Not much updates in this blog. I've been a little busy lately.
I just started my part time job, and I received my used copy of Pokemon Y for my Wonderlocke challenge, so I've been playing that too.
Despite playing the Wonderlocke, I'm also hard at work breeding some competitive Pokemons in my Pokemon X. Needless to say, I'm playing two games that are considered very similar, but playing them in very different ways.
Also, my Wonderlocke updates are posted here on my Tumblr page. The reason why I do the postings on Tumblr is that I've been posting my updates for my Nuzlocke runs on Tumblr since I had a Tumblr, so yeah.....
Anyways, this is just a short update for this blog, just to show that I'm still alive, just busy.
Sunday, 19 January 2014
Thursday, 9 January 2014
Coming soon: Playing a Nuzlocke Challenge Variant: The Wonderlocke
I will be getting a second hand copy of Pokemon Y within this week. The main reasons why I wanted to get a copy of Pokemon Y was that I could collect the remaining Mega Stones, as well as sell it to one of my friends (who loves Pokemon but does not own a 3DS) at a lower price when they decide to have a 3DS.
The third reason for this is also to play a Nuzlocke. If you read my previous Nuzlocke challenge posts, I am a big fan of Marriland's Nuzlocke challenges. And with Pokemon X and Y, comes a new variant - the Wonderlocke. I decided to make some rules that will make this game challenging, but hopefully not impossible.
Standard Nuzlocke rules:
1. You can only catch the first Pokemon you encounter in an area. No dupes clause for this since you're gonna wonder trade the Pokemon away. Pokemon received by someone is also considered the first Pokemon encountered in an area.
2. A Pokemon that faints is considered dead and has to be released.
3. You can nickname your Pokemon. Though there's not much of a point since you're gonna Wonder Trade it.
Additional rules of the Wonderlocke:
1. When Wonder Trade becomes accessible, you have to Wonder Trade any Pokemon you have whose original trainer (OT) is you.
2. Whatever you Wonder Traded now becomes your party member. Good or bad, you have to use them for battle.
3. Dupes clause may apply for Pokemon you receive from Wonder Trade. Should you receive a Pokemon that comes from the same evolutionary line with a Pokemon you have in your team (or a Pokemon you once had but died), you have the option to Wonder Trade that Pokemon for another one.
4. There is a level limit equal to the upcoming Gym Leader (or Champion)'s highest leveled Pokémon. Should any Pokemon reach that level, they must be put into the PC until the fight against that Gym Leader. However, should you receive a Pokemon from Wonder Trade that exceeded the level limit of your upcoming Gym Battle, you're not advised to use it (unless you don't have a choice, like having not many Pokemons left you can use). Also, since most people Wonder Trade Lv 1. hatched Pokemons, you can keep your starter to switch-train the first Pokemon you Wonder Traded (if it is Lv 1.) before Wonder Trading your starter.
5. Pokemon Amie is only allowed for use if you plan to get a Slyveon. Super Training is not allowed either.
6. The only type of trade you are allowed conduct is a Wonder Trade (unless you need to evolve a Pokemon by trade)
7. You can't use O-Powers, but passerbys can use it on you.
8. No use of Exp. Share since traded Pokemons already gain more experience than non-traded ones.
9. Battles must be set to 'Set'. Items are not allowed in battle.
Let's see whether this will work out or not.
By the way, I will be posting my updates on this using my Tumblr (or maybe here, it depends).
The third reason for this is also to play a Nuzlocke. If you read my previous Nuzlocke challenge posts, I am a big fan of Marriland's Nuzlocke challenges. And with Pokemon X and Y, comes a new variant - the Wonderlocke. I decided to make some rules that will make this game challenging, but hopefully not impossible.
Standard Nuzlocke rules:
1. You can only catch the first Pokemon you encounter in an area. No dupes clause for this since you're gonna wonder trade the Pokemon away. Pokemon received by someone is also considered the first Pokemon encountered in an area.
2. A Pokemon that faints is considered dead and has to be released.
3. You can nickname your Pokemon. Though there's not much of a point since you're gonna Wonder Trade it.
Additional rules of the Wonderlocke:
1. When Wonder Trade becomes accessible, you have to Wonder Trade any Pokemon you have whose original trainer (OT) is you.
2. Whatever you Wonder Traded now becomes your party member. Good or bad, you have to use them for battle.
3. Dupes clause may apply for Pokemon you receive from Wonder Trade. Should you receive a Pokemon that comes from the same evolutionary line with a Pokemon you have in your team (or a Pokemon you once had but died), you have the option to Wonder Trade that Pokemon for another one.
4. There is a level limit equal to the upcoming Gym Leader (or Champion)'s highest leveled Pokémon. Should any Pokemon reach that level, they must be put into the PC until the fight against that Gym Leader. However, should you receive a Pokemon from Wonder Trade that exceeded the level limit of your upcoming Gym Battle, you're not advised to use it (unless you don't have a choice, like having not many Pokemons left you can use). Also, since most people Wonder Trade Lv 1. hatched Pokemons, you can keep your starter to switch-train the first Pokemon you Wonder Traded (if it is Lv 1.) before Wonder Trading your starter.
5. Pokemon Amie is only allowed for use if you plan to get a Slyveon. Super Training is not allowed either.
6. The only type of trade you are allowed conduct is a Wonder Trade (unless you need to evolve a Pokemon by trade)
7. You can't use O-Powers, but passerbys can use it on you.
8. No use of Exp. Share since traded Pokemons already gain more experience than non-traded ones.
9. Battles must be set to 'Set'. Items are not allowed in battle.
Let's see whether this will work out or not.
By the way, I will be posting my updates on this using my Tumblr (or maybe here, it depends).
Friday, 3 January 2014
Part 2 of my experience in competitive Pokemon battling.
Continuing from where I left off from the first post....
The next Pokemon that I bred and trained after Shuckle was a Vivilon. I heard it was considered a lethal joke character as people who don't know it well will sorely underestimate it, and it will annoy the crap out of people with its surprisingly decent speed, and Compoundeyes boosted Sleep Powder. I named my Vivilon Soul Crusher due to it's ability defeat opponents who doesn't know it's potential, underestimating it, and end up getting their Pokemons defeated by the hands of a butterfly. It must really crush their soul. Also, it's Pokemon #666, so that's another reason.
I find Soul Crusher doing quite well in double battles, especially when paired up with someone whose known to be a pain in the ass like Kangaskhan or Klefki (which we'll talk about later). Opponents usually target the more well known annoying Pokemon and forget about the butterfly, which I think is a brilliant and evil plan.
Next up I bred a Gen VI Pokemon known for being annoying - Klefki. I named it Boo-boo Keys, a reference to a pair of keys some that is dear to some random fish that appeared in the 'bubble buddy' episode of Spongebob Squarepants. Boo-boo keys is nothing short of annoying, being able to get priority for Thunder Wave, and having Foul Play so it makes physical attackers worry when they Sword Dance. She's also my Dual Screener. Using Light Clay, she can reduce the damage my team is receiving by setting up light screens and reflects. She's also an integral part of my Sand Storm team.
Another Pokemon I bred was a Skarmory named Knight Light. He's a solid tank and was able to save me in many situations. I had a battle where I was down I think 4 to 1 and had Skarmory left. Thankfully with perfect play, I was able to slowly cripple the opponent with Spikes and Whirlwind until he has a Gliscor left, which stood no chance against Knight Light. I also found it to be a somewhat viable counter to Mega-Kanga, having stop one in it's tracks before.
I then bred a Riolu, hoping it will be good for my Sand Storm team as a Mega Lucario. Luke was a Special Attack based Lucario, and I think he's good, but he didn't make a splash in my Sand Storm team.
Needless to say, I need to revise my Sand Storm team. I went to GameFAQs for help, and the users there have made me consider replacing Skarmory and Lucario for Gastrodon and Venusaur.
