A strategic mobile game in the palm of your hand - Fire Emblem Heroes Reader's Review.

OK, let me begin this review by saying... THIS NEEDS TO APPEAR IN THE PHILIPPINE GOOGLE PLAY STORE!

*sigh*. Personal rant over...

Last year, I have made a Reader's Review of a strategy RPG known as Phantom of the Kill. For the uninitiated, Phantom of the Kill is basically a clone of another popular SRPG game, known as Fire Emblem, by simply taking the game mechanics in mind. While PotK has some unique features that have made the game unique, I just can't help but feel... odd about it, for a lack of a better term.

Is it probably because that I am more familiar with Fire Emblem already? Well, that can already serve as a given, to be honest. However, after playing Phantom of the Kill for like... several times, I just can't help but feel annoyed to the fact that there are no Fire Emblem characters in the roster.

I'm not saying that Phantom of the Kill is bad, I mean it got a high score on my review and its still being played by a lot of people, but... after playing this game, I have managed to get that certain 'oomph' that I am looking for in a strategy game.

That being said, let my Reader's Review of Fire Emblem Heroes... BEGIN!

Hehe. ^^"

Title: Fire Emblem Heroes
Date Released: February 2, 2017 (in selected countries. Sadly, Philippines is not one of them... yet)
Company: Nintendo (developed by Intelligent Systems)
Genre: SRPG
Platform: Mobile
ESRB Rating: E10+



Brief Background: Fire Emblem Heroes one of the very few mobile games that Nintendo has ever made (alongside Miitomo and Super Mario Run). The game was first announced by Nintendo as a collaborative effort with mobile company DeNA in April 2016. The game has currently generated $2.9 million since its release.

What do you do here?
Basically, you are a Summoner who came from the real world. Yes, from the real world, that was transported to the world of Zenith, a place where gates, legendary pathways that lead to the multitude of Fire Emblem universes, are found.

There are two kingdoms that are waging war with each other, the Emblian Empire and the Askran Empire. Originally, the two kingdoms serve as overseers toward the gates, with the Askran Empire capable of opening the gates and the Emblian Empire capable of closing them. However, one day, Princess Veronica of the Emblian Empire has initiated an all-out offensive against the kingdom of Askr by forging a pact towards Heroes in an attempt to destroy the Askran Empire.

Alfonse and Sharena, siblings and nobles of the Askran Empire, need to do something to protect the realms. However, their combined efforts isn't enough. Anna, the commander of Alfonse and Sharena (and one of the most notable characters in the entire Fire Emblem franchise), went off to find the person capable of using the Breidablik, a sacred gun capable of summoning legendary Heroes... and this is where you, the Summoner, comes in.

What makes the game interesting?
It's FIRE FREAKING EMBLEM! WHAT MORE CAN YOU ASK FOR?! 

Well, other than the obvious, Nintendo has made a transition from the mainstream gaming norm to the mobile space nicely. Nevertheless, allow me to expound some of them.

First of all, the premise of the game is very promising. It makes the game feel to be the 'ultimate' Fire Emblem game, in terms of its story. Imagine, every single Fire Emblem title converge from one realm to the other to stop an impending doom that will endanger all of the realms if left unchecked.

The game's presentation is minimal, but very effective. The game is played on a 6x3 grid, specifically catered for mobile devices. There's no need for you to hover around the screen just to get to the area that you want to go.

The in-game sprites are just adorable and quite fitting for a mobile game, while the battle mechanics have been slightly altered to meet mobile standards nicely.

The music in this game is great and exudes a lot of nostalgia. Take note that some of the music used in this game are either newly-composed for this game, or a rehash of older map themes.

What's most interesting about this game is the variety of characters. A majority of Fire Emblem characters, old and new, are here, with additional characters being added on a monthly basis. This is more than reason enough to unleash your inner Fire Emblem fan due to the immense amount of fanservice the game offers.

