So... I did a thing.

Yeah, ok, my Photoshop skills are a little rusty.

Super hyped for video games in November. Never going to have time to play them, but Fallout 4, Star Wars: Battlefront, and XCOM 2 are three of my favorite franchises gut punching my wallet in another five or so months. And a possible Persona 5 drop somewhere there too...

I'd like to do a nerd-gush on Fallout 4 and all the news that has dropped soon... And I'd also like to commence re-skinning the blog, though now I'm torn between Star Wars or Fallout...

These are good problems to have.

What I want in the Bat Wardrobe for Batman: Arkham Knight

Sell More Toys!

The Batman Iron Man look just doesn't do it for me. I understand the developers wanted Batman to match the Batmobile, but that's an awful marriage idea. If I was Alfred I wouldn't have advised Bruce to apply chrome shine to the work clothes. It's very Robocop and maybe that's coming full circle since there's a helluva a lot The Dark Knight Returns in the greatest film of 1987! I wish the cape wasn't so far away from the neck. I wish for once outside of comics and traditional animation and Adam West the cape could fully encircle Batman and be attached to the cowl. Gripes aside, I'm greatly anticipating racing through the streets of Gotham in the Bat Tank in Arkham Knight. But that suit...  give me a nomex survival suit any day over the Shining.

Persona 5, the Return of Spider-Man, and Underwhelming Comics

Almost back to back, I got two bits of wonderful news that has me very excited for things coming up. Which is good, because I've needed something to look forward to!

Persona 5

First, a gameplay trailer for Persona 5 launched. IT WAS AMAZING. This is already my GOTY (game of the year), and I won't be playing until at least 2016 (Japanese release date is sometime 2015, so I'm HOPING we're sometime 2016). I love the red colors, the cat burgler-esque themes, the grittier characters, the more dynamic dungeons, persona enemies instead of shadows, etc etc... The only thing I'm not seeing in the trailer is a cast that exceeds for playable characters. It's not determined by the trailer, obviously, but I wouldn't even be mad if that was the case.

Oh, and it's coming to PS4 (and PS3), which 100% justifies my purchase of the system. Perfection. Watch it below, the Elder Gods know I have...

Spidey's Return

Next up, we have the "return" of Spider-Man to Marvel, in regards to film rights. Marvel has brokered a deal that allows them to use a new (not Andrew Garfield/ASM series) Spider-Man in their films (which is already impacting upcoming releases -- like May's Captain America: Civil War!). Sony will choose the actor and have final say in regards to character development, but I'm hoping they see reason and more or less follow Marvel's lead.

Doubt they'll go this route, but an important Civil War moment...

Then Sony will continue to produce solo Spider-Man films, which may now see inclusion of MCU characters. While I no longer trust Sony with anything related to my favorite super hero, I'm hoping the cross-pollination with Marvel will produce quality results. And having two studios pumping out related MCU films sounds like a perfect setup to me (though I would prefer Marvel having ownership of all rights back, just to allay the shakes and mental anguish ASM2 still causes).

Apparently the agreement was reached without Marvel actually paying anything, either -- they won't be getting any money from Sony Spidey-films, and Sony won't be getting any money from MCU group films. Honestly, it sounds like Sony got the lesser half of this deal, unless they're expecting the MCU marketing to be worthwhile... Or maybe there's something else there going on.


Now, on to actual comics...

Guardians of the Galaxy

Because... Venom.

I was excited that Guardians of the Galaxy was finally going to the home planet of the symbiotes. We've seen a "Planet of the Symbiotes" in a 90's crossover, featuring Spider-Man, Scarlet Spider, and Venom titles, but never the actual point of origin for the species.

Guardians promised to take us there, and they did... but they didn't exactly deliver anything worthwhile. The arc is mostly taken up by the Venom symbiote jumping from Guardian to Guardian (as if we EVER expected anything else), eventually taking over the ship and directing the group to its home. Upon arrival... well, there's a very short, very anti-climactic stay. I won't even bother spoiling things for you, but the reveal of the species as a whole is unfortunate, white-washes a potentially interesting story, and retcons information offered in the "Planet of the Symbiotes" arc (Planet of the Big Fat Liars is more like it).

All in all, after reading decades of Venom, Carnage, and their extended family, it comes as a real let down that this is the direction Marvel went. I wanted a potential inter-galactic threat, or something menacing in some way that explains all the bullshit abilities and costs the symbiotes seem to offer or impose. Instead... blah. Going back to NOT reading GotG.

Spider-verse

As a whole, Spider-verse hasn't been as inclusive or as interesting as I hoped. "Every Spider-Man ever" isn't actually pulled off, and it's a giant chase scene between an arbitrarily super-powered family hunting Spiders, with limited-to-no logic applied. The Spiders could just as easily get help from the other super powers in their multitude of dimensions, but instead they wait and allow some of my favorite Spiders to get killed off.

GUESS WHO'S AT THE END?!

On that note, I won't even start on how annoyed I am with the "Scarlet Spiders" run ended. The bastards did it again. They. Did. It. Again.



For now... Well, wish me luck in netting a Majora's Mask Edition New 3DS XL. I, like anyone who wasn't a filthy scalper, missed the tiny pre-order window (less than 20 minutes, I believe), and have had to resort to sending The Wife out to flirt with associates of certain stores, in an effort to secure us a copy come Friday. The Wife seems confidant of her success... You'll be seeing a review of the system next week, if she's correct!

Firefly: The Game Review (Expansions Included!)

Hi all! Finally coming back with the review of Firefly: The Game, now that I've actually gotten to play it with all the current expansions available (promo material not included)!

Base Game

The base game does a lot right. The Firefly theme is felt in every element of the game, and there are a ton of references for fans of the show to enjoy. When you're working jobs and upgrading your ship, it can really feel like you're a ship captain working your way through the 'Verse. Especially when things go wrong -- Reavers, ship malfunctions, running out of fuel, and other unfortunate elements.
Every time you take an extended trip through the big black, you take the risk of random things happening. Sometimes their good... but that's pretty rare.

