his minions, the demons. Essentially, hes our Cthulu. Anyway. During a quest (for whatever the reasons may be; decide whats what for your own character, if you want) you come upon one of Cthu--I mean, the Old One's minions, the Vanguard. Unless you are godly at timing and dodging (like me! *laugh*) you die. Yep, he just hits you with a huge, earthshattering axe, and you die. But hey, rest assured, this isn't the last time you'll die! Your gonna die a whole bunch of times! And get used to it, because thats how the game is. You screw up, you die. Enjoy. HAH! Anyway, your revived by the Maiden in Black ( creative name I might add. *snork*) who sets you on a quest to slay the demons, retrieve their souls, and send the Old One back to rest, forever. Or until the next time some bearded moron decides to use demonic powers for the good of humanity.

Either way, the game is tough, but doable, even alone. For the first week after I purchased the game, my internet connection (or perhaps my router?) weren't up to par to play online, so I had to solo the entire game. It took some effort, a bit of tact, some patience and just a little bit of soul (the game's currency, by the way) grinding to do it, but I beat the entire game by myself. But trust me, its far more fun with other people. The bosses range from laughably easy, to bone shatteringly hard. The best advice I can offer is to keep your cool, be ready to dodge, and to THINK. If you just charge in blindly swinging your axe or what-have-you, you will regret it, as your going to die, lose all your souls, and worst yet, your physical body. When you lose your physical body, you must fight as a soul. Souls only have 50% of their total health (75% with Cling Ring, an item you obtain early in the game), until you use a rare item to revive, or defeat a boss, or if you want to try your luck, kill a fellow player to steal his or her mortal coil. (Which is just dickish!)

The graphics in this game are magnificent for the most part. The only place your really going to notice a lack of quality, is during character generation, where your character, try as you might to fix it, just looks *lame*. The facial textures honestly suck. And no, theres no better word then suck. Player characters' facial textures don't even hold a candle to Oblivion, and that came out in what...2006?
Either way, the level designs are straight forward, with a few secrets here and there. The enemy and boss designs are nothing short of genius level, for the most part. As with any japanese game, there are a few slightly silly looking monsters; but don't let that fool you. Those little flaming lizards may be slow moving and adorable, but it really does hurt if he pounces on you.

The sound design is top notch. Every swing of your sword makes a satisfying swoosh! and a clang! as you bash it off the wall. Every step in armor rattles as you would expect it to. And best yet, any noises you make can be detected by enemies, so light armor actually has a purpose other then "something to start the game in, before you find full plate." The music also has a touch of love, however, it gets boring really fast, so its best to just ignore it, or let it sit in the back of your head. Even the all-too-important boss fights have boring tunes in the background; although a few are quite unnerving.

The controls are mostly intuitive, if a little slow. But the slowness if purposeful, I believe, to put an emphasis on timing and tact. Controls can be changed to your preference freely, excluding movement and camera controls, which are bound to the left and right sticks, respectively. The game is also controlled from a third person perspective, for the record.

Not to say that this game is awesome or anything; it has its issues too. There is a system, constantly at work in the game, called "Tendency". Theres two types on tendancy; World and Personal, which are both broken down twice, again. Black and White. Essentially what tendency equates to is allignment. World Allignment, and Character Allignment. These allignments effect certain special events in the game; which doors are locked, what characters and items show up during your travels and the such. I have very little experience (and even less patience for it) with it, and mainly choose to ignore it, as I only know how to effect tendency negatively, by dying in physical form. Its simply a feature that makes no sense to me, neither in its function, or practical purpose. For another negitive, the multiplayer functionality is cryptic and stupid. It lacks any intuitivity at all. Think of being in an instanced dungeon (ala World of Warcraft) constantly, and the only way to bring along a friend is to find his message scrawled on the floor, and then summon him into your game. Doesn't sound so bad, right? Alright, thats a given. But how about the fact that anyone can find that message and summon him into their game. That kinda sucks. You could spend a half hour trying to get your friend into your game, which is just not cool. I'm all for creative functionality, but in this case, it would have been better to just have a basic invite panel or something like that, so that you can privately invite your personal friends into the game. And whats the deal with the lack of voice chat, or even, hell, even text chat? My friend and I had to keep flipping back and forth to a PS3 chatroom just to chat, explain the situation, and formulate strategeys. That is just rediculous. "Well, they are ghosts, aren't they?" And so what? I'm already seeing dead people, why can't I talk to them.

Anyway, positives. Hmm.. well, as I mentioned earlier, you can PK (player kill). You use a black stone you find about midway through the game to invade(i.e: force your way into) another player's game to hunt down his body. During this time, monsters will not attack you; so its best not to attack them; they might be your only allies, seeing as the other player can invite two friends to help defend him from you.Dying yields no negative result, short of being pushed back into your own world. However, if you die from an environmental cause (falling of a cliff, being crushed by a trap or being lit on fire by a dragon or something.) you lose a single stat point, randomly. Doesn't sound like much, but since it costs exponentially more to buy stat points at the later levels, it can be quite detrimental. It may even disable you from using your favorite weapon effectively, till you buy back that point.

Without saying too much more, I give the game a 9/10, and suggest that if you have a PS3, and you've been looking for a real challenge (since most games aren't challenging anymore), to at least rent Demon's Souls and try it out. You wouldn't back down from a challenge, would you? Hmmmm? Haha!
~Ota-kun