A Gaming Diary
Archive for October, 2005
Final Fantasy I
Oct 9th
Well, it was around half past three last night when I finally turned the GBA off.
I’d found a town full of elves and wandered around the map not finding anything else of any importance.
That elf town is a rip-off when it comes to accomodation. One hundred gil for a room? It’s not any nicer than the thirty gil room in the starting town. Maybe it’s a tourist destination or something.
Anyway, I’m looking for the Marsh Cave now. May take me a while to find it, though I suspect it’s east of the elves town.
Oh, and I decided I really, really didn’t like any of the UK Micro colours, so I’ve ordered a Famicom one. I know it’ll end up costing me about ten quid more than a UK one and I won’t get it much sooner than the Uk release, anyway, but even ignoring the faceplate, the red colour of the body is much nicer than any of the UK colours.
I am weak.
Final Fantasy I
Oct 9th
Well, that’s okay. Everyone’s up to level nine and I’ve crossed the drawbridge. It’s tougher over there and I’m not sure where to go. I found a cave inhabited by a man who’d lost his eye and some brooms which told be to select button B, but didn’t tell me when or why.
Returned to town now for a rest before pusing on eastwards this time.
I’ve still only killed 139 goblins. I decided to level up a bit more efficiently this time.
And I’m pretty sure I saved before turning off.
Final Fantasy I
Oct 9th
I seem to be level six.
And have about 500 gil.
And have only killed 95 goblins.
Must… remember… to… save…
Gnnnnnng.
Let’s try that again, shall we?
Final Fantasy I
Oct 9th
You know, I was thinking earlier today that it would be good if Castlevania’s monsters section recorded how many of each type of monster you’ve killed. But it doesn’t. Excellently, however, the Bestiary section of Final Fantasy does. So far, I’ve killed 199 goblins. Bring ‘em on!
Everyone’s up to level eight now. I’ve rescued a princess (well, we’re heroes, we’ve got to, haven’t we?), in the process of which I defeated the first boss. He was really stupidly easy and I rejoiced at his humilation. Later, though, I got annoyed when I checked his data in the Bestiary. You see, as well as giving monster stats it tells you which items they can drop. Apparently this boss could’ve dropped a long sword, but he didn’t. He seems to have had the last laugh after all. I hate him now.
I’m about to cross a newly built bridge to the north now. Hopefully there will be a town there that sells decent stuff, because the starting town only sells shit. I’m wondering if I should buy a Phoenix Down now I’ve got 1,745 gil. Hmm.
I’m really having a lot of fun with this game. As I said before, it’s just what I was hoping for.
And when I’m done with it, there’s Final Fantasy II on the cart as well! Superb value for less than twenty quid delivered.
Final Fantasy I
Oct 8th
Up to level four, just from helping to keep the goblin population down outside town. I’ve bought a couple of extra spells (Dia and Sleep) and some new armour for the kids who can wear it.
So far, this is exactly what I wanted. It’s a quick and simple RPG, with little dialogue, easy menu navigation and speedy battle animations. The only slight annoyance so far is the animation that happens when you sleep in the inn, which seems unskippable. Hardly a big deal that, though.
But, my God, the colours on the SP screen are terrible. Everything’s washed out, dark and indistinct. It’s really hard to tell the difference between goblins (green) and goblin commanders (blue). Yet I thought the SP screen was great before the DS came out. I suppose it’s like game graphics; expectations change.
Final Fantasy I
Oct 8th
Yes, the very first Final Fantasy. Remixed so us twenty-first century types don’t recoil in horror when we see it and shoved into a handy cartridge that we can play on the move.
I’ve set up a party.
Introducing -
George – Warrior
Beans – Thief
Floss – White Mage
Arnold – Black Mage
All named after family cats, trivia fans.
So far I’ve just talked to a few people, spent all my starting money in the shops and wandered out into the surrounding lands. Three fights against goblins later and I’ve levelled up and run back to town to rest.
Oh, and after playing on my previously much loved GBA SP for a while, I’ve cancelled a load of game and DVD pre-orders and ordered a Game Boy Micro instead. But I’ve ordered a UK one, because it’s going to work out cheaper, especially as if I bought a foreign one I’d still have to buy a UK charger. The trouble is, the UK gets shit colours. If I ordered now I could get a lovely Famicom one or an acceptable black one. The UK ones are horrible silver, evil pink, puke green and eye-hatred blue. I ordered a green one in the end. I don’t know why. I also ordered from Amazon, which may turn out to be a mistake. We’ll see.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Oct 8th
Well, I went to the shops to buy Black % White 2, but I saw the price before taking it up to the counter, so it stayed on the shelf. Decided that I wanted to play the original Call of Duty, but that doesn’t seem to be available in, you know, shops any more, so I came home empty-handed.
Back to Castlevania, then. A couple more souls got – a Tanjelly and then a, er, something else – and then realised that my battery light had been on red for longer than might be healthy, so I found a save room and switched off.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Oct 7th
Tch.
You wait half an hour for a Peeping Eye soul and then two come along at once.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Oct 7th
Argh!
I still haven’t found a way past the spikes! There are spikes under some water and a low ceiling. And I can’t find a way past them.
I’ve been collecting souls, but don’t see how any of them would be any use.
I had the great idea of getting a Killer Doll soul, because I thought that might let me throw my doll further, which would get me to the other safe space after the spikes… but after ages and ages of trying I finally got a Killer Doll soul and it just nullifies curses. Rubbish!
Those spikes are my new arch nemesis. And yet I don’t want help. I will defeat them myself, someday. Someday.
Castlevania: Dawn of Sorrow
Oct 6th
Well, I opened the two spinning number doors. Wasn’t worth it.
I killed over 150 pirates to get a pirate soul. Wasn’t worth it.
I spent 50,000 gold or credits or whatever the currency is on a silver handgun. Wasn’t worth it.
And I’ve just millions of times trying and failing to get past some spikes in some water that lead to most of the 6.3% of the map I seem to be missing. There’s got to be a way, but I just can’t see it. Maybe there’s a soul I need that I’ve not got. I’d guess there’d be a “turn to fish” one, or something, but I think I’ve got all the watery souls and I’ve got nothing like that. And the puppet throwing skill doesn’t reach fast enough. Oh, it’s very, very annoying.
And despite all my moaning, I’ve had great fun. It really is a brilliant game, this.