The Reavers aren't actually much of a threat in this version. There's one ship that may get moved around a couple spaces, but there's really only one card that forces them upon you and, even then, it's easy enough to prepare for. The Alliance Cruiser, being centrally located and opposed to some of the best characters in the game, poses much more of a threat... if you're not keeping things strictly on the up and up. And it's MUCH more lucrative to play on the other side of the law.

Other players... well, they really don't matter. Very minimal interactions, you're just hoping they don't accomplish the goals, which are variable based on the chosen setup card, before you. Even then... that can take PLENTY of time.

My first game was with two other players and we were at it for about six hours. And we really, really enjoyed it.

Breakin' Atmo'

This was just a booster pack of cards for the various decks, It added a couple of interesting items/characters, but didn't in any way impact game mechanics.

Pirates and Bounty Hunters

This was an awesome expansion!
-It added two new, very unique ships. They offer substantially different play styles than the Fireflys, and they play to different styles -- one a super fast ship with little storage place but offering plenty of opportunity for hunting the galaxy's most wanted or maybe even engaging in a bit of piracy. The other is a slow, lumbering cargo hauler that... well, is really damn awesome at hauling cargo.
-It also added bounties -- using the characters that already have Warrants on their cards, now they may randomly become open season for all aspiring bounty hunters. Some huge payoffs, but taking these bounties aren't always safe... especially if they're on another player's ship!
-Piracy added an element of PVP, and some more tension between players. Is he coming by because he needs to get some shopping done at the Space Bazaar, or does he have a mission that allows him to board my ship and steal my goods? ... Better mosey...
-The new items and characters were also solid additions.

For the new ships alone, this expansion was awesome -- now six players can traverse the 'verse at once... though this WILL create MUCH longer games. Strongly recommend ONLY playing this many with an experienced group. The PVP was a nice touch, too!

The slow cargo hauler.

Blue Sun

This expansions expands the board, adds a new shopping destination and two new contacts, AND makes the Reavers (which are now three in total!) MUCH more of a threat. Seriously, I got munched on twice, and didn't have time to collect the Mechanic/Pilot combo needed to get out of the way :/

No real new mechanics, other than those that relate to the Reavers, but the additional space, items, locations, and faces were very welcome. I'm really looking forward to seeing what they add next, considering they've already used a lot of fairly minor elements from the show and movie...

The new board and the Reaver threat!

On another note, the base box kind of sucks. Its beautiful, but it just doesn't keep things organized or have enough room for the expansions. I actually decided to do some crafting for the first time ever, and made a custom box insert. It... well, it's rough, and I miscalculated all of my measurements by a half centimeter, but it is currently functional, fits everything from all the expansions, and makes setup/clean up MUCH faster. Seeing a show version 1.1 is a little rough (1.0 already had to have a couple modifications), I'll be waiting for version 2.0 before I do a write about about customizing the box... but this has been a project I enjoyed doing and would really like to look into for my other games... and it may make for an interesting series of posts. More on this later!

P.S. If you're on Instagram, you can always follow my progress there! You'll also see images from our game sessions, pictures of the work I've been doing on the Nerd-Cave, and maybe some pictures of a really cute baby. Who knows.

5 Fixes for your Gundam Mania

Sometimes, I just get the urge to binge on things. As a nerd, this generally relates to periods of time where I binge on a certain title or genre.

This month's binge is brought to you buy giant mecha, specifically in the form of the Gundam franchise. Unfortunately for me, America doesn't love Gundam. Which means that Gundam rarely comes out to play and, instead, stays home, all the way in Japan. There have been countless games, books, and movies/shows that have never hit US shores... and it's pretty depressing.

In case you've got the same affliction I've got now, I'm going to share how I scratch that Gundam-mania itch, in 5 relatively easy steps!

1. Watch the Original Series

Ah, Mobile Suit Gundam. Dated visuals, inconsistent plot, and sometimes terrible writing. Old school anime at its best. But wait, there's more! The original series, as it aired, was truly a mess. The creator realized that and, for your benefit, reconstructed the series into three, feature length films. The art doesn't take any leaps forward, but the plot is restructured and improved, and certain story elements are made clearer. If you're really jonesing for Gunam, but not interested in the dozens of meh quality episodes, these three movies are just for you!

2. Play MS Saga: A New Dawn

MS Saga is a PS2 game. It is a JRPG with traditional, turn-based JRPG elements. The kicker is that your team takes giant mechs from many of the Gundam series into battle.

The story is rubbish. The character designs are the worst, and further dragged down by painful voice acting, and the mobile suits follow the SD (Super Deformed) style. That being said, the gameplay is respectfully challenging, the diversity in enemies is perfect, and it features great customization and collectible options. Every time you acquire a new mobile suit, it feels like Christmas (or whatever holiday you choose, I suppose, but it has to include getting awesome shit). You've never been so happy to see a Gouf in your life! And, when you finally get to see the Gundam in action, it will give you butterflies.

The traditional gameplay is actually a solid example of how RPGs can be turn-based and still awesome, too -- you can have up to six party members at a time, three active and three that can be swapped in on a whim. It gives you a lot of options on how to approach combat.

Customization example. Yes, you can also change part colors!

Despite all the negatives I mention, I give this game an 8/10 on the Arbitrary Scale. If you can, I'd also recommend emulating it -- I was MUCH happier being able to A) save anywhere and B) speed up the game at certain points.

3. Search #Gunpla on Instagram

After playing MS Saga, you'll think you've have seen a large variety of suits. Well, it's time to expand your mind. Bandai has been released Gunpla (Gundam Plastic Models), regardless if they match up with any ongoing show or not. What this means is that there are some truly awesome, never-before-seen models out there. And, since they're WAY too expensive a hobby for me to pursue, Instagram lets me enjoy the hard work of others (truly, the American Dream).

#Winning

When I need a quick fix, Instagram and Gunpla are where it's at. Unfortunately, this remedy has led to some additional side effects, such as seeing if Gunpla models are really THAT expensive, and how difficult could it be, putting them together...

4. Play Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front

Crap, gotta distract myself from Gunpla. Alright, back to the PS2, which is the definitive console for Gundam in the US. Zeonic Front is a third-person strategy/action game. You're playing as a Zeon soldier during the ground-wars of the One Year War. Before each mission, you equip your troops (up to three squads) and set the paths your squads should take on the battle map. This leads to a lot of different strategic options, and it's an awesome, realistic feeling mech sim in that regards.

