Otakon 2011: Touhou Panel Report

Let me be blunt: I am a massive fan of the Touhou series of vertical-scrolling shoot-em-up games, and all the fan-works that surround it. It would take an entire another article to explain the sheer breadth of the phenomenon — for a primer/overview check out the piece I wrote for Evan Krell’s “Ancient Technology is Always Superior“ Magazine.

Being a giant fan I jumped at the chance to attend a panel that explored the series, and as the program guide pegged the panel as being “accessible no matter what your familiarity with Touhou”, I dragged my friend Gerry along with me to see how the panel would be for someone who knew next-to-nothing about the franchise. So how did we fare, the utter newbie and the jaded fan?

First, a logistical item: The panel was originally scheduled for 9AM Friday, but when Friday rolled around the panel vanished from the Otakon Guidebook app and moved to 2:30PM Sunday due to panelist availability. It’s great that staff were able to move the panel instead of canceling it outright, although this led to the new, smaller panel room being packed out.

The panel was headed up by five separate hosts, and was sadly a victim of the “too many cooks spoil the broth” adage as the panelists would often stumble during transitions from one part of the panel to another, asking each other what came next in the program. A lack of tight forward planning was made apparent around 20 minutes into the panel when an impromptu Q&A was called with the inviting phrase “Just ask something, to fill time”.

The actual content presented in the panel was well chosen, if marred by one instance of bad judgment. This included both the original Touhou games and some of the more famous fan-made games that use the series as a basis, all of which worked flawlessly on the projector screens. Seeing an average player, a rank newbie, and then a frighteningly skilled player each play one of the games in turn was a good idea and entertaining for everyone in the room. Commentary on the games shown while in progress was insightful, but demanded some familiarity with the franchise to understand. More basic background information on the games and aspects of fandom would have been helpful to make the subject more approachable for total newbies. In particular a greater mention of the Touhou music scene would have been very welcome, as this was relegated to a few offhand mentions.

The one instance of critically bad judgment came halfway through when one of the panelists showed an example of the many fan made doujins the series has spawned. This particular example was called “Miss Yukari, Please put on some clothes!” and was primarily about a small subset of characters getting buck naked and having mundane adventures while strategically placed word bubbles and sound effects covered their naughty bits. Frankly, this was a terrible choice of material to present and soured me on the panel. If you have to yell “It’s safe for work!” at a bemused crowd then something has gone very wrong.

The Q&A session at the end of the panel was surprisingly insightful — half of the questions asked were memes that were quickly dispatched by the panelists and the other half were very pertinent comments such as how to legally purchase Touhou goods, and the best starting point if you are interested in playing the games themselves.

At the end of the day, the panel was a success as it did persuade my friend Gerry to try out one of the games in the series. One thing that could be improved in future instances of the panel would be to provide a more comprehensive initial introduction to introduce the franchise and its self-contained world to people. Another aspect that would certainly help would be a stronger connecting narrative to guide the viewer from one item to another.

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Click here for more of our Otakon 2011 coverage

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Review: Silent Hill – Homecoming (360)

Genre: Survival horror
Designers: Jason Allen (Lead Designer), Jeremy Lee (Producer)
Developer: Double Helix Games
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PS3, Windows, Xbox 360
Release Dates: Sep. 30, 2008 (US/CA), Feb. 27, 2009 (EU), May 12, 2009 (AU)
ESRB Rating: M for Mature

Silent Hill: Homecoming proves that a game series can still remain scary and true to itself while changing elements that define it. Homecoming follows a man named Alex Shepherd whose family was one of the four founding families of Shepherd’s Glen, a town located across Toluca Lake from Silent Hill. Waking from a dream in which he sees his younger brother running away while exploring a hellish hospital, Alex returns to Shepherd’s Glen in order to find his missing brother. Things are worse than he first imagined, though, as his mother is catatonic, his mentally abusive father has abandoned the family, and a childhood friend reports that more people go missing every day. As he continues chasing after his brother, talking to several of the city’s prominent leaders in the process, he travels through Shepherd’s Glen and Silent Hill, discovering the truth to Josh’s disappearance and the secret history of his family’s heritage.

The storyline itself is very interesting, and the symbolism involved is rather profound. Taking its enemies into the darker corners of Alex’s past, the creators at Konami have once again hinted towards the truth through bosses, enemies, and sceneries, mixing symbolism with the background to the game. Enemies, which range from nurses to underwater lurkers to creatures which walk on needles, are all scary but rather easy to kill given the right weapon. It takes very little practice to master the game’s combat system, yet fighting on the whole is somewhat clunky. Alex receives a variety of weapons throughout the game, and it is explained that he can handle most without training due to his background in the military. Therefore, Alex easily wields weapons such as knives, pipes, and even guns, but the game does a somewhat poor job of making combat as seamless as possible. Guns tend to lag when fired, and enemies will freeze for split seconds when shot. It is much more efficient and satisfying to play the game without guns at all, but when the time calls for some heavy firepower, players will be met with a bit of lag.

The sights and sounds in Homecoming are highly impressive. The graphics appear to be taken out of an old photoshoot, as there is always a bit of fading in the details of scenery and characters, particularly in the hellish versions of Silent Hill and Shepherd’s Glen. Rather than taking away from the experience, this touch makes the events that are happening truly seem otherworldly. Overall, graphics are very bleak and gray while nightmarish and dark in the hell counterparts, making for a beautifully disturbing game. Lighting is once again a crucial factor, as enemies are attracted to Alex’s flashlight as well as light from objects such as televisions. However, on default mode, the game is almost too dark, to the point that players will have to turn the brightness level up just to see what they are doing. It is nice when things are dark and scary, but there is a point when players just have to be aware of their surroundings. The sounds of the game are just as good as the graphics, and voice acting is also well done. The only flaw is that dialogue is spoken very softly, making it difficult for players to hear at times. Subtitles help immensely, but surprisingly subtitles oftentimes do not align with what characters are saying. A word or two is off or the timing is wrong, making it difficult to follow along if players are relying solely on subtitles (which they should not have to do). However, the soundtrack to the game is phenomenal, and Akira Yamaoka has once again made magic with gruesome sounds and terrifying noises.

The game features a lot of exploration, and maps are, as they are in all Silent Hill games, extremely helpful. Traveling in the game can get pretty tedious, though, as players will backtrack through multiple areas numerous times in order to gain new items, talk to different people, or simply retrace their steps. Save points are scattered haphazardly around the worlds of Silent Hill and Shepherd’s Glen as well, making it hard to gauge when the next save point will be. Some save points come within five minutes of each other; others may take up to an hour to find. Furthermore, Homecoming’s puzzles can be a bit tiresome, including several tablet puzzles where players need to move pieces on a board in just the right way to proceed. These are frustrating, in that when a player gets stuck, they must exit and return in order to reset the puzzle, if it resets at all. With the lack of save points in certain areas, this can make for some disgruntled players. There are plenty of hidden items to find during Alex’s travels, including photos taken of the various Shepherd’s Glen citizens, drawings left behind by Josh to be used as clues, and powerful weapons. Obtaining these items can be tricky at times, but the rewards are relatively good. Not only are there achievements to be unlocked, but they add a layer to the overarching story that makes it worthwhile to explore. With so many items to find, the inventory system is laid out somewhat nicely, yet it stops overall gameplay and can be tricky to maneuver when in the middle of combat, as players must choose from a wheel what items they wish to use.

