Author: Dr. K

Game Corner: Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order (Nintendo Switch)

Dr. K2 Comments

Released: 19 July 2019
Developer: Team Ninja

The Background:
For decades, few videogame publishers were as synonymous with Marvel Comics as Activision, who produced adaptations Marvel’s most popular properties. While some were better than others, Activision’s efforts were largely praised, especially after they partnered with Raven Software on the X-Men Legends games (2004; 2005). Activision and Raven Software expanded their scope to the rest of the Marvel universe with Marvel: Ultimate Alliance (2006), a largely successful team-based brawer praised for improving upon its predecessors. Though now delisted, it was followed by a sequel three years later, courtesy of Vicarious Visions, which tweaked the gameplay with team-based attacks to encourage experimentation. Though Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (2009) was praised for its branching storyline, the stripped down roleplaying mechanics were criticised. While it was also delisted in 2020, fans were clamouring for a follow-up and, just ten years later, Team Ninja stepped in to work alongside Marvel in reviving the franchise. Seeking to place additional emphasis on combat, the developers explored the cosmic scope of the Marvel universe by including the Infinity Stones and lesser-known characters and chose to make the title a Nintendo Switch exclusive after developing a close relationship with Nintendo. Although Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order was the sixth best-selling game in its first week and was later bolstered by extensive downloadable content (DLC), it was met with mixed reviews that praised the colourful action but criticised its lack of innovation.

The Plot:
While battling Nebula and Ronan the Accuser, the Guardians of the Galaxy stumble upon a plot by the mad titan, Thanos, to collect the six Infinity Stones. Although they scatter the Stones, Thanos’s acolytes, the Black Order, pursue the gems, prompting an alliance of Earth’s mightiest heroes to retrieve them first.

Gameplay and Power-Ups:
Like its predecessors, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order is a team-based action role-playing game in which players assemble a squad of four heroes from across the Marvel universe to battle various nefarious baddies, primarily the titular Black Order, who are hunting the six all-powerful Infinity Stones on behalf of their master, Thanos. The game offers five save slots, two initial difficulty levels, and a base roster of thirty-six playable characters, with many being encountered as you play through the story and joining your alliance either after fighting alongside you or being freed from some kind of mind control. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3 offers three controller configurations, thankfully none of which involve motion controls, and allows you to toggle overlays, notifications, tips, and other onscreen elements from the “Settings” menu. These include altering the camera placement, which enables a lock-on feature by pressing in the right stick, though the camera generally remains more focused on whichever character you’re controlling rather than offering a bird’s eye view as in the last two games. Although you can fight alongside friends either locally or online, you switch between your teammates with the directional pad (D-pad) when playing alone and your computer-controlled partners are very useful in a fight, attacking, enabling team attacks, and reviving defeated characters without any input from you. Pressing A sees you interact with the environment to activate consoles, pick up or move certain objects, and talk to other characters. You jump with B, executing a double jump, swinging from webs, or flying depending on which character you’re playing as, and throw light attacks with X and heavy attacks with Y. These can be strung together to perform basic combos and you can also perform a mid-air attack and throw objects (like bombs and missiles) by pressing Y. You block incoming attacks by holding the Z trigger and tap it to dodge, and collect glowing red orbs from defeated enemies or smashed crates to restore health, blue orbs to refill your Energy Point (EP) gauge, and credits to spend on upgrades.

Combat is thick, fast, chaotic, and constant thanks to loads of enemies and character abilities.

As in the last two games, each character has specific abilities tied to their superpowers or superhero traits. You activate these by holding the Right trigger and selecting an icon using the D-pad; using Abilities drains your EP, however, and each Ability comes with a different cost. However, these attacks allow you to stun, stagger or deal elemental damage to enemies using Peter Parker/Spider-Man’s webs, Thor Odinson’s lightning, and Doctor Robert Bruce Banner/The Hulk’s incredible strength. Many characters have projectile attacks in their arsenal, such as Wade Wilson/Deadpool firing guns and Scott “Slim” Summers/Cyclops blasting his eye beams, while others cause splash damage or specific buffs, like Piotr Rasputin/Colossus being able to reflect projectiles and Wanda Maximoff/The Scarlet Witch healing her allies. Some, like James “Logan” Howlett/Wolverine, have passive abilities that allow them to automatically regenerate health as they walk around; others, like Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider and Ororo Munroe/Storm, specifically deal in elemental damage. Character’s Abilities can also be mixed and matched by holding ZR and pressing one of the face buttons (or pressing A when prompted); this sees two characters attack in a combo for additional damage. As you dish out and take damage, you’ll also build the Extreme (EX) Gauge). Once full, you can press L and R up to three times to have two to four of your teammates perform a devastating combination attack that’s great against bosses. While the various cannon fodder you fight are easily dispatched, larger commanders and bosses need their “stun” meter drained before you can really put a beating on them and others (and certain treasure chests) require specific combination attacks to breach their shields. Defeating enemies sees your characters gain experience points (XP) to level-up, increasing their statistics (attack, defence, etc), though you can also use the various Orbs you find to manually level-up. Each character’s special Abilities can also be further enhanced using Ability Orbs and credits, reducing the EP cost and increasing their damage, among other benefits. You can also earn “Team Bonuses” depending on your team selection: pick a group of X-Men, for example, and your strength or resistance stat will increase, while picking characters of royalty ups your maximum energy stat.

Search for chests to gain currency and other expendables to upgrade and buff your alliance.

Although you can’t equip gear to your characters, the boss battle against the Destroyer armour sees you temporarily empowered by Asgardian magic and you can eventually equip your team with “ISO-8” crystals, coloured stones that enhance their attack power, resistance to elements, or critical hit ratio, among others. You can further upgrade these with credits and ISO-8 capsules, though some of the rarer ones will also debuff you (for example, your attack my increase but your defence will decrease accordingly). You’ll also inevitably gain access to the Strategic Hazard Intervention Espionage Logistics Directorate (S.H.I.E.L.D.) Lab, which acts as the game’s skill tree. By spending credits and Enhancement Points (EP), you can further increase your team’s overall attack, defence, resistance, vitality, and such and even unlock additional ISO-8 slots (with more being earned by levelling-up). You can also enter the S.H.I.E.L.D. Depot from the main menu to purchase additional costumes and social icons by spending S.H.I.E.L.D. Tokens. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3 is pretty forgiving (on the “Friendly” difficulty, at least), with multiple checkpoints in each area. When you activate a S.H.I.E.L.D. checkpoint, your team is fully healed, and you can swap or enhance them if you wish. If a teammate is defeated, you can hold A to revive them, but I wouldn’t recommend it unless you absolutely have to. Not only are revives limited, but downed characters will eventually return to full health even before you reach a checkpoint so it’s not worth risking another character taking damage by healing a partner. Exploration generally leads you to treasure chests or special walls that require a special combination attack to open, or to a “Rift” challenge that takes you away from the main game to tackle a special challenge (usually a boss rematch or enemy gauntlet) for extra rewards. Your path is incredibly linear most of the time, hence why there’s no map, and the game’s primary focus is on chaotic combat and visually manic team-based attacks. Unlike in the last two games, you can no longer grapple or throw enemies (though you can still send them flying off certain platforms) and there are no character-specific team-up moves, meaning the action can quickly get quite tiresome.

