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Gush about [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco Bandai]] games here!
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Gush about [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco Bandai]] Bandai Namco]] games here!
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** Same guy who promoted ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', now back to promote ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'' (starting to think at some point we should just promote the ''entire'' VideoGame/TalesSeries). It's quite possibly the most well-made Tales game yet, with a whole slew of options for kicking your opponent's ass and the most comprehensive battle system in the series yet, allowing ''anyone'' to pull off spectacular feats. That's not even mentioning the well-told story with its fantastic English dub, or the fact that Yuri is quite simply one of the most awesome characters ever. It's the first, and so far only, Xbox 360 game for which I've gotten 1000/1000 [[CosmeticAward Achievement points]], and if the [=PS3=] version comes out in North America, I swear up and down I will buy the system just to play the game through again (well, and for ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}}'' and VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4, but yeah).
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** Same guy who promoted ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', now back to promote ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'' (starting to think at some point we should just promote the ''entire'' VideoGame/TalesSeries). It's quite possibly the most well-made Tales game yet, with a whole slew of options for kicking your opponent's ass and the most comprehensive battle system in the series yet, allowing ''anyone'' to pull off spectacular feats. That's not even mentioning the well-told story with its fantastic English dub, or the fact that Yuri is quite simply one of the most awesome characters ever. It's the first, and so far only, Xbox 360 game for which I've gotten 1000/1000 [[CosmeticAward Achievement points]], and if the [=PS3=] version comes out in North America, I swear up and down I will buy the system just to play the game through again (well, and for ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}}'' and VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4, VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots, but yeah).
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** Seconded. Not a fighting game fan, but any game where [[StarWars Darth Vader]] fights ninjas gets a pass from me.
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** Seconded. Not a fighting game fan, but any game where [[StarWars [[Franchise/StarWars Darth Vader]] fights ninjas gets a pass from me.
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** I honestly can't decide whether I like Origins or Eternal Wings better - the two are currently tied as my all-time favorite video games. Both games have excellent stories that start out kind of simple, but get interesting really fast. They're satisfyingly complex, and both games have a [[WhamEpisode major plot twist or two somewhere down the line.]] The characters are interesting. Sometimes they fall into certain archetypes, but never entirely. They also change and develop over time, especially in Origins. The way that the games [[AnyoneYouKnow involved you]] was a cool concept, and it was pulled off really well. The gameplay was fun and original. The battle system was very different between games, but both times it was fun and kept the battles from getting all that boring. The world of the game is fascinating - it's the kind of place that I really wish I could visit. The visuals were beautiful and creative. I'd say that RealIsBrown was subverted, but the game was never really aiming to look realistic. Sure, the games have their flaws (especially Eternal Wings), but they still managed to work really well. And of course, the music is incredible. Look it up and you'll see what I mean. They're real underrated gems, and I really wish more people knew about them.
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** I honestly can't decide whether I like Origins or Eternal Wings better - the two are currently tied as my all-time favorite video games. Both games have excellent stories that start out kind of simple, but get interesting really fast. They're satisfyingly complex, and both games have a [[WhamEpisode major plot twist or two somewhere down the line.]] The characters are interesting. Sometimes they fall into certain archetypes, but never entirely. They also change and develop over time, especially in Origins. The way that the games [[AnyoneYouKnow [[AddressingThePlayer involved you]] was a cool concept, and it was pulled off really well. The gameplay was fun and original. The battle system was very different between games, but both times it was fun and kept the battles from getting all that boring. The world of the game is fascinating - it's the kind of place that I really wish I could visit. The visuals were beautiful and creative. I'd say that RealIsBrown was subverted, but the game was never really aiming to look realistic. Sure, the games have their flaws (especially Eternal Wings), but they still managed to work really well. And of course, the music is incredible. Look it up and you'll see what I mean. They're real underrated gems, and I really wish more people knew about them.
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* The wacky and wonderful ''VideoGame/PointBlank'' should ''NOT'' be overlooked! Besides having many cartoony and unique designs for its characters (especially Dr. Don & Dan), it has a lot of variety in its stages to make it fun for ages!
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* The wacky and wonderful ''VideoGame/PointBlank'' ''VideoGame/PointBlank1994'' should ''NOT'' be overlooked! Besides having many cartoony and unique designs for its characters (especially Dr. Don & Dan), it has a lot of variety in its stages to make it fun for ages!
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* ''VideoGame/BatenKaitosOrigins'' is nothing short of awesome. The visuals are just as good as the first game, if not ''better''. The character interactions are downright hilarious, especially when they involve Guillo, who is such a magnificent DeadpanSnarker that you can be assured there will be a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} ''every time Guillo speaks''. I can say without exaggeration that Guillo is better than [[VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss Jade Curtiss]], [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia Tenebrae]], and [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} GLaDOS]] '''''COMBINED'''''. Speaking of speaking, the voice acting in that game is absolutely incredible, especially after the voice acting in the first game had me expecting very little. And then there is the plot. It doesn't seem spectacular at first...[[WhamEpisode but then you get about two-thirds of the way through the game]] and "[[HolyShitQuotient NO FREAKIN' WAY!]]" To top it all off, the soundtrack is ''even better than the one its predecessor had''. Seriously. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXe7TKScGmc&fmt=18 Just]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMIlxFS1LVc&fmt=18 listen]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUMfjKX867k&fmt=18 to]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfRJ-3tNnMc&fmt=18 a]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6BQv8litzQ&fmt=18 mere]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU5ekqBk1zE&fmt=18 fraction]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmG3f3g-AN4&fmt=18 of]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxCOV8DtYfs&fmt=18 it]].
