Bravely Default and Final Fantasy's Future

While the demo has been out for a few weeks, Bravely Default's upcoming release has generated a lot of positive buzz for the game. But more than anything, what most people are talking about is what a wonderful bit of nostalgia the game is providing to fans; specifically Final Fantasy fans. Besides the wonderfully awful name and a unique battle system, the Bravely Default is basically a Final Fantasy title. Like the 4 Warriors of Light, Bravely Default is another title inspired by Final Fantasy III & V's stellar job system with a unique twist. But since this game is practically another final fantasy title, why isn't it named such. The answer is simple, the name Final Fantasy has a stigma attached to it. As many have pointed out in other blogs, Final Fantasy's recent outings haven't lived up to the reputation that the series tries to associate itself with. But then I thought about the future of the series in general and thought that maybe it isn't as bleak as everyone says it is. With A Realm Reborn doing pretty well considering its terrible start, Bravely Default and Lightning Returns shaping up to be solid games in their own right and Final Fantasy XV looking amazing, Final Fantasy's shine may not be gone yet.

A rose by any other name would smell as sweet

Red rose... I mean mage in action

As I mentioned before, Bravely Default is basically a wolf in sheep's clothing (but in a good way). The classes, monsters, themes, and even the spells are of the Final Fantasy universe. And based on the demo that I've become a little obsessed with, I'm looking forward to the finished product. The Brave & Default battle system is an interesting high risk high reward form of combat that adds a lot of strategy to even basic battles. It's vaguely reminiscent of the battle systems implemented in the first two episodes of the Xenosaga games with their stock features. but not just the core gameplay, but the music is fantastic and the art style is amazing, especially if you're like me and loved the art and design of the remade Final Fantasy III. So I'll definitely be picking it up when it comes out on February 7th.

But is the name change necessary even with the clear ties to its parent franchise? Well I think even if it is a simple name change that it's a welcome one. It's wonderfully weird and I think the beginning of what could be a killer franchise in itself. After all, look at how popular Persona has become in comparison to it's main Shin Megami Tensei brothers. Bring on Bravely Default, and if it does well enough in North America its planned sequel Bravely Second (like I said, wonderfully weird)

P.S. I'm unfortunately obsessed with the main battle theme


Lightning strikes thrice

Another demo that was released recently was Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII. Now the main question is why on earth do we need another Final Fantasy XIII game, especially when for so many people this is the game that they like the least. As someone who thought XIII was ok (only ok, but the music was amazing) and XIII-2 was a big improvement, I'm looking forward to this 'final' (pardon the pun) instalment in the Lightning saga. Playing the demo has definitely strengthened that feeling, although I wish I got more time to play around with the battle system more, as it's definitely shaping up to be the best combat of the three games. But only when the full game comes whether or not this is going to be redemption enough for Lightning's troubled series. Maybe third time's a charm?


Lucky number XV

If there's anything that has me more hopefully in the future of the franchise it's Tetsuya Nomura's opus, or rather what I hope Final Fantasy XV will be. The game was announced 8 years ago, and I believe has been in on and off development for the last 10, though in the last few years it has been worked on heavily.  But even with full action combat, incredibly amazing graphics and what appears to be an incredibly epic and interesting story, who knows if it will actually translate to what the Final Fantasy franchise needs more than anything, an absolutely stellar title to go up their with the other staples in the main numbered series. After all, that's what I thought Final Fantasy XIII was going to do with that amazing, but sadly pre-rendered E3 2006 trailer.

One can dream...

There's only so much rebranding and remaking this franchise can handle, and while it won't be gone for a while, any more problems could be... well, problematic for the franchise's and the studio's continued existence. But here's hoping that with what appears to be a clear and appealing new direction for Square Enix to go, there won't be a "final" Final Fantasy just yet.

UK vs US: Television Format

While the third series of Sherlock was running, I had recurring conversation with a number of my friends and family all revolving around the same topic, British television versus American television. It probably had to do with the fact that most of friends are firmly in the US TV camp (ie that’s what they predominately watch) so a show like Sherlock is very different from what they view as the standard format. But the more I thought about the talks I had; especially with my Mum who is British herself and more of an expert on the subject than I am, the more I thought about those strange seemingly inconsequential differences that create two completely different markets of entertainment. So I’ve decided as something that will be recurring for a little while is some interesting difference between the two areas and if it really makes a difference.

This post is going to be focusing on formatting and structure, and you may surprised what a big difference that can make.