Sadly, puzzles are practically non-existent, with only Rifts offering additional challenges.

Because of its focus on hectic combat, there’s even less room for puzzles than there is for exploration in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3. Puzzles boil down to activating a console to open a door or making a platform move and that’s it. Sometimes, you’ll hold A to move a block and avoid lasers or cannons, but mostly you’ll be timing jumps between said lasers to progress and simply hurling missiles at those cannons. Sometimes, you’ll rotate statues or press switches to progress; others, you’ll be avoiding toxic ooze in Hel or solving door puzzles at the Raft or in Avengers Tower. After hopping across the rooftops of New York City, you’ll infiltrate the heavily fortified fortress of the Hand, dealing with ninjas that drop from the sky and hidden arrow hazards. When in Wakanda, Advanced Idea Mechanics (A.I.M.) corrupt T’Challa/The Black Panther’s defences, leading to an exasperating section where you must avoid snipers and being roasted by a giant panther statue’s energy blast. When transported to the Dark Dimension, you must use portals to reach new areas and defeat waves of demonic enemies to lower magical barriers and progress. Some attacks also screw up your controls or temporarily freeze you; some enemies are best defeated by tossing explosives at them; and many missions have an additional character fighting alongside you who’s often unlocked afterwards. However, a lot of the additional features of the previous games are missing; you can talk to other characters, but there are no dialogue options or character-specific interactions. There are no trivia quizzes, no optional side missions beyond the Rifts, and no character specific challenges to unlock extra stuff for each character. There aren’t even hub areas, in the traditional sense, with characters just appearing around S.H.I.E.L.D. checkpoints at times, though you can destroy a fair bit of the environment, and some encounters have you fleeing towards the camera as bosses chase you or present you with unwinnable battles.

Presentation:
Whereas the last two games primarily based their aesthetics on the comics books, especially the Ultimate comic line, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3 adheres very closely to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), especially in the visuals of its locations. I was hard pressed, for example, to tell the difference between Asgard here and the Asgard to the MCU, with both the golden city and the rainbow bridge, the Bifrost, appearing almost exactly as they’re depicted in the films. The same is true for Wakanda, the Dark Dimension, and Knowhere, all of which are virtually indistinguishable from how they appear in the MCU. There are some differences, of course: Taneleer Tivan/The Collector’s museum, for example, uses coloured cube cages and Wakanda leans much more into traditional architecture than the pseudo-futuristic science of the films (likely because Black Panther (Coogler, 2018) released a year before this game was made). Xavier’s School for the Gifted is lifted almost exactly from the 20th Century Fox X-Men movies (Various, 2000 to 2020), however, including a hedge maze, 1:1 Cerebro room, and basketball court that doubles as a landing pad for the Blackbird. While the Dark Dimension and the cosmic mind trip that is Sanctuary also heavily borrow from the bizarre cosmic imagery of the MCU, the Raft and Avengers Tower are much more akin to their comic book counterparts, though they’re comparatively bland locations, lacking fun areas like the Danger Room or Wakanda’s Necropolis (though you do pass through Anthony “Tony” Stark/Iron Man’s Hall of Armours in the tower). Although you only make a brief stop in Attilan to try and get help from the Inhumans, the architecture is far more visually interesting than that awful television show, seemingly being comprised of Celestial technology, and I enjoyed the ominous gothic presentation of Hel, with its restless Viking warriors and damaging sludge. Unfortunately, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3 continues the trend of having disappointingly bland and forgettable music, opting for generic themes for each location, event, and character that are lost amidst the constant fighting.

A visually impressive brawler that takes obvious inspiration from the MCU films.

The game also opts for an almost cel-shaded, action figure-like aesthetic for its colourful cast of characters. While many again both look and sound like their MCU counterparts, there are some exceptions: Peter Quill/Star-Lord, for example, looks nothing like Chris Pratt and the X-Men are far closer to the comic books than Fox’s films. Despite you assembling a custom team of heroes, cutscenes depict either everyone or characters specific to the location you’re in (the corrupted Doctor Stephen Strange in the Dark Dimension, for example) as they’re better suited to advance the plot against the local baddies. With the game shifting to a more third-person perspective, you’re closer than ever to the action and can see more of the environment than in the previous games. However, this comes with some drawbacks: mainly, there are far less opportunities or incentives to explore. Second, environments are painfully linear, with dead ends or locked doors barring your progress. Third, and most frustrating, is the camera, which easily loses track of your opponent/s and often lumbers you with wireframe representations when the foreground blocks the view. Thankfully, you won’t be falling down pits and rarely have to worry about onscreen hazards, but it can be aggravating trying to figure out which platforms and crates can be jumped on and which can’t. Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3 offers a diverse cast of characters, each with their own idle poses and quips, though these do inevitably repeat. The game’s also surprisingly light on Easter Eggs: you’ll spot Deadpool singing away as he makes tacos in the X-Mansion, but not much else, and there are no optional missions or choices to encourage replaying missions. It’s a far cry from the first game, where there was always something to collect or an additional character to help out. Instead, it’s basically all combat, all the time in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3. Luckily, the game looks pretty good (everything’s very colourful and true to its inspirations) and performs really well, though there are some long load screens and it is annoying being forced to continue your game every time you challenge a Rift.

Enemies and Bosses:
All the usual suspects appear here as disposable cannon fodder for you to endlessly beat up, with many of the game’s goons sharing traits across the various locations. You’ll encounter Kree, Ultron Drones, agents of A.I.M., and Doombats who all pack various energy blasters. Ultron’s clones are the worst for this, relentlessly firing energy blasts and crashing through windows. The Raft’s unscrupulous prisoners attack in large groups, as do the restless Viking warriors who populate Hel, tossing axes from afar and luring you into toxic goop. Gargoyle-like Fire Demons also dwell here, offering a greater challenge with their swoop attack and fire breath, not unlike the monstrous Outriders and Mindless Ones who make up Thanos and the dread Dormammu’s forces, respectively. Alpha Primitives, Hydra goons, and towering Sentinels also appear, with the latter firing huge energy blasts from the palms and best attacked by throwing their explosive energy cores back at them. No matter where you are and what enemies you fight, more powerful commanders will also appear. Larger, tougher, and sporting a stun meter, these commanders should be your top priority as they’ll charge across the screen, cause shockwaves, and generally offer a far greater challenge even when you’re at a higher level. These minions often fight alongside their masters, generally so you can recover some health and EP to better damage the bosses, and will endlessly spawn in one of the additional modes unless you destroy their teleporters. Some of the game’s challenges or story-based missions charge you with defeating a certain number of enemies to progress. Other times, bosses appear in these waves, and you must occasionally flee or purposely lose some fights. This happens when Cain Marko/The Juggernaut comes tearing through the X-Mansion, for example, and in early encounters with the Black Order, who cannot be beaten or will chase you, raining lightning or other attacks from the sky and across the ground.