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* ''VideoGame/BatenKaitosOrigins'' is nothing short of awesome. The visuals are just as good as the first game, if not ''better''. The character interactions are downright hilarious, especially when they involve Guillo, who is such a magnificent DeadpanSnarker that you can be assured there will be a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} ''every time Guillo speaks''. I can say without exaggeration that Guillo is better than [[VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss Jade Curtiss]], [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia Tenebrae]], and [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} GLaDOS]] '''''COMBINED'''''. Speaking of speaking, the voice acting in that game is absolutely incredible, especially after the voice acting in the first game had me expecting very little. And then there is the plot. It doesn't seem spectacular at first...[[WhamEpisode but then you get about two-thirds of the way through the game]] and "[[HolyShitQuotient NO "NO FREAKIN' WAY!]]" WAY!" To top it all off, the soundtrack is ''even better than the one its predecessor had''. Seriously. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXe7TKScGmc&fmt=18 Just]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMIlxFS1LVc&fmt=18 listen]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUMfjKX867k&fmt=18 to]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfRJ-3tNnMc&fmt=18 a]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6BQv8litzQ&fmt=18 mere]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU5ekqBk1zE&fmt=18 fraction]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmG3f3g-AN4&fmt=18 of]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxCOV8DtYfs&fmt=18 it]].
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** Um...I think it's time we give a little love to ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces''! Sure, critics bashed the combat system for a long time, and coming off of Abyss, it is rather odd at first...but it had such a neat story and fun characters who stayed relevant the whole way through, especially when the game went out of its way to show just how much of a family they all were! Sure, I felt Asbel was a little bland, and wasn't nearly as important to the story as Sophie, but I think it worked in the game's favor; it's not about having ''a'' main character, it's about making ''everyone'' a main character! Everyone has their moment in the spotlight, and while Pascal may steal the show a lot, you really grow to love these seven gals and guys while playing! Whereas Lloyd really had no reason to be the main hero in Symphonia (If not for him forcing himself in the group and having daddy issues, he'd have no importance to the plot) Asbel DOES have a reason, especially considering how close he was to Richard. Sophie's tale is heartwarming to the core, a not-quite-human gaining friends one by one, culminating in you getting to see how she views everyone in the Humanoid Research Center; if her having fond memories of Pascal playing with her and Hubert helping her up don't warm your heart, nothing will. While Cheria is constantly bombarded as useless to the plot, she honestly comes off as one of the most useful, being one of the main voices of reason who isn't just some lovey-dovey love interest. Sure, her relationship with the party is stereotypically girly...but [[TropesAreNotBad that's not sexist in the slightest.]] If anything, her place in the party is a heavy dose of feminism; yeah, she's girly, yeah, she's motherly, but ''she's still a badass who helps Sophie learn about the world.'' Richard is a great example of a villain turning good done right, whose renewal as a being a hero is done very well after he finally learns the world isn't as fucked up as he thought. While you only get to play as him for the first 15% and last third of the game, the time he spends with the party is truly touching, helping to round out its family mechanic. And of course, Hubert is a hilarious and heartwarming character who slowly grows over time to see his brother as not the aimless fuck up he thought he was, all while learning how to be more open and trusting of others. And of course, Pascal! Not only is she funny as hell and fun to play as, her relationship with her sister is nothing short of beautiful; the way she practically worships the ground Fourier walks on and her utter joy at seeing her sister come to help out is just d'aww worthy. Finally, Malik. Not only is Largo the Black Lion back, he's better than ever, his rather typical love story and relationship with his old friend twisted, as per tradition in a Tales game, to the point where, despite Malik and Kurt being enemies, his desire to do what Kurt was trying to do is both touching and heartwrenching. The character's in Graces are a true gem, no bones about it.