Each character from the series is given newly-recorded voices and the artwork for each of them are drawn by several, and well-renowned, Japanese illustrators, all of which have varying degrees of quality.

As mentioned, each character are given voices. Famous ones like Matthew Mercer and Laura Bailey even reprise their respective roles across the franchise, which is a nice touch for me.

Another thing that I like about this game is the summoning mechanic. In order to summon a Hero, players will need Orbs to summon them. Like every other gacha game out there, it requires a set amount of Orbs to summon. However, unlike other gacha games, successive summons will require less Orbs to perform. OK, I am going to explain a bit about how the summoning mechanic works in detail... because why the heck not?!

Every time you do a 'summoning session', you are given five Orbs, all of which are color-coded depending on a certain Hero of a certain type. To summon, you are going to need five Orbs for the initial summon, while four Orbs are needed for the second to the fourth summon, and the final summon will require you three Orbs; with a grand total of 20 Orbs. In a majority of gacha games that I played so far, this is one of those few games that are actually generous to their summoning session.

What's more?! The game tells you the actual probabilities of getting a unit you want. I really don't want to expound on this, but to make it short, the more unfortunate you are with your current pulls, the better chances you have to get a powerful unit in the future. Also, if you a gain any 5* units (the best units out there), the recruitment chances will reset.

Also, this is one of the few games that I played that are actually generous in giving out premium currency, aka Orbs, for free via log-in bonuses and special missions. Also, you get Orbs the first time you beat a stage during Story Missions.

Speaking of stages, there are several game modes that you can play at the moment; Story Missions, Training Tower, Special Quests, Arena, and the Voting Gauntlet. Allow me to explain each of them.

Story Missions are divided into two, Main Quests and Paralogue Quests; both of which provide strategic challenges and a very light-hearted narrative, despite its grim premise. The Training Tower is basically a place where you can level-up your units. Special Quests provide challenging maps that can allow you to get awesome goodies, like free Heroes and Orbs. Finally, the Arena is a place where you can try your team against other players' teams.

Keep in mind that, in Arena matches, the AI determines the actions of your enemy, since it is not a live PvP to begin with.

The final feature, the Voting Gauntlet, is some sort of a popularity contest. People at Nintendo decide to fill out certain characters, which players can choose to side with, to duke it out in a battle for popularity and... stuff. It is very stimulating and it feels very rewarding to see things through.

As of time of this writing, several other features were planned to be released in the coming months, such as additional features and game modes,  so be prepared to check them all out.

What are the flaws that I found in this game?
OK, while I understand that the game is relatively new, the Story Missions felt a bit... short in my taste. While certain characters are introduced during the time the game is released, there are many others that were introduced later on. Sadly, as for the time of writing this blog, there are currently no new Story Missions to gaze upon.

Additionally, while the summoning mechanic is great, the accumulated chances of getting the units you want cannot be carried over to other 'banners'. Yes, you heard me right... banners. These are introduced to allow players to get specific characters you want on a specific roster. However, banners do not stay forever, and they are only available for a limited time. This particularly sucks for banners that only stay on a seasonal basis (I am talking to you, Spring Festival!). To make matters worse, once a banner disappears, the recruitment rates will also disappear and it will reset to the default amounts, which I find it stupid and tedious.

As what I've mentioned, each Fire Emblem character are drawn by a variety of artists, ranging from Noizi Ito to Yusuke Kozaki, and all of them have varying degrees of quality. Which means, some drawings are great (like Tiki's drawing and Leo's drawing), while others are just... well downright average (those eyes... Rebecca?!). Although seriously, I have this feeling that this is just me ranting, but hey, we all have acquired tastes so I believe that I am entitled to say such an opinion.

So... is there anything else to say about this game? 
Well, other than it's great....  I really cannot say anything else about this... it just felt a bit... well, odd. I find it odd that Nintendo has taken a very long time to come up with this particular idea... and it works just fine, if you ask me... for the most part, at least.

