Fractured Pandas

Today, I'll be talking (for once). And I'll be talking about things I love. Namely: video games!

So grab a chair and something to munch on. We'll be seeing why I'm in lamentations over one game and simultaneously exalting another.

Play on!





CURRENT MUSIC:
Russell Brower and Glenn Stafford - "Public Enemy"
StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty Soundtrack

There's something about this that seemed to call to me today. I wanted a musical piece for today that fit the feeling my morale had overall - something that wasn't too happy or sad, but a nice, roundabout middle that seemed to accentuate the feeling of being stuck between a rock and a hard place. (To be honest, I'm not sure why I wanted to aurally convey that feeling. It was just wailing to me like the instruments in the track.)

Anyway, "Public Enemy" is the second piece on StarCraft II: Wing's of Liberty's soundtrack, and it possesses a very heavy Southern drawl to it. Mind you, there aren't any lyrics to this one - the music just conveys that feeling itself. Considering how the Terrans are pretty much portrayed as rednecks in space (just guess what the Old Confederacy used as their flag), it's not really that big of a surprise to hear the StarCraft II leitmotif (and Raynor's leitmotif as well) being beautifully belted out by a southern guitar and a harmonica.

Now why do I have this urge to go to a bar by myself and drink my sorrows out? Damn you, good music, and your ability to make me want to do things! *smiles and hat-tips* I guess that's what I get for being such a video game music enthusiast. (I could say that it's also due to having lived in the Deep South - Marietta, Georgia, to be exact - for a few years when I was much younger, too... but since it's been ages since I've had some hearty Southern food, I can't say I have the same feeling as I did.)

(Author's Note: This looked familiar, didn't it? Well, while I kind of feel bad for doing a copy-and-paste for my music, it was fitting for several reasons:

1. The StarCraft II soundtrack was the first soundtrack I actually wanted to listen to today.
2. While the opening track of the album ("Wings of Liberty") is amazing in its own right, I didn't feel like talking about it. Not today, at least.
3. I'm feeling lazy. Hey, cut me some slack - at least I'm typing this whole entry for you.
4. "Public Enemy" seems to fit the overall aura that today's exuding. I couldn't find anything else that fit, so there.

And now you see the reasoning behind my "laziness" and what not. You know me - I make sure the music fits the day's entry (barring a non sequitur). There you go... I... have posted music.)





Afternoon, everypony! Let's get your game session on!





Delaying the Pandaren
(And people wondered why I was so desperate for $60 on Monday...)

So, by now PC gamers across the world have embraced the joy (or ire) that is World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria. By now the world has seen at least several hundred Level 90 characters hit the servers, hundreds upon hundreds of new Monks, even more Pandaren, and dozens of glory-seekers attempting to get a World First! achievement.

Not me. As I went to work on Monday night, I took a look at my bank account and realized that I had not as much funds as I originally thought I did. We're not talking about a "Oh, I miscounted by a few dollars" mistake - I'm talking about a "I think I forgot to account for the triple-digit bills I owed..." error.

Anywho, long story short: I was not able to collect my collector's edition of World of Warcraft: Mists of Pandaria when it launched yesterday at midnight. What a sad moment for a gamer like me.

*sniffle* "What a sad moment for a gamer" indeed.

To say that this depressed me would be a gross overstatement. While most of you are either feeling pity or just laughing your ass off at my fate (odds are that it's the latter and none of the former), I have to say that it indeed was sad. However, I've also recovered. That "new game" smell I get from a recently-bought game won't be a fragrant as it would have been, but it'll still be present when I finally procure my copy - hopefully within the end of next week when I get paid.

Until then, I'll have to deal with not having Mists of Pandaria, the artbook, the in-game bonuses (a mount amidst some other things), the behind-the-scenes DVD, and the soundtrack (dear sweet music gods; the soundtrack! *wails*). I can still level Erfrischen; I can screw around on Chariselle; I can try to relearn Rogue PvP with Gefallen. I can still live. (But I am gonna lament a little still. Heh.)

Detective-Corporal Allie G. Novelli on patrol in Stormwind City's harbor.

It's a good thing my WoW-playing friends aren't taunting me with my lack of Pandaria - otherwise I don't think Allie would want to roleplay with them tomorrow. Heh.





Mending Reviewing a Fractured Soul with Fractured Soul
(Something every 3DS owner should read.)

So while part of me was lamenting on how Gefallen, Chariselle, and Erfrischen won't be able to start on the path to 90 for at least another two weeks, another part of me wanted to alleviate this void of gaming. And the best way to fill a void is to use something that is similar to what was originally going to cover that gap. This meant getting buying and playing a video game.

However, knowing me, there wasn't much that really grabbed my attention - at least not for the time being. I had focused so much on wanting to hit up the mist-covered lands of Pandaria that I had basically thrown my attention to other games out the window. Nice job breaking it, hero. Really. So that left me penniless, "Panda-less," and without a desire to play something - anything - that could keep me entertained in any downtime that wasn't spent sleeping or socializing.

