Other than work, one of the little amusements in my life the past few weeks has been one of the greatest farming, restaurant and cocktails simulators to grace the PS2. I am, of course, talking about Odin Sphere, the titular title from Vanillaware.

One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them;
One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bindoh wait wrong story.

Odin Sphere presents the intertwined stories of five frontier farmers in a fantastical setting. Intermingling Shakespeare, Nordic myth and classic fairytales in an epic tale of betrayal, intrigue, love and the Apocalypse, you won’t give a flying fuck about any of it as you grow rare and bizarre fruits with the blood of your enemies (well, their souls. Phozons. Whatever, the fruit ripens, that’s all the matters), mix esoteric beverages and collect secret recipes in far flung locations: the snowy peaks of Winterhorn Ridge; the verdant pastures of Ringford Forest; even the Netherworld itself is your field!

Your power levels will become stronger as you progress in the art of farmacy, satiating your own hunger and the appetites of the cafés, kitchens and restaurants across Erion, all who seem incapable of procuring ingredients or cooking anything unless you bring them a scroll with specific instructions. Occasionally, our protagonists (or antagonists, depending on whose story you’re currently in) will meet and duel to prove whose horticultural technique is superior in grand battles.

Actually, Odin Sphere has nothing to do with farming, although its inventory and upgrade system sometimes deludes you into thinking it is. It’s a beautiful, gorgeous scrolling action RPG beat-em-up that turns everything you knew about 2D on its head. There is no pixelation here. There are no quaint blocky sprites or two-layered parallax backgrounds. The colours are vibrant, the backgrounds are varied and lush, and the characters are wonderfully animated - You only have to watch Gwendolyn (pictured far left below) in motion to realise the amount of time and effort that has gone into making this game.

Our five protagonists’ in-game sprites. It’s not an exaggeration to say I wept.

Gameplay is typical of a 2D side-scrolling beat-em-up, with the addition of a power bar that limits the number of consecutive attacks you can perform. Run down your power meter, and you will be left helpless to defend yourself as it automatically begins to refill. Wading in while button-bashing will likely end with your early demise, so battles become a carefully orchestrated affair of dealing maximum damage in blitzkreig attacks, seperating enemies for easy disposal, building high hit combos for additional damage and maintaining the power juuust above empty. Each character has its nuances and techniques, preventing you from becoming complacent.

Now, for my only criticism, which is actually quite minor. This intense combat experience is combined with a character upgrade system that can, as hinted at earlier, be rather cumbersome. To upgrade your attack levels, you need phozons. To upgrade your hit points, you need food. To grow food, you need phozons and seeds. To mix potions, you need mandragora’s (vegetables with cutesy names) and materials. To really max your HP, you need a combination of food types and coin-types, which can only be combined outside of the combat levels.

One of the in-game stages.

To cut a long story short, you spend around a minute fighting and then around five to ten minutes organising your limited inventory: shuffling, growing, eating, discarding then moving on. You can ignore most of it, but if you’re like me who tries to expose and exploit every nook and cranny of a game, it does ruin the flow of an otherwise captivating experience.

Spoiler: Griselda dies. And Odin’s a bit of an asshole.

And it truly is captivating. Odin Sphere weaves a tale around the Cauldron, a device of immense power controlled through the ring Titrel, and the war that rages to capture the ring. Each character plays a part in the struggle, either actively or inadvertently, and it is quite enthralling to see, as you progress deeper into the game, how the stories connect to each other. What I thought was masterfully done was the integration of several existing literary and artistic works. Anyone even vaguely familiar with Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen cannot help but note the similarities to Odin Sphere’s plot, yet the game still manages to put its own unique spin on the tale.

All in all, I’ve wiled away 38 hours on this, and I’m only in the early stages of the fourth characters tale. Odin Sphere is a true gem for the PS2, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. And I totally lied about not using obscure gaming references anymore, but that’s okay.

