So April was a crazy month for me. Strangely, though, I was very focused, determined to finish the video game-related New Year's Resolution. After that, Work just took me by storm and now I'm crazy busy again. (haha, I need a vacation).
Anywho, if you are curious about my thoughts on
anything, as always,
please go ahead and ask. :)
Outings/Events in April:
- I got a new phone! The model is Samsung Galaxy S II LTE. It's my first smartphone, weeee!
- Celebrated my sister's birthday. - Hung out with friends x6 (3 was the Monday ritual meetup with one friend). - Downloaded my first apps for my new smartphone.
- Had Lunch with my team-mates and boss (my boss is so cool).
Yeah... I did barely anything this month.
Exposures:
- (food) Pizzaburger
-- There was too much burger and not enough pizza.
- (person) Ryan Higa -- I blame my sister for exposing me to him, but Ryan Higa is a youtubber whom I find to be funny, ridiculous, and also kinda heartfelt (his "Draw My Life" video really spoke to me). Anywho, I am quite addicted to his videos, and I like his voice and his train of thinking. It was also from watching his videos that I learned the saying "YOLO" (I've never seen it before, lol).
- (band) The National -- I was first exposed to The National by Warm Bodies (everything good comes out of Warm Bodies). One of their songs was featured in the movie and my co-worker shared some albums with me and I liked what I heard.
- (app) Boyfriend Maker -- This is one of the apps I installed on my smartphone, and it's kinda ridiculous. You pretty much just have conversations with your "boyfriend", sending him a message. Then he'll respond back, either making sense, or making none at all. You can also go on dates and customize him, but I haven't done any of that yet. I also haven't had ridiculous conversations with him yet -- I'm just being "sweet" right now.
Yeah... I didn't get exposed to much this month.
Finished...
Watching:
- (Movie): Trance
-- This is a trippy movie with a really good soundtrack. - (Movie): Another Earth -- This was... meh. I have absolutely no sympathy for the main character.
- (Movie): The Game -- This was interesting, but made me uncomfortable through most of it. No idea if I would ever watch it again.
- (Movie): Zoolander -- I watched this to see if I should still keep it in my collection. It passed.
- (Movie): Final Destination -- Ditto here, too. Despite the horrible ratings, of the first 3 movies, I still find this one the best -- the most "natural" for Death being the culprit.
- (Movie): Final Destination 2 -- This one passed as well. I find that it's hard to keep the first movie and not keep the sequel that's so closely related to it.
- (Movie): Saw
-- After watching this again... I now see that there is tons of yelling and screaming in the movie.
Playing:
- (PS3): One Piece: Pirate Warriors -- I love this game. One Piece is the best! <3
- (PSN): Sound Shapes -- This is a really neat rhythm game. I totally enjoyed the "The Corporeal" album; awesome graphics and awesome music.
- (PSP): Kenka Bancho: Badass Rumble -- This game is fun and hilarious. I'll probably play it again one day.
Reading:
- Nothing this time.
Currently...
Playing (not all at once):
- (PS3): Folklore - (PS3): Borderlands 2 - (DS): Legacy of Ys: Book I & II - (DS): Contact - (PSP): Persona - (Wii): Fortune Street - (PS2): Ape Escape 3 - (PS2): Atelier Iris 2 - (PC): King's Bounty: The Legend
That's
it for April. The image upload function in Blogger doesn't seem to be working, so here are just a couple of videos instead:
The National -- "Conversation 16" This is one of my favourite tracks from their High Violet album.
Ryan Higa -- "The Most Annoying People on the Internet" This is one of Ryan Higa's videos that I like to watch a lot. It's so funny and random. I probably fall under a few of those.
So... I'm going to be blogging about this... again. My reason for it is this: After my last blog, one of my friends contacted me, telling me he was in favour of Namco Bandai's choice of localizing Idolm@ster Shiny Festa on iOS (yes, I'm revealing the company -- dun dun duuuun! Well, it's not really a surprise -- anybody can find out by looking up the game anyway). Well, I responded, going into more detail about why it was the wrong choice. Then we went back and forth for a while -- sometimes my text responses were as long as six pages. And then I realized something: I could just write another blog about it, hahaha. That way, I'll have a record of it, and well, everybody else can see it, too. So... another rant we go!