Few bosses require more than just hit-and-run tactics, even when augmented by an Infinity Stone.

There are loads of bosses to fight in Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3, with some returning from the previous games, some teaming up, some having a couple of phases, and all boiling down to whittling down their stun bar, unleashing an EX attack and/or your most powerful Abilities, and avoiding damage until you can repeat this. The first ones you’ll face are Nebula and Ronan the Accuser, who often appear as a duo in optional challenges. Nebula is faster and more nimble, wielding blades where Ronan uses a massive warhammer. Both set a standard all bosses follow, which is that they’ll use either a jumping slam or an explosion of energy (or both) to send you flying. While quelling the riot in the Raft, you’ll encounter a version of the Sinister Six, with some unique variations to each battle. Flint Marko/The Sandman, for example, flings waves of sand and erupts his big sand fist from the ground as a large sand creature. You must use A to mount the nearby cannons and unload on him to chip away at his stun meter. Maxwell “Max” Dillon fights alongside Eddie Brock/Venom, raining lighting and electrocuting you with bursts of electricity, before he’s eaten by Venom and starts busting out electrically-enhanced symbiote powers. Venom joins the team after this fight and is tested against Quentin Beck, who first brainwashes Mile Morales/Spider-Man, Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman, and Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel to fight you and then unleashes a poisonous mist, teleports about, and confuses you with duplicates, Doctor Otto Octavious/Dr. Octopus is fought in a two-stage fight where you must first avoid his tentacles and scurry charge and then attack each arm to stun him. Finally, you’ll battle Norman Osborn/The Green Goblin for the Time Stone. The Green Goblin swoops overhead and lingers slightly out of reach, peppering the arena with his pumpkin bombs, charging at you, and freezing time to bombard you. He’s noticeably weak to his pumpkin bombs, however, so try and toss them at him before they explode in your face! After battling into the Hand’s fortress, you must first free Elektra Natchios from the Hand’s influence and then face Lester/Bullseye and Wilson Fisk/The Kingpin in separate fights. You must take out the ninjas feeding Elektra power, avoid Bulleye’s spread of razor sharp and explosive cards, and dodge the furniture and massive energy beam thrown by the Power Stone-enhanced Kingpin. The Kingpin also charges like a rhino, leaps at you to cause shockwaves, and even rips up stone columns to use as melee weapons!

Gigantic bosses and the quirkier villains help mix-up the otherwise tedious combat.

Avengers Tower is then attacked by Ultron and his drones, who assist him in battle. Not that he needs it as the Mind Stone allows Ultron to mess up your controls, to say nothing of his signature face and palm beams. Ultron then grows to gigantic proportions, sweeping the area with his eyebeams before Clint Barton/Hawkeye intervenes and Ultron merges with Ultimo. This is the first giant boss battle in the game and sees you blasting Ultimo with cannons and avoiding his massive swipes. The Infinity Sentinel is comparatively smaller, but no less dangerous thanks to its own face beam and missiles. Though you can damage it with Sentinel cores, it’s finished in a cutscene by Erik “Magnus” Lehnsherr/Magneto, who then tosses debris and throws you off balance with magnetic pulses while Juggernaut pummels you and Raven Darkholme/Mystique tosses daggers. After surviving Mystique’s Danger Room trials, you face Magneto, now even tougher thanks to the Power Stone, before being chased away and banished to the Dark Dimension by the Black Order. There, you battle past Loki Laufeyson (who boasts elemental attacks and duplication tricks) to eventually face the dread Dormammu, who wields the Reality Stone and is the second giant boss. You must subdue his minions and avoid his flame bursts, whittling down his magical barrier either directly or be destroying three nearby orbs, all while dodging his giant fists and ground spikes. The brief fight with Maximus Boltagon is far easier, even though the mad Inhuman carries a massive energy cannon and you must take cover in Thane’s energy bubble to avoid Maximus’s barrage of lasers. Ulysses Klaue/Klaw awaits in Wakanda and his sound-based energy blasts and waves must be overcome to rescue and recruit James Buchanan “Bucky” Barnes/The Winter Soldier. You then fight past A.I.M. to confront their master, George Tarleton/Mental Organism Designed Only for Killing (MODOK), who uses the Soul Stone to turn the Dora Milaje against you and attacks with a slew of appendages, from buzzsaw arms, poison gas, failing tentacles, and his signature forehead blast.

Battles with the empowered Black Order, Thanos, and Thane offer some of the most enjoyable challenges.

Though your goal in Hel is to confront Hela, you’ll actually battle the fire demon, Surtur, in another giant boss battle. This was a bit of a difficulty spike for me as Surtur’s flaming sword has a long reach and he causes the ground to erupt in flames, to say nothing of stun locking you with repeat sword strikes! Best him and Hela sets Johann Schmidt/The Red Skull on you, with the Nazi madman firing a powerful revolver and sapping your health with his “Dust of Death”. Hela gives the Red Skull a boost, protecting him with a shield and allowing him to fire a Bifrost-like laser, before placing his consciousness into the Destroyer armour. Though bolstered by Hydra forces and boasting a sweeping face beam, you can get a power-up from glowing crystals to overcome this destructive force. Finally, you venture to Knowhere and must run the Black Order gauntlet to retrieve the Infinity Stones, with checkpoints between each fight. Ebony Maw is first, firing a spread of projectiles and rocks and using the Soul Stone to create portals to trip you up. Supergiant tosses dark spheres and a golden homing shot that messes up your controls, though you can toss explosive cores from her minions to deal big damage. Cull Obsidian infuses his battleaxe with the Power Stone, sending out waves of purple energy and massive purple shockwaves, though he’s far slower and also susceptible to the nearby bombs. Corvus Glaive is much faster, landing multiple hits with his lance and using the Reality Stone to spring spikes form the ground and conjure duplicates who fill the arena with energy waves that can stun lock you. Finally, Proxima Midnight takes her fellow’s teleportation trick to the next level with the Space Stone and fills the arena with lightning bolts and strikes. All these powers are then recycled when you face Thanos, who gathers the six Infinity Stones into the Infinity Gauntlet to rain meteors, teleport, mess up your controls, freeze time, and fire his signature eyebeams. Thanos then joins you to battle Thane, who usurps him and boasts similar powers, though also upgraded by the Infinity Armour. Thane exhibits superhuman speed, traps you in a cube, fills the arena with portals and flames, and explodes in fury, though both battles were fun challenges rather than impossible tasks.

