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Googleshng - September 7 '01- 2:00 Eastern Standard Time
All work and no play may Google not win Wild ARMs today, although from
your perspective that'd be yesterday and I'm playing it right this second. Writing columns in the middle
of the night leads to odd temporal terminology, no?
Zach: Amigos! Welcome to the column. I'm Zach, long time
reader, first time guest hoster. My last name? Between
you and me, it is... irrelevant. I'm of driving age
and then some, but unable to do so legally due to
years of intensive racing mini-games that left me
sorely unprepared for the unplugged world. I watch
anime (mostly of the Trigun and Slayers variety),
pillage the Spanish Main, and casts the spells that
makes the people go boom. That's me in a nutshell.
Question #1!
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Gotta keep'em all!
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I've been playing through Suikoden 2 for a while
now, and I'm very curious
about one thing: I got Gilbert in the army battle
near the beginning of the
game, however, during that battle, he died... Thus
rendering him unusable
for any further Army battles as a Commander, and
also greying him out on the
list of Stars I've gathered.
My question is: will his death in that battle
prevent me from getting the
special ending of the game when you get all 108
stars?
Thanks very much in advance for an answer.
Best Regards,
Dan Calderman
Former RPGamer New Media Director ;-)
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Zach:
Yep, 'fraid so. At least if you go through that part
of the game again, you can use it as a chance to try
and shave off some spare time for using toward Clive's mini-quest.
Googleshng:
I'm not a big fan of timed subquests in games where you can miss doing stuff.
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Saiyuki... not a lot of jokes to make on this name.
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heya-
Saiyuki: The Journey West
I have been playing this game, and damn it is
addicting! I love the
plot, the characters are cool, and it brings a few
new twists to
what is my favorite subgenre of RPG. Yet, I know no
one who is
playing it. Are you guys out there? What do you
think of it?
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Zach:
Gah! I haven't had a chance to play it yet, but it
looks quite swell. I'll pick it up when I have the
chance, but until then I'll just recall the wacky
antics of the Hinata Sou crew when they acted out the
story that the game was based on (Loosly, from my
understanding). Su-chan, you so crazy.
Googleshng:
It seems like that legend is ALWAYS interpretted loosely. Anyway, our official review of Saiyuki should
be up soon, to get the word out a bit, and I myself will be picking it up with my first paycheck.
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He's just stunned!
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Is Nobuo Uematsu dead??
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Zach:
Well, he's... he's, ah...probably pining for the
fjords. Seriously though, the last time I saw him, he
was looking fine.
Googleshng:
I don't see where you would get the impression that he WAS dead, unless you just saw that news story from
a few months ago where someone confused Uematsu with someone else...
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Dear Zach,
Finally, someone out there who has played the bizarre, charming, and utterly
challenge-less TRPG known as Rhapsody! Aside from the two people at GameFAQs
who've actually written on it, that is. Google and Chiapet were mean, and
never answered this question, but now I can target it to you!! Yay! I picked
up an item called an "Energy Guide" in the optional dungeon, and it has no
apparent function. You can't use, equip, or sell it, and it's not a story
item (unless there's a super-hidden sidequest somewhere). What's up with it?
Can anyone help me?
-Nate Railsback
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Zach:
Nate,
Rhapsody is truly the most overlooked game of any
time, with the possible exception of Skull Monkeys. Us
fans of musical adventures have to stick together,
perhaps share laughter and tears through all of the
years or somesuch sign of unity.
I'm sorry that I can't help you with your Energy Guide
woes. It's possible that it's a junk item or something
cut out of the game in the final stages, but with a
cool name like Energy Guide, something is not right
here.
Remember, You're not alone, so just hang on, you must
try to be stronger. You can overcome life's ups and
downs, You can turn your life around,
That's the meaning of true courage, So please
remember... Don't you ever give up trying,
Be courageous, keep on striving; Fly to the stars!
You can have hope for tomorrow. So let's hold hands
with one-another, We can both take one step further.
Dreams can come true. Find the hope that's deep
inside,
Find the strength that keeps your dreams alive.
Googleshng:
(Note: Rhapsody is full of musical numbers like the above.) I myself never played Rhapsody because, as
you said, it's an extremely easy TRPG. Ew. As for not printing this letter earlier in the week, well,
as I said yesterday, the mail server's been a tad screwy lately. I didn't see this letter before this
column, although I seem to have 2 copies tonight.
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WAAAAAAAAA!
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So you've finished Wild Arms. Your opinions on it? I found it to be rather good, imo. Understandable battle system with interesting character, as well as the added usage of tools in battle. And another good thing: The characters weren't carbon copies of each other ability-wise.