The screen that helped change my gaming life. Sort of.

So several days ago I was browsing the 3DS' eShop while I was attempting to doze off. It's been a common ritual of sorts that I've been doing recently - there's a good amount of games and apps available for the handheld console, and I like checking the shop out for anything that's new.

At that moment, I came across a recently-released game by the name of Fractured Soul. After years of development hell, indie game developer Endgame Studios finally had the ability to get the ball rolling and let Fractured Soul loose as a 3DS shop exclusive on September 13, 2012.



It's a very interesting game - part-platformer, part-shmup, all parts engaging. As Lucas M. Thomas of IGN described:

Bouncing back and forth between two overlapping realities is a common occurrence in Endgame Studios' Fractured Soul, though, which layers that extra teleporting mechanic on top of a game design that might otherwise have been mistaken for something created by classic-era Capcom. This game's cybernetic hero has had the fabric of his being ripped in two, as while his body appears in one plane of existence, a shadow of his self stays stuck in a second. Your task is to guide the broken commando through a series of platforming challenges, swapping his "real" body back and forth between the upper and lower 3DS screens to navigate a split-apart environment where safe surfaces to stand on sometimes only exist in one of the two realities.

The idea of doing this was quite intriguing. After watching Fractured Soul's trailer (as seen above), I decided to check out various reviews to see what others had to say about it (and also to see if it really was worth the $12 USD). Most places rated it from a 7.5 to 9, and the overall opinion of those who rated it on the eShop said it was 4.5 stars (out of 5).

Decision made!

After considering everyone's opinions (and comparing them with my own intrigue), I decided to go for it. I had some money sitting on my eShop account anyway, so I figured I might as well spend it. After the lengthy download I booted it up and began playing.

I have to say now that I'm liking this game. The learning curve starts off simple, but don't let that fool you. The first level holds your hand as you begin to learn how and when to switch between worlds, and it's pretty simple. After you begin to think that you have the hang of things, Fractured Soul begins to mess with you. Hard. A few stages threaten you with fast-advancing walls of death (meaning you've little time to figure out where and when to switch worlds). Some stages have one world submerged underwater (which hinders your speed but allows your jumps and descents to be higher and slower respectively). Others have the gravity inverted (I don't even need to list how much that screws with you).

You can see how the world-switching works. How do you get to the other side?

There have been a few criticisms with the game, though. Some people griped at the somewhat-hefty $12 USD. (Well, with the content the game offers, I'd say it's worth it.) Others have cited the learning curve and difficulty with some of the levels (there are a few levels where no checkpoints appear, and one of said levels is pretty long). Some have questioned why Fractured Soul wasn't released with 3D capability (Endgame Studios said that it would be hard on the eyes to have to constantly adjust from a 3D-screen to a not-3D-screen, and I heartily agree). Others nitpick about other things that should've been ironed out and what not.

Despite the criticisms and issues with some of the stages, I personally believe that Fractured Soul was well worth my money. Most gamers out there grew up playing at least one platforming game in their childhood. Fractured Soul not only brought that young nostalgia back, but it also gave it a few interesting twists that challenges us (casual-)hardcore players and provides a challenging-yet-fun experience for any gamer who decides to pick it up.

The leaderboard for Fractured Soul's tutorial/first level "Shock."
Par time is 2:01.001. The current world record (as of this writing) is by "ManofSwag" at 1:23.11... o.O

Oh, and I mean that "challenges us (casual-)hardcore players" bit. At the end of each level, you receive a report of your time and a score out of five stars. This score is calculated by how fast you completed the level, how much you died (and apparently how much damage you took), and how many secret gems (floating in difficult-to-reach locations across the level) you collected.

Fractured Soul has an online leaderboard that keeps track of the top players' best times and is sorted by two categories - pure speed (where the player just bum-rushes to the goal) and fastest "five-star" run (where the player blitzes for the goal but also collects all the secret gems). Those of you who have a competitive streak, a knack for speedrunning, and/or an impulse to achieve glory for yourself might be tempted to face off against your friends now...

"I really liked Fractured Soul. The way it incorporates both screens is a cool twist on a platformer game (now that I think about it, it remindes me of Mighty Switch Force in a way). I'm thinking of buying it soon."
- Wendy K.★

So in conclusion: if you have a 3DS (and have cried out about the eShop not providing much for you), then you should give Fractured Soul game a shot. It'll please platformer fans and casual gamers alike. If you're unsure about blowing off $12 USD, contact me when I have free time - I'll be happy to let you try out Fractured Soul. Either way, you'll get to see yourself how surprisingly impressive this gem of an Nintendo eShop title is.





Well, that's about all the time I have to spend with you for today. Tomorrow, expect... well, I don't know what to expect. But expect something, everypony!