Series versus Season

Based on the heading for this subtopic, you might think that merely focusing on the semantics and vocab, but the word choice in a way goes beyond a simple title for a portion of a program’s lifespan. Any one who watches both British and American television will tell you that a little difference in terms of jargon is that while in the states a television “series” is made up of seasons, a season in a British program is dubbed a series (hence my not calling the most recent run of Sherlock its third season).

Now while for the most part it’s trivial, you can dissect it into slightly deeper meaning as to how these shows are written. I talk a little bit about why the mini-series is in many ways more satisfying for this post I wrote two years ago for a intern blog at IBM, and I won’t go into too much detail but the main argument remains the same. Because much of British TV is more compact and stand-alone; closer to a mini series, a lot is cleaned up and not left hanging come the finale of that particular series. Now obviously there isn’t a guarantee that a British show will end smoothly, especially if it ends abruptly (I’m looking at you The Hour Series 2). But there’s something far more pleasing about closure with a show that’s been around two years as opposed to a show that they kept going for eight because that’s how the market works. The Brits just seem a little more sensible.

Don’t get too attached

I’ve recently been re-watching the entirety of BBC 3’s Being Human and it’s definitely struck home something that it, Misfits, and MI-5/Spooks do in their show. They are not afraid to kill off or get rid of very important characters (especially Spooks). You just don’t see that same kind of banality (or done casually I guess I would say) with American shows. Sure deaths and departures happen but they are really big deals…  even more than they are across the pond. If you’ve watched Spooks then you know what I’m talking about.

While haven’t watched most of the US version of Being Human (simply because I’m being snobby and refuse to), reading the various plot summaries shows that while the show is different (thankfully) from it’s British big brother… it definitely doesn’t seem to hold the same gravitas that the original had. The show is going into it’s 4th season and all the main characters are still alive and mostly the same (give or take some moments of being human, which would never happen in the British one). By the end of first episode of the 4th series of the original program, three quarters of the original cast were dead… and then Annie was gone by the end leaving the show with a completely new cast of supernatural housemates.

My mum speculates that maybe it has something to do with contracts and other commitments that American actors just don’t seem to have, which I’d be inclined to agree with her but can’t talk too much about as I’m not really knowledgeable of this realm of the acting world. But there may be something to be said about American actor’s picking up TV show gigs and sticking with them and being famous for that rather than the diversity that a lot of British actors have.

In the end, it doesn't really matter

Spooks Series 1 Cast: only one of them is in every series

You could spend an entire media studies course dissecting the differences in terms of structure of these two very different television markets. While I have an obvious preference of one over the other, there’s no clear right choice when it comes to what you should watch. There are a lot of long running American shows that are staples in the history of television on a global scale. But it’s fascinating that these two countries that speak the same language have fundamentally different approaches to how to structure the same medium.

Sherlock Series 3: Thoughts On The Empty Hearse & Sign of Three

Warning: There are Spoilers, so if you haven’t watch this series yet, you shouldn't even be here you should be watching it right now.

While I was excited as the next Sherlock fan for the new series, I was; as I often am when comes to things I hold dear to my heart, incredibly nervous of what was to come. How on earth do you top the awesome spectacular that was Series 2 with both Irene Adler; played by the astounding Lara Pulver, introduced to the Sherlock universe and Andrew Scott’s award-winning and absolutely brilliant performance as Jim Moriarty. Series 2 was also for many what helped make Sherlock a huge international sensation, heck when I watched series 1 apart from a strong following in the UK there didn’t seem to be this massive global following that there is now. So many things could have gone wrong with this series, and with one episode left, there still is a chance that we all might flip the metaphorical table in rage, or more appropriately pull an Anderson and start tearing stuff of the walls.

So with two absolutely fantastic episodes out of the way and the finale upon us this upcoming Sunday, it is time to summarize my thoughts on the series so far and consider what we might see in the next episode.

Acknowledgement of the Fanbase

 A minor caveat, Moffat has never actually acknowledged in writing the craziness that is the Sherlock Fandom. But there have been several moments in the last two episodes that feel oddly like fan service. As odd as it sounds, I feel like a lot of what has made the last two episodes so enjoyable are the moments of sheer insanity that in many ways could only rival some crazed fan girl’s fan fiction. The theory of how Sherlock survived by one girl in “The Empty Hearse” that ends in Moriarty and Sherlock kissing is right out of something on Archive of our own or live journal, not exactly something I pegged for Mark Gatiss or Stephen Moffat to come up with. Followed by what I think is worthy of more exploration… Sherlock and Watson Lightweight Drunken Adventures was a refreshing and wonderfully charming way to make these characters even more interesting and fun (Especially the bit where Sherlock and Watson trying to work a case while drunk). There’s a lot more in these episodes that feels a giant thank you to the fans, but still in a way that is their own and not actually pandering to any group. Keep up the good work writers.