Gastrodon was a Pokemon I liked because of its cry, it sounds so darn adorable. I bred one that has Storm Drain, and despite its speed, it can hold up to certain opponents pretty well. I named my Glaucus, after sea slug glaucus atlanticus, one of the most beautiful creatures in the world. I plan to breed another Glaucus for use in Double Battles soon.
Forest the Venusaur is another pretty solid Mega. Despite not having no immunity from Sand Storm damage, he's extremely vital to the team. His ability to recover with Leech Seed and Giga Drain makes him a solid tank as he can hold any item other than the Mega Stone for his Mega Form. Thick Fat really helps hit take hits from Ice and Fire moves. I had a post-Pokebank battle with a guy who used Landorus and Heatran, which were two OU threats in Gen V. Despite me and Forest's lack of experience against those two, Forest did extremely well in the battle, tanking Heatran's Overheat and being able to recover back to full health.
Soon, I started to want to breed for Pokemons to be used in Double Battles. Moolerb the Breloom was one of them. Moolerb is Breloom's name spelled backwards in case you didn't know. I had a Breloom last time in Pokemon Emerald, and I had a thought of giving Pokemon nicknames that are essentially their names spelled backwards. Moolerb sounded surprisingly good, so I stick to that name for this Breloom. Being a Technician user, his Bullet Seed and Mach Punch hurts a lot. He also has Spore, a 100% accuracy sleep move, which is vital in certain battles.
I also bred two other non-double battle Pokemons, which were Dragonite, Mamoswine, and Cloyster. Good Night, the Dragonite is the Dragon Dance sweeper that has Weakness Policy to boost her attack, and it combos with her ability, Multi Scale, allowing it to take a first hit. Hiney the Mamoswine was my first Stealth Rock user. I brought them for their first battle together, and I realized how amazing Stealth Rock is to cripple opposing teams and how amazing of a sweeper Dragonite is when done correctly. Cloyster was a traded Shellder from a friend, and he has yet to make his debut into the world of competitive. But I'm sure he'll do fine, since he's an amazing Shell Smash Sweeper.
One EV trained Pokemon I did get for free was a perfect 6IV Shiny Azumarill from a guy in a convention I went to a few weeks back named Comic Fiesta. Alvin (the guy that gave me the Azumarill), posted on the Pokemon Facebook group that he'll be giving away some 6IV Shiny Pokemons at Comic Fiesta at a first-come-first-serve basis, but you have to find and identify him to get it. Finding him was an accident for me, really. I was just chatting with some people, only to realize one of them has a team of shiny Pokemons. Then I realized he was Alvin and I got the Shiny Azumarill from him.
Well... I've definitely bred more Pokemon since the last post. And I'll be raising even more Pokemon such as a Slowpoke, Snover, and a Larvesta. So until then, that's all the experience I get to share for now.
The next Pokemon that I bred and trained after Shuckle was a Vivilon. I heard it was considered a lethal joke character as people who don't know it well will sorely underestimate it, and it will annoy the crap out of people with its surprisingly decent speed, and Compoundeyes boosted Sleep Powder. I named my Vivilon Soul Crusher due to it's ability defeat opponents who doesn't know it's potential, underestimating it, and end up getting their Pokemons defeated by the hands of a butterfly. It must really crush their soul. Also, it's Pokemon #666, so that's another reason.
I find Soul Crusher doing quite well in double battles, especially when paired up with someone whose known to be a pain in the ass like Kangaskhan or Klefki (which we'll talk about later). Opponents usually target the more well known annoying Pokemon and forget about the butterfly, which I think is a brilliant and evil plan.
Next up I bred a Gen VI Pokemon known for being annoying - Klefki. I named it Boo-boo Keys, a reference to a pair of keys some that is dear to some random fish that appeared in the 'bubble buddy' episode of Spongebob Squarepants. Boo-boo keys is nothing short of annoying, being able to get priority for Thunder Wave, and having Foul Play so it makes physical attackers worry when they Sword Dance. She's also my Dual Screener. Using Light Clay, she can reduce the damage my team is receiving by setting up light screens and reflects. She's also an integral part of my Sand Storm team.
Another Pokemon I bred was a Skarmory named Knight Light. He's a solid tank and was able to save me in many situations. I had a battle where I was down I think 4 to 1 and had Skarmory left. Thankfully with perfect play, I was able to slowly cripple the opponent with Spikes and Whirlwind until he has a Gliscor left, which stood no chance against Knight Light. I also found it to be a somewhat viable counter to Mega-Kanga, having stop one in it's tracks before.
I then bred a Riolu, hoping it will be good for my Sand Storm team as a Mega Lucario. Luke was a Special Attack based Lucario, and I think he's good, but he didn't make a splash in my Sand Storm team.
Needless to say, I need to revise my Sand Storm team. I went to GameFAQs for help, and the users there have made me consider replacing Skarmory and Lucario for Gastrodon and Venusaur.
Gastrodon was a Pokemon I liked because of its cry, it sounds so darn adorable. I bred one that has Storm Drain, and despite its speed, it can hold up to certain opponents pretty well. I named my Glaucus, after sea slug glaucus atlanticus, one of the most beautiful creatures in the world. I plan to breed another Glaucus for use in Double Battles soon.
Forest the Venusaur is another pretty solid Mega. Despite not having no immunity from Sand Storm damage, he's extremely vital to the team. His ability to recover with Leech Seed and Giga Drain makes him a solid tank as he can hold any item other than the Mega Stone for his Mega Form. Thick Fat really helps hit take hits from Ice and Fire moves. I had a post-Pokebank battle with a guy who used Landorus and Heatran, which were two OU threats in Gen V. Despite me and Forest's lack of experience against those two, Forest did extremely well in the battle, tanking Heatran's Overheat and being able to recover back to full health.
Soon, I started to want to breed for Pokemons to be used in Double Battles. Moolerb the Breloom was one of them. Moolerb is Breloom's name spelled backwards in case you didn't know. I had a Breloom last time in Pokemon Emerald, and I had a thought of giving Pokemon nicknames that are essentially their names spelled backwards. Moolerb sounded surprisingly good, so I stick to that name for this Breloom. Being a Technician user, his Bullet Seed and Mach Punch hurts a lot. He also has Spore, a 100% accuracy sleep move, which is vital in certain battles.
I also bred two other non-double battle Pokemons, which were Dragonite, Mamoswine, and Cloyster. Good Night, the Dragonite is the Dragon Dance sweeper that has Weakness Policy to boost her attack, and it combos with her ability, Multi Scale, allowing it to take a first hit. Hiney the Mamoswine was my first Stealth Rock user. I brought them for their first battle together, and I realized how amazing Stealth Rock is to cripple opposing teams and how amazing of a sweeper Dragonite is when done correctly. Cloyster was a traded Shellder from a friend, and he has yet to make his debut into the world of competitive. But I'm sure he'll do fine, since he's an amazing Shell Smash Sweeper.
One EV trained Pokemon I did get for free was a perfect 6IV Shiny Azumarill from a guy in a convention I went to a few weeks back named Comic Fiesta. Alvin (the guy that gave me the Azumarill), posted on the Pokemon Facebook group that he'll be giving away some 6IV Shiny Pokemons at Comic Fiesta at a first-come-first-serve basis, but you have to find and identify him to get it. Finding him was an accident for me, really. I was just chatting with some people, only to realize one of them has a team of shiny Pokemons. Then I realized he was Alvin and I got the Shiny Azumarill from him.
Well... I've definitely bred more Pokemon since the last post. And I'll be raising even more Pokemon such as a Slowpoke, Snover, and a Larvesta. So until then, that's all the experience I get to share for now.
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
New Year
So, I was not posting stuff for almost half a month, but that's because a lot of stuff happened.
I went to an anime convention to compete in their Pokemon tournament, didn't make it past the first round (even though I believe I can do so) but I was there just to battle for fun, so there's that.