Another thing I liked were some of the hidden bosses. I tried one once. He squished me. But even then, they seemed challenging without the extreme difficulty of the Weapons from FFVII. ;)
But, yes, curious as to your opinions on the game, plot, battle system and all.
Poe
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Zach:
There's another game that I have yet to play. Google?
Googleshng:
I think Wild ARMs is one of the most underrated games out there. If it had come out on the SNES it would
probably have gotten a warmer reception (since that's about where the graphics stand and all). Anyway
though, WA has just about everything I like in an RPG. A unique plot and setting, a surprising number
of logic puzzles, highly unique characters, a decent level of challenge, and a world that constantly
expands as you proceed, and which you have to have to actually go out and explore. Cool music too.
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It's a well noted fact that those who run Q&A
columns
are very smart and handsome!, <-- THERE's an
introduction.
Time for random questions spewed out in an
entertaining order! :
1. The Chu-chu commercial. Why does this both
terrify me and then validate MY existence? What's
more - did they really show that in Japan..? Seems
a
little violent and check the above feeling-y.
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Zach:
1. There are some pretty entertaining commercials in
Japan, and I don't see any reason why they wouldn't
air Pure Love in a commercial form. It's all good.
Googleshng:
Before I start answering, let me just dispell 2 myths. Myth #1: Sucking up to the host in your greeting
enhances your chances of getting printed. I generally skip right over them when choosing what to print.
Myth #2: I prefer multiparters to single question letters. Don't get me wrong, if you have more than one
question, send a multipart letter, but some people occassionally go out of their way to make sure there
letter has a bunch of numbered questions when they only want to know one thing.
That said, I have a tape right here of random Japanese commercials. The CCR one is NOTHING compared to
some of these.
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2. Did you know wherever you go, there you are?
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Zach:
2. You're right, by gum! But what am I doing in the
Wooden Tower of Sideways?
Googleshng:
I'm going to go to the movies tomorrow, but I'm not there now...
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3. For the PS2, my friend pesters my head off
about
how great Dark Cloud is. SO, will that things
price
ever drop to a level at which I don't feel I've
been
blindfolded and robbed by a colorful charlatan
named
Sony? And I still don't even know if they fixed
that
bug where the CD grinds the laser or some such.
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Zach:
3. PS2 prices should drop eventually, like all game
systems. In time, we'll be dancin' in the streets
again. Also, it helps if you don't look at it as being
robbed by a flamboyant yet tasteful charlatan, but as
helping feelings of goodwill around the world. You get
to keep your head, as your friend stops his
gum-flapping, Sony gets the money that they so love,
Google possibly gets more questions to answer about
games that sound great, and I get the satisfaction of
sucessfully assisting a soul in search of answers.
Googleshng:
Unless everyone in Sony's marketting department has recently been lobotomized, the PS2 should drop in
price right around the time the GameCube launches. I'm guessing it'll only be to $250 though, which is
still a bit steep if you ask me.
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4. Have you seen the (I think gamespot..) preview
of
World of Warcraft? I'm drooling all over that one.
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Zach:
4. I have seen a very impressive trailer for World of
Warcraft, and am quite impressed by it. Best.
Skeletons. Ever.
Googleshng:
I like Blizzard, and just about all their games, but unless they can do away with all the things I don't
like about MMORPGs (which, if they have monthly fees, isn't happening), I'm not going to pay much attention.
WC3 on the other hand really has me drooling.
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5. What's your favorite Chrono Trigger OST song?
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Zach:
5. Favorite song? It'd be a rough tie between "Frog's
Theme" and "Delightful Spekkio". The Brink of Time CD
probably sticks out in my mind better though, as it
reminds me of delicious eggs. I gotta get me somma
them!
Googleshng:
I like pretty much every track in CT equally.
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6. Chu-Chu rocket.. *shiver**convulse**curl into a
ball*
-Atwight
-When regular insanity just doesn't cut it.
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Zach:
6. Neko wa kowaii!
Googleshng:
I can't imagine playing that on the GBA. You really need X and Y buttons.
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Dulagon Waliaa 7
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just was wondering if you know when dragon warrior
vii is coming out i
really need a good rpg fix , badly!
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Zach:
The official word is still Fall of this year, but that
wouldn't really give it much time to be hyped and
released... If you're hankerin' for some rpg action,
replay some old favorites - It's amazing how much new
stuff you can find in most any old game the second or
third time through, even if it's only plot holes and
dialogue errors that seemed perfectly OK at the time
(Note to self: Self, reply Suikodens).
Googleshng:
Well, judging by the fact that my man on the inside has finished localizing, and finished playing
through the game looking for bugs, and is now just goofing off. Of course, review copies still haven't
shipped out, so it will most likely hit the shelves some time next month.
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