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** Um...I think it's time we give a little love to ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces''! Sure, critics bashed the combat system for a long time, and coming off of Abyss, it is rather odd at first...but it had such a neat story and fun characters who stayed relevant the whole way through, especially when the game went out of its way to show just how much of a family they all were! Sure, I felt Asbel was a little bland, and wasn't nearly as important to the story as Sophie, but I think it worked in the game's favor; it's not about having ''a'' main character, it's about making ''everyone'' a main character! Everyone has their moment in the spotlight, and while Pascal may steal the show a lot, you really grow to love these seven gals and guys while playing! Whereas Lloyd really had no reason to be the main hero in Symphonia (If not for him forcing himself in the group and having daddy issues, he'd have no importance to the plot) Asbel DOES have a reason, especially considering how close he was to Richard. Sophie's tale is heartwarming to the core, a not-quite-human gaining friends one by one, culminating in you getting to see how she views everyone in the Humanoid Research Center; if her having fond memories of Pascal playing with her and Hubert helping her up don't warm your heart, nothing will. While Cheria is constantly bombarded as useless to the plot, she honestly comes off as one of the most useful, being one of the main voices of reason who isn't just some lovey-dovey love interest. Sure, her relationship with the party is stereotypically girly...but [[TropesAreNotBad [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools that's not sexist in the slightest.]] If anything, her place in the party is a heavy dose of feminism; yeah, she's girly, yeah, she's motherly, but ''she's still a badass who helps Sophie learn about the world.'' Richard is a great example of a villain turning good done right, whose renewal as a being a hero is done very well after he finally learns the world isn't as fucked up as he thought. While you only get to play as him for the first 15% and last third of the game, the time he spends with the party is truly touching, helping to round out its family mechanic. And of course, Hubert is a hilarious and heartwarming character who slowly grows over time to see his brother as not the aimless fuck up he thought he was, all while learning how to be more open and trusting of others. And of course, Pascal! Not only is she funny as hell and fun to play as, her relationship with her sister is nothing short of beautiful; the way she practically worships the ground Fourier walks on and her utter joy at seeing her sister come to help out is just d'aww worthy. Finally, Malik. Not only is Largo the Black Lion back, he's better than ever, his rather typical love story and relationship with his old friend twisted, as per tradition in a Tales game, to the point where, despite Malik and Kurt being enemies, his desire to do what Kurt was trying to do is both touching and heartwrenching. The character's in Graces are a true gem, no bones about it.
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* Let's not forget the classic arcade favorite ''VideoGame/PacMan''! Over more than 25 years of ghost munching and still fun to play!
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* Let's not forget the classic arcade favorite ''VideoGame/PacMan''! Over more than 25 years of ghost munching and still fun to play!play!
* The wacky and wonderful ''VideoGame/PointBlank'' should ''NOT'' be overlooked! Besides having many cartoony and unique designs for its characters (especially Dr. Don & Dan), it has a lot of variety in its stages to make it fun for ages!
** The home console ports add even more fun to the table, such as the ''Quest'' mode from ''1'', or the ''Theme Park'' mode from ''2''!
* The wacky and wonderful ''VideoGame/PointBlank'' should ''NOT'' be overlooked! Besides having many cartoony and unique designs for its characters (especially Dr. Don & Dan), it has a lot of variety in its stages to make it fun for ages!
** The home console ports add even more fun to the table, such as the ''Quest'' mode from ''1'', or the ''Theme Park'' mode from ''2''!
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* Let's not forget the Classic Arcade Favorite PacMan! Over more than 25 years of ghost munching and still fun to play!
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* Let's not forget the Classic Arcade Favorite PacMan! classic arcade favorite ''VideoGame/PacMan''! Over more than 25 years of ghost munching and still fun to play!
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Gush about [[Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment Namco Bandai]] games here!
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* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' is definitely the best game for the Gamecube and one of the best games out there. Everything, the characters, the story, the gameplay, even the cliches, are awesome. The sequel is amazing too.
** One thing I love about Symphonia over any other RPG I've played is the sheer number of named [=NPCs=] with just enough personality and backstory to be really interesting and lovable...while still leaving a great deal of blank slate even with ''major'' characters for FanFic to explore. Certain subsequent games in the series may have been shinier, but leaving so many loose ends and opportunities for AlternateCharacterInterpretation means that there's always more to discuss and develop in Symphonia.
** I, not meaning to discount the greatness of Symphonia, must also give a mention to its successor ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', a game that I started playing (after a slow start) and then suddenly realized three weeks had gone by and I had experienced one of the wildest emotional roller-coaster rides ever. I sympathized (and, at times, empathized) with Luke the whole time. To this day, ''Abyss'' is one of my favorite Japanese [=RPG=]s.
*** Just throwing this out there - ''Abyss'' IS this troper's favourite Japanese RPG of all time, and along with ''VideoGame/MassEffect3,'' it's the only game in history to make her cry. The most interesting part was that I kept on noticing things that were done similarly to other games - [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX Garnet's]] ImportantHaircut is very similar to Luke's, and the whole Score [[spoiler: and, more importantly, defiance of the Score]] thing makes me want to shout "[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Put the reins of history back in the hands of man!]]" But what I noticed was that Abyss did all of these familiar plots better than I'd ''ever'' seen them done. Stakes were higher, characters were lovable but fallible, and the battle system is what happens when you ''perfect'' the post-2D, pre-Vesperia Tales style. I liked ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces,'' ''loved'' ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia,'' but ''Abyss'' I flat-out worship.
*** I, while still not discounting the greatness of Symphonia or Abyss, need to give a shout out to a lesser-known game between the two - ''VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia''. The brilliant story, coupled with brilliant characters, almost makes you look over the step back on the battle system and the [[LazyArtist lack of voicing in the second half of the game]].