Additional Features:
Unlike in the previous two games, you won’t be finding data logs, action figures, or meeting certain requirements to unlock new attacks or costumes. You just fight over and over, earning whatever you need to unlock, buy, or upgrade whatever you wish and finding some concept art in treasure chests. A far harder (but more rewarding) “Superior” difficulty unlocks upon clearing the game alongside an additional “Nightmare” mode, accessible via the “Curse of the Vampire” campaign. You also unlock Thanos and can freely replay any mission on any difficulty (though you must start a new save to play on “Superior”) to grind and enhance your characters and ISO-8. Dimensional Rifts transport you to special challenges (not unlike the S.H.I.E.L.D. Simulator discs from the first game) that are often rematches with bosses or gauntlet challenges, though far tougher and gifting better rewards if you succeed. There are also three additional modes; however, though you can play a taster of each, you must purchase the expansion pass to fully unlock them. “Curse of the Vampire” adds vampiric enemies to the main story in “Nightmare” mode and offers a “Gauntlet” mode where you battle waves of enemies and bosses against both a time limit and a range of debuffs (including limited health restoration and draining EP). You can also tackle an “Endless” mode that’s pretty self-explanatory, and unlock additional characters like Frank Castle/The Punisher and Eric Brooks/Blade…if you buy the DLC. “Rise of the Phoenix” sees you form a four-person team and go head-to-head with a friend or the computer in three-round Danger Room scenarios. These see you tackling bosses again or wiping out hordes of enemies, awarding additional buffs and effects if you meet certain criteria (such as using any Ability or Synergy attack four times). You can only tackle the first challenge without the DLC, so I didn’t get very far, but this could be a fun distraction for those looking to test their skills against a friend. “Shadow of Doom” adds an epilogue story campaign that sees you return to Wakanda to oppose Doctor Victor Von Doom’s invasion. Dr. Doom’s Doombots endlessly spawn unless you destroy their teleporters, and you even battle the arrogant dictator in the recycled Necropolis, with him teleporting, firing lasers form his palms, and having his health restored by his Doombots. You’ll add Marvel’s First Family to your roster (alongside an alternative Thanos and other characters) by buying the expansion pass and battle Annihilus, a gigantic Celestial, and even “God Emperor” Doom!

The Summary:
I quite enjoyed the first two Ultimate Alliance games. They were mindless and largely repetitive, but I liked the large cast of characters and all the different references and locations from the comic books. Still, I put off Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order for some time, mainly because I was annoyed by it being a Nintendo Switch exclusive; however it turned out to be a decent enough brawler. Despite the different development team, a few tweaks, and an apparent disconnection from the previous games, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3 offers a lot of the same gameplay and enjoyment as its predecessors, which is great for long-time fans of the franchise. Unfortunately, it doesn’t improve on these elements in a meaningful way and actually removes some content that I found enjoyable from the last two. There are no optional missions, for example, no alternative endings, no choices, and no character-specific challenges beyond fighting and levelling-up. I found this made the tedious combat even more aggravating after a while as I wasn’t being rewarded with gear or costumes or anything other than stat boosts. Even the skill tree was limited since you must grind to acquire enough credits and expendables to enhance your team, and I found the ISO-8 mode to be more confusing than engaging. The game also does little to improve the boss battles. Very few were very innovative or required more of you than to strike fast, avoid shockwaves and projectiles, and unleash your Extreme attack. The giant bosses were more of a challenge and I liked the final fight against Thanos and Thane, but I was hoping for a bit more complexity, especially given the possibilities offered by the Infinity Stones. There is a fun selection of characters, but they don’t offer much more than what we saw in the last two games and actually offer less as there are no character-specific team-up moves. While I enjoyed the visual influence from the MCU and the variety, I feel like Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3 played things a little too safe by relying so heavily on combat and not mixing up the gameplay with a few other puzzles and challenges. Overall, it’s a good enough game and a worthy entry in the series, but it’s a shame that the developers didn’t try to be a bit more innovative and offer some more incentive to keep slogging away in endless fights.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

Did you enjoy Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order? How do you think it holds up against the previous two games? Which characters did you choose for your team? Were you disappointed that the combat was so similar to the last two games and the bosses so repetitive? Did you ever conquer all the Rift challenges? What did you think to the MCU influences and the final battle with Thanos and Thane? Did you ever play through the DLC? Would you like to see another Ultimate Alliance game? Whatever your thoughts, leave a comment below, support me on Ko-Fi, and go check out my other superhero content across the site.

Mini Game Corner: Alien Resurrection (PlayStation)

Dr. K4 Comments

Released: 20 October 2000
Developer: Argonaut Games

A Brief Background:
The Alien films (Various, 1979 to present) have had a tumultuous history with videogames, with adaptations ranging from pixelated garbage to first-person shooters, real-time strategies and crossover titles, to survival/horror experiences. In 1997, Jean-Pierre Jeunet was given the unenviable task of resurrecting the franchise after what seemed to be a definitive end, resulting in Alien Resurrection, a minor success that was met with mixed reviews. Like its predecessors, Alien Resurrection was accompanied by tie-in comics, novels, and a videogame, one that was initially asked to simply be a miscellaneous Alien title before 20th Century Fox gave the go-ahead to retool it into a Resurrection tie-in. Argonaut Games were supplied with scripts, storyboards, and raw footage from the film as reference materials but lost numerous team members when they decided to scrap a year’s worth of development in favour of building a third-person game engine. After struggling for another year to adapt to this new engine, the concept was reworked into a first-person shooter (FPS) and Alien Resurrection became one of the first FPS titles to utilise twin stick moving in its gameplay. Ironically, the game was criticised for this decision at the time; further criticism focused on the harsh difficulty, frustrating gameplay, and inferior options compared to the likes of Quake II (id Software, 1997). Thanks to selling only 250,000 units, Alien Resurrection was deemed a failure and Argonaut Games went out of business soon after, though the pioneering title has developed a cult following over the years.

The Review:
Alien Resurrection is an FPS title that sticks somewhat faithfully to the main plot of the film upon which it’s based. Consisting of ten missions with three difficulty settings (with the hardest setting limiting you to just one save point), the game sees you explore the Xenomorph infested USM Auriga and escape on the mercenary ship, the Betty, controlling one of four characters depending on which mission you’re on. Mostly, you’ll be in control of “Ripley 8”, an Alien/human clone of the Lieutenant Ellen Ripley, or Annalee Call, a female android. Other missions have you play as Call’s shipmate, Gary Christie, or Private First Class Vincent DiStephano, a soldier stationed aboard the USM Auriga. No matter which character you’re playing as, the controls and basic gameplay remain the same. You can pick from a bunch of different control settings, alongside toggling the crosshair and camera sway, and the game offers the unique option to move with the left stick and aim with the right! With the setup I chose, X allowed me to crouch and squeeze through vents and gaps, Square and Triangle cycled through whatever items I had on hand, Circle used whatever item I had equipped, and pressing in the right stick performed a quick turn. L1 and L2 cycled through my available weapons, R1 fired, and R2 allowed me to interact with the environment, turning handles and activating consoles to open doors or activate lifts and such. The only real difference between the four characters is in the weapons they use; Christie, for example, gets dual pistols (with infinite ammo like the other pistols) while Ripley gets an electric gun that charges a powerful shot. Other weapons include a shotgun, the iconic Pulse Rifle, a laser cannon, a flame thrower, and a grenade and rocket launcher, though some of these are limited to certain missions and won’t carry over between characters.