Mist swirls torpidly on the disused floor of the crypt, tinged with a emerald iridescence from the faint glowing moss on its walls. Undisturbed, unchallenged, it slithers over fallen stone and pillars, caresses eroded steps and the feet of defaced statues of deities long passed. The ground is littered with the detritus of a bygone era: books of obscure and likely obscene origin, their titles barely legible through the mildew and dirt crusting their covers; round, reflective discs of unknown purpose strewn and shattered throughout the tomb. “Battle Vix-” reads one manuscript, the rest of the title cut off by rot and frayed edges. “lmost A He~” scrawled on one fragment, before being enshrouded by the mist once more. No life stirs in this place except the occasional scurrying of vermin, no sound save for the steady drip of water.

No. No, there is more. For from the raised sarcophagus in the centre of the room - all epitaphs long since scoured away by time - there is a scratching from beneath the slab cover. Suddenly, it rises, tips to one side, and slides off, the crash reverberting across the tomb. A hand - oh, what a hand, bone and knuckles claw-like, diseased - grips the edge of the sarcophagus, lifting a frayed and tattered shape, the form wreathed in darkness.

A deep exhalation rattles the air, the thing’s throat emitting dry choking gurgles with the dust of centuries.

“I live… again!”

Complete silence meets this declaration. Thunder fails to roll in the distance. A cricket chirrups from underneath one of the rocks. The figure waits a little, just in case; when nothing transpires, it begins muttering peevishly under its breath -”Drop in melodramatic standards…uld have had flickering torches on the walls, by God…” lifting itself out of its last resting place, it dejectedly begins to pick up the scattered texts.

Well, now I feel part of the living once more. The blog has seen little action since – well, a long time ago, really – and I thought it was time to resurrect it. I’ve got some time on my hands now that work is out of the way, so I’ll be scribing some posts shortly, sans obscure retro gaming references.

Please be patient while Chiri unearths my blog’s unhallowed corpse.

Well, just in case you haven’t already heard of it through the electronic grapevine, thar be somethin’ of mighty import happenin’ over yonder hill.

More specifically, it’s the Anime Blog Awards, which has taken on the high-falutin’ goal of providing a platform to recognise anime bloggers unique contributions in the furtherence of whatever it is we’ve been trying to further for however long we’ve been doing it. Gloves will be thrown, blades will be drawn and everyone’s power levels will be well over 9000 in this epic battle.

Alternatively, bloggers will indicate, through a gentlemanly voting process, who of their peers have earned their respect and admiration. So if you own an anime blog, I would suggest heading on over and voting for a couple of your favourites.

Shakugan no Shana, Volume 1

Publisher: Viz Media

Author: Yashichiro Takahashi

5-Second Review: Strong lead characters, interesting concepts and a well-thought out setting more than make up for an incredibly lacklustre introduction and annoying quirks in the writing style.

Synopsis:

Yuji Sakai has it rough. Looking forward to his hum-drum day-to-day routine, he gets caught up in a phenomenon that challenges his perception of reality. Surrounded by wall of flame in a sunset-tinted world, he witnesses two bizarre demon constructs slowly consuming the crowd around him.

Almost eaten himself, he is saved from above: a young female warrior with long hair like tendrils of flame and eyes burning crimson descends upon the creatures. For Yuji and Shana alike, it is a fateful meeting, one that will rock their lives and reveal a more sinister plot slowly coming together in the shadows…

Review:

Shakugan no Shana - The Girl With Fire In Her Eyes was a entirely different beast for me to review. As this is my first foray into the Shana franchise, I had absolutely no expectations or knowledge of the series short of a couple of illustrations of our heroine. If you are looking for a comparison to the anime or manga series, this is not the place for you (and would be better served clicking here).

However, if you’re looking for a story that manages to dodge some the more scalding criticisms to emerge largely unscathed from my review’s flames, please read on.