** Same guy who promoted ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', now back to promote ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'' (starting to think at some point we should just promote the ''entire'' VideoGame/TalesSeries). It's quite possibly the most well-made Tales game yet, with a whole slew of options for kicking your opponent's ass and the most comprehensive battle system in the series yet, allowing ''anyone'' to pull off spectacular feats. That's not even mentioning the well-told story with its fantastic English dub, or the fact that Yuri is quite simply one of the most awesome characters ever. It's the first, and so far only, Xbox 360 game for which I've gotten 1000/1000 [[CosmeticAward Achievement points]], and if the [=PS3=] version comes out in North America, I swear up and down I will buy the system just to play the game through again (well, and for ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}}'' and VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4, but yeah).
** As a person who has played other Tales games that haven't been brought over here, I must say that while the above mentioned titles are good games, within the franchise as a whole they're the weakest to me (mind you, that's '''saying something'''). For me, ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny'' [=PS2=] and ''VideoGame/TalesOfRebirth'' are definitely the highest points of the series. The former in particular is by far the most frantic and fast-paced - unlike the Team Symphonia games that most people in the states have played, simple button-mashing won't lead you to victory even in normal mode - and the absence of TP in many of the Team Destiny games encourages high-hit combos (combo-ing being the most fun thing about the Tales series for me) and balance between the early artes and the more powerful artes you learn later on because of the CC system: no artes ever become obsolete in a sense and they all prove to be useful. Destiny [=PS2=] is probably the first Tales game that introduced aerial combat, which to this day is a very addicting part of the Tales battle system to me - juggling enemies in the air and trapping them in a combo is always so much fun. With Tales of Rebirth, it had a very unique battle system for a Tales game (that promotes more planning on the part of the player - spamming attacks absolutely is a bad call in this entry), but the story and characters were its high points for me, and the way it approached racism and discrimination was, in my opinion, the best compared to the other Tales games (it was a lot more intense and [[DarkerAndEdgier dark]], in a good way of course). Overall, these two games are some of the most polished Tales games that Namco Bandai has ever put out and it's a shame [[NoExportForYou they never got released stateside]]. Destiny Remake is considered one of the best Tales games in Japan and should have been considered the same over here (too bad Symphonia gets most of the thunder here - don't get me wrong, I like it and it contains some of the favorite characters like Colette and Zelos, but c'mon guys).
** Um...I think it's time we give a little love to ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces''! Sure, critics bashed the combat system for a long time, and coming off of Abyss, it is rather odd at first...but it had such a neat story and fun characters who stayed relevant the whole way through, especially when the game went out of its way to show just how much of a family they all were! Sure, I felt Asbel was a little bland, and wasn't nearly as important to the story as Sophie, but I think it worked in the game's favor; it's not about having ''a'' main character, it's about making ''everyone'' a main character! Everyone has their moment in the spotlight, and while Pascal may steal the show a lot, you really grow to love these seven gals and guys while playing! Whereas Lloyd really had no reason to be the main hero in Symphonia (If not for him forcing himself in the group and having daddy issues, he'd have no importance to the plot) Asbel DOES have a reason, especially considering how close he was to Richard. Sophie's tale is heartwarming to the core, a not-quite-human gaining friends one by one, culminating in you getting to see how she views everyone in the Humanoid Research Center; if her having fond memories of Pascal playing with her and Hubert helping her up don't warm your heart, nothing will. While Cheria is constantly bombarded as useless to the plot, she honestly comes off as one of the most useful, being one of the main voices of reason who isn't just some lovey-dovey love interest. Sure, her relationship with the party is stereotypically girly...but [[TropesAreNotBad that's not sexist in the slightest.]] If anything, her place in the party is a heavy dose of feminism; yeah, she's girly, yeah, she's motherly, but ''she's still a badass who helps Sophie learn about the world.'' Richard is a great example of a villain turning good done right, whose renewal as a being a hero is done very well after he finally learns the world isn't as fucked up as he thought. While you only get to play as him for the first 15% and last third of the game, the time he spends with the party is truly touching, helping to round out its family mechanic. And of course, Hubert is a hilarious and heartwarming character who slowly grows over time to see his brother as not the aimless fuck up he thought he was, all while learning how to be more open and trusting of others. And of course, Pascal! Not only is she funny as hell and fun to play as, her relationship with her sister is nothing short of beautiful; the way she practically worships the ground Fourier walks on and her utter joy at seeing her sister come to help out is just d'aww worthy. Finally, Malik. Not only is Largo the Black Lion back, he's better than ever, his rather typical love story and relationship with his old friend twisted, as per tradition in a Tales game, to the point where, despite Malik and Kurt being enemies, his desire to do what Kurt was trying to do is both touching and heartwrenching. The character's in Graces are a true gem, no bones about it.
* ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'', the fighting game franchise that defined my entire childhood. With each installment, the guys at the dev team give us an experience that's better than the last. Constantly updated graphics, gameplay that's fun as hell, easy to learn but stupidly hard to master and always improved/balanced throughout the years, a quirky yet awesome cast of characters, [[ShownTheirWork highly accurate representation of both obscure and well-known martial arts]], the right combination of humor and seriousness in its (fairly decent) story, outstanding soundtrack... What more can I say?!