Silent Hill: Homecoming has its flaws, but compared to the entire game, they’re actually relatively minor. The game itself is a great, in-depth story that is both horrific and inspiring. With five available endings for players, along with many unlockable items including outfits and weapons, there are plenty of reasons to replay this game. Achievements are relatively easy to get, as it only takes two or three playthroughs to unlock them all, but with such a good storyline, players will want to play it to relive the experience instead of just obtaining points.

[Highly Recommended]

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This review is based on a retail copy of the Xbox 360 version, purchased by the reviewer.

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Review: Tales of Vesperia (360)

Genres: Adventure, Role-playing game
Designers: Kiyoshi Nagai and Eiji Kikuchi (General Directors), Takashi Hasegawa (Project Leader)
Developer: Namco Tales Studio
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360
Release Dates: Aug. 7, 2008 (X360 JP), Aug. 26, 2008 (NA), Jun. 26, 2009 (EU), Sep. 17, 2009 (PS3 JP)
ESRB Rating: T for Teen

Tales of Vesperia is an impressive, original JRPG that follows a sarcastic yet compassionate 21-year-old named Yuri Lowell. The game begins with players watching Imperial Guards fighting rabid animals, followed by the beginnings of a secret plot in the Imperial capital Zaphias. The opening then turns to the Lower Quarter, a poor section of Zaphias whose inhabitants are tormented by the Imperial Guards, where an aque blastia (magical machine to create clean drinking water) has been stolen and is causing chaos. Yuri attempts to retrieve it only to be captured by one of the Commanders of the Imperial Knights, the leading organization that protects the Empire, and he is thrown into jail. Through making his escape, he runs into a noble named Estellise who is trying to run away for her own personal reasons. A very naïve and sensitive girl, Estellise becomes very crucial to the storyline, as the story progresses to become a power struggle over the blastia technology between the Empire, the Guilds, and all who inhabit the planet.

The plot is very original and highly in-depth. The main protagonists stray away from general archetypes, and the voice acting adds a layer of realism and depth to their characters. Special dialogue options triggered with the Select button reveal small discussions between certain characters which brings to life their daily thoughts and feelings. While this may seem a bit useless at first, it does add a new dimension to the plot, revealing the character’s thoughts and feelings in a way without overloading players with cut scenes. These dialogues are shown through boxes revealing the characters involved, and the presentation may appear a little out-dated to some players. Many of their actions reflect the hard decisions between right and wrong, values over necessity, and the storyline forces players to reflect on their own morals, asking themselves what they would have done in such a scenario. There are just as many scenes of laughter as there are of remorse and sadness, and Namco Bandai does a god job of keeping it from becoming childish and cliché while still driving a point home. In the end, unlike most RPGs where the group simply goes their own way to save an unsuspecting population, the protagonists work together with world leaders in order to accomplish a common goal. For such an unrealistic plot, the game’s realistic problems faced, both with individuals and in society, grab players in an astounding way.

Like any JRPG, the game is not just about the main plot; side quests are a must, and in a game that spans 60+ hours, there are certainly some side quests to be accomplished. There are a good number of things to do, such as puzzles, extra exploration, and special monsters to defeat, but the game does very little to present such events. The side quests offer a good amount of extra items, money, and, surprisingly enough, plot, meaning that parts of the main storyline are solved by looking for a side quest players would never have known about. With so many extra cut scenes and information available, it would have been nice if such events were given a bit more advertisement. Instead, they are hidden away and must be followed in a specific order, creating confusion and a bit of frustration for players.

The sights and sounds of the game are very well done. The graphics are very bright, and while Namco Bandai strays away from making the game look realistic, the looks of the game are very sharp and clean. Environments are nicely done, and the music played in each area evokes a certain ethos that contributes to the environment. With four large continents and many smaller areas to explore, the variety of music and atmosphere is refreshing.

Tales of Vesperia utilizes a very efficient system of combat. You initiate battles by running into stationary enemies and are transported to a circular area of combat, where you can use 3-D movement to jump, run, and attack enemies. You can choose to set the battle system to manual, where you control everything, semi-automatic, in which the computer sometimes determines attacks or motions, or automatic, where the computer fights the battles for you. Added to this are a large number of attacks, spells, and items available during combat, which includes moves called ‘Artes’ that utilize Technical Points, or TP. The camera is a bit annoying sometimes during battle, particularly when using 3-D movement, but overall it follows the characters well. At the end of each battle the game lists several properties of the fight, including experience, money, and Grade earned. Some of these properties do not make sense until much later in the game, particularly Grade, which is used at the end of each run to purchase abilities to be used in the next playthrough.

A very large part of the game is synthesizing materials, and Namco Bandai made the system both fun and innovative for players. Each character can be equipped with specific weapons and armor, and by visiting stores around the world, players can enhance older weapons or create entirely new ones, allowing characters to learn new abilities. Accessories to outfits can also be synthesized, which adds a bit of humor to cut scenes. One in particular gives Yuri Lowell a large moustache and old-school pipe, which is hilarious to see when he is arguing with the Commander of the Imperial Knights. Added to this are Titles characters can earn, which sometimes changes a character’s attire, and players can make some pretty interesting outfits. Synthesizing occurs throughout the game, and while it may seem overwhelming at first, the fundamentals are easy to understand, and players quickly learn how to master the system.

All in all, the game is a classic JRPG that features unique content to keep players interested. Despite its length, the game stays fresh the entire way through, and the plot offers enough twists and turns to satisfy even the most die-hard RPG fan. Multiple run-throughs for such a long game may seem tedious, but the rewards are great, and it takes more than one run to truly appreciate the plot of Tales of Vesperia.

[Highly Recommended]

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This review is based on a retail copy of the Xbox 360 version, purchased by the reviewer.

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Revenge of the iPad Video Game Review Round-Up

Have an iPad? Want to play games on it? Don't want to throw your money around the app store like a madman in search of a decent purchase? You've come to the right place, my good friend! Pull up a chair and I'll give you some more rapid-fire reviews of iPad games!

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iPowa

($0.99 – US App Store link – UK link)

iPowa was released with zero fanfare onto the App Store, and I picked it up day one on a whim. It’s an endearing little puzzle game where you flick a tiny penguin around the screen to collect stars, using bubbles that act as launch pads and various randomly placed power ups to keep from falling off the bottom of the screen and ending the game. There is no overacting structure or plot line, just a fun little time waster with a global scoreboard and infinite replayability due to its randomly generated levels. iPowa has given me hours of enjoyment playing it on the bus, and the low price even includes an iPhone port in case you own one of those as well.

[Recommended]

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War of Eustrath

($5.99 – US App Store link – UK link)

War of Eustrath is a turn-based strategy RPG which very closely follows the mold of Super Robot Wars and Fire Emblem. You control a small number of very powerful but specialized mechs and get thrown into pitched battles against hordes of other mechs as ... you do something or other. I have to admit that while the world is well realized, the plotline is instantly forgettable and I often found myself skipping past the character conversations between battles. This is not entirely the fault of the plot itself — in fact it is quite interesting — but it is horribly copyedited and reads like a Google-Translated version of the original script. Putting this aside, the combat itself is very enjoyable and well balanced except for a few brutal encounters that you will have to throw yourself at over and over again to get past. There is a robust leveling and customization system, as well as multiple plot paths and endings that depend on your choices and how well you play. A rather pricey offering, this game is still well worth a look if you are a fan of strategy games. You may want to wait for an update if you can’t stomach Engrish, though.