Sidenote: buzzfeed has a hilarious summary of what happened on tumblr after the series premiere. It is quite a joy to read… to say the least

The Magnanimous Mary Morstan

Probably one of things I was the most nervous of was the introduction of John Watson’s wife, Mary Morstan. Time and time again, television and movie adaptations often don’t do this character justice and often end throwing her in as the third wheel (but shouldn’t be) to the Holmes and Watson dynamic. So I too thought that this was not going to end well for anyone

Boy was I never so glad to be wrong

Not only is Mary Morstan a fantastic addition to the series, she’s possibly my new favourite character. She’s not some clingy fiancé, she seems to truly understand how both these men work and seems to want them to still be besties (pardon the term) despite John and her beginning a new chapter in their lives together. Plus her intelligence, wit, and humour are so refreshing for a show where the recurring female characters seem a bit overshadowed and one-dimensional (although Molly is now an even greater pleasure to watch, as she isn’t just some simplistic, shy pathologist)

Now my current fear is that either this all too good to be true or something truly terrible is going to happen… as is often the case with Sherlock finales.

End of an Era

Now we approach the end of the series and our new main villain, Charles Augustus Magnussen. Now while many Sherlock fans are already attempting to piece together what’s going to happen based on the references in characters and title of the finale “The Last Vow”; based on “The Last Bow”, I just know that in typical fashion of Sherlock, shit will probably hit the fan. And with Mary’s apparent pregnancy also now a factor, who knows what could go horribly, horribly wrong. All I know is that it will probably break my heart again and I will still love every minute of it. That, and it will probably change things up considerably for the next series, that is if there is even going to be a series 4 with the way the show has been going. Since there was a cameo of Irene Adler in the last episode, I’m hoping that she comes back somehow in a bigger role, but maybe that was just another red herring in a show that can sometimes be full of them. Here’s hoping it’s another hat trick for the third series. The final episode of the third series airs on Sunday January 12^th on BBC One.

Dwarves, Fungus Zombies, and Chiptune Music: A Review of 2013

In 2012 we had Gangham style, The Avengers, and threats of the apocalypse because some Mayans said so. So as 2013 comes to a close, it's hard to say what made this year so special, for better or worse. As every publication, podcast, blog, critic, and self-proclaimed expert in something is giving their review of the year in a "best of" or "most disappointing" format that would make cracked.com and buzzfeed smile with pride, I feel that I should do the same. As this blog is written by someone who judges everything and is a self-proclaimed expert in nothing, I couldn't pick one particular area to focus on. I could narrow it down to popular culture, but the only thing I've made easier to avoid is politics, which doesn’t exactly streamline my subject. So taking another page from the internet (with apologies again to Cracked), my review of 2013 is going to be a best of the year in a variety of categories, some you may not have considered before. Some may call this unorganized and lazy. I would agree with you and add sporadic, chaotic, and overall a borderline clusterfuck of topics.

Best movie trend:

Winner: Sequels that didn’t totally suck

If there’s one thing that I really enjoyed about movies this year is that despite the abundance of sequels that could have been absolute garbage they turned out to be great films. Now that’s not to say that they were all amazing or significantly better than their predecessors, but when its become typical for a sequel not to live up to the hype or success of its big brother(s), it was definitely a nice trend to have Iron Man 3 be better than Iron Man 2, Star Trek: Into Darkness not be a train wreck and Thor: Dark World be far more entertaining than the first chapter. Hell, Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug was even able to throw in characters that don’t exist in the book and was still better than Part One. (fact: I’m someone who likes the first movie more than I should).

While sequels aren’t always bad, there is often a stigma with them that sometimes is hard to shake. But it’s pleasant to see that studios aren’t simply coasting on what for the most part are guaranteed cash cows, they’re actually bringing them back

Honorable Mention: The Revival of the Kaiju Genre

Pacific Rim was sweet and Godzilla in 2014 is looking like a reboot in the right direction

Game of the Year

Winner: Read to find out (that’s right, I’m making you read)

To say I had a tough time picking the winner of this particular category is an understatement. I liken it to asking me to pick between my non-existent children (ok so not a good simile, but you get the idea). 2013 proved to be a great year in the gaming industry for both AAA titles and indie games alike. Bioshock Infinite was stellar, Borderlands 2 DLC was a riot, and countless other games made 2013 a great year to be a gamer. But there was one game that not only has shown that games can always push the boundaries between gameplay and ground-breaking storytelling, but truly redefined what we can get out of games. If you haven’t figured out that I’m talking about The Last of Us, then you probably don’t play games.