** ''Tekken Tag Tournament 2'' is due for release in less than a week, and it's boasting the promise of being the best installment in the series to date. And it's looking great so far. After one. Full. Decade! Bamco really DOES cares about and listens to the fans. They really DO learn from their mistakes ([[GameplayDerailment *coughScenariocoughCampaigncoughTekkencough6cough*]]).
* ''VideoGame/BatenKaitosOrigins'' is nothing short of awesome. The visuals are just as good as the first game, if not ''better''. The character interactions are downright hilarious, especially when they involve Guillo, who is such a magnificent DeadpanSnarker that you can be assured there will be a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} ''every time Guillo speaks''. I can say without exaggeration that Guillo is better than [[VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss Jade Curtiss]], [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia Tenebrae]], and [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} GLaDOS]] '''''COMBINED'''''. Speaking of speaking, the voice acting in that game is absolutely incredible, especially after the voice acting in the first game had me expecting very little. And then there is the plot. It doesn't seem spectacular at first...[[WhamEpisode but then you get about two-thirds of the way through the game]] and "[[HolyShitQuotient NO FREAKIN' WAY!]]" To top it all off, the soundtrack is ''even better than the one its predecessor had''. Seriously. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXe7TKScGmc&fmt=18 Just]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMIlxFS1LVc&fmt=18 listen]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUMfjKX867k&fmt=18 to]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfRJ-3tNnMc&fmt=18 a]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6BQv8litzQ&fmt=18 mere]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU5ekqBk1zE&fmt=18 fraction]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmG3f3g-AN4&fmt=18 of]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxCOV8DtYfs&fmt=18 it]].
** And then you get to the music. The freakin' battle theme is worth [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC2SDdMEGLE listening to.]] By itself. And that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnsKxmpjqUs&feature=related doesn't]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Lygkb2lCk&feature=related scratch]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0GtvWPF9zw&feature=related the]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqORLlPg-84 surface]].
** I honestly can't decide whether I like Origins or Eternal Wings better - the two are currently tied as my all-time favorite video games. Both games have excellent stories that start out kind of simple, but get interesting really fast. They're satisfyingly complex, and both games have a [[WhamEpisode major plot twist or two somewhere down the line.]] The characters are interesting. Sometimes they fall into certain archetypes, but never entirely. They also change and develop over time, especially in Origins. The way that the games [[AnyoneYouKnow involved you]] was a cool concept, and it was pulled off really well. The gameplay was fun and original. The battle system was very different between games, but both times it was fun and kept the battles from getting all that boring. The world of the game is fascinating - it's the kind of place that I really wish I could visit. The visuals were beautiful and creative. I'd say that RealIsBrown was subverted, but the game was never really aiming to look realistic. Sure, the games have their flaws (especially Eternal Wings), but they still managed to work really well. And of course, the music is incredible. Look it up and you'll see what I mean. They're real underrated gems, and I really wish more people knew about them.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' trilogy. Although I don't find it as good as the first half of VideoGame/{{Xenogears}} in terms of story, I personally don't mind the long cutscenes because the lovable cast of characters easily makes up for it (sans [[TheWoobie Shion]]). And the music is absolutely gorgeous, 'especially' in the first and third games. The fact that my opinion of the series hasn't degraded in the slightest ever since I played Episode III is impressive, considering that my opinion of VideoGames tends to degrade over time. The only other [=JRPGs=] that I've played that come close are ''VideoGame/Persona3'' and ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles''.
* [[VideoGame/SoulSeries Transcending history and the world, a tale of souls and swords, eternally retold...]] Soul Calibur (all of them) are easy some of the deepest fighting games I've played. I love weapons-based fighters.
** Seconded. Not a fighting game fan, but any game where [[StarWars Darth Vader]] fights ninjas gets a pass from me.
** I enjoy the unique twist on fighting games it added 2-4 with the weapons system. I do admit that, for online matches, it's unbalanced, but for just against the computers or against friends, it's awesome because you can change how you fight while using the same character. Although i wasn't able to play it, i was sad to hear that it got taken out of 5[[note]]there are still differnt weapons, but they don't have effects they just look different, which is great for customization to help look unique[[/note]] because it's on one of the most memorable things.
** ''Soulcalibur III'' will always hold a special place in my heart. It may not have been very well balanced and a fair bit glitchy, but it had two well-made single-player story modes and character creation with original weapon styles that haven't been seen in any game since.
* VideoGame/RidgeRacer. Just Ridge Racer. It's my favorite game series of all time: amazing scenery, addictive gameplay, exciting races, fabulous cars, catchy music... And cars based on the Devil and the Angel. You just can't get any awesomer than that.
** If Namco makes another Ridge Racer game, I would love to see real life music, especially by artists such as Music/Deadmau5 and Pendulum, a full Career mode, a Racing team manager mode, a livery editor, a track/open world editor and many other things. If this happens, I would be like: THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER!!!! CHRONO TRIGGER, ZELDA OCARINA OF TIME, SUPER METROID, FINAL FANTASY VII, EAT YOUR HEART OUT!