There’s little to differentiate the characters as they meander through the dark environments.

You’ll find ammo for these weapons (and the weapons themselves) strewn about the game’s dark, oppressive environments alongside helpful items. First aid kits replenish some health, flashlights light up the area (but only for a limited time and you must wait for them to recharge), security cards open doors, and the motion tracker alerts you to nearby enemies. The most useful item you’ll find is the mobile extraction unit, a super helpful bit of kit often conveniently placed near Alien eggs. You’ll need this if when a Facehugger latches onto you as it’s the only way to keep yourself from being instantly killed by a Chestburster and to open certain security doors that remain shut whenever “non-human lifeforms” are detected. Each mission has an objective tied to it, related through the pause menu and text dialogue between the characters between missions, and you’ll have to make a note of your surroundings as there’s no map and things get very samey very quickly. To make matters worse, Alien Resurrection is very dark (the game even recommends playing is the dark to heighten the immersion), so you may want to adjust your brightness settings to aid your exploration. Missions generally involve getting from point A to point B, generally a communications device to switch characters, activating consoles and disabling security systems as you go. Flickering lights, corpses, cries for help, and blood are as commonplace as explosive crates and you must watch for bursts of electricity, manual save points, and locked doors. These are often unlocked by finding vents or alternative routes to control panels but it’s pretty easy to get lost or muddle about in the dark. Things are pretty linear for the most part, but you’ll occasionally hit a wall. In just the second mission, for example, Call has just ten minutes to locate four detonator coils, which must be found and installed or it’s an instant mission failure. Later, you’re charged with destroying Ripley’s other clones, disabling forcefields, avoiding corridors lined with laser traps, finding five key cards to escape the maze-like maximum-security wing, and releasing the Betty’s docking bay clamps.

Sadly, the game’s short on bosses and its enemies are limited in their attacks.

Naturally, you’ll be attacked by Aliens as you accomplish these tasks. Regular drones go down pretty easily, and their blood doesn’t seem to hurt, but they can bleed out of the shadows and deal decent damage with their claw swipes and bites. You’ll want to blast any Alien eggs on sight as the Facehuggers are difficult to hit and your session will end pretty quickly if they latch onto you. You can use this to your advantage, however, as you can’t be double impregnated but you only have a short time before the Chestburster breaks free. The Aliens are all fully 3D models with such limited animation frames that they’re barely superior to their 2D predecessors, though they do sometimes barge through doors and scurry about on the environment. You’ll also have to battle soldiers, especially in the first few missions. These guys use cover tactics and get set upon by nearby Aliens, but their numbers dwindle as the game progresses. Like in the movie, Ripley’s failed clones merely lay on beds or are suspended in tubes for you to destroy so you’re far more likely to be disabling systems and avoiding short circuited machinery than battling elaborate Alien variants. Similarly, Alien Resurrection is disappointingly short on boss battles. You’ll face General Martin Perez, who’s flanked by flamethrower soldiers and wields a rocket launcher and shotgun, making for a particularly tough battle since the controls are so sluggish. You’ll also battle a Xenomorph Queen in a large arena completely devoid of resources. The Queen Bitch is a large target, easily strafed around and pumped with shots, but she also absorbs a great deal of punishment, though she’s limited to simple charges, headbutts, and slashes. You’ll also have several encounters with the horrific “Newborn” Alien/human hybrid, which appears multiple times in the penultimate mission. It’s also extremely limited with its attacks, though does move a bit faster so stay back and unload with the electric gun and it’ll eventually flee. While aboard the Betty and preparing your escape, it’ll reappear, completely invulnerable and confined to the ship’s narrow corridors. You must stun it with your shots and run through the Betty’s narrow, confusing tunnels, eventually taking a ventilation shaft to a control room where you suck it out into space like in the movie.

Despite its fidelity, the game is too dark and clunky to really impress.

Alien Resurrection somewhat impresses with its presentation, but only if I’m being very generous. As a PlayStation title, you can expect long load and save times, texture warping and pixelated environments as standard but the game chugs along at a snail’s pace, with none of the characters moving past a lethargic stroll. This was doubly disappointing as it would’ve been a great way to further differentiate the characters, such as having the synthetic Call and the now-superhuman Ripley move faster. Alien Resurrection does a commendable job of recreating the rusty, lived-in aesthetic of the movie, however, featuring callbacks to the first two films and recognisable areas from the film, such as the gym, the laboratory, and the flooded kitchen. This is quite a large area, full of swimming Aliens and annoying button puzzles; you must also watch your oxygen meter to avoid drowning. While you’ll hear announcements from Father, the omnipresent computer that controls the USM Auriga, voice acting is mostly limited to screams and cries for help, at least until the finale. Janky, pre-rendered cutscenes occasionally appear between missions, recreating certain scenes from the movie, though in a heavily truncated form. Aliens can be dismembered, their blood splatters on the environment, and you’ll disable flame bursts and electrical hazards to acquire key cards or progress. Unfortunately, the game is just way too dark; there’s not much variety once you’re in a mission and you’re sometimes left wandering in circles because you missed a vent or got turned around because everything looks the same. The game mostly uses ambient sounds, making for a largely dull experience, though I did like seeing corpses with holes in their chests slumped over desks, blinking monitors, and Aliens dropping from vents. There is no multiplayer option here, though you can utilise a comprehensive cheat menu to overcome the game’s difficulty and unlock a “Research Mode” that allows you to alter the appearances of the Alien models.

The Summary:
I’d heard so much good press for Alien Resurrection that it almost seems as though the game is better regarded than the movie. However, I think most of those reviews rate the game because it was the first first-person shooter to use twin stick controls and it’s a surprisingly solid and faithful recreation of the movie. However, these accolades only carry it so far; behind it all, there needs to be a solid gaming experience and, sadly, there just isn’t. Alien Resurrection is essentially just another, run-of-the-mill first-person shooter, with little to differentiate it from other, more enjoyable games in the genre except the 3D models and new-fangled control scheme. It’s kind of inexcusable to have four playable characters and nothing to differentiate them except the weapons they use, something you won’t even notice if you’re playing with the cheats enabled. The gameplay cycle gets very tiresome very quickly; characters meander around as if bored and you’ll be activating the same switches and consoles over and over. There are seldom more than a handful of enemies onscreen at any one time, the selection of bosses was painfully limited, and the variety, in general, is sorely lacking. Alien Resurrection is relatively short and the environments are quite large and annoyingly labyrinthine, making it a chore to play through since it’s difficult to see what’s going on thanks to the murky graphics and overuse of shadows. In the end, Alien Resurrection is a decent enough first-person shooter with some enjoyable moments but there are far better FPS titles out there and far better Alien-adjacent videogames you could be spending your time on.

My Rating:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Could Be Better

Have you ever played Alien Resurrection? If so, where does it rank for you against the other Aliens videogames? Were you also disappointed that there wasn’t more to differentiate the characters and that the game was short on bosses? What did you think to the dual stick controls and maze-like gameplay? Which of the Alien movies or videogames is your favourite and why? Whatever your thoughts on the PlayStation’s videogame adaptation of Alien Resurrection, drop them below and be sure to check out for my review of the film that inspired the game.