Can you recommend this game?
IT'S FIRE FREAKING EMBLEM! WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO SAY?!

Overall Rating: 8.6/10
A tried and true Fire Emblem game. It may have a lot of potential to become a very great mobile game but I believe that the game has to push even further to shine through. Also, since Nintendo is just relatively new to the mobile market, I really cannot expect too much... or too little about this game, as well as their future projects. But there is one thing I can say about this game, Fire Emblem Heroes is a game that is destined for greatness.

And while I barely scratched the surface of its many features, Fire Emblem Heroes is certainly, and undoubtedly, doing their best!

--END OF REVIEW--

A fresh new way to DUEL!!! - Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links Reader's Review

Ever wonder on how Konami would ever pump new blood to their ever popular card series?

Honestly, the proper question is this; now that they explore almost every unimaginable aspect of the trading card game genre, what's next?!

Well, simple. Konami answers that by GOING BACK TO THEIR ROOTS!!! While also being nostalgic for said ROOTS!

I've gotta be honest, this is actually the first time I have heard of the Speed Duel format, which is simply a faster version of the traditional card game with fewer cards and Life Points involved; and only a few video games have implemented this particular format.

One of which being now subjected to my upcoming Reader's Review of Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links.

So... IT'S TIME TO D-D-D-D-DUEL!!!

But before that, let us discuss what Speed Duels first in detail. Speed Duels are basically like normal duels but with a few notable exceptions. Here are some of those
- Both players starts with 4000 Life Points, instead of the traditional 8000
- Decks only consist of 20-30 cards, in contrast to the original's 40-60
- Extra Deck is only up to 5 cards, not the same as the original rules' maximum of 15.
- No Main Phase 2, meaning that after the player commences a Battle Phase, your turn ends immediately.
- Both players start with 4 cards in hand, instead of 5
- The player who takes the very first turn (of the whole Duel) will not draw a card.

OK! Now that we got it out of the way, I say we rev it up!

Title: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links
Date Released: September 7, 2016 (Closed Beta), October 27, 2016 (Australia and Singapore), November 17, 2016 (Japan), January 2017 (worldwide release)
Company: Konami
Genre: Card battler
Platform: iOS/Android
ESRB Rating: None (E10+ if given such)



Brief Background: Speed Duels is a dueling format for the Official Card Game which serves as both a more simple duel play style for beginners and as a refresher for returning players. The game format was first introduced in the Japan-only Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Terminal arcade game.

What do you do here?
Basically, like past games, Duel Links pits you against computer opponents, all of which have varying degree of difficulty and play style. However, unlike most portable games in the series, you don't 'make' your own character. You play as one of the Legendary Duelists found in the game such as Yami Yugi and Seto Kaiba, among others. Become the ultimate Duelist; that is your goal.

What makes this game interesting?
Beside the aforementioned easier game play, Duel Links offers you to play as one of the Legendary Duelists in the game; all of which have varying play style and Deck composition. Each of the Legendary Duelists can also learn 'Skills' which allows you to alter the flow of game play such as unleashing a free Field Spell Card, drawing a specific card type, among other useful strategies. These Skills are pretty new and quite an innovative way to turn Duels into a game of strategy and critical thinking.

You start the game as either Seto Kaiba, the arrogant yet honorable Duelist of the Kaiba Corporation, or as Yami Yugi, the King of Games. You can unlock other Legendary Duelists as you play multiple games, allowing you to utilize different play styles, such as Joey Wheeler (and his myriad of luck-induced cards) and Mai Valentine (and her army of Harpy Ladies).

Speaking of Legendary Duelists, you can also fight them at the Duelist Gate; allowing you to earn cards as you fight them. Each of these Duelists give out certain cards which provide even more useful strategies and more battle options towards that certain Duelist. Keep in mind that you need Gate Keys, and a corresponding colored key (which varies from every Duelist), in order to battle

Card Packs, a Duel Monsters staple, are back. However, you can only be able to get them by spending Gems, which you can either get by doing certain conditions (such as leveling a character towards a certain level) or, just like EVERY other gacha game, by spending money.