Of course, that's not to say it doesn't have issues. Controls are not intuitive or responsive, combat is quick and usually dirty, and there are especially difficult/cheap missions (I'm looking at you, mission #6!).

This game gets a 7/10 for me. I really do love it, but it can frustrate the shit outta me.

5. Watch an Alternative Gundam series

The Gundam series has several universes. The original follows the UC timelines and is comprised of the main titles "Mobile Suit Gundam," "Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam," and "Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ." There are related side stories (0083: Stardust Memories has some awesome art, and bridges the gap between the original series and Zeta), and follow up movies, but I recommend jumping off the UC timeline for a bit.

Your Gundam Beat-'Em-Up Anime

I'm going to split this recommendation in twain, only because the correct 5th treatment is based on your preference:

If you enjoy a lot of action with relatively limited story (which can be refreshing after Mobile Suit Gundam), watch "Mobile Fighter G Gundam." This series is all about fist-fighting mechs that participate in an overly dramatic martial arts tournament. This may sounds kind of stupid, but it's actually pretty awesome, and it features the most unique mobile suits in the franchise (mostly because they don't all go pew pew, bang bang). The cast isn't large, so you're less likely to get annoyed by them (I personally find all the main protagonists from the UC timeline really, really annoying).

If you're looking for a deeper, character driven story, watch the always-classic "Mobile Suit Gundam Wing." You're not sure if the Gundam are the good guys or the bad guys, or even friends or enemies, but it makes for an awesome ride. Probably one of my favorite story-oriented shows in the franchise, and the suits are all iconic (it's amazing when you start picking them up in MS Saga).

Angst and Explosions, the Anime

Alright, those are my five steps. You can expand the first point, as I'm doing, by watching all of the UC timeline in order. I don't necessarily recommend that, but you could. And there are other (mostly PS2) Gundam video games, but the most common entry in that vein lately has been Dynasty Warriors Gundam *sigh*. Let me know if you find anything else that helps you with your Gundam Mania, because I'm afraid mine might flare up again...

8 Elements of the Nerd's Perfect Video Game

In this post, I'm going to attempt to distill my favorite features of video games and break them down to components I would love to see make up a single game that would, for The Nerd, be the end all of video games.

Until the sequel comes out, with improved graphics and smell-o-vision.

1. Turn-Based Strategy

This is a must for me. Real-Time Strategy games require too much in regards to practice and memorization. I don't argue that they are fun, but my method of thinking is more analytically, given to examining a situation to make the best decision, without feeling rushed. The strategy aspect highlights this as well -- sure, a turn-based RPG is acceptable, but adding unit location and map variation to conflict scenarios really draws out the strategy-enthusiest in me. And it also highlights the ability to solve a scenario via multiple methods (direct approach, bait and switch, opposed strength/weakness, etc...). I have seen games that use turn-based strategy for an overworld and then something more action-oriented to resolve conflicts... I'd be ok with that as well.

X-COM: Enemy Unknown's Turn-Based, Strategic Combat.

Examples: X-COM: Enemy Unknown had a beautiful system with varied maps, and the fog of war was a nice touch. Banner Saga was another great looking example, which focused on each unit being different, while the maps were not so exciting. A classic example would be Final Fantasy Tactics, though that system is a bit dated and runs too slow compared to recent ventures.

2. Team Building

Being able to grow your team by collecting and grooming new units adds another reason to play the game, aside from the story and combat/conflict. However, these units should be unique or extremely varied, should have different strengths and weakness, and must have different recruitment methods and rarity.

Yeah, 108 characters will work, Suikoden 3.

Examples: The Suikoden series has a roster of 108 characters, which are different across all the games. I've only finished the 3rd game in the series, but it was awesome recruiting such a large cast of characters that had individual stories, unique appearances, and different ways to get them on your team. Pokemon is a better known series that features a collectible, team-building style, and it worked as well. Shin Megami Tensei games have one of the most interest versions of this, with large cast of recruitable monsters, many of which can only be acquired through fusing others... Collectible card games are also appealing in this manner.

3. 'Town' Building

Building a town or location up as you advance in the game is an easy way to make a player invested. It can be a negligible aspect of the game that provides non-mandatory benefits for those who like the simulation-like aspect. Visiting a location you've help 'build' from the ground up is refreshing. Even better if you have to defend it or interact with it during missions. It can also offer an avenue of interacting with the large cast you've recruited above, if they end up relocating to this new location.

One method of "town" building, with X-COM's base screen.

Examples: Suikoden, again, uses this pretty heavily, and it was my absolute favorite part of the third game. I cared less about the main story and more about gathering the "108 Stars of Destiny" in Thomas' castle... XCOM: Enemy Unknown also features a base-building aspect that, while a touch bland, did introduce a puzzle-like aspect and some additional strategy to the overall game. A classic example would be Dragon Quest/Warrior III, which had a town that grew as your progressed the story.

4. Character Evolution

Characters should change throughout the game. Most commonly, this will occur via the story, but that's not the only way to do it. Characters that can unlock abilities that alter the game to a decent degree would work, or characters that undergo a physical change after a certain threshold is met allow the player to set goals based on their characters. Stagnant characters can kill a game fairly easily.

Pokemon Conquest's monsters and 'trainers' could evolve.

Examples: X-COM: Enemy Unknown had your soldiers gaining game-changing abilities as time went on, and their physical appearance changed drastically based on their equipment (and, after the expansion, certain abilities). Pokemon is an obvious choice here, with almost every monster being able to evolve. A less obvious example would be the main character of Knights of the Old Republic, who has a major revelation that is surprising and changes the way the player looks at the character. Similar again to the protagonist in the first Bioshock.

5. The Antagonist's Story

This one is probably the easiest to dispute from this list, but it is absolutely a requirement to be the perfect game for me. Having an opportunity to see the antagonist's story is a minimum. Even better if you can, in some fashion, play through their story. Either as post-game content, or recruiting them to your team, or maybe just given control of them for a couple of sequences.

Magneto was clutch in the final battle of X-Men 2: Clone Wars.