NOTE: Since this review was originally written a major patch has been released that corrects many of the problems with the script. The story is still inconsequential, but at least now it is in legible English!

[Recommended]

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Dominion HD

($4.99 – US App Store link – UK link)

Remember the first iPad game article, where I reviewed Strategery, a game much like Risk but not quite? Well, Dominion is a straight-up clone of the modern rule set of Risk with a cleaned up visual aesthetic. If you have ever played the wonderful nuke-em-up game Defcon you will recognize the clean, faintly glowing look instantly. The AI is a bit dense and so the single-player mode is best used as an extended tutorial beyond the basic one provided, or as an exhibition mode to view the different maps provided. Multiplayer is where the meat of the game lies, especially at the time of writing as the game has a dedicated player base viewable via the game browser. There is one glaring oversight however — if, on the first time you start the app, you turn off Push notifications, you are unable to enable them later on. Due to this I now have an abysmal online record as I have no idea when I am supposed to take turns in the games I have signed up to. One upside is that the game is updated frequently with new maps and other goodies, something that looks likely to continue in the future, even if the additions are nothing earth-shattering.

[Passable]

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Warpgate HD

($7.99 – US App Store link – UK link)

This is going to date me, but this game is an awful lot like the old spacefaring game Elite. You are given a spaceship, dumped into an open map, and it's up to you to trade, shoot and mine yourself to the top of a dog-eat-dog galaxy. Sadly, Warpgate does not quite live up to the comparison, as the whole thing feels disappointingly sterile. Even in hostile areas where the locals want your head on a space-pike, things feel very empty and inconsequential. The tutorial plot chain drags out endlessly, both by screen after screen of empty dialog and by the clunky menus and interface. Combat feels almost random and it is hard to intuit if you are succeeding or not, or even if strategy would help more than simple button mashing. All of this is a shame as behind all these clunky elements is a well-constructed core with an interesting universe to explore. Sadly it is slathered in a thick layer of gloop that makes the game unpleasant to play, even excepting the frequent crashes. I would still recommend trying the Lite version if space exploration is your cup of tea, after all inscrutable interfaces are almost a point of pride for the genre at this point. In all seriousness, you may find yourself in love with it and able to overlook the flaws in favor of the depth of experience on offer here.

[Bad]

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Tweet Defense HD

($7.99 – US App Store link – UK link)

I must admit that I am rather fed up with tower defense games, and unless they do something exciting I tend to tire of them quickly. Tweet Defense’s gimmick is that it links to your Twitter account and changes gameplay variables based upon the status of your account. In particular there is a "booster" function where you get a large buff for following a particular account each day. An important thing to note here is that one of the driving forces behind the game is a marketing firm and so this particular game mechanic feels rather invasive and unsettling. But never mind all this, how does the game play?

Well, poorly. First off, the game is bloody ugly. The general design is not very pleasing to the eye and without a spark of originality. The game plays out at a painfully slow pace and it is worth noting that it is a great deal harder if you eschew the Twitter account linking, making this slightly unsavory feature a must to actually play the game. I was honestly hoping for a more inventive use of the Twitter association, such as having enemies or towers procedurally generated by incoming tweets.

I only downloaded this game because it was free for a day, and even for free it feels like a waste of time. The original price of $8 sounds like daylight robbery. Avoid.

[Terrible]

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Uzu

($1.99 – US App Store link – UK link)

This is a bit of a cheat, really. Uzu is not a game, but an experience. It calls itself a "kinetic multi-touch particle simulator" and that's exactly what it is. You tap the screen with one or more fingers and a sea of multicolor particles whirl around the screen in various patterns and motions much like an interactive music visualizer. The effect is amazingly entertaining, and heightened by listening to good music at the same time. I have lost an hour of my life so far playing with the app while utterly enraptured by it. Plus, it's a dollar. I've paid much more than that before for less entertainment, like when I saw Transformers 2 in the cinema. Get this now, and amaze your friends with it.

[Highly Recommended]

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We Rule

(Free – US App Store link – UK link)

I have a theory as to why this game exists. It goes like this: Developers NGMoco took one look at Farmville and the other Facebook free-to-play micro-transaction games and said, "hey we should get in on that too!" The result is a rather daft-looking clone which is more abrupt at demanding you pay money for features and blackmailing your friends into signing up as well, cutting short the tutorial into what could have been an interesting fantasy kingdom sim. The game has an irritating tendency to crash, and this coupled with an utter lack of charm and the horrendous loading times meant that I found it hard to be bothered with playing after my second session was abruptly ended. If you must play a time-sink game, you would be better off playing a more established and well-known example.

[Terrible]

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Ani-Gamers Podcast #035 – Trying To Keep This Short (Lies)

Hosts: Evan "Vampt Vo" Minto, Bradley C. Meek, Ink
Topics: Reading E-mails, What'cha Been Doing?

Been fighting back withdrawal symptoms due to the lack of Ani-Gamers Podcasts of late? Well we're back to help you out, now that my crazy semester is finally over. Will we continue to put out episodes in any timely fashion? We sure hope so! Anyway, this episode features Ink as a co-host once again, but it also features Bradley C. Meek, who's been trying to get on this podcast for months. (We were happy to have him, but I had to find time to record!)

Next episode, Bradley, Ink, and I will be discussing the Spice & Wolf anime. That should be up within the next week or two.

Check out show notes and links after the break.

DIRECT DOWNLOAD - RSS Feed - iTunes - Send us Feedback! - More episodes


(Runtime: 1 hour, 17 minutes)

[00:00] Welcome back to the podcast, everyone!

[00:12] Opening Song: "Anime" by Soulja Boy

[00:30] Introductions!

[01:03] We read an e-mail from Nick Korn (from Oleetku Studios) regarding Ani-Gamers Podcast #032 – The Art of Active Viewing (ANext2010).

[10:23] Bradley has been playing Portal 2 (which Evan hasn't been playing, so we don't spoil it), Heroes of Newearth, Minecraft, Heroes of Might & Magic, Half-Life 2, and more.

[11:55] Bradley is playing the Diablo clone Din's Curse.

[17:23] Evan's been reading Otaku: Japan's Database Animals by Hiroki Azuma.

[27:47] Ink is planning on reading Getting Wet: Adventures in the Japanese Bath by Eric Talmadge (recommended by Kathryn Hemmann).

[29:18] Ink is also playing Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands.

[36:27] Evan passes the ball to Bradley, who has been watching the Spring 2011 anime season. Ink's been watching some of the shows as well, while Evan isn't watching any of them. SAD FACE.

