This Year in RPGs: December

Okay, so the year isn't quite over with yet, and December is looking like pretty slim pickings as far as RPGs goes. In fact, Eve Online: Retribution is the only RPG release I'm seeing, and that's an expansion to an MMO. Anways, I guess it wins by default.

Eve Online: Retribution (released 12/04/2012)

Pew pew! Spaceships!

EVE Online is a MMORPG, but unlike most MMOs that are fantasy-themed, EVE Online is set in deep space. Another difference that sets EVE apart from its competitors (if it can truly be said to have any) is that all of EVE's players are connected to the same server (or rather, set of servers). In most MMOs, players are placed on distinct servers, but due to the size of areas in EVE, overcrowding isn't really an issue, and so the 60,000+ players all can potentially interact with each other. Neat.

EVE is said to have a steep learning curve, and is known to be a cutthroat game. Players can freely attack one another, leading to player frustration as everything they've worked to achieve is taken from them.
Several players throughout EVE's history have made headlines in the real world from actions taken in game to defraud players. In a world that is becoming increasingly more hand-holding every day, it's nice to see some games still employing a high risk vs reward ratio. It may be frustrating to lose everything you've acquired, but that makes acquiring new things (new ships, the currency of the game ISK, etc) all that more reward-able.

TBH, no idea what's going on here.

I don't know anything about Retribution, but if you're playing EVE, chances are you're picking it up no matter what I say.

This Year in RPGs: November

Persona 4 Golden (released 11/20/2012)

Although a port of a PS2 game, P4G provides a solid RPG experience on the Vita. For a system in dire need of software, Persona 4 Golden is a welcome sight.

One thing I failed to highlight in my last blog post about Persona 4 Golden is the humor present in the series. It's a dialogue heavy series, and some of that dialogue is quite funny. Again, because the game is centered around Japan, (or rather a fictitious Japanese countryside) some of that humor may be lost on us culturally, but most of the time localization efforts manage to convey the joke.

Graphically, Persona 4 Golden is rather pretty to behold. Persona 4 arrived on the PS2 at the end of the cosole's life, and the developer seemed to squeeze every last drop of processing power in making the game. Now on Vita, with a new shiny coat of paint, Persona 4 Golden wouldn't look out of place on the PS3 or Xbox 360.

It seems like just yesterday I was recommending picking up Persona 4 Golden to everyone that has a Vita, so I won't spend too much more time going on about it, but allow me to just reiterate: If you have a Vita and like RPGs, buy it.

This Year in RPGs: October

Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 (released 10/07/2012)

Another game played by millions that I opted to put on the backburner, Pokémon is a juggernaut of a franchise, with Nintendo steadily releasing a pair of handheld titles nearly every year. The naming convention has for years been new colors, first Red and Blue, then Gold and Silver, Ruby and Sapphire, Firered and Leafgreen, Diamond and Pearl, Heartgold and SoulSilver, and then finally last years' Black and White. Now, for the first time, Nintendo is releasing direct sequels to their last games.

Some may signify this as Nintendo running out of ideas, but the formula  for Pokémon has changed so little over the years, and they somehow manage to continue to add new features with every entry. Sure, there are new Pokémon to catch as there is with every release, but there are also new ways to interact with them, trade with other players, and so on.

As far as I understand the plot of Pokémon, B2 and W2 are much the same. You travel to different gyms in the region to defeat trainers in order to earn badges which let you travel to other areas to challenge more difficult Pokémon. At any point on the world map you can get into a random encounter with a wild Pokémon where you can try and trap it in order to add it to your roster.

Combat remains largely unchanged throughout the series, featuring a turn-based system where one player selects what attack they want their Pokémon to use, then the other Pokémon or trainer executes a command before it once again becomes the players' turn. With many other series moving into real-time combat and away from traditional turn-based combat systems, it's that some series have things you can always depend upon, like Pokémon to have turn-based battles.

If you're a fan of Pokémon you've already likely snatched up both these titles. If you're not, I'm not positive Black 2 and White 2 will convert you, but they're just as likely as any of the other entries in the franchise.

This Year in RPGs: September

Borderlands 2 (released 9/18/2012)

Bet you thought I was going to say Torchlight II, didn't you? While it is true that I love T2, Borderlands 2 sold heaps more copies, so I'm setting aside my personal taste to objectively recommend the title that the masses say is more good. Or is it gooderer? Anyways, Borderlands 2 is the successful follow-up to the co-op first person shooter packed full of RPG mechanics and pop culture references. Developer Gearbox calls it a role-playing shooter. I prefer to name the genre first-person looter, personally.

 I started the first one around five times, but always petered out a few hour in. It's not that I didn't like the game or didn't think that it was well done, but for whatever reason I would set it aside and find something else to play. So I haven't exactly gotten around to playing Borderlands 2, but here's what I know about it.

More Classes

In the original Borderlands you had 4 classes to choose from, in Borderlands 2, you have 5. Having not played the new classes I really can't comment on them, but since classes felt distinct and unique in the first title, I have no reason to suspect that they won't be well defined in the sequel.