* [[Franchise/DotHack .hack]](Yes, that is how it's spelled), is a game that I believe that the storu and soundtrack are the defined shining point. I refuse to say anything about the story other than the premise, which is about a group of people, of various ages, playing an MMO titled The World... and then they learn that, via the mysterious girl in white, or the virus known as AIDA, that The World is much more serious than one would expect. While the first four games had pretty good gameplay, it did admittedly drag on due to little changes between games, but the G.U Games made the gameplay so fun, so addicting, that you just never want to stop. And the soundtrack? [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgPjpdYdsxk Dear lord]] the soundtrack. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqMk4aollgk The freaking soundtrack]]. Oh, and the vocalists of both those songs did [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loTcZHoIYfQ this]].
* I'm surprised that not a single Digimon game is on here, since Namco Bandai owns it. With that said, [[DigimonStoryCyberSleuth Cyber Sleuth.]] I haven't gotten too far yet, and I can already tell you this is a fun one. Several elements from other games are brought in to make this a really memorable one, and the combat is tough at points, yet never in a way that feels cheap. There are plenty of options on how you want to raise your Digimon, so you could potentially have a different team than whatever your friends are using. It also helps that you have a pretty interesting story from the get-go, not to mention your boss, Kyoko Kuremi, is already shaping up to be one of my favorite NPC's in a game, and not just because of her appearance.
* Let's not forget the Classic Arcade Favorite PacMan! Over more than 25 years of ghost munching and still fun to play!
----
* ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia'' is definitely the best game for the Gamecube and one of the best games out there. Everything, the characters, the story, the gameplay, even the cliches, are awesome. The sequel is amazing too.
** One thing I love about Symphonia over any other RPG I've played is the sheer number of named [=NPCs=] with just enough personality and backstory to be really interesting and lovable...while still leaving a great deal of blank slate even with ''major'' characters for FanFic to explore. Certain subsequent games in the series may have been shinier, but leaving so many loose ends and opportunities for AlternateCharacterInterpretation means that there's always more to discuss and develop in Symphonia.
** I, not meaning to discount the greatness of Symphonia, must also give a mention to its successor ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', a game that I started playing (after a slow start) and then suddenly realized three weeks had gone by and I had experienced one of the wildest emotional roller-coaster rides ever. I sympathized (and, at times, empathized) with Luke the whole time. To this day, ''Abyss'' is one of my favorite Japanese [=RPG=]s.
*** Just throwing this out there - ''Abyss'' IS this troper's favourite Japanese RPG of all time, and along with ''VideoGame/MassEffect3,'' it's the only game in history to make her cry. The most interesting part was that I kept on noticing things that were done similarly to other games - [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX Garnet's]] ImportantHaircut is very similar to Luke's, and the whole Score [[spoiler: and, more importantly, defiance of the Score]] thing makes me want to shout "[[VideoGame/FinalFantasyXII Put the reins of history back in the hands of man!]]" But what I noticed was that Abyss did all of these familiar plots better than I'd ''ever'' seen them done. Stakes were higher, characters were lovable but fallible, and the battle system is what happens when you ''perfect'' the post-2D, pre-Vesperia Tales style. I liked ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces,'' ''loved'' ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia,'' but ''Abyss'' I flat-out worship.
*** I, while still not discounting the greatness of Symphonia or Abyss, need to give a shout out to a lesser-known game between the two - ''VideoGame/TalesOfLegendia''. The brilliant story, coupled with brilliant characters, almost makes you look over the step back on the battle system and the [[LazyArtist lack of voicing in the second half of the game]].
** Same guy who promoted ''VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss'', now back to promote ''VideoGame/TalesOfVesperia'' (starting to think at some point we should just promote the ''entire'' VideoGame/TalesSeries). It's quite possibly the most well-made Tales game yet, with a whole slew of options for kicking your opponent's ass and the most comprehensive battle system in the series yet, allowing ''anyone'' to pull off spectacular feats. That's not even mentioning the well-told story with its fantastic English dub, or the fact that Yuri is quite simply one of the most awesome characters ever. It's the first, and so far only, Xbox 360 game for which I've gotten 1000/1000 [[CosmeticAward Achievement points]], and if the [=PS3=] version comes out in North America, I swear up and down I will buy the system just to play the game through again (well, and for ''VideoGame/{{inFamous}}'' and VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4, but yeah).
** As a person who has played other Tales games that haven't been brought over here, I must say that while the above mentioned titles are good games, within the franchise as a whole they're the weakest to me (mind you, that's '''saying something'''). For me, ''VideoGame/TalesOfDestiny'' [=PS2=] and ''VideoGame/TalesOfRebirth'' are definitely the highest points of the series. The former in particular is by far the most frantic and fast-paced - unlike the Team Symphonia games that most people in the states have played, simple button-mashing won't lead you to victory even in normal mode - and the absence of TP in many of the Team Destiny games encourages high-hit combos (combo-ing being the most fun thing about the Tales series for me) and balance between the early artes and the more powerful artes you learn later on because of the CC system: no artes ever become obsolete in a sense and they all prove to be useful. Destiny [=PS2=] is probably the first Tales game that introduced aerial combat, which to this day is a very addicting part of the Tales battle system to me - juggling enemies in the air and trapping them in a combo is always so much fun. With Tales of Rebirth, it had a very unique battle system for a Tales game (that promotes more planning on the part of the player - spamming attacks absolutely is a bad call in this entry), but the story and characters were its high points for me, and the way it approached racism and discrimination was, in my opinion, the best compared to the other Tales games (it was a lot more intense and [[DarkerAndEdgier dark]], in a good way of course). Overall, these two games are some of the most polished Tales games that Namco Bandai has ever put out and it's a shame [[NoExportForYou they never got released stateside]]. Destiny Remake is considered one of the best Tales games in Japan and should have been considered the same over here (too bad Symphonia gets most of the thunder here - don't get me wrong, I like it and it contains some of the favorite characters like Colette and Zelos, but c'mon guys).