By the way, we both were in agreement to the $54.99 price being a ridiculous decision by Namco, but just to fully elaborate on everything wrong with Idolm@ster Shiny Festa being released the way it is, I will go over it again. Releasing Idolm@ster Shiny Festa on iOS There are multiple things wrong with this decision. When I think about it, my head sometimes hurt because of everything that floats through my mind. Let me try to list it out: -iOS is a different platform from the PSP, the original platform it was released on. -This is released for the iOS but not for the android (or PSP digitally) -iOS owners are not PSP owners -iOS owners do not equal to Idolm@ster players The main issues here revolve around fan expectations, poor public relations, accessibility, and... well... guessing Namco's motivation behind their decision, but knowing that it won't be fulfilled. And I have to say... all of these factors are inter-connected. Being originally released on the PSP, current fans were expecting a PSP release with this game. Some could have been saving up just to buy a PSP. Some could have already purchased a PSP in anticipation to play the game. For those who already own a PSP, imagine their reaction at finding out that Idolm@ster Shiny Festa was released for the iOS -- a device that they might not already own. I'm in that group. I already own a PSP, so I was only expecting to buy the game -- not the game PLUS another device. Those who don't own a PSP was expecting to buy the game and the PSP, which isn't a surprise for them. When I think about iOS, I think about the iPhone. I've never had plans to own an iPhone, and I definitely wouldn't make that investment just to play one game. But Idolm@ster Shiny Festa is also available for the iPad 2 (or higher) or the iPod Touch. When I think about those other two, I think of this: expensive and not really needed. The iPad 2 is costly -- end of discussion. As for the iPod Touch: I already have an MP3 player. I don't need an iPod Touch. In the end, owning an i-device is just an extra expense for me -- an extra expensive expense. Now, I don't think fans would be so outraged as they are now if Namco handled the release of this in a more acceptable way. They could have given more notice about the decision. You know -- so the fans could at least prepare for it and have more time to get used to the idea. What kind of notice did we get? Nothing.
They also could have -- and this is super important -- given us a reason for the decision. Why is Idolm@ster Shiny Festa released for iOS instead of the PSP? If it is because the PSP is truly dead -- and it is not digitally compatible with the PSVita (no idea if this is true) -- and releasing it on the iOS would ensure the game's longevity and reaching a wider audience -- then why not just say so? Believe it or not, fans deserve to know this kind of stuff, especially since the game is so niche (thus the fans are also niche). This kinda ties in with my next thing: Namco's motivation behind releasing Idolm@ster Shiny Festa on the iOS. I think anybody can imagine why Namco did what they did. I mentioned my guess in the above paragraph: to ensure the game's longevity, and to reach a wider audience. While those are valid points, there are still issues with this. I think they needed to ponder a few more things before making this decision: 1. Who are we really trying to reach with this release? 2. How many current fans own an i-device? 3. How many current fans own a PSP? I'm stressing so much about the current fanbase, because, well, since Idolm@ster Shiny Festa is a niche title, I believe that their target market has to be the current fans first -- and then i-device owners. It will be the current fans who will spread the awareness to everybody else. And I still don't believe that Namco could really be targeting anybody else (because of the horrible pricing -- will be explained later).