I plan to make a double battle team next, and I've breed several new Pokemons since the last post.
Then I went on holiday for Christmas and had a Pokemon hiatus since there isn't any internet. I went on and finished Ocarina of Time's Master Quest. The puzzles were more challenging (with the exception of the Water Temple, which was a lot more easier), and it was rather satisfying for me to have completed this game.
I was going to start breeding for my Double battle team after that, but then I went to Skytrex (some outdoor adventure thing) with my cousins and a friend and I had an awesome time there. Then I saw my friend playing his Shin Megami Tensei IV on the way back home, and that made me continue playing my SMT IV (I stopped playing the game after Pokemon X came out). Continuing from where I left off, I aimed to get the Neutral ending, and I was able to do so in the end, which was quite satisfying to me. I continued playing on the neutral pathway until I defeated both final bosses and the credits rolled yesterday. So now I can start breeding my team for good.
The last Pokemon I bred before the new year was a Slowpoke with Oblivious as her ability. She will be my Trick Roomer, since I plan to make a slow team for Double battling, which will become a fast team once Trick Room activates. It's very hard to coin a nickname for Slowpoke since I wanted to make a nickname based on the Slowpoke meme and that I can only put 12 letters into the name. In the end, my friend came up with 'OMG2NewTypes', which refers to X and Y having a new Fairy type but Slowpoke being slow only caught up to Johto's two new types (Dark and Steel).
Anyways, so yeah, 2014, a year whereby each day of each date matches that of 2003. Why is this so significant to me? Because I had this as a present in 2003 but I was too young to appreciate such an awesome thing.
I went to an anime convention to compete in their Pokemon tournament, didn't make it past the first round (even though I believe I can do so) but I was there just to battle for fun, so there's that.
I plan to make a double battle team next, and I've breed several new Pokemons since the last post.
Then I went on holiday for Christmas and had a Pokemon hiatus since there isn't any internet. I went on and finished Ocarina of Time's Master Quest. The puzzles were more challenging (with the exception of the Water Temple, which was a lot more easier), and it was rather satisfying for me to have completed this game.
I was going to start breeding for my Double battle team after that, but then I went to Skytrex (some outdoor adventure thing) with my cousins and a friend and I had an awesome time there. Then I saw my friend playing his Shin Megami Tensei IV on the way back home, and that made me continue playing my SMT IV (I stopped playing the game after Pokemon X came out). Continuing from where I left off, I aimed to get the Neutral ending, and I was able to do so in the end, which was quite satisfying to me. I continued playing on the neutral pathway until I defeated both final bosses and the credits rolled yesterday. So now I can start breeding my team for good.
The last Pokemon I bred before the new year was a Slowpoke with Oblivious as her ability. She will be my Trick Roomer, since I plan to make a slow team for Double battling, which will become a fast team once Trick Room activates. It's very hard to coin a nickname for Slowpoke since I wanted to make a nickname based on the Slowpoke meme and that I can only put 12 letters into the name. In the end, my friend came up with 'OMG2NewTypes', which refers to X and Y having a new Fairy type but Slowpoke being slow only caught up to Johto's two new types (Dark and Steel).
Anyways, so yeah, 2014, a year whereby each day of each date matches that of 2003. Why is this so significant to me? Because I had this as a present in 2003 but I was too young to appreciate such an awesome thing.
It's a Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Datebook for the year 2003. I didn't really received this in the beginning of the year, and I never really use it for the rest of the year, so it was kind of a huge waste. But I decided when the time comes where the day and date for that year matches that of 2003, I can use this book to the fullest.
The world has change quite a lot since 2003. With smartphones and tablets, you might wonder if I have use for this book. And the answer is... yes. I can still keep track of my assignments and notes from lectures (as in additional stuff that they don't mention on the lecture slides), so this book may still come in handy in this day and age. Typing stuff (especially important notes) on your tablet/smartphone quickly takes up way too much time in my opinion, so I prefer writing stuff down the old school way.
2013 was an awesome/awful year. On one end, I get to play a lot of awesome 3DS games and made a whole lot of new friends with it (which is why I absolutely love their Streetpass feature). On the other end, my grades are slipping due to the immense trolling and ridiculously strict marking scheme of exams. Here's hoping 2014 will be a better year.
Thursday, 12 December 2013
End of the year round-up: The 5 Best 3DS games I've played this year.
So 2013 has been an amazing year for the Nintendo handheld. While it has its shares of ups and downs in the past, it has become one of the must-own consoles of this year with so many games coming out.
While I do admit that I'm a rather picky gamer and I don't play everything that came out this year, I did play more than 10 3DS games since I got the console at January and it has been a really amazing experience. I knew that the 3DS will deliver but it delivered exceptionally well.
For this Top 5 I'm counting down the 5 best 3DS games I've played this year. The only rules are that they have to be 3DS or 3DS eShop titles (I don't consider Virtual Console titles in this list). Games on this list may include 3DS games from previous years as this is a list of best 3DS games I've played this year, not those that came out this year. Also, this is my personal opinion so you can't argue with that. Another thing, this list will not include games that I've played but yet to complete (which is only 2 games, SMTIV and Kingdom Hearts 3D).
But before we list the Top 5, here are the honourable mentions;
Project X Zone: Awesome game with nice fanservice (in the form of gratuitous fanservice and character cameo fanservice). A good strategy game with non-luck based combat mechanics, not making the list for having extremely repetitive gameplay and a lack of a story.
Virtue's Last Reward: This game has one of the best stories in a game out there, and it has some really nice puzzles, tidbits of information and a really nice soundtrack that complements the atmosphere. Too bad it's not as good as its prequel 999 (in my opinion).
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: One of the most addictive social games out there, and a game I find myself playing at least an hour a day everyday since it's release. However, this game requires long term commitment, and so this game lost most of it's hype today with many AC communities from where I'm from dying out as members of the community has left to play other games (myself included).
So begins the Top 5 games that I played this year!
5. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
While I do admit that I'm a rather picky gamer and I don't play everything that came out this year, I did play more than 10 3DS games since I got the console at January and it has been a really amazing experience. I knew that the 3DS will deliver but it delivered exceptionally well.
For this Top 5 I'm counting down the 5 best 3DS games I've played this year. The only rules are that they have to be 3DS or 3DS eShop titles (I don't consider Virtual Console titles in this list). Games on this list may include 3DS games from previous years as this is a list of best 3DS games I've played this year, not those that came out this year. Also, this is my personal opinion so you can't argue with that. Another thing, this list will not include games that I've played but yet to complete (which is only 2 games, SMTIV and Kingdom Hearts 3D).
But before we list the Top 5, here are the honourable mentions;
Project X Zone: Awesome game with nice fanservice (in the form of gratuitous fanservice and character cameo fanservice). A good strategy game with non-luck based combat mechanics, not making the list for having extremely repetitive gameplay and a lack of a story.
Virtue's Last Reward: This game has one of the best stories in a game out there, and it has some really nice puzzles, tidbits of information and a really nice soundtrack that complements the atmosphere. Too bad it's not as good as its prequel 999 (in my opinion).
Animal Crossing: New Leaf: One of the most addictive social games out there, and a game I find myself playing at least an hour a day everyday since it's release. However, this game requires long term commitment, and so this game lost most of it's hype today with many AC communities from where I'm from dying out as members of the community has left to play other games (myself included).
So begins the Top 5 games that I played this year!
5. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
Like the Metal Gear series, the Legend of Zelda series has always been a series that I'm fully aware of for being critically acclaim and has been a series that I've always wanted to try but never did. For this year, I did tried both series. While I enjoyed MGS3D, the port isn't very good.
Ocarina of Time 3D, however is a better port. Menus load faster and several problems from the older game (like the confusing Water Temple) has been addressed in this game. While you can say it does make this game easier than the N64 version, this version also comes with the Master Quest, which makes each dungeon harder (with the exception of the Water Temple, which was ironically easier).