If you’ve played it, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t played it… what are you doing reading this? Seriously, stop right now and go get it. No I don’t care that you don’t want to spend the money, just go watch a commentary free Let’s Play (if it hasn’t already been pulled by Youtube).

P.S. it’s made me fear all forms of fungus, as if I didn’t hate mushrooms enough as it is.

Honourable Mention: Papers, Please

Glory to Arstotzka!

Game console of the Year (can't go to the PC, because it would always win)

Winner: Nintendo 3DS

Sony and Microsoft have continued to make great home console experiences, the PC continuing to be simply the best, and Nintendo’s Wii U finally having some games worth playing on it. So while some of you may think that my singing of Last of Us praises in the last topic may put toward me being somewhat of a Sony fanboy… you’d be right. But the best console hands down was surprisingly the 3DS. The sheer number of fantastic games on the system made it a great platform this year. Animal Crossing, Fire Emblem, Luigi’s Mansion, Pokemon X & Y and the new street pass games made this a fantastic gaming device and time sink. The amount of hours that I have put in on this console this year alone was well worth the price of admission.

I have friends who scoff at the idea of getting a 3DS for a variety of reasons, and all I do is nod while silently judging them and feeling sorry for them.

Honourable Mention: PC

I personally blame Steam and their sales

Best Indie Album

Winner: Absolute Zero by Little Green Cars

So I’m a fan of indie music, specifically of the folk rock variety. And while I lament the popularity of Mumford and Sons (still one of my favourite bands, but it’s not as fun when everyone else likes them too), I have found a band that I had the privilege hearing live last year and found an absolute pleasure to listen to. Little Green Cars (since there’s a good chance you haven’t heard of them) are a great Irish folk rock band and their entire album is wonderful to listen to. If you’re a fan of Indie folk rock, you have to give these guys a listen, they’re fantastic. Especially the songs Angel Owl and The John Wayne

Honourable Mention: Trouble Will Find Me by The National

One of my favourite bands and their latest album is another great release from them. The song Pink Rabbits is probably my favourite.

Best Indie Electronic Album

Winner: Endless Fantasy by Anamanguchi

I’m going to saying this is the best with a disclaimer in that you really have to like chiptune music. Also, I’m not even really sure if Anamanaguchi even counts as indie despite the lack of mainstream recognition and wikipedia saying that one of their genres is indie rock (because we can totally trust wikipedia right?). But never mind that, what matters is the entire album is amazing and I can not stop listening to it. In fact my only regret is that I didn’t know there was a Kickstarter for the album until it was released because I would have been all over it. Seriously give this one a listen, it’s amazing.

Honourable Mention: Couldn’t think of one… but it’s probably because I’ve forgotten it

With 2014 shaping up to be an interesting year with Captain America continuing Phase 2's success and Sherlock finally back on television in the first month, who knows what other amazing surprises or purely terrifying horrors await us. In fact if I were to list all the things that we have to look forward to in the upcoming year, then I’d just be saying what other people already have, and that’s no fun for anyone (especially you). All we can do is listen to those ancient words of wisdom given by an incredibly useful guide book: DON'T PANIC (I probably still won’t follow this advice anyway)

Here’s looking at you 2013, full of Dwarves, Fungus Zombies and my bankruptcy due to Steam sales. Thanks for all the fish.

Hello World

Congratulations! 

You have stumbled upon my little blog where I review and judge (because ask anyone, I am always judging people)  everything in the world of pop and geek culture. Of course, the main reason why I said congratulations is that you feel some sense of accomplishment rather than disappointment in coming across yet another person on the internet posting their opinions for the world to see, regardless of if they really wanted to see it in the personally. You probably get that enough stupid opinions as it is.

Forced audiences aside, what you'll find here are reviews and opinion pieces on a wide range of topics from movie, television, music, and game reviews to why TV shows should quit while they're ahead. I hope that you come along for the ride, and while I can't guarantee that it will be the smoothest of journeys, I can guarantee that I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I'M DOING. (as shown by exhibit A)

(exhibit A: possibly the writer of this blog... we're going to have to get back to you on that)