Updates, as well as freebies like Gems, card sleeves, and what not, and events are frequent, so expect a lot coming from this game, especially if you are a die-hard Yu-Gi-Oh! afficionado.

There are a number of standard Duelists that appear in the area, all of which provide a decent amount of challenge as you progress throughout the game. Not to mention that they also give out useful goodies (such as cards, Keys, money) to aid you on your way.

Having trouble getting good cards? Well, if the Card Packs doesn't give you what you want, then you can go to the Card Trader instead. The Card Trader provides some useful cards that you probably won't find anywhere else, so take advantage of that opportunity. You will be needing some Stones and Gold to get those cards, though. By the way, you can get Stones through Card Conversion (the converted card will be lost in exchange for Gold and Stones based on the card type and rarity of the converted card) which is basically essential if you don't want tons of card copies you don't even want in the first place.

What are the flaws that I found in this game?
Well, first of all, the progression system is a bit arbitrary, especially in later levels. Keep in mind that in order to pass a 'Stage', you need to do several quests, such as summoning a certain number of monsters or using a set amount of Spell and/or Trap Cards during a duel. There will be other instances that you are required to use a VEEERY specific card in order for you to progress.

DISCLAIMER: I haven't encountered some of the more 'specific' Stage Quests before, but this is to inform you that the Quests can get tedious.

As I have mentioned, fighting Legendary Duelists requires Gate Keys which you can get from fighting regular Duelists. Sadly, getting these keys are becoming much of a chore as time goes by.

Another complaint that I have are the card packs! Yes, THE.CARD.PACKS! Oh yes, those things. There are certain times that these card packs will disappear from the rotation, which is sad for new players who are just new to the game and unable to get the cards they want from said card packs. The game claims that they will come back at some point in time, but come on! That's just criminal.

In-game events have varying degrees of... usefulness, for a lack of a better term for it. Some of them are exciting (like the Duelist Kingdom and KC Cup) while others are just darn lazy (like the Yugi Muto event). To make matters worse, some Legendary Duelists can only be unlocked through these methods, which is sad for those players who haven't played the game during its early days.

If there is a feature in Duel Links that you want to be included in the future, what would it be?
I say the addition of Synchro Summons, Xyz Summons, and Pendulum Summons are highly appreciated. Although, I just want to see the Pendulum Summons out of curiosity.

Do you recommend this game?
Yes... if you are a fan of the old Yu-Gi-Oh! games. People who grew up with any series beyond Duel Monsters will feel robbed here, however.

Overall Rating: 7.7/10
As what you have expected from a card game; deep, meaningful Deck customization and great challenges. However, this is one of those few games that you really need to invest upon to fully maximize your enjoyment... and if you are not that guy, then you might as well play something else.

--END OF REVIEW--

Reaction to the Brave Exvius x Ariana Grande Collaboration

DISCLAIMER: By the time of writing this, I am pretty sure that the Ariana Grande event is almost over, and I don't think that there really is any more need for us to punch around on this topic any further. Nevertheless, I can't help but comment on the matter because I find a lot of players to be simply ridiculous... in a mean way, that is.

So, without any further ado, allow me to start.

January 19, 2017.

The day where Ariana Grande, multi-awarded singer and songwriter, makes her stunning debut in the world of Lapis. That's right! Square Enix and Gumi made a collaboration with this pop-star sensation in order to create an experience that her fans will never forget; her inclusion to Final Fantasy Brave Exvius.

This move by SE is very significant as the company has to pull in new players from time to time. Additionally, there are a LOT of Ariana Grande fans out there that will ended up being fascinated by the fact that she, an already popular person of all personalities, will be included in an already very popular game.