Also, this game comes with better graphics, which is always a plus.
4. Legend of Zelda: Link Between Worlds
Another Zelda title (surprise, surprise), only this time, it isn't a port. Link Between Worlds, while resembling Link to the Past (which I've not played), does things differently than most Zelda games. When I play the game I felt lost, and I have no idea where to go (that's a good thing, by the way).
This game encourages you to explore as dungeons can be completed 'in any order'. It's not entirely true for the first three levels (which I consider an exception) and the Desert level, which requires the use of an item that can only be obtained after completing the Thieves Hideout level. Still, it's okay (just a minor nitpick). I bumped into several dungeons on my journey, playing one dungeon halfway and dying, then went to complete another dungeon before returning to that first dungeon.
The use of rental items allows one to explore the same dungeon in different ways. While it's quite obvious that there will be 'that one item' that will help you complete the dungeon, you can actually complete certain puzzles or obtain other extra items by using other items you have, which promotes experimenting (and that's good).
Overall, this game is pretty amazing for not hand holding you all the way. While there are times where I have no idea what I'm doing or where I'm suppose to go, the game is kind enough to subtly lead me to the next place.
3. Fire Emblem: Awakening
I have a very hard time deciding who to place on 3rd and 2nd place. Ultimately, Fire Emblem got 3rd place because while it is an extremely entertaining game, it lacks a lot of the turn-based strategy elements the game was famous (and infamous) for.
Sure, the game had the marriage system that FE 4 had, and the inheritance system as well, but the game doesn't have the strategic depth of older FE games, and there were several skills considered to be broken too. And the story isn't that great (don't let it fool you, it's not good).
Now I might sound like I'm ranting on the game even though this game is placed at 3rd place, but this game was, for a long time, the only game I consistently play on a daily basis for months. The music is amazing, the support conversations are hilarious, and some of the DLC chapters are pretty darn good. There's tons of fanservice (less gratuitous, more character cameo), and some of the DLC artwork of older characters are pretty awesome (and some are not...).
The only reason why I could find so many flaws in this game is because I've sank in a lot of play time in this game (and that I've beaten the game 3 times already). But even as grumpy as I sound typing this like a rant, I could still remember the time when I first got the game in February and enjoyed the crap out of this game, and how I loved every moment of the game.
2. Pokemon X (and Y)
Beating Fire Emblem: Awakening slightly is Pokemon X and Y, my current time-sinking game. I usually do not care at all for competitive battling. But this game made me enter this realm of battling, and make normal Pokemon battles seem like child's play.
I love a lot of the new features of the game. Super Training is nice, Pokemon Amie is awesome, and PSS is one of the best things they've ever made. Also, Mega Pokemon, as well as the new Fairy typing makes old Pokemon relevant again. Some of the Mega Evolutions are hit and miss however, and some Pokemon who received Mega forms didn't really need it in the first place (like Scizor, Tyranitar, and Blaziken).
The main story is unfortunately, a step-back from last gen, and none of the rivals have any traits that make them likable (at least to me). Also the change in Pokemon cries are nice for some, but not for others (most notably Staraptor and Musharna, I liked their older cries).
Despite all that, Pokemon X and Y did one thing right, and that is it made me feel like a Pokemon trainer. The movements of each Pokemon are really nice, and since breeding is easier in this game, I was able to breed my team and use them to battle strangers around the world, and it feels great. I feel like a trainer telling my Pokemon what to do in order to get the strategical advantage over my opponents.
Also, Pokemon is my childhood. And seeing it getting more and more awesome and also being a game which is much more well accepted by older fans (or Genwunners) is a really nice moment.
So, what could beat the four games I stated above? It's none other than....
1. Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies
By far, the best game I've played this year. Everything about this game seems right in my opinion. The 3D models looked way better than I expected, with characters (ranging from witnesses to the main crew) looking amazing and move so fluid with the models.
The story is also a step in the right direction. And the pacing of the game is good (cases never felt too short or too long). Not only that, each main lead got some rather equal screen time, and they also get some good character development (especially Apollo Justice, who went from an unlikable plain character in his game to one of the most popular characters of the series). Oh, and the dialogue is awesome, it's hilarious and sometimes full of pop-culture references.
Each case is quite good in my opinion, with Case 2 being the weakest (but it isn't that bad), and Case 3, 5, and the DLC case being my favourites of the game. This game is easily the Top 3 best Ace Attorney games of all time (Trials and Tribulations is still first though, nothing can top that, yet..). For such a top quality game, it is definitely worth the eShop credit.
With such a story driven game, I couldn't really find a plot hole, which is nice. While I do wish the plot points of Apollo Justice be addressed in this game, I do hope that it will in the next. And when it does happen, prepare to see Trials and Tribulations' new contender for best Ace Attorney game.
So there you have it, the best 3DS games I've played this year. Next, I guess I'll make some other top 5 list.
Saturday, 30 November 2013
My experience with the Pokemons I used in competitive Pokemon battling
Competitive battling is really fun!
No, I do mean it.
What I like about competitive Pokemon battling is that it requires strategy and mind games in order to defeat your opponents. Brute force cannot work and often will be punished.
It's like more complicated version of chess. You have 6 pieces instead of 16, and each piece can be customizable to an extent. Each of your Pokemon has strengths and weaknesses and there are certain match-ups that has to be remembered (because you do not ever bring a Pokemon in to battle against an opponent that Pokemon can't defeat, knowing very well you have other Pokemons that you can use against it).
I wasn't very into the competitive nature of Pokemon at first. I was just the typical trainer who would complete the main story and maybe play a bit of the battle subway/frontier/maison/tower/etc. That being said I do have little (as in, very little) knowledge on how competitive works by playing the online battle simulator Pokemon Online.
Then Pokemon X and Y came, and that changed everything. EV training is much accessible now with Super Training and Horde encounters. IV breeding for perfect Pokemon, while still rather annoying, is very much easier than previous generations. So I thought to myself, why not give it a go?
Before trying out EV training and IV breeding, I found out my team fares rather horribly in Battle Spot's Rating Battle. So I decided to train up a team. This team was no ordinary team, it was a team comprising of 5 of my friend's favourite Pokemon (and the last one being mine). Thus, the first generation of IV bred and EV trained Pokemons were born.
Lucky * (Jolteon) was the fastest of them all, and was the go-to lead as it could use Volt Switch, it could also use Roar or Toxic (depending on the moveset I chose for it). While I rarely use him now, he was one of my most frequently used Pokemon in Rating Battle and did save me a few times.
Gordon (Starmie) was the 2nd fastest in this team. It was my Rapid Spinner and an offensive attacker. Again, like Lucky *, I hardly use Gordon now, but it's one Pokemon I have my utmost respect for making an incredible comeback when I was down three to 1 in a Rating Battle.
Hydra (Charizard), a starter with some incredible potential. He was my Mega Pokemon, and had an offensive physical moveset that comes with Mega-Charizard X. I still use him from time to time, and he never disappoints me.
Epsilon (Metagross) is a hard to breed one, but being bulky has its uses. From my experience with it, I found out that a Close Combat from Mega-Lucario is not powerful enough to defeat it, and would lose to it should Epsilon use Hammer Arm/Earthquake. It's not a staple in my team now, but it can easily be a replacement Pokemon should I need one since it's rather dependable.
Sharky (Garchomp) was another Pokemon I had that has a Mega-form, but I did not use it for the Mega-form because I thought the decrease in speed actually hinders it from doing a lot of significant damage as it might be outsped by fast Pokemon that had Ice moves. He was quite good as a normal Garchomp being able to defeat a Mega-Garchomp, and better yet defeat a Mega-Kangaskhan all by himself. But much later down the line, I was able to make a Sand Storm team, and with my Baton Passing Speed Boost Blaziken in that team, I decided that it's time for Sharky to use his Mega-Form.