I must admit, when I first started reading Shakugan, the first 30+ pages made me cringe inwardly. Whether this is due to a poor translation or the Takahashi’s actual writing ability I unfortunately cannot say, but it is not a stellar start to the series. The introductory battle feels contrived and the word choice is particularly dismal, (I’m sure there is a literary equivalent to the Geneva Convention that forbids using “Ugh” as an exclamation more than five times in the course of a couple of pages). Takahashi seems to battle with exposition, often throwing in explanations in an off-the-cuff, oh-by-the-way manner that jars with the flow of the story.

Go beyond these failings, however, and Takahashi shows that his true ability lies in two areas, the first being the setting. In describing his world and the mechanics that drive it, there are clear rules and laws that cannot be broken aside from certain instances, which are either explained at a later stage or fit into the larger plot that goes beyond the first volume.

These concepts give the story an overall darker tone, and add a touch of mystery to the plot. For example, you have the Torches who act as placeholders for human beings who have been devoured by the Crimson Denizens. They are differentiated by a light in their chest which slowly burns out, whereupon they disappear completely from existence, wiped completely from both the world and people’s memories. This is the position one of our main protagonists, Yuji, finds himself in.

Likewise, Shana, gave up her humanity to become the Flame Haze – technically a container - for Alastor, one of the most powerful Lords of the Crimson Realm, for reasons she refuses to divulge (at least, in this volume).

This point leads nicely into Takahashi’s second strength, which is character portrayal. While the secondary characters are a bit cliché and one-dimensional, the main characters shine with a light beyond that of mere Torch. Whether it be the show-stealing Shana, the disembodied noble voice of Alastor or the doomed yet calm Yuji, you get a clear sense of their subtle nuances in thought, attitude and character – even the villain avoids being a cookie-cut evil antagonist.

Takahashi manages to achieve this without laying it out on a plate for the reader, instead letting the interactions and dialogue between the characters reveal these facets of their personality. It results in fresh, interesting individuals who manage to side-step many of the conventional stereotypical characteristics and you can’t help but like them.

Finally, since this IS an action novel, I suppose I should discuss the fight scenes. They’re explained fully and fairly gripping, yet lack the dramatic elements that make a battle truly epic. I put this down to the simple style in which the scenes are described, a factor which improves somewhat from the first introductory scuffle (thank God). But for an author who has supposedly done this kind of work before, it comes across as a little drab.

In terms of presentation, Viz Media have taken an alternative route to Tokyopop, opting to try and remain as close to the original as possible. As a result, we have the original image gracing the cover, and both colour and black-and-white illustrations strewn throughout the novel. Below is a comparison of the two covers:

I’ve also included a couple of photos of the illustrations found inside. Click on a thumbnail to get a larger version:

Conclusion:

All in all, barring the poor initial start, I enjoyed the story and am quite eager to see how the manga and anime versions compare. While I’m not sure if it will appeal to fans who experienced the anime or manga first, I am quite willing to recommend it to anyone who is looking to give light novels a go, or looking for a new series to start reading.

Hopefully, Viz will continue to translate the rest of the novels.

Phwoar! Bit of a long trek around, but I’m back. A number of things have prevented me from making any posts, and I have not bought any new figurines for reasons that are soon to be revealed. Consider this a mini-update of some of the things that have been keeping me occupied and a hint of things to come.

Pretentiousness in Coffee Shops

I finally feel like I have become one of the techno-elite, that I have earned just a little Bohemian street cred. What wonderful event could have transpired that granted such a boon? While I would like to say it is due to my dazzling wit and unconventional lifestyle, the horrible truth is that I bought rather than earned this status like a dirty materialistic capitalist.

The Asus EEE Pc is a little wonder of mobile computing, and in terms of both design and performance Asus managed to get it spot on. The notebook is tiny - about the size of a hardcover book. It’s absolutely tiny, and I’ve taken a couple of pictures so you can get an idea. Below is a comparison of one of my figurines to a paperclip:

And here, the same figurine on the keyboard of the EEE Pc - or, as I have begun to call it, Little Monk.