Examples: Chrono Trigger allows you to recruit on of the villains on your team. I'm fairly certain you could play as the antagonists in Suikoden 3, after finishing the main game, but I don't recall. Fallout: New Vegas allowed you to be a villain, and never required you to "save the world" or "fight the bigger evil." Golden Sun: The Lost Ages actually gives you control of some of the main antagonists from the first game, which was awesome. A classic example would be X-Men 2: Clone Wars, where Magneto became a powerful player character after you defeat him in a later level of the game.

6. Variety of Game 'Modes'

Cutscenes separating similar combat scenarios/styles gets boring, eventually. Sure, some games can come to a close before this happens, but I personally love longer titles. My favorite way to break this up is to work in an 'large battle' system or an 'territory conquest view.' These would have different gameplay elements that still required strategy.

Budokai 2 had a board game campaign within a fighting game!

Examples: Suikoden, again, featured this, in the form of large scale battles that gave you control of larger forces that followed different rules when being controlled. X-COM: Enemy Unknown's base building and global management definitely broke up the monotony of repeated turn-based battles. A classic example would be Ogre Battle 64, which had to methods of play - a map view, where you moved your forces around, and a combat mode that played like a typical RPG. The Devil Survivor series also mixed turn-based strategy with traditional RPG elements. Even Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 had a "campaign mode" that worked in a boardgame element. When pieces on the gameboard met, the combat would take place via traditional fighting game combat -- the losing player lost their piece.

7. An In-Depth, Variable Story

Several of the strategy games I play don't bother with a continuous, in-depth story. And the story should present you with options or opportunities that change the way the game plays, so that there is still a motivation to replay the game.

Mass Effect's Decision Tree. Notice how 3 goes off on its own...

Examples: On the negative side, neither Pokemon Conquest nor X-COM: Enemy Unknown have in-depth, persistent stories. They focus on generic or minor stories, with a focus on replayability. This works for them, but I'd prefer something continuous, and with a variety of meaningful choices. The Fallout games have always featured this. Something like the Mass Effect or Dragon Age series, however, where the choices made persist through multiple games, would be even better. Though Mass Effect specifically missed many good opportunities...

8. Appealing Setting/Theme

For me, an appealing setting or theme could pull from an existing universe (Marvel, Star Wars, etc...) or feature elements I enjoy (post-apocalypse, space travel, etc...). Generic fantasy would be hard to feel original, though it could be done. I'd love to see something in this format that includes giant mechs...

A turn-based RPG that uses Gundams? Oh, yes please, MS Saga: A New Dawn

Examples: The Front Mission series features giant mechs, which I love. Fallout has the post-apocalyptic angle covered, and Knights of the Old Republic was awesome for its innovative storytelling AND the fact that it was set in the Star Wars universe.

Games that blur the lines.

There have been some titles that have blurred the lines and mixed some of my favorite elements, though I know of none to get them all:

Pokemon Conquest - Combines Team Building, Variety of Game Modes, Character Growth, Variety of Game Modes, Appealing Setting/Theme. Technically it also hits The Antagonist's Story, though that's because there isn't a true antagonist. I love how it mixes Pokemon with Nobunaga's Ambition for the setting/theme. The strategy aspect is a bit too basic and easy, and there is no 'true' consecutive story, but this game comes pretty damn close.

Suikoden Series - Team Building, Town Building, The Antagonist's Story, Variety of Game Modes. And there are two titles in the series that feature Turn-Based Strategy. These games are pretty awesome, though each suffers from a variety of issues. I would love to see a new, next-gen entry into the series.

Fallout Series - Turn-Based Strategy (in 1, 2, and Tactics), Team Building, Town Building, Character Evolution, An In-Depth, Variable Story, Appealing Setting/Theme. The post-apocalyptic setting gets me every time...

Star Wars: Battlefront 2 (Conquest Mode) - Turn-Based Strategy (via galactic map), Team Building (you had to unlock different units as time progressed), Town Building (you collected planets as you won battles), The Antagonists Story (you could be the Empire!), Multiple Game Modes (board game-like galactic map and then combat as a 3rd Person Shooter), Appealing Setting/Theme (Star Wars!). This game had a lot to love. With some polished combat and maybe a story-driven conquest mode, it could have been damn near perfect for me!


If you have any games that hit multiple points here, let me know in the comments! Also, if there are different elements you'd need for your perfect game, I'd love to read about them! Right now I'm playing MS Saga: A New Dawn and... Well, Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor, which doesn't mix any of my favorite elements, really, but is still pretty damn awesome!

Game Time: Bravely Default, Mount and Blade: Warband, and more...

Howdy folks! It's your favorite sleepless nerd!

Unless your fans of Wil Wheaton, I hear he doesn't sleep much. And he's much better at the whole nerd thing.

But anyways! In between raising a baby, I've managed to sneak in a little bit of time playing some titles that are either new-ish or new to me, and I wanted to give a quick report. Later on I might try for a longer piece on Guardians of the Galaxy (or maybe not, that's kind of old news now), and I've also been reading a slew of comics that I haven't posted about yet.

Bravely Default

The Party

I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm a huge fan of RPGs. I especially love turn-based ones, possibly because I like to take my time doing just about anything. Bravely Default's titular feature is the Brave/Default system, which is a relatively interesting twist on the turn based mechanic. Every action costs a certain amount of Brave Points. By using "Default," characters defend on their turn and earn an extra BP, which can be done up to three times (I'm uncertain if this ever changes, I'm not super far). Using the "Brave" option, you can spend extra BP on a single turn to take more or bigger actions. The interesting component here is that you can spend BP you don't have, allowing your character to go to -4 BP. The trick is that you only regenerate 1 BP per turn, and that character is useless until their back to 0. Enemies are also able to use the same system.

This makes random encounters generally pretty easy -- spam Brave on every character, they get four attacks in a row and can generally wipe anything out in one turn. For bosses, however, it becomes a gambit -- when you're low on health and not sure if you should try an all out attack and hopefully kill the big bad, or play it safe so you can defend and heal and keep whittling away... I believe there are more combos as you get later in the game, but up to chapter three, it has stayed fairly mundane.