** Um...I think it's time we give a little love to ''VideoGame/TalesOfGraces''! Sure, critics bashed the combat system for a long time, and coming off of Abyss, it is rather odd at first...but it had such a neat story and fun characters who stayed relevant the whole way through, especially when the game went out of its way to show just how much of a family they all were! Sure, I felt Asbel was a little bland, and wasn't nearly as important to the story as Sophie, but I think it worked in the game's favor; it's not about having ''a'' main character, it's about making ''everyone'' a main character! Everyone has their moment in the spotlight, and while Pascal may steal the show a lot, you really grow to love these seven gals and guys while playing! Whereas Lloyd really had no reason to be the main hero in Symphonia (If not for him forcing himself in the group and having daddy issues, he'd have no importance to the plot) Asbel DOES have a reason, especially considering how close he was to Richard. Sophie's tale is heartwarming to the core, a not-quite-human gaining friends one by one, culminating in you getting to see how she views everyone in the Humanoid Research Center; if her having fond memories of Pascal playing with her and Hubert helping her up don't warm your heart, nothing will. While Cheria is constantly bombarded as useless to the plot, she honestly comes off as one of the most useful, being one of the main voices of reason who isn't just some lovey-dovey love interest. Sure, her relationship with the party is stereotypically girly...but [[TropesAreNotBad that's not sexist in the slightest.]] If anything, her place in the party is a heavy dose of feminism; yeah, she's girly, yeah, she's motherly, but ''she's still a badass who helps Sophie learn about the world.'' Richard is a great example of a villain turning good done right, whose renewal as a being a hero is done very well after he finally learns the world isn't as fucked up as he thought. While you only get to play as him for the first 15% and last third of the game, the time he spends with the party is truly touching, helping to round out its family mechanic. And of course, Hubert is a hilarious and heartwarming character who slowly grows over time to see his brother as not the aimless fuck up he thought he was, all while learning how to be more open and trusting of others. And of course, Pascal! Not only is she funny as hell and fun to play as, her relationship with her sister is nothing short of beautiful; the way she practically worships the ground Fourier walks on and her utter joy at seeing her sister come to help out is just d'aww worthy. Finally, Malik. Not only is Largo the Black Lion back, he's better than ever, his rather typical love story and relationship with his old friend twisted, as per tradition in a Tales game, to the point where, despite Malik and Kurt being enemies, his desire to do what Kurt was trying to do is both touching and heartwrenching. The character's in Graces are a true gem, no bones about it.
* ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'', the fighting game franchise that defined my entire childhood. With each installment, the guys at the dev team give us an experience that's better than the last. Constantly updated graphics, gameplay that's fun as hell, easy to learn but stupidly hard to master and always improved/balanced throughout the years, a quirky yet awesome cast of characters, [[ShownTheirWork highly accurate representation of both obscure and well-known martial arts]], the right combination of humor and seriousness in its (fairly decent) story, outstanding soundtrack... What more can I say?!
** ''Tekken Tag Tournament 2'' is due for release in less than a week, and it's boasting the promise of being the best installment in the series to date. And it's looking great so far. After one. Full. Decade! Bamco really DOES cares about and listens to the fans. They really DO learn from their mistakes ([[GameplayDerailment *coughScenariocoughCampaigncoughTekkencough6cough*]]).
* ''VideoGame/BatenKaitosOrigins'' is nothing short of awesome. The visuals are just as good as the first game, if not ''better''. The character interactions are downright hilarious, especially when they involve Guillo, who is such a magnificent DeadpanSnarker that you can be assured there will be a SugarWiki/{{Funny Moment|s}} ''every time Guillo speaks''. I can say without exaggeration that Guillo is better than [[VideoGame/TalesOfTheAbyss Jade Curtiss]], [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia Tenebrae]], and [[VideoGame/{{Portal}} GLaDOS]] '''''COMBINED'''''. Speaking of speaking, the voice acting in that game is absolutely incredible, especially after the voice acting in the first game had me expecting very little. And then there is the plot. It doesn't seem spectacular at first...[[WhamEpisode but then you get about two-thirds of the way through the game]] and "[[HolyShitQuotient NO FREAKIN' WAY!]]" To top it all off, the soundtrack is ''even better than the one its predecessor had''. Seriously. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXe7TKScGmc&fmt=18 Just]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMIlxFS1LVc&fmt=18 listen]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUMfjKX867k&fmt=18 to]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfRJ-3tNnMc&fmt=18 a]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6BQv8litzQ&fmt=18 mere]][[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU5ekqBk1zE&fmt=18 fraction]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CmG3f3g-AN4&fmt=18 of]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxCOV8DtYfs&fmt=18 it]].