Back Issues [Superman Day]: The Death of Superman

Dr. K4 Comments

In 2013, DC Comics declared the 18th of April as “Superman Day” so fans of the Man of Steel could celebrate Clark Kent/Kal-El/Superman, the superpowered virtue of “Truth, Justice, and the American Way” who is widely regarded as the first ever costumed superhero.

Published: December 1992 to October 1993
Writers: Dan Jurgens, Jerry Ordway, Louise Simonson, and Roger Stern
Artists: Brett Breeding, Dan Jurgens, Jackson Guice, Jon Bogdanove, and Tom Grummett

The Background:
Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster first met in 1932 while attending Glenville High School and, just one year later, dreamed up their first draft for a superman with “The Reign of the Super-Man”. About five years later, a revised version of this concept appeared in Action Comics #1 and the world met Superman for the first time. Not only was Superman an immediate hit, but he went on to become a cultural icon. After decades of increasingly over-the-top stories, DC Comics tasked John Byrne with reimagining Superman for modern audiences. Under Byrne’s direction, Superman was a more grounded character and his stories adhered to strict continuity guidelines. After Byrne left DC Comics over creative differences, Superman group editor Mike Carlin moderated frequent “Superman Summits” involving Byrne’s replacements. It was during these chaotic meetings that writer/artist Jerry Ordway would jokingly suggest killing the Man of Steel. With Superman’s sales taking a hit thanks to readers favouring more violent anti-heroes, the creatives planned to shake things up by having Superman reveal his identity to his long-time love, Lois Lane, and eventually marry her. However, these plans were postponed to coincide with a similar arc on Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993 to 1997) and thus the idea of “Doomsday for Superman” was developed. Writer Dan Jurgens came up with the concept of a monster tearing through Metropolis and a climactic fist fight between it and Superman, before sketching a design for the creature that was subsequently dubbed Doomsday. Although DC always planned to resurrect the character, Superman’s death was headline news and became a best-selling title, despite being criticised as a publicity stunt. Despite also dying in this story, Doomsday would return to dog Superman, evading the literal death of the universe and evolving into both an ally and an intelligent being, though he never returned to the prominence he had in this first arc. Doomsday and the “Death of Superman” concept also appeared outside the comics: there was a videogame adaptation, multiple animated ventures, and it was long considered for a live-action adaptation before being brought to life first on television (with disastrous results) and then on the big screen (to similar chagrin) before finally having more faithful live-action renditions on Krypton (2018 to 2019) and Superman & Lois (2021 to 2024).

The Review:
Our story begins “somewhere else…” where, deep underground, in a reinforced prison, a mysterious monster repeatedly strikes its cage. Each blow sees the thing’s containment suit rupture little by little, revealing menacing bone appendages on its knuckles, and the metal wall crack and weaken until, eventually, the creature we now know as Doomsday bursts free! Oblivious to this impending threat, Superman’s far more concerned with tracking down the Underworlders, a group of misfits, monsters, and outcasts from the shady Project Cadmus who dwell deep beneath Metropolis. Led by the simple-minded but nigh-invulnerable Clawster (whose rocky design and bony appendages are eerily evocative of Doomsday’s final form), the Underworlders cut the city’s power in a bid to rise up and take the streets as their own. Luckily for Superman, young Keith White alerts him to the Underworlders’ plot and that they’ve taken Lois Lane hostage after she stumbled upon their lair. Though bolstered by technology stolen from War World, the Underworlders are no match for Superman, who easily fells Clawster with a grenade to the mouth, trashes their digging machine, and ends their plot. Thanks to Lois’s informant, Charlie Underwood, the plot is revealed and the uprisers are imprisoned to await trail by their more peace-loving people. However, while all this is going on, Doomsday runs amok across the countryside and causes chaos in Ohio…all with one hand tied behind his back! Thanks to Oberon monitoring the police band, Justice League International arrives to help with the rescue effort and, after learning the devastation was caused by a “monster man”, Ted Grant/The Blue Beetle rallies the JLI in pursuing the culprit. While Superman gives a candid interview of his life and allies, the JLI follow Doomsday’s trail of destruction. Though neither the mysterious Quintus Arce/Bloodwynd or the battle hungry Maxima’s psychic probes offer little information on the creature other than him being “hate–death and blood lust personified”, they soon come face-to-face with Doomsday when he wrecks the Bug with a tree trunk and starts tearing through a LexCorp oil refinery.

A monstrous creature tears across the countryside…and through the Justice League!

Never one to back down from a fight, Guy Gardner (who wasn’t a Green Lantern at this point but instead wielded Thaal Sinestro’s yellow ring) immediately attacks, only to be blindsided by the creature’s incredible speed and left damn near blinded when it pounds his face into the ground! Beatriz Da Costa/Fire’s intense heat blasts do little to halt Doomsday’s attack so Bloodwynd steps in. Summoning the “spirits of the dead” into a powerful blow, he’s stunned when Doomsday barely registers the punch and is then sent hurtling into the oil refinery (and an explosive end). The Blue Beetle rushes in to help his secretive ally, catching a glimpse of Bloodwynd’s true form before Doomsday strikes. With no superpowers and being little more than a child against the monster’s awesome strength, the Blue Beetle is manhandled by Doomsday and beaten into a coma. Enraged, Michael Carter/Booster Gold throws a “full-intensity blast” but barely has time to erect his force field before Doomsday sends him flying. Luckily, Superman intercepts him, having been alerted to the crisis by a stagehand. Unfortunately, though Maxima spirits the Blue Beetle away for medical attention, Superman’s too late to save Tora Olafsdotter/Ice from being tossed into the home of some innocent bystanders. Superman’s initially unimpressed by Doomsday, easily taking the creature’s first blow, but is astonished when the follow-up kick sends him flying harder than he’s ever been hit before. Realising Doomsday’s threat, Superman rallies and stands with the remaining Leaguers, who combine their individual powers in an intense barrage. Though completely encompassed by the onslaught, the effort drains Fire and Booster Gold’s physical and power reserves. Unfortunately, their efforts are wasted as Doomsday emerges unscathed save for his torn containment suit, revealing a scowling, gruesome visage that gleefully rushes the fatigued heroes. Booster Gold endures a horrific beating, then Doomsday easily tramples the others and causes another inferno before leaping away. Although Superman chases and temporarily subdues the creature underwater, he’s forced to help the injured Justice League rescue the innocent bystanders caught up in Doomsday’s rampage. With the JLI down, Superman resolves to pursue and stop Doomsday alone.

Despite Superman’s best efforts, Doomsday crashes into Metropolis and endangers his loved ones.