Finally my favourite Pokemon, Simon the Excadrill was in the first generation of bred Pokemon and was the first Pokemon I had with 5 IVs (though not perfect). Simon was one beastly member of my team due to it's high attack. However, the fact that some people may not like the idea of using a Sand Rush Excadrill made me let Simon rest in the sidelines. But later, I realized that I needed Simon to shine, and I decided that I did not care what they thought of (since only Legendaries are considered banned), so I placed him back in my Sand Storm team.
With my first 6 members, I did pretty well against people worldwide in the rating battles, raising my win rate back to 50% (which was the minimum requirement to satisfy me). I also did something with this team which was pretty awesome in my opinion. I raised them to level 55, and pit them against the Elite 4 and Champion with Set battle format and not allowing me to use Pokemon Amie beforehand and not using healing items during battle. Needless to say, they were able to enter the Hall of Fame despite being 8 levels lower than the weakest Pokemon of the Elite 4.
Then I decided to breed another Pokemon. And that Pokemon was a Kangaskhan. I was able to breed a rather good Kangaskhan (though not perfect IVs, but I didn't mind then). She was one of my aces as she's incredibly powerful when in her Mega-form, and saving me in a couple of matches. She's still a staple in my team, but she will be traded away to my best friend since I bred her successor - a Kangaskhan with 5 perfect IVs. Nonetheless, the new Kangaskhan will still take the name of older Kangaskhan - Kate n Nate.
The first Kate n Nate was the last Pokemon I bred in my first generation of my Pokemon breeding. Since then, I've bred more Pokemons, and them having IVs in the right places.
The first Pokemon bred in the second generation of breeding was a Greninja I called Strider. I found a Froakie with Protean from Wonder Trade, and I thought 'why not breed it'. After experiencing several hours of not breeding a 5IV Protean Froakie (I had a 5IV perfect TORRENT Froakie), Arceus has decided to bless me with a Protean Froakie that has 6 perfect IVs. That Froakie turned out to become the Strider he is today, and has been terrorizing many teams due to it's high speed and the power of Protean.
Then I bred Tim Drake (the Gale Wings Talonflame). Having 5 perfect IVs, he's one of my favourite birds around (next to Staraptor) for it's amazing ability and it's approach to enemies (by Brave Bird, taking it's life in the process). He's still a threat to most teams, but due to me not having a practical way to counter Stealth Rock (the thing that eats Tim Drake and Hydra for breakfast), I decided that I would not use him too often.
Using some spare 5IV Pokemons I have, I was able to trade them with other trainers, and I got my next three Pokemon - Tyranitar, Gengar, and Rotom.
Tyranitar was the main reason I decided I should go for my favourite kind of team (the Sand Storm team). I noticed that he had Outrage as an egg move, so I decided to scrap the plan of using him as a Stealth Rock user and make him an offensive tank. I equipped him with an Assault Vest, and from my battles, I realized that a STAB Aura Sphere from Mega Mewtwo X is not enough to take down this beast.
Gengar has an odd name (Bb15), due to his original master wanting to sort them systematically. While not having the egg-move Disable, I did place Taunt of him as a way to surprise some opponents. His fast, though not as fast as Strider, but he hits harder. At one point he had Sucker Punch in his arsenal, which surprised a Mega-Gengar user whose Mega-Gengar didn't have much health left.
The Rotom I had wasn't perfect, so I decided to breed it to perfection - but I failed. The Rotom I have with me has 5 IVs (lacking of Speed), but has a decent speed stat (as it's speed is 12 instead of 11). I decided to use it to burn people with Will-O-Wisp, and then use Rest (since it's a tank). While still new in my team, the burn it causes is invaluable. The Rotom I had took the form of a washing machine, and it's name it WRotom.
Another tank I just bred is a Ferrothorn whose name is loosely based on the popular Malaysian fruit the Durian (his name is Duryan). He is my Leech Seeder and has explosive personality. Also a new member of my team, so he hasn't had his awesome moments yet.
The latest Pokemon that I raised to level 50 is a Shuckle I called Stones. He's the latest member to my Sand Storm team and can take a beating. He is my Toxic user and another Rest user to stall the battle. He also has the Ability Contrary, and uses Shell Smash to make him even bulkier. While new, I've tested him on a Free Double Battle on Battle Spot. He was able to defeat a Mega Blastoise and Marrowak while being the only member alive in my team.
Anyways, this is just me reminiscing the experiences I have with the Pokemon I used for battle. As you can see, I'm not really a guy that aims to win the battle. While winning is nice, I enjoy the experience of battling with my team even more than that. We win together, and lose together, and that's all that matters.
No, I do mean it.
What I like about competitive Pokemon battling is that it requires strategy and mind games in order to defeat your opponents. Brute force cannot work and often will be punished.
It's like more complicated version of chess. You have 6 pieces instead of 16, and each piece can be customizable to an extent. Each of your Pokemon has strengths and weaknesses and there are certain match-ups that has to be remembered (because you do not ever bring a Pokemon in to battle against an opponent that Pokemon can't defeat, knowing very well you have other Pokemons that you can use against it).
I wasn't very into the competitive nature of Pokemon at first. I was just the typical trainer who would complete the main story and maybe play a bit of the battle subway/frontier/maison/tower/etc. That being said I do have little (as in, very little) knowledge on how competitive works by playing the online battle simulator Pokemon Online.
Then Pokemon X and Y came, and that changed everything. EV training is much accessible now with Super Training and Horde encounters. IV breeding for perfect Pokemon, while still rather annoying, is very much easier than previous generations. So I thought to myself, why not give it a go?
Before trying out EV training and IV breeding, I found out my team fares rather horribly in Battle Spot's Rating Battle. So I decided to train up a team. This team was no ordinary team, it was a team comprising of 5 of my friend's favourite Pokemon (and the last one being mine). Thus, the first generation of IV bred and EV trained Pokemons were born.
Lucky * (Jolteon) was the fastest of them all, and was the go-to lead as it could use Volt Switch, it could also use Roar or Toxic (depending on the moveset I chose for it). While I rarely use him now, he was one of my most frequently used Pokemon in Rating Battle and did save me a few times.
Gordon (Starmie) was the 2nd fastest in this team. It was my Rapid Spinner and an offensive attacker. Again, like Lucky *, I hardly use Gordon now, but it's one Pokemon I have my utmost respect for making an incredible comeback when I was down three to 1 in a Rating Battle.
Hydra (Charizard), a starter with some incredible potential. He was my Mega Pokemon, and had an offensive physical moveset that comes with Mega-Charizard X. I still use him from time to time, and he never disappoints me.
Epsilon (Metagross) is a hard to breed one, but being bulky has its uses. From my experience with it, I found out that a Close Combat from Mega-Lucario is not powerful enough to defeat it, and would lose to it should Epsilon use Hammer Arm/Earthquake. It's not a staple in my team now, but it can easily be a replacement Pokemon should I need one since it's rather dependable.
Sharky (Garchomp) was another Pokemon I had that has a Mega-form, but I did not use it for the Mega-form because I thought the decrease in speed actually hinders it from doing a lot of significant damage as it might be outsped by fast Pokemon that had Ice moves. He was quite good as a normal Garchomp being able to defeat a Mega-Garchomp, and better yet defeat a Mega-Kangaskhan all by himself. But much later down the line, I was able to make a Sand Storm team, and with my Baton Passing Speed Boost Blaziken in that team, I decided that it's time for Sharky to use his Mega-Form.
Finally my favourite Pokemon, Simon the Excadrill was in the first generation of bred Pokemon and was the first Pokemon I had with 5 IVs (though not perfect). Simon was one beastly member of my team due to it's high attack. However, the fact that some people may not like the idea of using a Sand Rush Excadrill made me let Simon rest in the sidelines. But later, I realized that I needed Simon to shine, and I decided that I did not care what they thought of (since only Legendaries are considered banned), so I placed him back in my Sand Storm team.