Right now, these are the fans Namco is reaching: -Fans of Idolm@ster games who own a compatible i-device They are not reaching: -Fans of Idolm@ster games who don't own a compatible i-device. Here are the fans they could have reached by releasing it on the PSP: -Every Idolm@ster fan who were planning to purchase the game from the beginning. Those who had no plans wouldn't have complained (because a release on this platform is what they expected). Now, if they released it on the iOS, and PSP (digitally), and android, Namco would reach: -Everybody who were planning to buy it, and those who wanted it but didn't have a PSP. Idolm@ster Shiny Festa is $54.99 I'm not going to go into much detail for what's wrong with this. The pricetag just says it all. I mean, how many people would purchase an iOS game for $54.99? A PSP game, at most, would be $50. So $54.99 is kinda like a super-premium pricepoint. This is also why I refuse to believe that Namco is targeting anybody else besides the current fanbase. Also, purchasing it would imply support for the game and also the possibility of future games to be released on the iOS. Those who don't want to send the latter message, will definitely NOT get it. But... do you know who would purchase this specific game for $54.99 (some with hesitation, but would still get it)? The current fanbase. You know who would tell others that this game is worth the price? The current fanbase. Then... this goes full circle to: who are they really reaching with releasing Idolm@ster Shiny Festa on the iOS? Only part of the current fanbase. Without the PR notifications and explanation about why they decided to go this route instead of releasing it on the PSP, the other part of the current fanbase is alienated and cut off. The iOS becomes a barrier to purchasing the game -- a barrier that never had to exist in the first place! The expensive $54.99 pricepoint becomes a barrier to everybody else, deterring fanbase growth. And this is why Namco's decision to release Idolm@ster Shiny Festa on iOS only (and for $54.99) was the wrong move. I believe that for a niche title like Idolm@ster Shiny Festa, the current fanbase has to be reached, because they will be the ones to buy the product. Sadly, if this game doesn't sell well, it could mean an ax on future Idolm@ster localizations, with them blaming it on the game instead of this thought: well, it might have sold well if we released it on a platform that reached the people who wanted to play it. To anybody who read all this, thank you (for reading it and putting up with my rant)! Have a great week! :)
Okay, so... this entry will be more of a rant. Just to warn you. As some of you already know, I am a big fan of the video game series Idolm@ster. I've imported the first two games (Idolm@ster 1 and a spin-off) on the Xbox360, even though I don't even have a Japanese Xbox360. Then I imported one of the Idolm@ster games for the PSP. And then I imported Idolm@ster 2 for the PS3. Yeah -- I am a big fan.
Anywho, back in December 2012, I came across an entry in Siliconera mentioning that one if its spin-off games (on the PSP), Idolm@ster Shiny Festa, was trademarked in the US. While I knew that Shiny Festa was more a rhythm game instead of the full-on idol management sim that I experienced in Idolm@ster 2, I was very excited. Finally, I'll get to play an Idolm@ster game in English! Then... fast-forward to today. I wake up, turn on my computer, and get ready for the day. I browse through the headlines in Siliconera (it's my go-to site for video gaming news). Then I hit this article about Idolm@ster Shiny Festa being localized in North America... and anger / frustration ensues. Why am I so pissed? Here's why: - In Japan, Idolm@ster Shiny Festa was released for the PSP. - In North America, Idolm@ster Shiny Festa is being released for iOS... for $54.99. I can't even begin to fathom how or why the publishers thought this would be a good idea. In my opinion, it is definitely not a profitable move. I could go so far as to say that it's almost an insult, to believe that the fanbase would be willing to: 1) pay that much for a digital game 2) buy an i-device just to play the game (if they didn't already have one) I just find it so... boggling. Why change the platform? Did the publisher think there wouldn't be enough revenue if it was released for the PSP? I can almost say with utmost confidence that any existing fanbase for Shiny Festa (back when it was released in Japan) would either already own a PSP or would be planning to get one. I can't really say the same thing regarding owning an i-device or intending to own. I definitely had no plans to own one. And I REFUSE to believe for one second that the publisher could be targeting a casual market, or even a new fanbase -- not with that horrible $54.99 price tag. It's one thing to pay $54.99 for a game on a video game handheld ($54.99 is still expensive); it's another to pay $54.99 for a game on an iOS. Those who are unfamiliar with the game will stay unfamiliar, seeing its ridiculous pricepoint and not looking into it any further. Only the current fanbase is really being affected, and they are suffering.