Character classes are run on a job system, similar to a Final Fantasy Tactics -- any of your four characters can learn a different class on a whim, as long as you've unlocked it. There seems to be a decent amount of jobs, which is good. There are a couple of points where Bravely Default has twisted this system as well. Each character can use skills from their current job and the skills from one other job they've learned. And they can use support abilities from any jobs that they've learned them in. This helps to create diverse characters and promotes switching jobs often. There is a feature, called "Abilink," that allows you to pair up your character with one of your 3DS friends accounts, which gives them access to any skills that player has learned in the chosen job. At first I thought this was pretty interesting, but it almost makes developing classes pointless if you've got friends (as I do) that have all abilities unlocked for all jobs...

Speaking of friends helping you in game, you're also able to "summon" them if they've uploaded an attack to the internet. To upload an attack, you choose the "Send" option and then make an attack -- it's stored on your profile until you record another one, and players can use it as a one-off until they record another (and you download it again). This is another thing that can trivialize the game -- I tested it on an early boss and defeated them in the single attack...

Orcs must die, amirite?

The game has gone a long way to be more accessible to new players and to promote connecting to others. And these features are completely optional. So I don't have any reason to complain, but I do wish there was a different method of player interaction that didn't feel game-breaking. But I appreciate what they've done with it.

As far as I am, the story has been typical JRPG fare, with four magical crystals you must save/restore and everything. The player cast, which you meet all four very early, are actually pretty interesting. And cutscenes are voiced... though I can't stand several of the characters' voices. I believe the story changes things up midway through the game, but I can't speak to that just yet. The art style is basic and a bit spartan in places (character models and faces, there are no anime-quality scenes, and you don't actually enter shops, just open the front door...), but it works and doesn't detract in any way from the overall game.

I'm definitely enjoying the game and very happy to see someone attempting to revitalize turn-based combat, instead of settling for the same old story. If I'm blown away by the story, I'll come back and post an update, but for now I'm confidant in giving this an 8/10 as is.



Well... That went on longer than I thought! I'll only just mention my other games, because I honestly haven't been playing them as much.

Mount and Blade: Warband

I've never played an M&B title, but I'm glad I picked this up during the Steam Summer Sale. You control a character in a medieval-style world. There's no plot, there's no real story, you're just in this world to do what you will. Generally, the idea is to recruit soldiers to help you fight battles. You can fight for yourself, you can hire yourself out to one of the several warring kingdoms, you can become a vassal to one of these Kings, or you can try and take over a piece of the world for yourself. You could also go for a low-combat route and become a merchant, taking supplies from one side of the continent to the other. But that's not why I play medieval style games...

Travel is done on a top-down world map, where you can travel from towns to villages to castles, passing other armies, groups, or even bandits. You can be a bandit yourself and attack villages, you can be the hero and crush bandits and uncover their secret bases, or you can be a soldier and fight in the many wars that will start up over time. Your character levels up and you can choose how to grow your stats and abilities. There are hero companions that do the same, and there are basic soldiers that "evolve" as they gain more experience, going from peasant to mounted knight (or other, there are many diverse units).

It's about to get real...

Combat can be first or third person, where your army meets another's on the battlefield. This portion of the game kind of reminds me of Chivalry, while the rest of the game is a bit more like a Crusader Kings or Total War title. It's fairly visceral, though standard gameplay definitely benefits from mods that allow for more strategic formations. You can also enter tournaments and the like for some different styled combat, which is a good way to earn money... Of which you'll need a lot.

I'm not super far in the game, but if any of the above in a truly open world setting appeal to you, I strongly suggest this game. Also, it has many wonderful mods (I myself am playing the Floris mod, which is a compilation of other, smaller mods), including one that turns it into a Game of Thrones setting...

Coop Deckbuilding!

My other gaming news brings me to the land of Legendary, Marvel's deckbuilding game. It just came in yesterday, so I haven't played with it too much, but the mechanics are fairly basic and the setting seems a bit more fleshed out than the DC version (that I've only played once). I'll have more on this when I actually get a group together to test it out.

Alright, that's all folks. Go away. Oh, and keep it nerdy.

New Chapter in The Nerd's Life

Turning a new page!

So, hey, yeah. I'm a dad! So I'll be a bit busy going forward. There are a couple of nerdy things coming up though, other than dressing my daughter up in Star Wars or Spider-Man print...

Instagraming my Comic Sets

I've been motivated lately to pull out my favorite comic sets and post them on Instagram. I don't use it that much, but I DO love going through my collection again. I'm "arbitrarynerd," and have posted some. But more coming soon (the boxes are damn heavy to get at from their current location.

Dragon Age: Inquisition

Hey! This is coming out in October! By then, I might actually have time and/or money to play it! For now, playing through Origins again, and I can't wait -- it looks phenomenal.

... I think there's more I wanted to write, but I'm having a hard time remembering. I AM almost done with the second draft of my book... But I was pretty close the last time I mentioned, and am just going really slow.

Well, more soon. I'm trying to sneak out to Guardians of the Galaxy on Thursday, so I'll gave a review of that up soon -- I've got high expectations, which is bit concerning, but screw it; the movie looks awesome.

Never Split the Party!

This is what happens when a non-artist attempts a logo.

One of my new projects is to record a game of Pathfinder (D&D 3.75, basically) that I'm playing over Google Hangouts and Roll20.

For now, you can find us streaming our games live every Monday night from 8:00pm (ish) to 10:00pm (ish) over at Twitch or see our previously recorded session on our YouTube channel! I'm planning on ripping the audio and converting them to audio-only podcasts eventually, but that's time consuming and I'm lazy.

We're also going to be posting out-of-session RP moments via the Never Split the Party! Podcast blog (say that ten times fast. Or even twice, kind of slowly). It's a vacant lot at the moment, but I'll have more going later this week.

Check us out, offer comments, suggestions, or insults, or just laugh at the stupid faces I make when I talk.

Seriously. It's just a big stupid head with stupid faces all over it.

^Made the parchment-looking area all by myself!

We're planning on spreading the NStP brand to other games we're playing and interested in recording, though for now we're just streaming the campaign titled: Pathfinder Society: Faerun Division. You can check out the blog (eventually) for more information on the world we're building.