[37:57] Ano Hi Mita Hana no Namae o Boku-tachi wa Mada Shiranai (Tatsuyuki Nagai, A-1 Pictures)

[42:07] Blue Exorcist (Tensai Okamura, A-1 Pictures)

[44:25] [C] The Money and Soul of Possibility Control (Kenji Nakamura, Tatsunoko Production)

[47:10] Deadman Wonderland (Koichi Hatsumi, Manglobe)

[52:14] Denpa Onna to Seishun Otoko (Akiyuki Shinbo, SHAFT)

[54:59] Hanasaku Iroha (Masahiro Ando, P.A. Works)

[59:39] Dog Days (Keizou Kusakawa, Seven Arcs)

[1:02:17] Dororon Enma-kun Meeramera (Yoshitomo Yonetani, Brains Base)

[1:04:38] Kaiji Season 2 (Yuzo Sato, Madhouse)

[1:05:27] Nichijou (Tatsuya Ishihara, Kyoto Animation)

[1:09:54] Tiger & Bunny (Keiichi Satou, Sunrise)

[1:12:39] Toriko (Akifumi Zako, Toei)

[1:14:11] And after an exhausting rundown of the Spring 2011 anime season, we're done! Check out everybody's Twitters (Ani-Gamers, Evan, Bradley, and Ink), review us on iTunes, send us an e-mail, and leave us comments! All that good stuff.

[1:16:25] Ending Song: "Anime" by Soulja Boy

[1:16:45] Garfield Minus Garfield.

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Con Report: Castle Point Anime Convention 2011 @ Stevens Institute

April 10, 2011
Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ, USA

Ed. Note: My bad! Here's the (very late) Castle Point report — the lateness is all my fault, not Ink's!

Castle Point Anime Convention (CPAC) at the Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken was the first anime con I ever attended in my home-state of good ol’ Nieu Joisy (and perhaps the second con I ever went to outside of my first Otakon). It was also where I first met Evan Minto of Ani-Gamers fame, who launched me into this high-profile world of aniblogging. While it remains a small, one-day con, the 2011 incarnation of CPAC has experienced very clear growth as seen via its inter-building pathway traffic and increased panel attendance.

This year promised a decent selection of panels, which I generally look forward to most at any con. Spread out between 3 rooms, there was always some title of interest with which to whittle away the span of the con via one- to two-hour sessions. Immediately, however, the first panel I was looking forward to, “Otaku on a Budget,” was cancelled. CPAC staff was on the proverbial ball and made sure audiences didn’t wait around in false hope, but this event ended up foreshadowing my overall panel experience.


The substitute first panel – “Lost in Adaptation,” which addressed inter-medium inadequacies – was lacking in anime examples and focused instead on video games. This was fine given the inclusive nature of anime cons as well as the highly transitory nature of the videogame medium, but the proverbial straw that broke the panel’s back was that the host called Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within a GOOD movie ... not to mention his unreasonable assertion of its claim to the “first occurrence of a space marine.” While he tried to tackle differences of various examples with humor, redundancy made of his pre-programmed wit little more than an annoying and stuttered rant.

“Otaku Culture 101,” the second panel I attended, was definitely not what I was expecting but in a very good way. It focused on the Tohou and Vocaloid aspects of Otakudom, things with which I was and still am not very familiar. I left early, however, as watching the panelist play video games and video game videos, without relevantly linking together cultural poignancies, seemed ... well, pointless. As explained to me later, the panelist did manage to tie together some relevancies at the end.

The unexpected pinnacle of my panel-going experience was the arbitrary attendance of the most academic-sounding offering on the schedule: “Asian Ball-Jointed Dolls as Visual Culture.” Despite the panelist’s seemingly creepy and frequent doll caressing, there were offered up multiple vantages on and aspects of the appreciation of said hobby as well as a rather adept examination of external media bias towards it (review/summary forthcoming).

Trying to end the panel experience on a happy note, I attended “Jawdropping Moments in Anime.” Two words: editing needed. Even if you forgive the showing of the entire Naruto Sports Festival episode, the subsequently selected clips could’ve been shortened with no adverse effect to the intended shocking/humorous situations, which were, to the panelist’s credit, decently chosen from fairly mainstream series. The only thing that made my experience lackluster, however, was that I saw this clip-show last year and, aside from a couple of new inclusions from anime I’ve already seen, everything was regurgitated and consequently seemed neither shocking nor worth more than an inconsequential chuckle of acknowledgement.

On the whole, CPAC staff and organization were superb. Room schedule postings and amendments were clear, and there were people at every turn to help attendees get wherever it was they were going. The space allotted for the combined Dealer’s Room and Artist’s Alley, moved from one gym to another on the evidently athletically oriented Stevens campus, was more than spacious enough to accommodate the traffic without necessitating the insult of the staggered wait lines of yesteryear. Also, tabletop and electronic gaming rooms offered a decent selection given their respective allotted areas, and video rooms were offering an eclectic mix of accessible anime. Additionally, I have to say that my inner-otaku regrets not having my picture taken with a maid at the newly instituted Tenshi No Ai Maid Café! or attending Cosplay Chess, especially as this year saw a significant increase in cosplayers.

All-in-all, despite disappointing panels and my own event choices, CPAC, which attracted such voice talent as Michelle Knotz, Bill Rogers, and Mike Pollock, still managed to serve up a decent, otaku-themed Sunday getaway from the everyday. The experience would not have ended on such a copacetic note, however, if not for dinner and discussion with Alain (Hisui of the Reverse Thieves duo) at the Japanese restaurant, Robongi. That conversation seemed to fill in everything CPAC panels left out.  I think, for next year, problems with panels could be well on their way to being solved by listening to suggestions on the CPAC forum's Guest Wishlist thread and inviting Charles Dunbar as well as the aforementioned Reverse Thieves.

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Anime Boston 2011: Day 2 Diary

Day 2 of Anime Boston was just as hectic as the first, as I had scheduled myself for way more panels than I could actually get to. But despite frantically running around the con all day, I managed to sit down for a couple of really stand-out presentations.

"The Family That Geeks Together Keeps Together" was scheduled in a tiny little panel room and hosted by the Hoffmans (father Constantine, mother Jennifer, and son Greg), a family of geeks trying to spread the word on geeky parenthood and childhood at conventions. At times the panel boiled down to recommendations for getting parents into anime, but when the audience started discussing family dynamics and geekdom in depth, bouncing off of each other, it turned into a really enlightening panel.

I stopped in for a bit at Anime World Order's Gerald and Clarissa's "Tezuka 101," which was an appropriately introductory panel that followed much of the information provided in Helen McCarthy's excellent The Art of Osamu Tezuka: God of Manga. There wasn't really anything for an amateur Tezuka scholar like myself to learn, but it was quite in-depth for people new to the artist.

"It's a Rumic World," a presumably informative panel about Rumiko Takahashi, was basically just a fan-gushing session, not too appropriate for people trying to learn about the prolific manga artist. Soon after, I checked out "The State of the Industry," which featured ONLY Adam and Rojas from FUNimation. In fact, the Anime Boston-designated moderator never showed up, so Gia Manry (of Anime News Network) served as moderator for what ended up being a pregame FUNimation panel, albeit with more industry insight and less blatant marketing. (I recorded the whole thing, and may post it up.)

One of the highlights of my day was "Remembering Satoshi Kon," Daryl Surat's panel about the late director, which I served as co-panelist on. We packed the room, and after some tripping over each other's feet, we developed a pretty good rapport.

Sam Kusek and Eric Shorey ran a fantastic panel called "'What is Super-Flat': Where Anime fits in Post-Modern Culture," which was a very academic look at post-modernism with nods to Japanese artists like Murakami and anime like Paranoia Agent. I'm considering doing a write-up of the panel, as it brought up a lot of interesting ideas.