One way to rectify this is to release Idolm@ster Shiny Festa for PSP as well. *fingers crossed* Otherwise... it's importing time! Thanks for reading! As always, feel free to comment. Have a good week! :)
So, this is an old topic, and I'm sure that many have already had debates or discussions about the pros and cons for both sides. But I've been thinking about them more these days, especially since my physical collection has been kinda overflowing for a few months / years now. Here's an old pic of my room. Surprisingly, it still looks the same (just with different titles displayed).
An old pic of my room, displaying part of my collection (that's overflowing).
Physical Media Pros -Ownership can change hands: after buying something and realizing that you don't like it, you can possibly sell it or give it away to somebody else. -Can be lent out: this is the pretty much the same thing as the first point.
-Expression of interest: this is a little cheesy (well, maybe not), but having a physical copy of something allows you to display it, outwardly expressing your interest. And if you're displaying some limited edition version like this crazy version of Resident Evil 6, it also expresses your degree of interest in it. (FYI, I would never buy something that expensive just to express my fandom).
Cons -Space issues: the more you own, the less space you'll have to own anything else. At that point, you'll either end up moving to a larger space, or you'll end up selling / giving stuff that you can give up (but wish that you didn't have to).
-Wears and tears: well, this is sorta a given. Everything breaks down eventually.
Digital Media Pros -Removal of space issues: this is fairly straightforward. Owning digital copies of 10 different video games means 10 video games that don't need to be put up on a shelf.
-Fairly portable: I'm thinking more about e-books for this point, but it can probably be applied for almost all media. I mean, I don't think I would ever bring a PS3 over to anybody's place, so digital PS3 games won't be portable for me.
-Harder to steal: if the device is stolen, you can often re-download whatever you bought. Though if your account is hacked... well...
Cons -Ownership is stuck to you: whatever you buy is stuck to your account; you can't sell your media, even if you don't like it.
-Device/Server-specific-dependent: to read an e-book, you'll need to use an e-book reader; to play Steam games, you'll need to be logged onto their site. Now, most physical media already requires a device / console, but not all. And if the device breaks down (like, your computer), you'll have to replace it and re-download the media all over again. For digital media that requires you to be logged onto a site, if that site is ever taken down, your ownership of that specific media will probably be gone. ********************************************************************************************
So,
in the whole physical media vs. digital media debate, I see benefits and cons for
both sides, though I personally still lean more towards owning physical
media instead of digital. The main reason for that is the ability of changing ownership. If it ever came a time where I was super broke and had to sell my media collection to get by, I could. I wouldn't be able to do that with a digital media collection.
To me, I also find that with physical media -- I'm thinking specifically with video games here -- it is easier to raise awareness, since it is easier to lend out / sell at a cheaper price. Video games tend to be expensive for a blind buy. If it's a blind digital buy, it could also be risky. I've bought some digital games that I now regret, and can't do anything about it. I can also see the pros with owning digital copies, especially with manga and long-running anime / TV shows. I mean, I totally want to support One Piece since it's one of my favourite anime series. But I don't want to physically own 60+ manga volumes or who knows how many DVDs (it's over 200 episodes long). I would probably have no room for anything else if I did. So... in conclusion... I tend to prefer owning physical media because they still retain some value. I also like to display / express my fandom. But for media that would take up too much space, going digital is then my preference. Thanks for reading! If I missed any points or anything, feel free to comment. Have a great week! :)
So, I am blogging right now, while lightning flashes every so often and thunder crackles and roars outside (yeah... my creative writing is a little rusty here). All I want to do is just brush my teeth and hop into bed, because I'd rather turn off the lights instead of letting the crazy thunderstorm do it for me (so that it's still my choice in the end). But... I gotta do my blog -- I want to, and it's a late entry. I'll try to make this short and sweet. Now, I've blogged about this long ago elsewhere, but when I was young, I used to think that the rain was a secondary expression of myself -- that it was shedding tears that I couldn't / wouldn't shed myself. Of course, I was very young, angsty, and really naive (also really superstitious, but I won't get into that this time). I think I was trying to find something so I could view the rain in a positive light -- so I could like the rain instead of seeing it as, well, a necessary nuisance.