Other projects include finishing Dragon Age: Origins and all of its DLC on PC (seriously going to happen this time) and eventually getting back into finishing the second draft of my book (which has decreased dramatically).

Oh, and if any artists out there want to throw a dog a bone and mock up a better banner for us, I'd be grateful! And maybe use less cliches. You never know, it could happen.

Hah.

The Nerd's Agenda

Howdy folks. Haven't had too much to write about, so haven't written!

My comic book backlog is fairly long right now. I've only bothered to keep current with Saga and Hawkeye, everything else is in a "to read" pile. I've been focusing more on my gaming than comics, however.

I have been reading The Erevis Cale Trilogy, which is a very decent Forgotten Realms set of novels about an interesting group of characters (the title character is interesting for the number of changes he goes through, which is reflective of how often players change their characters over the course of a campaign, by either adding templates or changing classes, etc..). I also picked up Guards! Guards!, by Terry Pratchett, and a collection of short stories known as Wild Cards, edited by George R. R. Martin. I'm pretty excited to start reading those, especially the Pratchett novel -- my experience with Discworld has been focused on Going Postal and Making Money, the former being on of my all-time favorite novels.

On the gaming front, I've still been trying to beat Baldur's Gate: Enhanced Edition, but have gotten side tracked with Dragon Age: Origins, which I've played before but never on PC and never with all the DLC. I picked it up during the Steam Summer Sale, along with Mount and Blade: Warband (never played but am very excited to), Endless Space (a decent 4x, but I've not played enough to know how I'd rate it), and Baldur's Gate II: Enhanced Edition (because I'm almost done with the first).

Just taking over the universe, don't mind me...

Beyond that, I've been working on a new project that will hopefully be unveiled soon. You can actually watch us streaming it Mondays at 8:00pm here, but I'm hoping to also eventually turn it into an edited podcast... More on that soon.

For movies and TV, I've been watching Bones with the wife and really enjoying it, and I'm rewatching Season 1 of Arrow, hoping season 2 will magically be on there when I'm done (it won't be, I've only got two episodes left). I'm eagerly anticipating Guardians of the Galaxy, but may have to put that on hold because I'm expected a daughter two days before it comes out! Gah!

Keep busy without getting much done, that's my motto!

Steam Summer Sale: Tips and Tricks

Pretty accurate.

The Steam Summer Sale is, in this humble (bundle? Wait, no, stop that) gamer's opinion, the best holiday for gamers.

Sure, there are events and whatnot (the recent occurrence of E3 comes to mind), but they're not accessible to gamers everywhere. Steam, however, is.

We're in day two of the sale. Sorry if any of these tips I'm about to give would have been helpful yesterday. The way it works is that there are two time sensitive sets of deals:

Daily Deals

This is pretty self explanatory, but a selection of games are on sale for one day only. The sale prices range fairly wildly -- currently, there are games from 33% to 75% off.

6/20/14 Daily Deals

Flash Sales

These are titles that go on sale for only 8 hours, before giving way to the new set. Sale prices range again -- currently features sales from 50% to 80% off. These sales are generally better than if the same titles were to be offered as a Daily Deal. It also features games that don't always go on sale that often. The titles are unknown until released, so you need to check back every eight hours if your anticipating a specific game.

Beyond these two, there are two others kinds:

Community's Choice

These are selections of games that, similar to Flash Sales, change every eight hours. The difference here is that you can help determine what these games will be by voting before each selection becomes available. Usually there are two options to choose from, and each has a selection of games with a related theme or genre.

Summer Sale

Many titles on the Steam store go on sale, even when not featured on the three sales above. For example, Baldur's Gate 2: Extended Edition is 50% for the entirety of the Summer Sale (which will last until 6/30).

C'mon, Flash Sale!!

Alright, now for some tips:
1. Always wait for the Flash Sale. It is NOT guaranteed that the game you want will come on sale, so this is a gamble. If you see it on the Daily or Community, it's not a bad choice to grab it then, but Flash will have the best price.

2. Daily and Community are very good prices and no one will think less of you if you grab an item then. If you see an item on the Daily that already seems very heavily discounted, it's entirely possible this is the best deal you'll get.

My most valuable card... at 50 cents.

3. DON'T buy anything NOT on a Daily, Flash, or Community sale, even if it is on "Summer Sale." You have until the 30th to take advantage of standard sales, so wait until then! If, on the 30th, the game you want hasn't made its way a better sale, then go ahead and grab it (this is what I'll be doing with Baldur's Gate 2: Extended Edition).

4. If you want to be notified of a particular game going on sale, at it to your Wishlist and make sure your Steam account is set up to e-mail you notifications! Also, consider having your game-addict/Steam-addict friend watch the sales for you. Alas, I could avail myself of no minions, but you may have better luck!

5. Do you have trading cards but not use them, care about them, or appropriately understand them? Same here! Sell them now, and mark up the price! Steam will tell you what the current average is, but the hardcore Steam folks are trying to get as many cards as they can to make badges and whatnot. If you want to get in on that, go for it, or you could make a little (probably tiny) profit from it.

This sale is the absolute BEST chance to find the game you want at the cheapest it has ever been. Unless you are a pirate. Then you probably don't care that much. Don't be a pirate. Pirates are dicks.

That about sums it up! Hopefully you got what you wanted yesterday and will keep an eye out going forward.

Titanfall: Revisted

So, I hadn't played Titanfall since inFamous: Second Son came out. I haven't played inFamous since I beat it. I've had a very limited about of time to focus on games, and I've also lacked the motivation.

Hearing mention of the pending June update to Titanfall, which will add a "Marked for Death" mode that sounds interesting to me, I decided to load it up again.

I'm still displeased with the lack of options and unlocks, and didn't bother with the underwhelming DLC, but I did want to say that I have never played a smoother shooter. In comparison, I tried Call of Duty: Ghosts again and was immediately displeased with the actual gameplay. You're slower, your mobility is less, etc... Of course it is, Titanfall is future/sci-fi. But CoD also has poor hit detection, flimsy health (no chance to react), latency (knifing, anyone?), and annoying maps/players who abuse them.

Freedom of movement you take for granted after awhile.