Gerald Rathkolb's "The Sane Fan's Guide to Mecha Anime" was a pretty thorough yet basic introduction to mecha, though he occasionally lapsed into more in-depth stuff before reeling it back. Proving his point that mecha fans can be totally obnoxious, some guys in Legend of the Galactic Heroes costumes ran into the room and screamed "Sig Zeon!" (a reference to original Gundam).

After grabbing a quick dinner, I headed over to the absurd clipshow that is Anime Hell, hosted by Mike Toole, Daryl Surat, and Mike Horne. It featured a lot of Daryl's clips from his Genericon presentation of "The Panel of Doom," so I had already seen a lot of it, and Daryl's laptop had a bunch of technical problems, but it was still a hilarious night.

And during a quick trip to the dealer's room, I managed to find some Kodansha Bilingual Comics Editions of volumes 1, 2, and 3 of business manga Section Chief Kosaku Shima, which I bought for $2 each at the Mugen Toys booth! Quite a find, apparently, though I didn't realize just how rare they were when I bought them.

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Anime Boston 2011: Day 1 Diary [EDIT 1]

NOTE: This post was written last night, but since my hotel room doesn't have Internet, I had to wait till the morning to post it!

As with most first days of anime cons, today has been a complete whirlwind. I woke up at 4:30am to catch an early bus with the RSFA so that we would be on the show floor at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston by noon. Everything basically went off without a hitch, but the early morning departure meant no chance for a real breakfast, and my hectic schedule made it hard to find time to grab anything.

Once I had myself sort of settled, I decided to check in on the "Tokyo 'Nonexistant Youth' Bill and How It Affects You" panel, which was unfortunately run by what looked like a very nervous college student (EDIT: I am told by commenters that he actually has a very bad stutter in general) and filled with flimsy equivalences between the new bill and perceived future censorship.

"Fanthropologies," a panel run by the indomitable Charles Dunbar and featuring Alex Leavitt and Jennifer Fu as guests, was ostensibly about the study of fandom, both in terms of anime and other media, but it quickly turned into a much more broad discussion about copyright and fan ethics. I'm considering writing a full post on it, as a lot of the ideas that they brought up were really very enlightening.

Right after that, I had to rush to my Greg Ayres interview, only to be held up by a string of staff confusions and rescheduling that resulted in at least 45 minutes of idle time. Nevertheless, once the valiant Press Relations guy Jamison got Greg into the room with me, we had a great interview, talking over his views on the current state of fansubs and the industry.

After a trip to the oddly empty Dealer's Room with Anime World Order's Daryl Surat, I headed to Experts of Fan Controversy, which looked like it was going to be a fiery debate between some of the smartest minds in the industry, moderated by panelist extraordinaire Alex Leavitt. Instead it ended up being a totally respectful, insightful discussion between the panelists (which included AnimeOnDVD's Chris Beveridge, Vertical's Ed Chavez, MIT's Jennifer Fuu, Anime World Order's Clarissa Graffeo, and Tezuka In English's Ada Palmer), punctuated by some funny moments and Alex's wacky scoring system. I recorded the panel in its entirety, so you might hear that in podcast form very soon.

Then... not much, con-wise. We had a sort of "State of the Manga Industry" dinner that ended up being more of an informal night at a local Indian restaurant, and I was denied entry (again) to Daryl's "Anime's Craziest Deaths" panel since it was already jam-packed. (I'll save my full-length misgivings about this situation for the con report.)

Finally, I ended up just bouncing around to a couple of video rooms, settling on Golgo 13 TV, where I met two teenage girls who were loving the show. I recommended they check out the 1983 movie, the OAV, and the manga (and pointed out that most of them are available in the Dealer's Room at the con). It was one of the stand-out moments of my day — they seemed so excited, filled with the kind of exploratory attitude that we need more of as a fandom. Plus, who would've thought that teenage girls would be enjoying Golgo 13 that much? The show is for Japanese salarymen!

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Con Report: Zenkaikon 2011 – Room to Grow In

March 18-20, 2011
Valley Forge Convention Center
King of Prussia, PA, USA

Zenkaikon, the follow-up to Zenkaikon 2009, escaped the previously exclusive and cramped confines of the Radisson Hotel in King of Prussia and took over the entire* Valley Forge Convention Center. The extra space, more than adequate to accommodate the 3,168 paying people who attended (not to mention guests, vendors, artists, staff, and press), was definitely worth the extra four-month wait caused by rescheduling that consequently eliminated the chance for a Zenkaikon 2010. Floor space allowed for generous registration and autograph queues; two Artist Alleys, the main one incorporated into the Dealer’s Room and a small hallway that bordered the upstairs panel rooms; and navigation that was fast and easy compared to last con’s experience of swimming through Con Funk-flavored JELL-O Pudding. The Dealer’s Room, also benefiting from increased breathing room, was capacious and easily navigable, while the sole Main Events room was capable of hosting a riotous crowd.


The abundance of space in the Main Events room, however, also seemed an overbearing presence at times with regards to some of the scheduled panels and acts. On Friday, the Ancient Greek-themed Opening Ceremonies at 1pm brought in a decent crowd, but one that only occupied 1/5 of the room; Uncle Yo’s standup around 5 pm almost filled the main section of the same space but saw sparsely populated wings; and Gelatine’s concert at 7 pm catered to roughly 17 people total (some of whom unfortunately and very noticeably left during the performance). Though I didn’t attend them, events such as the Sakura Cosplay Ball Dance, its after-party, the masquerade, as well as anything involving guests Vic Mignogna and Todd Haberkorn most likely saw much better attendance due to scheduling (at least).

Thankfully, the echoes of footsteps audible on Friday were stifled by Saturday’s deluge of congoers. The main parking lot was mostly full as of 10 am, registration lines snaked with eager attendees, and the aisles between rows of dealer tables bustled with patrons. Almost every panel I attended seemed to bring in a decent size audience that either almost or completely filled generously sized rooms. Some panels even turned people away due to being over capacity. Sadly, I left early on Sunday and did not get a chance to gauge attendance. I hope the trend continued; the last panel I saw, Charles “Anime Anthropologist” Dunbar’s Miyazaki presentation, was pretty full.


As with the previous Zenkaikon, events scheduling was a bit awkward. Some of the troubles could be pinned on the fact that other groups had reserved certain rooms in the convention center during the con and Zenkaikon had to work around such obstacles, but the programming coordination, set to 15 minute intervals, led to awkward overlaps that often forced attendees to decide whether to leave early or arrive late if seeing consecutive panels in separate rooms. With that said, room proximity and general utilization of the convention center’s layout made for effortless transitions between events.

There were myriad points of interest, enough to cause internal conflict within even the most focused con-goer. Regarding live music, NYC’s Gelatine put on a fun, energy-filled show – I regret not being able to see them for their second concert on Sunday, and Tokyo’s own Rose Noire gave their U.S. concert debut to the applause of many decked out in goth/lolita fashion. Of course there was no shortage of good panels. Some of my favorites included “Iron Artist,” “Feminism and the Ladies of Final Fantasy,” and Charles Dunbar’s Modern Mythology and Miyazaki sessions. Zenkaikon also hosted karaoke, electronic and tabletop gaming, as well as a con-long LARP (Live Action Role Play) event. All this was supplemented by video rooms showing a decent range of anime and live action series and movies.