Back then, whenever it rained, I wouldn't really mind walking in it. If it was my tears, then walking in it would almost seem kinda... cleansing, in a way. That things could finally be expressed. Nowadays, I do still sometimes think that the rain could be expressing some secret sorrow of mine (whatever it may be -- I guess I'm still kinda angsty, lol). It often does seem to coincide that rainy days are days when something sad or upsetting could happen. But now, I'll avoid the rain if I could. Especially if it's pouring crazily like it is right now. Getting wet doesn't really feel cleansing anymore. I just get wet, hahaha. Anywho, thanks for reading my blog! Have a great week! :)
So... Happy Easter!! I just had to say it. March was a ridiculously busy month for me. Work-wise, it was a mix of super-craziness one week, and super-manageable the next. A lot of things just happened in March. Besides somehow beating 4 games this month (I am sooo on top of my New Year's Resolution for that), I barely had the time to relax and unwind. Even now, I just wish there was one more day to relax, hahaha. I was out everyday this weekend and so didn't get a chance to just sit around and do nothing.
Anywho, if you are curious about my thoughts on
anything, as always,
please go ahead and ask. :)
Outings/Events in March:
- Started a Monday hangout ritual with a friend.
- My sister moved out. I'm so lonely now at home :( - Beat my 21-day challenge of cleaning my room. It's still messy, but hasn't got messier since starting that challenge. - Checked out the One of a Kind Spring Show with my sister.
- Hung out with other friends x3.
- Visited my sister's new place.
- Had a drink with co-workers.
- Attended a 1-day course. It did not fully prepare me for its online test. ><
Exposures:
- (drink) Gin & Tonic
-- Blah... it was too bitter.
- (drink) Beer Mojito -- This was Sapporo beer with lime and mint leaves, I think. It was good!
- (restaurant) Spring Sushi -- This is mainly a sushi buffet place where the menu is on a tablet. Yup, it's super fancy. The food is just okay. Great fried rice, though.
- (restaurant) Kokame -- This is a sushi place that has dynamite dynamite rolls.
Finished...
Watching:
- (Anime - OVA): Ninku: The Movie
-- I was hoping for a little more than a 26-minute OVA. I want my minutes back. - (Movie): Warm Bodies(x2) -- Yeah... I watched this two more times... ^.^'' - (Movie): Jack the Giant Slayer
-- Well, I watched this mainly to use a movie coupon I had. The other reason was that Nicholas Hoult was in it... hahaha... (you didn't hear that!)
- (Movie): Admission -- This movie was okay. There were some funny moments, but not enough.
- (Movie): Carrie -- Creepy music. I don't think I would ever watch it again.
- (Movie): Highlander -- This movie is sooo dated and cheesy.
- (Movie): The Perfect Host -- There were some interesting moments here. Some creepy ones, too.
- (Movie): X-Men: First Class
-- This was really, really good. Xavier was a really neat character here.
Playing:
- (PS3): Spec Ops: The Line --
This is an amazing game... but I would never play it again. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. It's a mental beating... but the story is very good.
- (Xbox): Fable --
This was a fun game. I had tons of fun being a cleptomaniac and stealing stuff from shopkeepers and civilians.
- (PSP): Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth --
This game is amazing. The story is a little hokey in the end, but the gameplay is just fabulous.
- (Novel): Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion -- Despite this and the movie sharing some similarities, they are essentially two separate entities. The novel has a different voice for R, and an entirely different voice for Julie (Yes, yes, I will discuss more at length in my review entry of Warm Bodies).
Currently...
Playing (not all at once):
- (PS3): Folklore - (PS3): Borderlands 2 - (DS): Legacy of Ys: Book I & II - (PSP): Persona - (Wii): Fortune Street - (PS2): Ape Escape 3 - (PS2): Atelier Iris 2
Watching:
- (Anime): Yu Yu Hakusho - (Anime): Shakugan no Shana
Reading:
- Nothing this time.