This is actually a nice move... that comes with a cost; the dissatisfaction of certain players in the community that is the Final Fantasy fan-base.

I have visited the official Facebook page of Brave Exvius, as well as the Brave Exvius Reddit page, and I saw that a lot of people are complaining and ridiculing the collaboration itself. Here are some examples of the complaints I have encountered in the forums;

"Ariana Grande is not even a Final Fantasy character! She doesn't deserve to be in the game or we'll quit in playing this stupid game."

"Stupid decision on Square Enix's end! Why bother making such a ridiculous decision?!"

"What the heck is this?! What kind of stupidity are you doing Square?! Only young girls will appeal to this piece of s***!!!"

"This is ridiculous! I've lost my respect to you because you make garbage such as this."

"We quit! Go f**k yourself Square! Arrrrggghhhble!!!"

And the list goes on, and on, and on... Seriously, just because that she isn't a Final Fantasy character to just be included in the game, doesn't mean it deserves to be bashed too much. In fact, many people hated this collaboration just because they wanted to, and that's pretty unreasonable. To add insult to injury, people who despised the event and still want to play the game regardless go on to great lengths of getting rid of their Ariana units (e.g. such as fusing said unit to a "weak" unit) the moment they get her.

First of all, as what I have mentioned, this is to cater new players and to attract Ariana Grande fans in playing the game. This means that old players are not "a priority" at the moment, and I am not saying this out of neglect.

Just try to understand that Square Enix needs to get more people to play the game from time to time. This is not just to accommodate new players, but this is to ensure that the developers will be able to deliver fresh new experiences to the game in the unforeseen future; which kinda makes it a win-win deal for me.

Another complaint that I have seen so far is the sprite used for her in-game appearance. Many players think that the unit reminds them of some hooker in a bar or something, but that's not actually the case. The sprite art was accurately based on the costume she wore in the "Dangerous Woman" music video, which kinda fits her "dangerous" appeal in the game. Also, if you are going to make something familiar for fans to enjoy, then I say take everything that you can and make the most of it.

And since the song Dangerous Woman is very popular, well, I really see no reason to object, despite my displeasure...

Also, you gotta take credit for her being one of the few people to be featured in a video game that is not a politician. Besides, how come most people don't complain when their hated politician was included in a game but when some pop sensation that everybody gives a crap on about added to a game everybody joins in the flaming?! Isn't that a bit hypocritical? Such a treatment is a bit unfair.

While I don't really like her music in the long run, I must say that the music that she lend her voice for during the Dangerous Woman Tour quest grabs my attention at the very least.

In short, don't be jerks.

It's her moment. Let her have it. I mean, we do post the pics of the awesome units that you get, and it has that 'awesome' feeling of being... you know, awesome!

Instead, let's just celebrate that Square Enix have even bothered to continue in showering us with Global-exclusive contents. And if you don't like it, just clam up. You are not making the community any better with that kind of attitude.

Anyways, that's all I can say about this issue. Again, this does not mean that I like Ariana Grande or anything of the sort, but please, if you have something that you don't want, say it in a manner that people will understand rather than getting offended and call you 'fools' for it.

Enjoy the world of Lapis and have a nice day! :)

Character Ideas for Phantom of the Kill - Part 5

Well, I can't help but be fascinated by Phantom of the Kill once more, now that Tyrfing enters the Global Version of the game. I must say that despite that the Global Version is lagging far behind the Japanese Version in terms of playable units and story, there are a ton of goodies that we English-speaking players get nonetheless.

This, however, ignites my imagination once again to create another set of character ideas for Phantom of the Kill. This time, the characters from Final Fantasy Brave Exvius.

For the uninitiated, Brave Exvius was released on June 29, 2016 and a year before in Japan. The game is said to be inspired from another Alim game, Brave Frontier, using the game mechanics of the latter as the driving force in creating Brave Exvius. It has been downloaded more than 5 million times and it has become one of the most successful Final Fantasy mobile titles to date.