** And then you get to the music. The freakin' battle theme is worth [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC2SDdMEGLE listening to.]] By itself. And that [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnsKxmpjqUs&feature=related doesn't]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Lygkb2lCk&feature=related scratch]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0GtvWPF9zw&feature=related the]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqORLlPg-84 surface]].
** I honestly can't decide whether I like Origins or Eternal Wings better - the two are currently tied as my all-time favorite video games. Both games have excellent stories that start out kind of simple, but get interesting really fast. They're satisfyingly complex, and both games have a [[WhamEpisode major plot twist or two somewhere down the line.]] The characters are interesting. Sometimes they fall into certain archetypes, but never entirely. They also change and develop over time, especially in Origins. The way that the games [[AnyoneYouKnow involved you]] was a cool concept, and it was pulled off really well. The gameplay was fun and original. The battle system was very different between games, but both times it was fun and kept the battles from getting all that boring. The world of the game is fascinating - it's the kind of place that I really wish I could visit. The visuals were beautiful and creative. I'd say that RealIsBrown was subverted, but the game was never really aiming to look realistic. Sure, the games have their flaws (especially Eternal Wings), but they still managed to work really well. And of course, the music is incredible. Look it up and you'll see what I mean. They're real underrated gems, and I really wish more people knew about them.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Xenosaga}}'' trilogy. Although I don't find it as good as the first half of VideoGame/{{Xenogears}} in terms of story, I personally don't mind the long cutscenes because the lovable cast of characters easily makes up for it (sans [[TheWoobie Shion]]). And the music is absolutely gorgeous, 'especially' in the first and third games. The fact that my opinion of the series hasn't degraded in the slightest ever since I played Episode III is impressive, considering that my opinion of VideoGames tends to degrade over time. The only other [=JRPGs=] that I've played that come close are ''VideoGame/Persona3'' and ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChronicles''.
* [[VideoGame/SoulSeries Transcending history and the world, a tale of souls and swords, eternally retold...]] Soul Calibur (all of them) are easy some of the deepest fighting games I've played. I love weapons-based fighters.
** Seconded. Not a fighting game fan, but any game where [[StarWars Darth Vader]] fights ninjas gets a pass from me.
** I enjoy the unique twist on fighting games it added 2-4 with the weapons system. I do admit that, for online matches, it's unbalanced, but for just against the computers or against friends, it's awesome because you can change how you fight while using the same character. Although i wasn't able to play it, i was sad to hear that it got taken out of 5[[note]]there are still differnt weapons, but they don't have effects they just look different, which is great for customization to help look unique[[/note]] because it's on one of the most memorable things.
** ''Soulcalibur III'' will always hold a special place in my heart. It may not have been very well balanced and a fair bit glitchy, but it had two well-made single-player story modes and character creation with original weapon styles that haven't been seen in any game since.
* VideoGame/RidgeRacer. Just Ridge Racer. It's my favorite game series of all time: amazing scenery, addictive gameplay, exciting races, fabulous cars, catchy music... And cars based on the Devil and the Angel. You just can't get any awesomer than that.
** If Namco makes another Ridge Racer game, I would love to see real life music, especially by artists such as Music/Deadmau5 and Pendulum, a full Career mode, a Racing team manager mode, a livery editor, a track/open world editor and many other things. If this happens, I would be like: THIS IS THE BEST GAME EVER!!!! CHRONO TRIGGER, ZELDA OCARINA OF TIME, SUPER METROID, FINAL FANTASY VII, EAT YOUR HEART OUT!
* [[Franchise/DotHack .hack]](Yes, that is how it's spelled), is a game that I believe that the storu and soundtrack are the defined shining point. I refuse to say anything about the story other than the premise, which is about a group of people, of various ages, playing an MMO titled The World... and then they learn that, via the mysterious girl in white, or the virus known as AIDA, that The World is much more serious than one would expect. While the first four games had pretty good gameplay, it did admittedly drag on due to little changes between games, but the G.U Games made the gameplay so fun, so addicting, that you just never want to stop. And the soundtrack? [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgPjpdYdsxk Dear lord]] the soundtrack. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqMk4aollgk The freaking soundtrack]]. Oh, and the vocalists of both those songs did [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loTcZHoIYfQ this]].
* I'm surprised that not a single Digimon game is on here, since Namco Bandai owns it. With that said, [[DigimonStoryCyberSleuth Cyber Sleuth.]] I haven't gotten too far yet, and I can already tell you this is a fun one. Several elements from other games are brought in to make this a really memorable one, and the combat is tough at points, yet never in a way that feels cheap. There are plenty of options on how you want to raise your Digimon, so you could potentially have a different team than whatever your friends are using. It also helps that you have a pretty interesting story from the get-go, not to mention your boss, Kyoko Kuremi, is already shaping up to be one of my favorite NPC's in a game, and not just because of her appearance.
* Let's not forget the Classic Arcade Favorite PacMan! Over more than 25 years of ghost munching and still fun to play!