Despite the military’s best efforts, Doomsday continues his rampage. As Superman battles the creature, he’s stunned by Doomsday’s complete lack of empathy and troubled that the snarling brute seems to be growing stronger as the fight progresses. Although Lex Luthor II (Lex Luthor inhabiting a young, fit body and masquerading as his own son) forbids Matrix/Supergirl (a protoplasmic alien rather than the traditional Kara Zor-El) from assisting Superman out of fears for her safety, Maxima jumps in to help…only to cause more destruction and endanger additional lives. After Maxima is left concussed, Superman asks James “Jim” Harper/Guardian to tend to her and continues pursuing Doomsday, determined to put the monster down before he does any more damage. Doomsday carves a path of destruction across the countryside and eventually winds up tearing through a Lex-Mart store, where a television commercial for a Metropolis wrestling match catches his attention. Obsessed with “Mhh-trr-plss”, Doomsday prepares to head there and Superman flies into a desperate second wind,  continuously amazed that his strongest blows barely faze the monster. With Lois and Jimmy Olson covering the battle, Superman accidentally hurls Doomsday into Habitat, a tree-city created by Project Cadmus. Resolving to fight smarter rather than harder since just hitting Doomsday hurts, Superman buries Doomsday beneath Habitat, only for him to burst free in a rage and resume his course towards Metropolis. Superman intercepts Doomsday and finally tries to fly him off-world, only for Doomsday to easily wriggle free and send Superman crashing into a construction site. As Jonathan and Martha Kent watch on horrified, Doomsday crashes into the Underworlder domain, inadvertently rescuing and then purposely slaughtering the prisoners, and causes a massive explosion to rock the city when his foot collides with a power line.

Superman battles valiantly and ultimately stops Doomsday at the cost of his own life.

Superman’s second attempt to fly Doomsday away ends with him skewered through the abdomen by one of Doomsday’s spines. Finally released to assist, Supergirl is immediately dispatched with a single punch that reduces her to protoplasmic goop and even Professor Emil Hamilton’s massive laser cannon barely fazes the beast. Still, these distractions give the injured Superman time to regroup; hoping that Doomsday is as fatigued as him, Superman redoubles his attack. Luthor’s paratroopers and even Metropolis’s finest try to aid the Man of Steel, bombarding the creature with laser blasts that seemingly have no affect. Battered, exhausted, and desperate, Superman’s constantly distracted by saving innocents so, after rescuing Lois and Jimmy, he bids an emotional farewell to his fiancée and flies at his adversary, determined to put Doomsday down by any means necessary. Despite fighting for most of the day and having journeyed across the country and endured horrendous punishment, Doomsday easily overpowers Superman, cutting and bruising him. Superman finally hurts the creature by targeting Doomsday’s bony protrusions before the fight devolves into a slugfest outside the Daily Planet. Each blow shatters windows as the two relentlessly pummel each other, neither backing down until, finally, they fly in for the killing blow. Superman and Doomsday strike simultaneously, the force of their final blows sending shockwaves across the country, and Doomsday finally falls, apparently dead. Too late to help, Bloodwynd and Ice can only watch in shock alongside the world and Superman’s nearest and dearest as the Man of Steel collapses. Lois cradles her beloved, unconcerned about hiding her grief, as Superman breathes his last and succumbs to his wounds. Lois is left wailing as Superman, his costume torn and tattered and bloody, lies still amidst the rubble of his titanic clash, leaving the onlookers and his friends and family stunned.

The Summary:
“The Death of Superman” isn’t so much a story as it is a long, protracted beatdown of the Man of Steel. Amidst the fighting, the story takes a few detours to explore Superman’s opinion of his fellow heroes and his impact on the world. While most people find him an awe-inspiring figure and celebrate him as the world’s greatest hero, others are more dismissive. A teen eventually caught in Doomsday’s rampage is especially outspoken about the Man of Steel, preferring hot-headed Guy Gardner instead, only to be indebted to Superman when he puts his life on the line to protect his family. Guy, especially, is overly critical of Superman, blinded by pride and arrogance and attacking Doomsday head-on only to be mutilated and humbled. Doomsday’s threat is so great that even some of Superman’s more duplicitous and mysterious allies aid him with Dubbilex attempting to probe the beast for clues to his origin and the supercilious Maxima throwing herself into the bout to try and prove her worth. While the outside world sees Lex Luthor II as a benevolent figure, he’s the same conniving antagonist he’s always been. He doesn’t get involved until Superman and Doomsday are literally tearing through his city and, even then, his tech and even Supergirl’s bizarre powers are no match for the creature. Nowhere is this better showcased than in Doomsday’s utter decimation of the Justice League. Sure, the JLI was never the strongest incarnation and his demolition of them isn’t as powerful as if he were shredding the likes of Arthur Curry/Aquaman, Princess Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, and Wally West/The Flash, but it sends a startling message when Earth’s greatest heroes are beaten by one creature. However, the narrative is quite repetitive after a while. I lost count of how many times Superman and other characters muse over the creature’s strength, tenacity, and origins and, while the art is good, it’s inconsistent throughout. For example, Superman’s injuries vary between issues, with some issues ending with him bleeding and bruised and others ignoring those injuries before leaving him with different ones.

When Doomsday decimates everyone else, Superman resolves to put him down at any cost.

As a story about Superman’s will, “The Death of Superman” is quite powerful. Where the JLI and others fail due to being significantly underpowered, Superman fights on, battling Doomsday almost non-stop across the country. During their fight, Superman constantly stops to rescue bystanders and is always trying to keep Doomsday from populated areas. When he realises Doomsday’s heading to Metropolis, Superman desperately tries to keep him from reaching the city and, when this fails, he commits to ending the beast’s rampage. Sure, Superman rarely tries to get Doomsday off-world, but Doomsday is not only incredibly strong, but extremely agile and he easily escapes Superman’s grasp or leaves him gravely injured. At one point, Superman tosses Doomsday several miles away so it’s possible he could’ve launched Doomsday into space. However, Superman constantly notes that Doomsday never tires, seems to be growing stronger, and adapts to each situation. What works against Doomsday once won’t necessarily work a second time, something greatly expanded upon in subsequent appearances, so I think this is acceptable enough as an explanation for why Superman doesn’t just toss Doomsday into space. The conflict causes great distress for Lois and Jimmy, who are forced to watch and report as the man they love and admire is beaten to death before their eyes. While Lois eschews the usual restraint regarding her relationship with Superman to comfort and tend to him, the Kents are forced to watch, helpless, as their son is beaten to a pulp on live television. The impact of Superman’s deteriorating health is felt by every character and is palpable through the artwork. There’s a real sense of desperation as the fight reaches its climax and a shocking gut punch as the final blows are struck.

The mysterious Doomsday lives to kill and is little more than a mindless beast.