The format is same as before:
1. Potential background (based on gender) and Element
2. Weapon Type
3. Preferred Trait
4. How many stars does this unit evolve into?
5. Duel Skill
6. Leader Skill

1. Lasswell (M)

Element: Ice

Potential Background: A young knight hailing from the world of Lapis, serving as a knight of a kingdom known as the Grandshelt Empire. Serious and steadfast, Lasswell never wavers in fulfilling his sworn duty. Upon entering this world, he receives Killium from Purple Lightning, a magical blade that serves as his remaining memento of his mentor, Sir Raegan. After being transported to Terra under mysterious circumstances, Lasswell cannot helped but be alarmed regarding his own predicament. However, after hearing the plight of Terra's people, he is then compelled to protect them as he reminded him of their own mission to save their world from imminent destruction...

Weapon Type: Sword

Preferred Trait: Dexterity, Force

Star Levels: This unit is an automatic 3-star unit, capable of evolving to a 5-star unit.

Duel Skill: Azure Sky - unleashes an instant critical strike against an enemy.

Leader Skill: Azure Blade's Mind - -5/-10/-15 damage taken by allies and Lasswell from all elements (except Thunder)


2. Rain (M)

Element: Fire

Potential Background: A young knight hailing from the world of Lapis, serving as a prestigious knight of the Grandshelt Empire. Strong, courageous, and a bit flirtatious, Rain has the charisma and guts while also having a strong sense of duty. Rain's Killium comes from a strange weapon component, similar to Laevateinn; the same sword that once burned the entire world into ruins. Together with Lasswell, Rain was transported to Terra under mysterious circumstances. Despite their "suspicious" looks, the Ragnarok Institute became interested in both of them; in terms of their fighting abilities and pleasing personalities. Rain, being a flirt and all, tries his best to sway the Killer Princesses in going out with him and describes them as "roses over a bed of thorns". However, his attempts are futile as Lasswell will pull him away from them before he mutters a word or two.

Weapon Type: Sword

Preferred Trait: Dexterity, Guard, Balanced

Star Levels: This unit is an automatic 3-star unit, which can be evolved into a 5-star unit.

Duel Skill: Shining Nova - deals a powerful Fire attack to an enemy. A very low chance of instantly killing an enemy.

Leader Skill: Crimson Knight's Will - +10/+12/+14 Critical Chance of all Fire units


3. Dark Fina (F)


Element: Dark

Potential Background: A mysterious woman who aids Rain and Lasswell at some point during their travels throughout Lapis. It is said to be the true embodiment of a young maiden who managed to unearth her memories. Dark Fina's Killium comes from Empress' Birch, a mysterious whip that is enveloped by a malevolent force. Oddly enough, however, it was transformed into a staff upon her arrival to Terra. Little is known about her intentions upon arriving at Terra, but whenever she encounters Rain and Lasswell, she can't help but feel at ease. Despite her seductive appearance, she has a sharp tongue; catching any flirts off guard with both her speech... and magical prowess.

Weapon Type: Staff

Preferred Trait: Magic, Dexterity, Guard

Star Levels: An automatic 4-star unit, which can be evolved into a 5-star unit.

Duel Skill: Chaotic Touch - unleashes a barrage of dark magic; dealing 5 full hits to an enemy! Deals fixed 20 damage each hit instead in Coliseum battles.

Leader Skill: Dark Witch's Beauty - x1.2/x1.3 PAtk, Mag, and Lck to all Dark allies on whole stage


And yeah, that's all I can think of right now. If you ever felt that a Brave Exvius character deserves a chance to come out in Phantom of the Kill, feel free to comment and to share your thoughts.

P.S. The pictures used in this blog does not belong to me. They belong to Square Enix.

P.S.S Also, I find it weird that Dark Fina's footwear in game is red, while in her official artwork it is colored black. xD