Titanfall really did manage to pull away from all of those issues. Your mobility is tied to how smooth the game runs. Even other games that have tried more open mobility (Brink) felt a clunky in comparison. And I may not like the general lack of weapons, but at least I know how they all work. Having 13 SMGs in a CoD title is great, but I'm only going to use two anyway...

To compare to Battlefield 4, I appreciate that everyone is more-or-less able to play the game. Using all the features in Battlefield requires experience and skill when it comes to, say, flying a jet or helicopter. I still can't make jets useful. I'd love to see Titanfall work in their ships/shuttles into battle in the future.

I guess I was (and still am) left wanting more because what's there is very well done. And seeing some of the minor concessions coming in the update (Titan decals, new burn cards), shows that they are at least willing to acknowledge that the game is missing some obvious content. There's no much I imagine they can do to improve that now, but maybe Titanfall 2 will completely blow me out of the water. For now, I'll just look forward to the new game modes...

Day One Review: Titanfall

Titanfall launched today! There were some server troubles at midnight which, while expected, is no less frustrating. Fortunately, I was able to play the full game pre-launch yesterday and made up for some lost time today, and I've decided to take a break and do a quick-ish review.

The titans are here.

I'm playing on PC BUT am playing with a controller (a PS4 controller, actually, and it works pretty damn well). I have not noticed any issues playing with a controller.

I imagine most people will ask, 'what does it play like?' Well, I generally break shooters into three categories: Call of Duty, Battlefield, or Halo. Titanfall plays (unsurprisingly) like Call of Duty for the most part, with a splash of Battlefield in that there are player-controlled vehicles (Titans), and a touch like Halo in that Titans require shields to be removed before damage can be done.

It also plays like Brink, a game that I have a very bittersweet history with. Both games has multiplayer campaigns and parkour elements. Titanfall's parkour elements, aided by jet-packs, is pretty damn amazing and leads to some creative shoot-outs. It's campaign, however, doesn't really compete with Brink's integration -- instead of mid-battle cut-scenes, you are awarded with a mini-hud video that shows some things happening while you play. You should be too busy playing to see these. Also, winning or losing campaign matches changes NOTHING in the storyline, which is VERY weak.

You can basically be Spider-Man. With guns.

Of course, you're not playing Titanfall for the campaign (other than to unlock the Styder and Ogre titans...). You're here for the multiplayer. So far I've only played through the campaign, but it's a decent tour of the levels and you play Attrition (think team death match, more or less) and Hardpoint (domination). The modes are basic -- I look forward to loading CTF next. The matches themselves are very hectic. You've got plenty of space to move around and plenty of ways to play. Do you drop a Titan as often as you can and always control it, or do you drop it and let auto-pilot do the work while you stay on foot? Do you farm grunts/spectres (ai controlled bots) to earn less attrition points/reduce titan time, or do you focus solely on pilots and ignore the (relatively) harmless bots? Do you try and snipe the fast moving enemies, or do you get as close as possible with your shotgun?

Those are surface questions, supported by multiple weapons, three types of titans, a relatively small (but concise) pool of skills/abilities, and general map layouts. There is enough to unlock as you level up, though I do wish it was a bit meatier in what can actually be gained. One thing that helps is a decent list of challenges that you'll, for the most part, complete by accident, or see that you've been working on without realizing. This is an interesting way to promote variance in play and allows you to get burn cards.

Burn cards are fun additions, but not game breaking. They only last for one life, so they can be squashed out very quickly, but they can be used well to turn the tide in a battle (I suggest taking a Wi-Fi hack into the last level of both campaigns...).

Atlas, Ogre, and Styder: the three classes of titans.

I enjoy both running and gunning as a pilot and stomping around as a Titan -- it offers a nice change in playstyle, a break in potential monotony, and can be extremely beneficial to your team. Pilots are quick and can get pretty much anywhere they need to by wall running, climbing, or boosting. Or infinite combo loops of them all, which is fun to watch and do. Pilots are squishy and rely on this speed and maneuverability, while Titans are meaty and require strategic gameplay.

One of my favorite strategies, when going toe to toe with an enemy titan (or two) is to quickly jump out of the titan, leave it on auto-guard mode, and sneak around to the enemy titan. From there, a careful jump winds you up on the enemy's back and you can shoot its internal components to bypass its shield. If the enemy jumps out to try and deal with it, your titan is likely to make them regret it.


This quick review is getting lengthy... So time for some summary.

The Good: Love the variance between pilots and titans, and enjoy playing both. Also, there will be EPIC moments just due to all the mayham that up to 12 giant robots can cause... Also, I really, really enjoy the inclusion of a single-life 'epilogue' after each match. If you lose, you have another chance to earn some decent experience points by reaching an evac dropship, defending it, and then boarding before it leaves without you. If you win, you are trying to stop your enemies from escaping by killing all the pilots or doing a ton of damage to the dropship when it arrives.

The Bad: There isn't quite as much to unlock as I'd like, and the matchmaking is incredibly basic.

The Ugly: Teamwork in matches is rare, and you will be dragged down by poor players. It takes 2-3 good lone-wolf players to win a match. Anything less and you'll see staggering differences in final scores. Not to say there aren't awesome close games, but they're the exception, not the rule.

For my own personal rating, I'm giving it an 8/10. The lackluster campaign, which could have been a lot better with a limited amount of work, dragged it down a bit for me.

Banner Saga, Vikings, and A Princess of Mars walk into a bar...

This week I've enjoyed so many things that I can't decide on just one! Read below for mini-review of the game Banner Saga, the show Vikings, and the book A Princess of Mars.

The Banner Saga

I absolutely love this game. The first thing you'll notice is that the art is absolutely stunning, and it remains so even during game play. Travel in the game is done Oregon Trail style, uncontrolled journey that you interact with through event-driven prompts. They can be morally ambiguous or potentially risky to your caravan. Combat takes place on a grid-based, tactical map. Each character has an ability or two that makes them different and changes how you plan an encounter. Enemies are reasonably difficult, if not particularly varied.

A meeting of Varl and Men.

A special note on the combat -- I appreciate that each stat in the game matters. Strength is the most important, as it is your health and damage (which lowers as you take damage, which is an interested translation of battle fatigue/damage), but all of the others have very important roles in character growth.

