Portable Gaming Rant

Recently, I decided to give Chrono Trigger a shot on my iphone.  It is a game I have played before, but never actually beat.  I feel old jRPGs fit perfectly for the current set up of mobile phones and the controls seem to work well enough with Chrono Trigger.  I came across one huge problem though, saving. In this game, and I’d imagine other games too, you cannot save where ever or when ever.

Now I understand it not being that way on games on a home console, and I am okay with that, but I’m playing a game on my phone for a short period of time.  I am not always going to be able find a save spot in a dungeon or exit the dungeon for the world map in time to save the game. What if my battery is about to die, or I really have to quit the game, say I was playing before school started and had to quit when school started, but couldnt save my progress?  Any progress lost!

It seems really backwards to not be able to save your progress where ever on a game like Chrono Trigger on a mobile phone (or any portable device).  Mobile gaming is suppose to be quick and easy, and be able to pickup and put down when needed.  Games like Chrono Trigger need to have the ability to save when ever or where ever, and I’m not just talking on a cell phone, but on a 3DS or Vita as well.  I was really looking forward to playing through Chrono Trigger again and actually beating it, but with the current set up, that won’t be happening.

The Greatest Story Ever Told

What is the greatest story ever told? Some might say it is the bible, other say this movie or that book, etc. Movies fail to hit the nail on the head, they are too short to give  the depth a book and yes, that which a video game can give. Video games, when done right can be an interactive book or movie.  They might be linear and tell the story only one way or allow the user the define the story through making key choices.   There are many video games out there, and many more books, that many will never read or known to most people.

There are a lot of great stories out there in all forms (books, movies, TV, and video games).  Video Games in my opinion have an advantage over books; they can give you visual and audio which a book cannot, giving a much better narrative.  Sure with books you are suppose to use your imagination, which is fine, but then the reader does not always get the message the author was trying to convey.

With that being said, after much reflection of the story, the music and the characters of Final Fantasy VI, it is with out question the greatest story ever told. The first time I played it, I was impressed, but not that impressed with it. But like a good wine, it got better with age, the more I thought about what took place in the game the more I loved it and realized just what a master piece it is.  It is the only turn based RPG I have played more than once; I’ve beaten it 3 times.

FFVI deals with many themes such as love, loss, jealousy, envy, burden, and responsibility among others. No one character stars, but a handful of different characters carry the story along, whether it be the gambling Setzer, the heroic Locke, the troubled Celes or the tortured Terra.  It is a standard, good vs evil story, but these characters are what steal the show.  All of the main characters have their own back story, many of them being more tragic and heartbreaking than the impeding doom of the planet. They along with others band together to defeat the diabolical Kefka, a man who transcends to God-hood and turns the world into ruin. The music is phenomenal, setting the mood perfectly. Every little thing this game does, it does it right, if you love a great story, with amazing characters and awesome music, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of FFVI (also known as Final Fantasy III on the Super Nintendo).