That's
it for March. Here are some random photos / videos:
My beer mojito.
Something that I saw while hanging out with friends. It was some kind of exhibition for Lay's.
Something that I bought from the One of a Kind Spring Show.
"Yamaha" by Delta Spirit. This is one of my favourite tracks that was featured in Warm Bodies.
Playthrough Status: COMPLETED THREE TIMES Approx. Length: 12-15 hours for the first time; less on the next two times Language: English Played on: DS Type of Game: Visual Novel; Puzzle; Horror; Mystery Overall Impression: The story is very engaging! I strongly recommend it.
SPOILER ALERT WARNING!!
This
review will contain some spoilers -- or rather, there will be a
"Spoilers" section at the end of the review to go into further detail
about certain things. There may still be slight spoilers throughout the
review, but I've tried my best to keep them at a minimum.
PERSONAL STANDING (Pre-exposures, thoughts, etc.)
I was first exposed to 999 by reading many entries about it on Siliconera. What really drew me were two things:
1. There were multiple endings depending on the choices made. 2. If you fail, your character will face a horrible end.
Later on, Siliconera posted a link to its demo. After trying it out, I knew that I was going to get it.
STORY
Just like the title suggests, 999 involves 9 people, 9 doors, and 9 hours. You play Junpei as he and 8 other people try to escape a sinking ship within 9 hours. In order to escape, you'll have to solve puzzles in various rooms (there are 9 rooms total). I won't say anything further. Part of the fun is seeing what happens next.
I can tell you, though: the story is engaging, and different story routes lead to different revelations, leading to a more fleshed out story in the end.
GAMEPLAY
In 999, there are some choices to make and puzzles to solve, but at its core, it is a visual novel: a text story with audio and visuals. So... there isn't really a whole ton of "gameplay" or direct gaming interactions. Sometimes there could be 10 minutes of just straight text-reading; sometimes even an hour if you find yourself on the path to one of the better endings. I wouldn't say that it is a detriment to the game, though. I mean, the story is interesting! If it wasn't, then yeah, the story-reading parts would be horrible (but it's not).
Junpei (you) close to the beginning of the game.
PUZZLE-SOLVING AND GAME OVERS
From my few playthroughs, failing at a puzzle does not result in a horrible ending. You can try puzzles over and over, and other characters tend to give you hints if you fail at it often enough, or examine certain clues often enough.
The only time you really game over is when you make the choices that lead to a bad ending. In one playthrough, you will never be able to go through all 9 doors. Part of your choices include deciding which of those doors to go through, which results in which characters will accompany you, which results in a different "character learning" experience, which will ultimately determine the ending you will see.
CHARACTERS
From left to right: Lotus, Seven (big guy), Santa (white-haired guy), June,
Junpei, Ace, Snake, Clover, 9th Man
There is a varied cast in 999. As you keep playing, almost all of them are fleshed out. They all have their own voice, too, which I find commendable. For a game where each character has a lot of dialogue, staying "in character" throughout can be quite a feat.
By the way, the caption above only refers to them in their codenames. Many of them are strangers and figured it'd be safer to have codenames. My favourite characters are Snake and Clover. Lotus is neat. Junpei and June are cool, too.
GRAPHICS
Well, this is a visual novel, so the visuals often involve static backgrounds and character sprites that change expressions to match their dialogue and current moods. There are some animations when a door is opened, or if a lever is pulled. While this often pales against games that have characters physically moving about, it is the standard for visual novels. What's more key is the storytelling instead of graphics. That said, visual novels often trump other games in character design. Characters are key for a good story. If you don't care for the characters, you will most likely not care to find out about the rest of the story.
While this is a visual novel under the horror genre, there are some bloody scenes, but most of the uneasiness will come from the descriptive writing, and creepy music.