With my first 6 members, I did pretty well against people worldwide in the rating battles, raising my win rate back to 50% (which was the minimum requirement to satisfy me). I also did something with this team which was pretty awesome in my opinion. I raised them to level 55, and pit them against the Elite 4 and Champion with Set battle format and not allowing me to use Pokemon Amie beforehand and not using healing items during battle. Needless to say, they were able to enter the Hall of Fame despite being 8 levels lower than the weakest Pokemon of the Elite 4.
Then I decided to breed another Pokemon. And that Pokemon was a Kangaskhan. I was able to breed a rather good Kangaskhan (though not perfect IVs, but I didn't mind then). She was one of my aces as she's incredibly powerful when in her Mega-form, and saving me in a couple of matches. She's still a staple in my team, but she will be traded away to my best friend since I bred her successor - a Kangaskhan with 5 perfect IVs. Nonetheless, the new Kangaskhan will still take the name of older Kangaskhan - Kate n Nate.
The first Kate n Nate was the last Pokemon I bred in my first generation of my Pokemon breeding. Since then, I've bred more Pokemons, and them having IVs in the right places.
The first Pokemon bred in the second generation of breeding was a Greninja I called Strider. I found a Froakie with Protean from Wonder Trade, and I thought 'why not breed it'. After experiencing several hours of not breeding a 5IV Protean Froakie (I had a 5IV perfect TORRENT Froakie), Arceus has decided to bless me with a Protean Froakie that has 6 perfect IVs. That Froakie turned out to become the Strider he is today, and has been terrorizing many teams due to it's high speed and the power of Protean.
Then I bred Tim Drake (the Gale Wings Talonflame). Having 5 perfect IVs, he's one of my favourite birds around (next to Staraptor) for it's amazing ability and it's approach to enemies (by Brave Bird, taking it's life in the process). He's still a threat to most teams, but due to me not having a practical way to counter Stealth Rock (the thing that eats Tim Drake and Hydra for breakfast), I decided that I would not use him too often.
Using some spare 5IV Pokemons I have, I was able to trade them with other trainers, and I got my next three Pokemon - Tyranitar, Gengar, and Rotom.
Tyranitar was the main reason I decided I should go for my favourite kind of team (the Sand Storm team). I noticed that he had Outrage as an egg move, so I decided to scrap the plan of using him as a Stealth Rock user and make him an offensive tank. I equipped him with an Assault Vest, and from my battles, I realized that a STAB Aura Sphere from Mega Mewtwo X is not enough to take down this beast.
Gengar has an odd name (Bb15), due to his original master wanting to sort them systematically. While not having the egg-move Disable, I did place Taunt of him as a way to surprise some opponents. His fast, though not as fast as Strider, but he hits harder. At one point he had Sucker Punch in his arsenal, which surprised a Mega-Gengar user whose Mega-Gengar didn't have much health left.
The Rotom I had wasn't perfect, so I decided to breed it to perfection - but I failed. The Rotom I have with me has 5 IVs (lacking of Speed), but has a decent speed stat (as it's speed is 12 instead of 11). I decided to use it to burn people with Will-O-Wisp, and then use Rest (since it's a tank). While still new in my team, the burn it causes is invaluable. The Rotom I had took the form of a washing machine, and it's name it WRotom.
Another tank I just bred is a Ferrothorn whose name is loosely based on the popular Malaysian fruit the Durian (his name is Duryan). He is my Leech Seeder and has explosive personality. Also a new member of my team, so he hasn't had his awesome moments yet.
The latest Pokemon that I raised to level 50 is a Shuckle I called Stones. He's the latest member to my Sand Storm team and can take a beating. He is my Toxic user and another Rest user to stall the battle. He also has the Ability Contrary, and uses Shell Smash to make him even bulkier. While new, I've tested him on a Free Double Battle on Battle Spot. He was able to defeat a Mega Blastoise and Marrowak while being the only member alive in my team.
Anyways, this is just me reminiscing the experiences I have with the Pokemon I used for battle. As you can see, I'm not really a guy that aims to win the battle. While winning is nice, I enjoy the experience of battling with my team even more than that. We win together, and lose together, and that's all that matters.
Monday, 25 November 2013
Review: Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies
One of the many reasons I got myself a 3DS was the announcement of new Ace Attorney game for the 3DS at the Tokyo Game Show at 2012. As a fan of the series, I really hoped that game received localization since Ace Attorney Investigations 2 (aka Gyakuten Kenji 2 in Japan) did not receive localizations at all.
Fortunately, Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies (AA5) did. While the game was only released as a digital format downloaded from the 3DS eShop (which annoys me since I can't sell it), the decision by Capcom makes a bit of sense, as the Ace Attorney series, as a whole isn't that popular around the world as it is in Japan, where musicals, movies, and orchestral arrangements of the tracks can be found for this series. The decision was cost effective, since there will not be cost put into making the physical copy and the fact that the risks that comes with making a physical copy will not exist (having extra copies that no one will buy).
At first, the 30$ price tag on the game seems rather hefty to me (even though a normal 3DS game usually cost 40$ at retail), and I thought that it should be cheaper. I still bought and downloaded the game on Day 1, and after playing it, I can say that this game is indeed worth the price.
Story:
The story takes place where Apollo Justice (AA4) left off, with Phoenix now getting is lawyer badge back and being a lawyer once more. Depending on which case, you'll be playing in the perspectives of one of three characters - Phoenix, Apollo, or the newest member of the Wright Anything Agency, Athena Cykes.
The game's story is pretty amazing, with each case giving some sort of significance to the overarching main plot of the game. There are five cases total (not counting DLC), and among the five case I would say Case 2 is the weakest among the five. That being said, the case isn't bad (it does have its merits), it just pales in comparison to the rest.
Graphics:
This game looks amazing. I was a bit skeptical at first with the use of 3D models in the game compared to the sprites of previous games. My main concern at first was the way the mouth moved as it didn't seem natural looking to me (this is my first impression when I saw the trailer, at least), but when playing the game, I never seem to notice it all (they were fine).
The use of 3D models also helped make characters more lively. I felt that several characters in this game were designed such that to take advantage of the things they can do with 3D models that they can't with 2D sprites. Each character appears to have several kinds of animation, and the animation is extremely fluid (like Klavier's finger snapping, it looked really natural). The 3D models also enable them to alter the appearance of certain characters (like a pickpocket who stole and wore someone's item will be seen wearing that item, when he wasn't wearing it at all a few minutes ago), and this also gave us one of the most surprising villains in an Ace Attorney game ever.
Another cool thing in this game is the Thought Route sequence. Why is this in the graphics section? Because before and after this sequence, you'll be zoomed in and out of Phoenix/Apollo/Athena. when zoomed in, you can see that the character models were outlined such that they looked like they were from an anime/manga, showing us the kind of artstyle that the game is using, which I liked a lot.
Sound:
You can't deny that Capcom games have some of the best musics in video games ever. The Ace Attorney series is no different. Each game has it's own awesome song. This game is no different. The music is awesome as always, and certain tracks are throwbacks to songs from the previous games. Take the 'Objection' theme for example, it heavily resembles the 'Objection' theme from Trials and Tribulations.
Most of the songs have an orchestral feel to it, and they sound good. The orchestral songs in this game could be due to the person in charge of the music being the same person in charge of the Ace Attorney orchestral album. While I didn't like the orchestral remixes of the Ace Attorney orchestral soundtrack (as they were inferior to the Ace Attorney Jazz soundtrack) I enjoyed the orchestral feel of the music a lot in this game.