It is certainly a head-turner, and people have expressed a lot of interest and open curiosity about it. Most of the men think it’s ‘cool’, most of the girls commenting that it’s ‘cute’, thereby leaving my manliness status in limbo. The one girl at my office said that she just wanted to ‘hug the little thing’. Unfortunately, offers of monetary reward for photos of said snuggling were lightly rejected.

It uses Linux as its core operating system, and I have to say that as a complete stranger to this form of computing it has been incredibly hassle-free. It automatically detects network settings, plays most video formats and has accepted all of my peripheral devices without hassle. There is a fantastic community around the device (such as that found at www.eeeuser.com), and I have no trouble learning how to go about installing the additional programs I require.

It’s not all a bed of roses, however. I originally purchased it for my work as the cheapo notebook option in the hopes that the EEE Pc is less intimidating and I would be able to take notes during the course of my interviews. The keyboard is a major stumbling block, since it is incredibly restricted in terms of the size of the keys and the layout.

It is something you have to get used to if, like me, you type as if you are conducting an orchestra - my word speed has dropped from around 70-80 words per minute to a measly 20.

Further use will reveal other shortcomings, I am sure, but for now I’m happy reveling in my newly acquired chic. All I need now is a beret, and I’m set.

Cloverfield AKA Call of Cthulhu : The Reckoning

So, this Friday I went to watch a film I have been eagerly waiting since the first few blurry photos found there way onto the Internet. Cloverfield intrigued me right from the word go, and I must admit that the Lovecraftian overtones filled me with quiet glee.

Having watched it, I can’t say that it was a bad movie. It would have actually have had to be a movie in order to qualify as being bad. Similar to the Blair Witch Project, it is not a traditional horror flick, and to go expecting as much will leave you disappointed.

Rather, it is for the watcher who always prays for a little realism and a prompt death for clueless, self-serving heroes that are utterly oblivious to the situation yet still manage to have a higher survival ratio than more pragmatic but less charismatic cowards.

It does an incredible job (at least, to me) of conveying what would really happen if an event like Cloverfield took place. Like H.P Lovecraft’s constant reminder that man is a prisoner to forces beyond his control, Cloverfield has no Bruce Willis Armageddon stunts or sudden reckless acts of bravado that pay off against all odds. The best you can do is pray to Cthulhu in the hope that, through your devotion, you are eaten last.

The creature concept and CG perform admirably when they’re called upon, and while I was initially left a little disheartened when the film ended, you need to take some time to absorb the sheer genius of it.

Shakugan no Shana, finally. Kinda.

I’ve been reading mainly my books from Christmas, so I haven’t delved into my light novels recently, my novels being somewhat of a heftier nature (Atlas Shrugged, anyone?). But, on a whim, I purchased the first Shakugan no Shana novel.

Now, I’ve haven’t watched it, so the incredible fervour and rabidness of fans concerning all things with a melonbread whiff confound me. All of the light novels I’ve read up until now have had their foundations set partly by an anime or manga that was seen before. Shakugan no Shana is the first I will be reading without any preconceptions, so it will be interesting to see how it stands up. Look forward to the review.

Additional Miscellanea Of The Dreary Kind

Considering some of the fantastic anime I’ve been watching recently (Tekkon Kinkreet, 5cm Per Second, Baccano!, etc), it is amazing to compare the difference some fifteen years on. I recently watched Green Legend Ran, a OVA series that, while not the best out there, is still a surprisingly enjoyable romp.

I’m thinking of looking at titles from the Mists of Time (i.e. the eighties and early nineties) to not only call attention to these classics but to compare them to similar modern titles see how techniques and style have evolved anime into the moe beast it is today.

I will also cover some of the most awful titles I can find, in true Mystery Science Theatre style. Don’t hold your breath.

And, something completely random:

Right, I think I’m done.