Grid-Based Goodness.

The story itself is dark and grim but, for the most part, very well told. The characters are unique and interesting and you're given enough choices throughout the game to feel as if you're changing things. The main players are viking-like humans and giant, horned varls verse dredge, though their may be more behind the sudden dredge invasion than is readily apparent...

The few negatives I have are that the actual story is fairly scripted. Most of you choices effect your caravan, but they have very little effect on game play. Also, certain events can happen that are unavoidable if you make certain decisions fairly early in the game, and they seem terribly unfair. The combat itself is interesting, but the maps you fight on, while beautiful, are the unbroken/unaltered grids. There is no terrain or obstacles, and that would have added a huge element to the strategy components. Oh, and the game is a bit short. I've played through almost three times already (I enjoy it that much), but I definitely wanted it to keep going, especially considering the final story elements. No word on when the rest of the trilogy will come out (assuming, of course, they do...).

This game gets a 9/10 from The Nerd, it really did hit a lot of levels I enjoy.

Vikings

Verizon has the first season free up until Thursday. It's almost like a historically based Game of Thrones. The action is solid, the tension can ride pretty high, and the history component is pretty damn interesting.

Ragnar, the most BA Viking you'll meet.

Thursday, when the second season premieres. I watched it on a whim and The Wife and I quickly fell in love. There are a lot of characters to like here, from the main character Ragnar, to the mildly insane Floki. It plays out almost like a historical-based

This is one to watch for the characters above all else, I'd say. I give it an 8/10 because I find some of their story choices to be a touch odd, but it is always engaging.

A Princess of Mars

New cover, works for me.

Following my sci-fi classic bent of late, I picked this up at a Barnes and Noble after the new cover caught my eye (I always judge a book by its cover). It was a relatively short read, but there was a lot to love. It was sci-fi before sci-fi had to explain everything to the thousandth degree. How does John Carter get to Mars? I have no idea, but when he gets there he does manage to kick some Barsoom-ian ass. It's a nice little romp through a fiction that has influenced many that have come since. Despite being a story that built many tropes we see today, it still stands firmly on its own without being overly campy.

The Green Martians, John Carter, and Dejah Thoris are all notable identities in this novel, and I strongly suggest it. For a rating, I'm comfortable giving it a 10/10, I had zero issues with the novel and look forward to the rest of the series.

Day 15: Video Games on the Horizon

I'm in a bit of a lull with video games at the moment (playing Battlefield 4, DBZ: Attack of the Saiyans, and X-COM: Enemy Within only intermittenly). The future, however, has several titles that I am very much looking forward to. In an unusual move, I'm going do this in order, starting with what I'm most looking forward to:

inFamous: Second Son

PS4 - 3/21

This series was the reason I picked up a PS3 and I'm very excited for a new protagonist, a new setting, and a new range of powers. From the few videos I've seen, this looks very promising and will make me very happy (finally) to have picked up the PS4 when I did.

Want all the things!

It's an open-world superhero game, set a bit in the future of a world I've already come to love. And I'm excited to be picking up the Collector's Edition so I can add Delsin's beanie to Cole's backpack that I got from the inFamous 2 Collector's Edition. Also looking forward to the prequel DLC that shows what's happened since Cole's run.

The Wolf Among Us: Chapter 2

PC/360/PS3 - First Week of February

While I don't care for the obscure release date, I suppose it doesn't matter since I can simply download it and play as soon as it is finally out. I enjoyed the first chapter, have gotten much farther in the Fables comic series, and look forward to looking with new eyes at all the coming character interactions. THEN I look forward to doing a new run through both episodes, back to back. Which is something I'll repeat every time another episode is released...

I'm sorry, a story-driven, tactical game with VIKINGS? Take my money!

Banner Saga

PC - 1/14

Ok, this one already came out, but I just heard about it. I need to do some more research before I take the plunge on it, but it seems perfect -- a Norse setting with grid-based combat and a story telling method that seems as if it might be similar to soThe Wolf Among Us (speculation, I haven't done more than watch a teaser video, but either way the art was gorgeous.). After a bit more research (and probably waiting for an eventual sale), I think this game will hit a lot of my favorite genres. If most of them somewhat well, it's a shoe in for one of my favorite games of all time...


We'll see.

Titanfall

XOne/360/PC - 3/11

While I don't have an XOne and am unlikely to pick this up on PC, I am incredibly interested in this shooter. FPS action AND giant mechs? Infantry vs Infantry vs Piloted Robots? Yesyesyes. Only reason I want an XOne at all, to tell the truth.

I'll be watching this one with more than a little interest when it eventually launches.

Final Fantasy X/X2 HD Remaster

Vita/PS3 - 3/18

One word: Blitzball. I've missed it and wished they'd done more with it (a perfect spin-off, if you ask me), but I'll settle for replaying it on my Vita.

Always room for more Blitzball.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition

PS4/XOne - 1/28

I didn't pay much attention to the previous release of the game, but after stumbling on a few videos, I think I may have made a mistake in ignoring this title (and all my friends who raved about it). I'm glad their releasing it on the PS4 now as well -- I've been a bit unhappy lately by all the games I've forgone playing until I re-purchase a PS3/360, which isn't something I plan on doing any time soon. At least this title won't be on THAT list.

Namely, I've always associated Tomb Raider games with adventure games. Several of the videos I've seen of THIS one, however, make it seem as if it has a much more action-oriented bend, and it seems to have been done very well.

Maybe more co-operative than I care for, but it could work.

Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z

PS3/360/Vita - 1/28

First, this game looks like a Tenkaichi game with multiple fighters on screen at the same time. A DBZ battle royale, if you will, that should have happened
ages ago. I doubt I'll actually enjoy the game play of this title, but the concept is something I'd love to see worked on more. Also, I sincerely doubt I'll be able to fully enjoy this title on my Vita (fighting games and handhelds are NOT my preference), so it might be something I follow more than pick up, but I like the idea and could be convinced to change my mind. Maybe.


...And, eventually, the new DICE Star Wars: Battlefront that was teased at E3. No real chance to see it this year, but it's out there...

Someday.