Panels and guests weren’t the only focus of this heartfelt convention. Held just one week after Japan was subject to an earthquake as well as the resulting tsunami and nuclear plant crises, Zenkaikon put sympathy front and center. $3,750 in donations were collected throughout the venue, supplemented by some dealers and artists passing on all or a portion of their profits towards specific charities of their choice. Perhaps the most heartwarming sight was that none of said donation stations were ever empty, illustrating the love and concern shared by all attendees for the nation and people whose culture and art have given us so much.


Thanks to a very dedicated staff (I overheard members on many occasions offering to forsake breaks in order to help out wherever needed), Zenkaikon was efficiently run and easy to enjoy. The availability of a Press Ops room was also a welcome addition for productivity as well as actual and proverbial battery recharging, and the Scanticon Hotel’s bar certainly didn’t hurt either. At its current rate of expansion (there were 1,988 attendees in 2009), I have no doubt that Zenkaikon will fill those spacious rooms without any problem and for very good reasons. Looking forward to 2012!

* minus select rooms dedicated to other organizations**
**what other organizations? THERE IS ONLY ZENKAIKON!!!

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Zenkaikon 2011: Final Feminism - Evolution of Game and Mindset

Kathryn Hemmann, presenter of “Feminism and the Ladies of Final Fantasy,” is a graduate student in the East Asian Languages and Civilizations Department at the University of Pennsylvania. Self-described as being involved with the semi-professional study of literature and cinema, Hemmann was spurred into questioning the presence and presentation of feminist ideology in the Final Fantasy (FF) series by comments made on fan sites that lauded the fact that there was “finally” a feminist incarnation of the game (XIII).
Until those types of statements caught her attention, Hemmann operated under two assumptions: that female characters can kick ass and take names as well as the male characters, and that “while the female characters are very, very pretty, so too are the male characters.” She didn’t think FF characters were portrayed as misogynistic or contributed to the propagation of any sort of misogyny, nor did the characters seem sexist or subject to sexism. However, Hemmann’s panel, focusing on the evolution of FF from phallocentric to gender-neutral, shows just how far the series has come in terms of granting its male and female characters equal opportunities despite inherent and universal physiological differences ... you know, feminism.


Along with its belief that no one should be judged or discriminated against based on their sex/gender, feminism maintains that boys and girls are constantly subjected to sexist social messages throughout their development. Case in point: the hundreds of hours spent playing RPGs (Role Playing Games) such as FF. The more players let themselves get absorbed into the fantastical worlds presented in such games, the more those same players are subject to messages conveyed intentionally via the game’s plot as well as unintentionally by the characters’ designs, roles, and dialogue. This is why Hemmann believes it is important to have strong female characters, free from vilification, who can serve as equally strong role models to those at the controller. Her panel explores three characters who uniquely exemplify, though traits and their contrast with history, the evolution of feminism in FF: Rydia (IV), Aerith (VII), and Fran (XII).

To provide a sense of history against which feminist progress in FF can be argued, Hemmann pointed out that early incarnations of the game had male directors; were intended for male audiences; and, with the exception of X-2, XIII, and VI, made the player’s character and primary hero male. This phallocentrism propagated the dominance of the heterosexual male economy of desire, where men are sexual subjects and women are sexual objects (boy gets the sword, boy gets girl, not vice-versa). FF becomes less phallocentric with each successive installment starting with IV, which introduces an extensive cast of characters with unique personalities, capabilities, and back-stories.

One of said characters is Rydia, who is endowed with a strong back-story, is responsible for saving Cecil, and brings value to her party with summon spells and what is portrayed as lethal black magic. This combination of these traits makes her a strong playable character worthy of player investment. Hemmann points out, however, that Rydia is never more than a supporting character in terms of strength because of the game’s MP limitations and negative connotations dealing with magic (innate, female) vs. brute force (skilled, male). Rydia also falls short in being portrayed as three-dimensional due to her sexualized outfit and almost total lack of interiority, the combination of which makes her a blank slate onto which male players can project their desires concerning this mysterious femininity.


Another pivotal character in the evolution of feminism in FF is Aerith, whose booklet description comes dangerously close to forcing upon her the tropes that define a Mary Sue. This character can never be a true Sue, however, because she does not serve as writer or reader stand-in. That role is for Cloud Strife, who is set up to have Aerith as his love interest. Thus her characteristics don’t make her someone every player wants to “be,” but be “with.” As with Rydia, Aerith’s traits are designed to bolster the egos and libidos of male players. However, female players have claimed the same traits to be empowering because of the effect they had on the male protagonist.

In contrast to Aerith, stands Tifa: a woman who “kicks ass, runs her own bar, and has hundreds upon hundreds of lines of dialogue.” Hemman said she enjoyed looking up at Tifa despite the graphicness of looking up her skirt as she posed for her victory stretch at the end of every battle. As revealing as it is, Hemmann says, Tifa’s pose is not sexist but empowering in the eyes of female players. That female gaze brings an antidote to the objectifying gaze of males.

What character better emphasizes objectified desire than FFXII’s Fran, right? She's tall and beautiful, has bunny ears, and wears a skimpy outfit comprised of black leather bondage gear. But Hemmann makes the point that while Fran’s exotic character design seems to be drawn for pure male sexual viewing pleasure, the characterization is not sexual in any way and is instead meant to signify her standing within her race in the context of the game. Older and more mature than other characters, Fran is involved in a relationship to a male partner that is characterized as friendly yet professional. Fran comes pre-equipped with a bow, but can be made into a “dual-handed weapon-wielding tank of a melee fighter” if so desired as leveling up is determined by equipped items rather than gender.

Initially in Final Fantasy, female characters were nothing more than static supporting characters for the dynamic male heroes. As the series continued, women in these games developed personality, inner thought, and strength. No more were female characters defined by who loved them. Instead, appropriate and realistic motivations were derived from who they wanted to be and what they wanted to accomplish as based on intricate back-stories. While female empowerment has been slow, it has been steady. Evidence as keenly picked out and analyzed by Hemmann smartly illustrates subtle and blunt changes within the context of both game and ideology, identifying female gamers and their gaze as a controlling force in an ever-evolving world.

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Review: Final Fantasy XIII (360)

Genres: Action, RPG
Designer: Motomu Toriyama (director)
Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
Console: PS3, Xbox 360
Release Date: Dec. 17, 2009 (JP), Mar. 9, 2010 (NA/PAL), Dec. 16, 2010 (INT)
ESRB Rating: T for Teen

Final Fantasy XIII is perhaps the largest step the franchise has ever taken away from what it is known for. Moving to both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360, the story is a complex and original tale developed by the long-time RPG creators at Square Enix. The story follows six survivors of the Purge, a government movement meant to eradicate civilians who came in contact with a “Pulse Vestige.” Pulse and Cocoon, humanity’s home world, went to war hundreds of years ago, and many Cocoon residents fear Pulse’s return. The six survivors all gather at the Vestige, where they are turned by the residing fal’Cie, an entity beyond human comprehension, into Pulse l’Cie, feared servants of the fal’Cie. They are left with a vision of the destruction of their home planet and are sent to fulfill a mission they cannot understand. Players will follow all the characters, who split up and regroup at various points throughout the game.

