Last-Gen Heroes: ...All That Jazz (and Then Some)

It was a week after its launch in 2006 when I strolled into Nintendo World to pick up my Wii.  The place was in utter madness.  Kids were running crazily all over the place and parents were busily trying to keep them in check (or not).  I handed in my receipt at the counter and from the back my Wii was collected and presented to me.  “How come she gets one?!” an insolent child inquired.  “Pre-order,” I smugly replied to combat the attitude I was met with.  The Wii sold out quickly and being in short to no supply, made all unable to get their hands on one that day quite displeased with my pre-order "prowess".  I took it home and booted up The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.  Days later, Link and I would be felled at the bridge while my family teased me during my time of increased frustration.

Game Changing: Feeding the Chocobos to the Dogs

I am very much a creature of habit.  I found my preferred genre of games in 1997 when I laid my hands on Final Fantasy VII.  However, it was not love at first play.  It took a frustrated break and a determination to understand what I was doing to develop that love.  When I finished it, I knew that the JRPG would be the type of game that I would seek.  I knew then too that Square would have my loyalty.  In looking at my library from the PSOne and PS2 eras, there are a few different genres strewn in as well.  There are my fighting days in Soul Blade and Tekken.  I would cringe as a “backseat” player to the Resident Evil series.  Farming was fun with Harvest Moon… and cooking with the Wonder Chef in the Tales series makes an appearance as well.  It is clear, however, that Square dominated my decision making in buying games.  

Last-Gen Heroes: When the Best Villain is You

I had seen this man before. An attractive, tired looking sort of fellow with his scruffy excuse for a beard. He had tussled hair and the rings around his eyes indicated he had not been sleeping very well. Perhaps he’s been having nightmares. His expression is one of utter concern. It’s as though he’s gotten news he’s none too keen on. Drinking every night at a mostly empty nightclub, he talked about problems of the heart. Ah yes, this guy. How could I forget him? He reminded me of myself.