Gameplay:
Gameplay is divided into two portions - Investigation and Court. Many argued that the Investigation part of the game is easier than in previous games, and I do agree, but it's probably because it's streamlined. This game is designed to have a linear gameplay experience (like in the older games of the series), but the problem with older games was that because it is linear, you have to present 'that one evidence' to 'that one person' in order to move on, and sometimes, you don't know who are you supposed to talk to or present evidence to. Some people get stumped because of this and stopped playing the game, so the streamlining of gameplay in this game is indeed a plus.
Older game mechanics like the Psyche-Lock and Apollo's bracelet makes a return in the game, accompanied by the new courtroom-only mechanic, the Mood Matrix. Personally, this game mechanic is a hit-or-miss. Sometimes, solving problems with the Mood Matrix is satisfying. But there's also times where a mechanic of the Mood Matrix appears due to the person's disturbed emotions, and that part is more lucked based in my opinion.
Oh, another thing I forgot is that if you get a game over in court, you can consult your partner should you choose to continue (as a hinting method to the gamer should you get stuck in court), which is somewhat nice.
A problem with the game (which is somewhat prevalent in older games) is the lack of grammar and spell-check for some of the cases (this usually happens in the 2nd or 3rd case, and hardly happens in the final case).
Another minor bug I found was the 'missing text'. In this game (as well as older games of the series), in case you clicked next too fast and missed out on a dialogue, the game lets you re-read the dialogue by viewing the activity log. The problem is that sometimes, the conversations and actions are missing from the activity log, hence the text is 'missing'. Though this problem can be solved by saving your game and loading it once more from the title select screen, but it is somewhat annoying.
Characters:
I would say that the characters in this game are rather likable. Every character in this game have some sort of quality that makes them stand out (even the side characters). The design of some of the characters, as mentioned earlier, felt like it was meant to show off the power of 3D models in this game.
Our newcomer prosecutor, Athena is an alright character. At least she turns out to be more likable in her debut game compared to Apollo Ace Attorney 4. The story of this game is much more focused on her, so it's natural that she gets more attention in certain episodes. My main problem with her is not in her personality, but her voice actress in the animated cutscenes. I'm not saying that Wendee Lee is a bad voice actress (she did a fine job as Faye Valentine in Cowboy Bebop), it's just that the voice acting didn't feel right, for me, and I think that if Athena was voiced by another VA it might have been better.
Simon Blackquil, the Twisted Samurai, and the main prosecutor for this game, is also really likable with his awesome pet bird Taka, and his quotes of his fellow prisoner inmates. Compared to the prosecutors of older games, he is a pretty competent one. By playing more of the game, I realized unlike Franziska and Manfred (and at one point, Edgeworth), he does not aim for a perfect win streak, he's just doing some fine prosecuting with his abilities. I would say that his prosecuting skill is slightly below Edgeworth's and I would rank him in my top 3 prosecutors of the series.
The third new character of the main crew is Detective Bobby Fulbright. He's considered the likable/unlikable character. Some may like his hot blooded personality and his sense of justice, some may not like the fact that he replaces Gumshoe as the detective for this game. As for me, I think he has a catchy theme, though the theme is somewhat annoying when you hear it almost on repeat on the later cases. Also, if you're a player reading this review and have not completed this game, Fulbright's may become increasingly likable or hated as the game progresses (not spoiling anything there).
Now, a special mention to Apollo Justice, as he's much more likable and has more personality in this game compared to Ace Attorney 4. The awesome thing of Ace Attorney 5 is that while you do control 3 attorneys, they do give each attorney almost equal amount of screen time for them to develop their personalities. And while Phoenix didn't need much development, Apollo needed it, and they did a fine job making Apollo a likable guy.
Animated cutscenes and voice acting:
Personally, I thought it was awesome that Capcom managed to hire Bones studios (the guys who animated both adaptations of Full Metal Alchemist) to be in charge of their animated cutscenes. So the animation and quality is there.
What I didn't like about those cutscenes was there isn't an option to switch between English to Japanese dubbing (with added subtitles), it's not because I prefer Japanese audio over the English one, but there are certain cutscenes I find to be cringe-worthy (there is one in the 3rd case, so keep in mind that).
As for the voice acting, it's decent, but could be better. There's only one person whom I felt has the perfect voice actor for the job (and that's Phoenix Wright). There were a few moments where Apollo's voice acting sounded very cliche. Also, I didn't really like Edgeworth's voice as it did not suit him. I thought he was an American, why does he sound like he's trying to imitate Professor Layton? (Unless they're trying for that regal feel since he looks so formal and stuff, so they thought a British accent would suit him)
Is the DLC worth it:
Yes (for the DLC case), and no (for the DLC outfits). If you're reading this and decide to buy the game, you won't be able to get the free costumes for Phoenix, Apollo, and Athena (those costumes are buy-the-game-early bonus). And while it's nice to see Phoenix in his old suit, it's not much different from his new one. Apollo's and Athena's outfits are different though, but I don't think it's worth paying for it (unless you're really a fan of the game, but if you were a fan of the game, you would have gotten the game earlier, and would get these costumes for free, so I dunno...).
As for the DLC case (Special Episode Turnabout Reclaimed), that is definitely worth it. The case is pretty good, and this DLC doesn't seem like a half-baked one, as the case is as long as or even longer than the 3rd case. It is rather well written and somewhat tragic. There were also more cutscenes in this case than the usual cases, and it has as much evidence as the 4th and final case. The best part of the case was how it shows an epilogue, taking place a few months after the courtroom trial, and seeing how the characters in the case are doing. A minor problem you'll face in this case is the tutorials for Investigation mode appearing once more (which is justified because Case 2 introduces you to Investigation mode, and you can only face this DLC case after Case 1).
Final Verdict:
Overall, Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies is a well polished game for the series, and is a huge step-up from the rather disappointing Apollo Justice game. While the gameplay is linear as always, it makes up for it with it's amazing story and well-written characters. The game is far from perfect, and it has yet to beat the amazing game that is Trials and Tribulations, but it is certainly up there as one of the better Ace Attorney games of the series.
Pro's:
Amazing Story
Well-Written Characters
Fluid 3D Model Animation
Cons:
Some Voice Acting Were Cringe-Worthy
Grammatical & Spelling Mistakes In Some Cases
'Missing Text' Bug
Score:
9/10 Without DLC Episode
9.5/10 With DLC Episode
Fortunately, Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies (AA5) did. While the game was only released as a digital format downloaded from the 3DS eShop (which annoys me since I can't sell it), the decision by Capcom makes a bit of sense, as the Ace Attorney series, as a whole isn't that popular around the world as it is in Japan, where musicals, movies, and orchestral arrangements of the tracks can be found for this series. The decision was cost effective, since there will not be cost put into making the physical copy and the fact that the risks that comes with making a physical copy will not exist (having extra copies that no one will buy).
At first, the 30$ price tag on the game seems rather hefty to me (even though a normal 3DS game usually cost 40$ at retail), and I thought that it should be cheaper. I still bought and downloaded the game on Day 1, and after playing it, I can say that this game is indeed worth the price.
Story:
The story takes place where Apollo Justice (AA4) left off, with Phoenix now getting is lawyer badge back and being a lawyer once more. Depending on which case, you'll be playing in the perspectives of one of three characters - Phoenix, Apollo, or the newest member of the Wright Anything Agency, Athena Cykes.
The game's story is pretty amazing, with each case giving some sort of significance to the overarching main plot of the game. There are five cases total (not counting DLC), and among the five case I would say Case 2 is the weakest among the five. That being said, the case isn't bad (it does have its merits), it just pales in comparison to the rest.
Graphics:
This game looks amazing. I was a bit skeptical at first with the use of 3D models in the game compared to the sprites of previous games. My main concern at first was the way the mouth moved as it didn't seem natural looking to me (this is my first impression when I saw the trailer, at least), but when playing the game, I never seem to notice it all (they were fine).