The background to the game is crucial, and players may find themselves consulting the Datalog option in the main menu quite often for information. The Datalog contains updated information on the thirteen days that lead up to the events of the main characters’ l’Cie transformation, along with information on historical references, enemies, locations, fal’Cie, and more. The fact that the game forces players to read what should be spoken may frustrate some gamers, and with so many twists in the game, the goal may become confusing or even muddled underneath it all. Still, the main storyline packs a punch, and while it drags on throughout much of the beginning, once it picks up it doesn’t let go. At its core, it is an emotional tale of survival, and players will enjoy watching the characters transform over the course of the game.

The first thing nearly every gamer will recognize about the game is its phenomenal graphics. The characters and scenery are simply stunning, and the mixture of places visited, from thriving cities to mechanical waste dumps, are beautiful to behold. The soundtrack of the game is equally astounding, having a very dramatic musical theme. Voice acting is also quite good, though Vanille’s voice has received criticism from many gamers. Whenever she is attacked or upset, she groans and moans, and the T-rated game suddenly takes on a more mature edge. Teenagers should not feel embarrassed for playing the game, yet many boys will chuckle or snicker at Vanille’s rather obnoxious battle attacks and moans (it being so obvious that reviewers feel the need to comment on it).

With such beautiful landscapes, many gamers hoped to explore the world of Cocoon. However, Square Enix has severely limited the players’ ability to travel. Maps are about as linear as one can find; often players are literally going in a straight line from point A to point B with only a couple fights and items laid out before them. Out of a total of thirteen chapters, players will only be able to go back to Chapters 11 and 12 once they reach Chapter 13, meaning that most of the places players visit will be a one-time event. This is deeply disappointing, particularly because it creates a limit on side-quests, which are rarities within the game. For a series that usually makes side-quests fun and challenging undertakings, Final Fantasy XIII falls far short of this expectation. Most side-quests are only available in Chapters 11 and 12, and many are recommended only after beating the game.

The battle system is nothing like previous installments to the series. Up until much later in the game, the computer chooses who you will control and who will be in the party, forcing you to try out all characters at one point or another. Only one character in the party can be controlled as well. Furthermore, for the first several chapters, there is no leveling up. Once the main characters become l’Cie, they gain what is known as the Crystarium, a level-up system that is just as linear as the map system. There are three main roles each character is given depending on their unique abilities in battle, and each character levels up these roles in different orders. It is a basic system; characters gain experience from battles and use it to gain one crystal sphere at a time. Spheres range from abilities to accessory slots to generic stat improvements. Rather than liberating characters, the Crystarium feels very restrictive to players’ abilities, for it only expands, allowing for higher levels, at key points within the story. Therefore, players can only max out their characters to specific points before having to wait until an important boss later down the road before they continue training.

Given this restrictive setting, strategy is a much more important feature of the battle system. Battles are very fast-paced and require what are called Paradigm changes. Paradigms are different sets of roles that characters are assigned, and these roles can be shifted in the course of battle in order to use different strategies. These range from having all-out frontal assaults to defensive and medic sets, allowing for swift changes in strategy should something drastic happen (and it often does). Even Eidolons, which are brought back in a new way, follow this emphasis on strategy rather than brute force. Each character receives a specific Eidolon at crucial points throughout the game. In order to receive it, however, players must fight the Eidolon and fill a bar by using various techniques, some of which include not attacking at all. Eidolons also cast Doom, turning battles into a race against the clock. Once obtained, they do very little damage overall, and while they can change into various forms throughout battles, it feels as though Eidolons are around to show off more than to do damage. This emphasis on strategy rather than statistics falls in line with the simplistic level-up system, but it can make for some very frustrating experiences, particularly with bosses.

Final Fantasy XIII is a beautifully complex game, yet it has its share of flaws that will irritate old-time Final Fantasy fans. The battle system is completely different from anything seen before, and the linear gameplay, along with a lack of side quests and exploration, is a disappointment. The game looks and sounds striking, and once they have completed it, players will gain a huge amount of appreciation for the story’s complex nature, but some may not be willing to get through the flaws of the game to complete it.

[Recommended]

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This review is based on a retail version purchased by the reviewer.

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Review: Off the shores of Albion – Traitor's Keep DLC

Title: Traitor’s Keep DLC for Fable III
Genres: Action, Adventure, RPG
Platform: Xbox 360 (Downloadable)
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: Mar. 1, 2011
ESRB Rating: M for Mature

Lionhead Studios, as if apologizing for the embarrassment that was their "Understone" DLC, released another downloadable quest as an add-on to Fable III (see my review of the full game here). An apology is worth nothing, however, unless there is heart in it. With that in mind, "Traitor’s Keep" DLC is a panting fireman who’s just saved a family from their burning home and runs back in for their beloved cat, Claws.

Unlike "Understone," which provided only one very small location (albeit inventively placed) with an all too linear objective and short, humorless narrative, "Traitor’s Keep" spans three brand new and expansive areas (islands) – Ravenscar Keep, Clockwork Island, and The Godwin Estate – that collectively play host to 4 new missions and several side quests capable of quenching any post-crowned adventurer’s wander-lust. Lionhead claims that the main story, which concerns events and people at a secret prison that keeps Albion’s most notorious criminals, takes no less than 2.5 hours to complete. As wandering about is half the fun of Fable, I think my gameplay clocked in somewhere around 5 or 6 hours for obtaining all 250 Gamerscore worth of new achievements.

"Traitor’s Keep" is all about back-story. By way of an assassination attempt, the monarch comes to learn of Ravenscar Keep (the aforementioned prison) and that it has long been used by at least the two previous rulers: the current hero's brother, Logan, and mother. Given Logan’s predisposition towards military might and his hard-line tactics towards the general populous, one can imagine what types of people he incarcerated there ... namely revolutionaries, like the present monarch (though less successful), who’ve been seething ever since their imprisonment. While touring Ravenscar, players learn of a plot betwixt three pathologically fixated inmates, each of which (gasp) constitutes a quest, and one of whom fills in some blanks about how Albion transitioned to its industrial state.

While "Understone" presented little challenge to players who had already leveled-up their character by way of completing the game, "Traitor’s Keep" introduces new enemies as well as a few variants on some favorite beasties that manage to evoke some mildly impressive battles (some of which are more inventive than tough and vice-versa). In addition to the new clockwork creatures (beetles, exploding dogs, and psychotic automatons), there are rainbow-licious hobbes, extra-hollow hollow men, and (my favorite) drunken balverines. There are humans to fight as well, and being in a prison seems to have honed their group-based fighting skills a bit.

If there’s a weakness to "Traitor’s Keep," it’s the obvious moral choices. Kudos are deserved for including them at all, but the few choices that are presented are so heavily weighted that there is absolutely no ambiguity concerning where the hero’s yea or nay would place him or her in an opinion poll...a shame given Hobson’s prominence throughout the earlier portion of the DLC. More decisions affecting the public-at-large would have been terrific, especially if they came to learn of the prison despite attempts at secrecy. That could have at least added a feeling of political pressure.

Most importantly, "Traitor’s Keep" brings the funny. Sight gags and great writing as well as Fable in-jokes found scrawled across myriad notes and letters abound throughout this DLC. Supplement all of the above with four new outfits (three collected and one given) and one robot dog (non-exploding) to call your very own, and the 560 MS points it takes to purchase this quest seems a pittance for the experience.

[Highly Recommended]

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This review is based on downlodable content purchased by the reviewer.