MUSIC
The music is varied, but tends to have an industrial feel to it, which fits. There are also some really touching pieces. Visual novels tend to have emotion-evoking tracks and 999 is no stranger to that. Whether you hear a slow piece that tugs at your heartstrings or some creepy tunes to enhance the eerie-ness of a scene, 999's got it. I'll mention my favourite track in the "Spoilers" section.
REFERENCES
999 has a lot of science fiction, parapsychology, and even medical references. I was... pleasantly impressed -- to introduce those ideas and make them fit with the game's story. I don't think I've learned about so much from any other video game. I'll mention some of the references in the "Spoilers" section.
REPLAYABILITY
There are 6 different endings to the game. If you play through it normally without any aid from gaming walkthroughs and such, I can guarantee with 99% probability that you will see one of the 4 bad endings. So, yes, there is replayability in 999, especially if you want to know more about each character, and the story. The nice thing is if you're going through a route you've been through before, you can fast forward through the text.
I have to say this: In order to reach the "True" Ending, you'll have to first reach the "Good" Ending (AKA the "Safe" ending). So, in essence, you will have play 999 at least 2 times to get the full story. It's well worth it! Oh, one other thing: Almost everything in the story will be tied up in the "True" Ending, except for one thing. I hear that this was intentional, so that players could come to their own conclusions about it. I'd say it's a minor loose end and doesn't affect the major story.
MISC. MINOR PET PEEVES
Well, not every game is perfect and I did run into a couple of pet peeves while playing 999. These are not deal breaking (one is a personal pet peeve anyway), but I figure I should mention them.
1. The default text speed is too slow. If there was an option to speed up the text or a button to allow all the text on one screen show up, that would have been great. 2. Ahhh, Lotus... Why are you a character with huge breasts in a skimpy dancers' top? Well, I know why... but whyyyy? In my opinion, 999 is good enough that it doesn't need that kind of appeal for game sales. *sigh*
CLOSING THOUGHTS
999
is a great game. If you enjoy a good story and nicely fleshed out characters, this will not disappoint. When I first picked it up, I never imagined that I would be pulled so strongly towards the game. But it did. And I have no regrets.
Thanks
for reading! If you have any comments, feel free. So I'll do the scrolly thing and the
"Spoilers" section will appear after that. Then I'll add some more
scrolly things after the "Spoilers" section in case anybody wants to
comment, but not see the spoilers.
So, during my 3rd playthrough, I decided to Google some of the terms mentioned in the game and lo and behold, they are real terms! Now, I haven't seen all the endings, so I might not have seen all the different references, but here's what I've found so far:
Ganzfeld Experiment -- This is a test in telepathy involving two subjects where each is placed in separate rooms. Subject A is given an object to observe, while the Subject B is supposed to say what Subject A sees.
Ice-9 -- Ice-9 is a fictional material that has a melting point of 45.8 degrees Celsius.
Morphic Field -- In 999, this is described as "a field the eye can't see, but everybody has access to." Once somebody learns information, it can be placed on that field and those who can access that field can acquire that same information. It sounds really cool.
Prosopagnosia -- This is a disorder where a person is unable to differentiate between faces. It's unfortunate that this is real.
Rupert Sheldrake -- The guy behind the morphogenetic field, morphic field, and such.
Ship of Theseus -- The idea that asks if an object is still considered that same object if it becomes largely made up of other "replacement" parts. So... a ship named Theseus. As it gets fixed up over the years and have had its parts replaced, is the ship still Theseus if most of its original components have been replaced? It's a very interesting question!
My favourite music track
Morphogenetic Sorrow
This track played during the tender moments, and I found myself crying when it was used for the two ending scenes (when Snake wouldn't go down after Ace shot him so many times, and when Junpei was linked with Akane). This plays while you're tackling the last puzzle (a Sudoku puzzle) of the "True" Ending, and I must agree with the Top Commentor in that Youtube link: "The most emotional Sudoku puzzle I have ever done in my entire life :')". If you read my spoilers, thank for reading them!
Now to finish with more scrolly things. Feel free to comment :D