The use of 3D models also helped make characters more lively. I felt that several characters in this game were designed such that to take advantage of the things they can do with 3D models that they can't with 2D sprites. Each character appears to have several kinds of animation, and the animation is extremely fluid (like Klavier's finger snapping, it looked really natural). The 3D models also enable them to alter the appearance of certain characters (like a pickpocket who stole and wore someone's item will be seen wearing that item, when he wasn't wearing it at all a few minutes ago), and this also gave us one of the most surprising villains in an Ace Attorney game ever.
Another cool thing in this game is the Thought Route sequence. Why is this in the graphics section? Because before and after this sequence, you'll be zoomed in and out of Phoenix/Apollo/Athena. when zoomed in, you can see that the character models were outlined such that they looked like they were from an anime/manga, showing us the kind of artstyle that the game is using, which I liked a lot.
Sound:
You can't deny that Capcom games have some of the best musics in video games ever. The Ace Attorney series is no different. Each game has it's own awesome song. This game is no different. The music is awesome as always, and certain tracks are throwbacks to songs from the previous games. Take the 'Objection' theme for example, it heavily resembles the 'Objection' theme from Trials and Tribulations.
Most of the songs have an orchestral feel to it, and they sound good. The orchestral songs in this game could be due to the person in charge of the music being the same person in charge of the Ace Attorney orchestral album. While I didn't like the orchestral remixes of the Ace Attorney orchestral soundtrack (as they were inferior to the Ace Attorney Jazz soundtrack) I enjoyed the orchestral feel of the music a lot in this game.
Gameplay:
Gameplay is divided into two portions - Investigation and Court. Many argued that the Investigation part of the game is easier than in previous games, and I do agree, but it's probably because it's streamlined. This game is designed to have a linear gameplay experience (like in the older games of the series), but the problem with older games was that because it is linear, you have to present 'that one evidence' to 'that one person' in order to move on, and sometimes, you don't know who are you supposed to talk to or present evidence to. Some people get stumped because of this and stopped playing the game, so the streamlining of gameplay in this game is indeed a plus.
Older game mechanics like the Psyche-Lock and Apollo's bracelet makes a return in the game, accompanied by the new courtroom-only mechanic, the Mood Matrix. Personally, this game mechanic is a hit-or-miss. Sometimes, solving problems with the Mood Matrix is satisfying. But there's also times where a mechanic of the Mood Matrix appears due to the person's disturbed emotions, and that part is more lucked based in my opinion.
Oh, another thing I forgot is that if you get a game over in court, you can consult your partner should you choose to continue (as a hinting method to the gamer should you get stuck in court), which is somewhat nice.
A problem with the game (which is somewhat prevalent in older games) is the lack of grammar and spell-check for some of the cases (this usually happens in the 2nd or 3rd case, and hardly happens in the final case).
Another minor bug I found was the 'missing text'. In this game (as well as older games of the series), in case you clicked next too fast and missed out on a dialogue, the game lets you re-read the dialogue by viewing the activity log. The problem is that sometimes, the conversations and actions are missing from the activity log, hence the text is 'missing'. Though this problem can be solved by saving your game and loading it once more from the title select screen, but it is somewhat annoying.
Characters:
I would say that the characters in this game are rather likable. Every character in this game have some sort of quality that makes them stand out (even the side characters). The design of some of the characters, as mentioned earlier, felt like it was meant to show off the power of 3D models in this game.
Our newcomer prosecutor, Athena is an alright character. At least she turns out to be more likable in her debut game compared to Apollo Ace Attorney 4. The story of this game is much more focused on her, so it's natural that she gets more attention in certain episodes. My main problem with her is not in her personality, but her voice actress in the animated cutscenes. I'm not saying that Wendee Lee is a bad voice actress (she did a fine job as Faye Valentine in Cowboy Bebop), it's just that the voice acting didn't feel right, for me, and I think that if Athena was voiced by another VA it might have been better.
Simon Blackquil, the Twisted Samurai, and the main prosecutor for this game, is also really likable with his awesome pet bird Taka, and his quotes of his fellow prisoner inmates. Compared to the prosecutors of older games, he is a pretty competent one. By playing more of the game, I realized unlike Franziska and Manfred (and at one point, Edgeworth), he does not aim for a perfect win streak, he's just doing some fine prosecuting with his abilities. I would say that his prosecuting skill is slightly below Edgeworth's and I would rank him in my top 3 prosecutors of the series.
The third new character of the main crew is Detective Bobby Fulbright. He's considered the likable/unlikable character. Some may like his hot blooded personality and his sense of justice, some may not like the fact that he replaces Gumshoe as the detective for this game. As for me, I think he has a catchy theme, though the theme is somewhat annoying when you hear it almost on repeat on the later cases. Also, if you're a player reading this review and have not completed this game, Fulbright's may become increasingly likable or hated as the game progresses (not spoiling anything there).
Now, a special mention to Apollo Justice, as he's much more likable and has more personality in this game compared to Ace Attorney 4. The awesome thing of Ace Attorney 5 is that while you do control 3 attorneys, they do give each attorney almost equal amount of screen time for them to develop their personalities. And while Phoenix didn't need much development, Apollo needed it, and they did a fine job making Apollo a likable guy.
Animated cutscenes and voice acting:
Personally, I thought it was awesome that Capcom managed to hire Bones studios (the guys who animated both adaptations of Full Metal Alchemist) to be in charge of their animated cutscenes. So the animation and quality is there.
What I didn't like about those cutscenes was there isn't an option to switch between English to Japanese dubbing (with added subtitles), it's not because I prefer Japanese audio over the English one, but there are certain cutscenes I find to be cringe-worthy (there is one in the 3rd case, so keep in mind that).
As for the voice acting, it's decent, but could be better. There's only one person whom I felt has the perfect voice actor for the job (and that's Phoenix Wright). There were a few moments where Apollo's voice acting sounded very cliche. Also, I didn't really like Edgeworth's voice as it did not suit him. I thought he was an American, why does he sound like he's trying to imitate Professor Layton? (Unless they're trying for that regal feel since he looks so formal and stuff, so they thought a British accent would suit him)
Is the DLC worth it:
Yes (for the DLC case), and no (for the DLC outfits). If you're reading this and decide to buy the game, you won't be able to get the free costumes for Phoenix, Apollo, and Athena (those costumes are buy-the-game-early bonus). And while it's nice to see Phoenix in his old suit, it's not much different from his new one. Apollo's and Athena's outfits are different though, but I don't think it's worth paying for it (unless you're really a fan of the game, but if you were a fan of the game, you would have gotten the game earlier, and would get these costumes for free, so I dunno...).
As for the DLC case (Special Episode Turnabout Reclaimed), that is definitely worth it. The case is pretty good, and this DLC doesn't seem like a half-baked one, as the case is as long as or even longer than the 3rd case. It is rather well written and somewhat tragic. There were also more cutscenes in this case than the usual cases, and it has as much evidence as the 4th and final case. The best part of the case was how it shows an epilogue, taking place a few months after the courtroom trial, and seeing how the characters in the case are doing. A minor problem you'll face in this case is the tutorials for Investigation mode appearing once more (which is justified because Case 2 introduces you to Investigation mode, and you can only face this DLC case after Case 1).
Final Verdict:
Overall, Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies is a well polished game for the series, and is a huge step-up from the rather disappointing Apollo Justice game. While the gameplay is linear as always, it makes up for it with it's amazing story and well-written characters. The game is far from perfect, and it has yet to beat the amazing game that is Trials and Tribulations, but it is certainly up there as one of the better Ace Attorney games of the series.
Pro's:
Amazing Story
Well-Written Characters
Fluid 3D Model Animation
Cons:
Some Voice Acting Were Cringe-Worthy
Grammatical & Spelling Mistakes In Some Cases
'Missing Text' Bug
Score:
9/10 Without DLC Episode
9.5/10 With DLC Episode
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