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Review: Dead Space 2 (360)

Genre: Action, Survival Horror, Third-Person Shooter
Designers: Steve Papoutsis (executive producer)
Developer: Visceral Games
Publisher: Electronic Arts (EA Games)
Console: PC, PS3, Xbox 360
Release Date: Jan. 25, 2011 (NA), Jan. 27, 2011 (AU), Jan. 28, 2011 (AU)
ESRB Rating: M for Mature

Following Isaac Clarke’s horrific journey during his time on the planet-cracking ship, the USG Ishimura, Dead Space 2 is a sequel that introduces new elements to the series while disbanding with some previous ideals. Some of the newly introduced concepts have their uses and are relatively fun and easy, yet not all of them fall under this category.

The story takes place three years after Isaac Clarke escaped the nightmare aboard the USG Ishimura. He has been kept in stasis this whole time and doesn’t seem to remember a thing. Brought back to help during a new Necromorph outbreak aboard the space city known as "the Sprawl," he must fight his way through Unitologists, government workers, and both old and new Necromorphs, his main goal being to destroy a newly-created Marker which is being protected at all costs by members of EarthGov. While the story sounds fascinating on paper, it is delivered rather poorly throughout the game. Dead Space 2 falls back on the previous game’s downfall: that Isaac is merely moving from place to place because someone else told him to do so.

This problem is even worse, however, in that the people talking to you don’t clarify what it is you’re supposed to be doing. You can travel through nearly three of four areas, not knowing where you are, before discovering what purpose you have in being there. It is confusing, disorienting, and oftentimes frustrating. I had to replay the game’s first several chapters just to understand what the point of it was, and such a thing should not be a problem.

While the storyline itself comes off as being somewhat poor, the elements that bring the story to life are very well executed. Isaac now speaks throughout the game, and his dialogue fits him quite nicely. He is obviously a man who is perturbed by his past, and his experience with the Necromorphs comes through in his dialogue. He is a survivor with nothing to lose, and he reveals this through his conversations with the remaining survivors on the Sprawl. His messages and video logs are oftentimes hard to hear, however, even with the volume turned up, and subtitles are almost necessary to catch everything Isaac and the other people are discussing. Sound effects during the course of the game are both well produced and well timed, somewhat making up for lost words.

The first Dead Space was known for its horrific images and gruesome, nightmarish areas. While Dead Space 2 delivers on its horrific images and enemies, the game isn’t as scary as its predecessor due to an increased amount of action sequences. There were only a few places where I jumped in fear, and never once did I hesitate to enter a room. It could be because Dead Space fans know what to expect, but it also comes from Isaac’s attitude mentioned earlier. He has experience and a lack of care towards survival; he is going to get the job done, and to hell with whatever comes his way. Another reason for this is the game’s increased difficulty. Even after mastering Dead Space 1, I found Dead Space 2 to be quite the challenge, and given that there are now up to five difficulty options available, it is easy to assume that the producers were specifically aiming for an action-type game. Guns and armor (which are now specialized, individual suits rather than upgrades to a single suit) can be purchased at the store, and newer weapons have some nicely added effects. Melee is also much more impressive this time around, as Isaac’s swings and kicks are fluid and effective. In conclusion, all this combined means that enemies are less scary but tougher to deal with.

The environments in Dead Space 2 are gorgeous. Instead of crowded, packed-in hallways and gray, metallic facilities, the Sprawl is filled with facilities, such as a train station, a daycare center, and a shopping mall. Areas are much more open, and the amount of detail placed into the different objects adds a unique touch to the game’s overall quality. Lighting is particularly effective, as Isaac’s shadow and flashlight are very well defined, and the images located on the various televisions, monitors, advertisements, and stores all hint towards a much more peaceful time. Players can easily picture people living in such an environment, and to see it now overrun with Necromorphs and covered in blood is tragic. When navigating these areas, an upgraded locator module becomes extremely useful. Instead of just pointing Isaac in the right direction, the new locator shows objectives, stores, benches, and save stations, making it easy to navigate when one gets lost in the often-twisting hallways of the Sprawl. Another upgrade used for traveling is the capability for 360-degree movement in zero-gravity zones. Instead of jumping from one wall to the next, Isaac can now fly in any direction he wishes, using his boots to travel quickly.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the game is Isaac’s dementia, which plays a huge role in the story. Nicole appears in the form of a ghoulish corpse from time to time, talking to Isaac over her death and his guilt, and the images he sees due to his dementia are perhaps the most horrifying elements to the game. It is clear that Isaac is haunted by his dead girlfriend, and her appearances reveal a darker side to Isaac’s thinking. His conversations with Nicole, as well as the terrifying visions that accompany her appearances, add an element to the story that will stick with gamers.

Overall, Dead Space 2 is an enjoyable game. While the plot doesn’t go very in-depth this time around, the gameplay itself is smooth, fun, and a bloody mess. Players watch the return of Isaac Clarke and his haunted visions, and with five difficulties to master, there are plenty of opportunities to get all weapons, suits, logs, and achievements. And hey, if the single player mode sounds boring, why not play with friends online? The game also has a multiplayer aspect, where online gamers can either carry out a mission as a human or attempt to stop all humans as a Necromorph.

[Recommended]

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This review is based on a retail version purchased by the reviewer.

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Genericon XXIV: Party in the Tundra

Genericon XXIV is almost upon us! The annual student-run anime, sci-fi, and gaming convention held at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) in Troy, NY is going to be a total blast this year, thanks in part to some fantastic guests and panelists who are making their way to the cold, cold north of upstate New York on the weekend of February 11-13.

Who are these wonderful people? Well, they include guests like the Most Dangerous podcasters of Anime World Order, RPI alumna/webcomic artist Jenny Blanchard, independent animators For Tax Reasons, anime voice actor/fangirl magnet Vic Mignogna, Ani-Gamers' very own Uncle Yo, and Japanese-American punk band Uzuhi.

The new featured panelist program rounds out that list with Legend of the Galactic Heroes/Hetalia superfan Walter Amos, Vertical, Inc. Marketing Manager and all-powerful manga expert Ed Chavez, a group of RPI alumni panelists called "The Con Artists," super-powered podcasting duo Erin and Noah of the Ninja Consultant podcast, and the part-time anime bloggers/full-time detectives of the Reverse Thieves blog.

I am a student at RPI and the Public Relations Coordinator for the convention, so my weekend will be comprised mostly of running around trying to make sure everything works well for our attendees. However, I will be making time for two of my own panels: a new "Satoshi Kon Tribute" (7-8pm on Friday), in which I walk the audience through the life and movie-making style of the acclaimed director, and my tried-and-true character design panel, "The Changing Faces of Anime" (3-4pm on Sunday). Uncle Yo will naturally be running his popular stand-up comedy show (3:30-4:30pm on Sunday), as well as "Beyond D&D" (6:30-7:30pm on Saturday) and "Anime One-Night Stands" (1-2pm on Sunday). Our copy editor Sean Kim is also an RPI student, so he might be hanging around the con as well during the course of the weekend.

I know I'm super-psyched about Genericon this year, and I hope I'll get to see some Ani-Gamers readers/listeners up in Troy. If you happen to go to a panel from me or Uncle Yo, feel free to come up afterward and say hi!

• Genericon XXIV Schedule
• My Write-up of Last Year's Genericon

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