More Guns

One of the thrills of RPGs is receiving a new item that is incrementally more powerful than the old version. Gearbox cranks this up to the max level (is it 11? I'm not sure) and adds so many weapons, some people have made the argument that Borderlands 2 is less of a game and more of a number comparison simulator. This is, of course, one of the many factors that make games like this addicting. "Sweet! I got a kick-ass new gun!" Followed five minutes later by "Holy shit! This gun blows that last gun out of the water!"

More Variety

One of the complaints about the first Borderlands was that most of the quests were just the standard "go here and kill x of this blank" fetch quest that dominates RPGs. Once again, I haven't played it yet, but from what I've read the quests have more variety to them than the previous title.

While you can play the game single player, Borderlands is one of those games where it is better played with other people. If you can, pick yourself up a copy. Better yet, pick yourself up two and give one to a friend. It is almost Christmas, after all.

This Year in RPGs: August

Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition (released 8/24/2012)

Although it was released on consoles last year, Dark Souls didn't find its way to PCs until August of this year. Fans had petititoned the publisher Namco-Bandai to release it on the PC, and after receiving over 40,000 signatures, the publisher relented.

But it wasn't all sunshine after the PC's release. Some fans criticized frame rate and sound issues which pointed to the port being a lazy job. Some of those issues have since been cleared up with patches.

The game itself is notoriously difficult, as is its predecessor, Demons's Souls, a PS3 exclusive. Dark Souls is a 3D hack 'n slash RPG with real-time graphics, nice visuals, an interesting story and unforgiving gameplay. You will die, and you will die a lot, hence the subtitle of the game. But that's okay because dying itself plays into the mechanics of the game. It's hard to explain, so get in there, die, and see for yourself!

From Software is the developer of Dark Souls, the same company that did 3D Dot Game Heroes, a delightful and nostalgic romp through an homage to the original Legend of Zelda. If a petition was successful to port Dark Souls to PC, maybe they'll listen to a petition about a sequel to 3D Dot Game Heroes? Anyone? Is this thing on?

This Year in RPGs: July

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance (released 7/31/2012)

Without a doubt June belonged to the newest entry of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, Dream Drop Distance, now available on 3DS. The Kingdom Hearts franchise started on the PS2 in 2002. At the time it was released people were wary of whether or not it would succeed. After all, the mashing together of Final Fantasy characters with Disney characters seemed too generous a helping of fan-service to have any lasting success. Well, here we are ten years later and Kingdom Hearts is now one of the most well-loved ARPGs, critically acclaimed by gamers and critics alike.

Kingdom Hearts (usually) tells the story of Sora, (the PSP entry Birth By Sleep was a prequel which featured different protagonists) a young boy from the Destiny Islands and his friends, Kairi and Riku. In the world of Kingdom Hearts, Mickey Mouse is king. Literally. The first entry had Sora pairing up with Donald and Goofy, who picked up the roles of wizard and knight, respectively. The player traverses to a number of Disney worlds (and some original works, too) where they can close the keyhole with the keyblade that only Sora can wield.

The plot gets a whole heck of a lot more convoluted there, but suffice it to say that at its heart it's still a moving story about friendship, capable of being emotionally engaging and completely nonsensical at the same time.

There have been several titles released on handhelds since the first title, including Chain of Memories, Birth By Sleep, and 358/2 Days, but the series hasn't seen a console follow-up since 2005's Kingdom Hearts II. Which means fans have been asking for a release this entire console generation. Series creator and director Tetsuya Nomura has said that his team is too busy with Final Fantasy vs XIII to work on a direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts II, but he has confirmed that Dream Drop Distance would be the last handheld Kingdom Hearts before the next console release.

Dream Drop Distance is only available on the 3DS. If you have one of those you should probably pick this up. It is, by all accounts, every bit worthy of the Kingdom Hearts mantle.

New Releases 12/04/2012

We now interrupt our current "This Year in RPGs" feature to return to you to your weekly scheduled new release announcements.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Dragonborn (XBLA)

The third DLC for Skyrim is available today on Xbox 360 for 1600 Microsoft points, which equates to $20 American. This DLC is substantial, definitely more than the previous meager offering of Hearthfire, and even more substantial than the previous $20 DLC, Dawnguard.

One early review stated that the reviewer had played for 30 hours and still hadn't exhausted the new content provided by the DLC yet. At this point it may be more fair to call the DLC an expansion pack, but the line remains murky and ultimately arbitrary.

The important thing you need to know about Dragonborn is that you can now ride dragons. If that has been something you have longed for while you're playing Skyrim, you will probably want to pick this up without hesitation. In case you need more convincing, Dragonborn takes place in Solstheim, an island north of Skyrim. The change in terrain allows for more varied environments than we've seen so far, which also nets us a variety of new and different enemies to fight. This is music to an adventurer's ears that's been cutting down the same draugr for 100 hours. Besides new locations and new enemies, there are also new shouts, and new equipment (maybe, spears? Looks like it).

Dragonborn is out exclusively for Xbox 360 today PC and PS3 versions expected out in a month. I wish it was now so I could play it over winter break, but oh well. So many games, not enough time.