In many ways, it’s disappointing that Superman dies not at the hands of a traditional villain but in a slugfest with a monster. However, Doomsday is a visually intimidating and impressive monster. Initially garbed in an uninspiring containment suit, Doomsday’s true form – a snarling, grey-hued monstrosity – is revealed as he tears through his opponents and shrugs off their attacks. Doomsday never speaks; he simply barks laughter, grunts, and mumbles a bastardised growl of “Metropolis”. He’s noted to be “faster than Flash”, easily overturns trucks and rips apart bridges and buildings, and is not only inhumanly strong but absorbs tremendous punishment. Even the combined energy powers of the Justice League barely faze him, blows from mighty man-made trees barely slow him, and even hitting the brute causes Superman pain. Doomsday is malicious and bloodthirsty, slaughtering wildlife and innocents and beating the JLI with relish, and becomes fixated on both Metropolis and Superman. Throughout the story, psychics try to learn his origins and find only hatred and destruction. Doomsday is, essentially, a blank canvas; a mindless beast determined to destroy. Later stories fleshed out his origin (which is actually really interesting) but I can totally understand why adaptations made him a man-made doomsday machine or added to his lore as he’s primarily an invincible McGuffin shamelessly designed to shock the world by killing Superman. Superman realises far too late that Doomsday can be hurt by targeting his bony protrusions and he barely takes advantage of this, breaking one before going back to trading punches with the beast. This is a bit of a shame as it means the finale was always anti-climactic for me. We never see Doomsday tire, he rarely shows pain, he has no injuries and survives shots that look far more devastating than Superman’s final blow. This, as much as the tedious nature of their fight, means I’ve never held “The Death of Superman” to very high regard beyond it being notable for killing the Man of Steel and introducing a monstrous new villain for Superman, one who sadly never reached these same heights again because it’s difficult to top killing the world’s most powerful superhero.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

What did you think to “The Death of Superman”? Were you disappointed that Superman wasn’t ended by one of his more iconic foes? What did you think to Doomsday, his design and characterisation (or lack thereof)? Were you disappointed that a more powerful version of the Justice League didn’t battle Doomsday? Do you think the story suffers from being little more than a prolonged slugfest? Did you enjoy Doomsday’s later appearances or do you think he peaked here? How are you celebrating Superman Day today? Whatever you think, feel free to share your opinions in the comments below and feel free to check out my other Superman content on the site.

Movie Night: Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within

Dr. K1 Comment

Released: 11 July 2001
Director: Hironobu Sakaguchi
Distributor: Sony Pictures Releasing
Budget: $137 million
Stars: Ming-Na Wen, Alec Baldwin, James Woods, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, Peri Gilpin, and Donald Sutherland

The Plot:
In 2065, alien “Phantoms” have driven humanity behind barricaded cities. When Doctor Aki Ross (Wen) and her mentor, Doctor Sid (Sutherland), discover a way to defeat the Phantoms, she enlists her former flame, Captain Gray Edwards (Baldwin), and his squad to save “Gaia”, the planet’s life force.

The Background:
Back in the mid-1980s, videogame developer Square was primarily known for their simple role-playing games (RPGs), racers, and platformers. Following the success of Dragon Warrior (Chunsoft, 1986), Square allowed Hironobu Sakaguchi and his small team to develop potentially his last chance at success: a complex RPG experience. Luckily for Sakaguchi, Final Fantasy (Square, 1987) was a big hit that popularised the genre and produced loads of sequels and spin-offs in the following the years. In 1994. Square boldly expanded the franchise with Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals (Rintaro, Kanda, and Ohkuda), an original video animation notorious for its obscurity. For their next attempt at multimedia expansion, Square partnered with Columbia Pictures, placing series creator Sakaguchi as the director and writer, and invested four years developing the technology to bring the film to life. Powered by numerous state-of-the-art computers and software and incorporating motion capture technology, significant time and painstaking effort was taken to render the film’s character models. Aki Ross was purposely designed to be an intelligent, realistic character whose model could become a recurring “actor” in subsequent CGI films. Seen as a breakthrough in CGI design, Aki even made the front cover of Maxim. This venture didn’t come cheap, however, and the production budget soon ballooned, leave Square on the verge of bankruptcy when the film tanked at the box office. While reviews raved about the film’s technical achievements and realistic animations, the nonsensical plot, uncomfortable realism of the effects, and lack of fidelity to the source material tarnished its appeal. This, it would be some five years before Square attempted another feature-length Final Fantasy venture.

The Review:
In Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, the Earth is a post-apocalyptic wasteland. About forty years before the start of the movie, the planet was hit by a meteor carrying a highly aggressive, largely invisible alien invasion force that swept across the world. People suddenly dropped dead for no reason and, when the reason was discovered, went to war with these invaders (dubbed “Phantoms” since they’re invisible and can pass through solid objects). Battling the Phantoms was no easy task as physical contact with the creatures sees a person’s spirit removed from their body. However, the United States Military Force (USMF) developed semi-effective means to protect from and combat the creatures thanks to the painstaking research of Dr. Sid. Dr. Sid discovered that the Phantoms were comprised of a bio-electric life force that mirrored our own, a tangible power source that the USMF used to power their barriers, weapons and other assorted, suitably sci-fi technology. Thus, the USMF can seemingly kill or dismember the creatures, though their numbers are seemingly endless so humankind has been forced to shelter in “barrier cities”. Unfortunately, the barriers (effectively a form of electrical shielding) aren’t always reliable and can fail, whether due to the technology developing a fault or the Phantoms’ attack being too relentless, resulting in many lives being lost over the many decades and the planet’s surface left a wasteland of discarded vehicles, corpses, and dilapidated cities. Although a man of science, Dr. Sid is a deeply spiritual person. While his research enabled humanity’s survival, his ideas regarding humans have souls (or “spirits”) and the very planet itself having a tangible life force (dubbed “Gaia”) are seen as unpopular, fairy tale stories that don’t aid with defeating the Phantoms. His theories certainly earn him the ire of the hostile General Douglas Hein (Woods), a military man through and through who has a personal grudge against the Phantoms for killing his family and is literally obsessed (thanks in no small part to James Woods’ suitably grandiose voice work) with obliterating the clear and present danger, rather than indulging fantasies about spirits.

Infected by the Phantoms, Aki’s determined to gather the eight spirits and save her doomed world.

Thus, Dr. Sid has been forced to work covertly to scour the planet for eight spirits; life forms with unique energy patterns that directly feed Gaia and enable her to grow. It’s Dr. Sid’s belief that gathering these eight spirits will produce an energy wave that will dissipate the Phantoms. However, since General Hein would rather fire his massive orbital Zeus Cannon and willingly risk damaging the life force of the world, Dr. Sid works in secret. His first major breakthrough in Gaia research was his protégé, Dr. Aki Ross, who was accidentally “infected” by the Phantoms, something that’s normally a death sentence. However, Dr. Sid’s Gaia research saved her, safely containing the Phantom infestation in her chest, and she’s helped him by gathering six of the spirits through unsanctioned trips to the wastelands. These experiences have taken their toll on Aki as she’s encountered animals driven to the brink of extinction, lone weeds, and even a dying child who all contained the necessary spirits. To make matters worse, the infection is slowly killing her and Aki has regular nightmares of a doomed alien civilisation, one stuck in perpetual war, which she regularly records and studies as she believes it’s the Phantom’s way of communicating with her. All this leads her to distance herself from Captain Gray Edwards, commander of USMF’s “Deep Eyes” squad, since she didn’t want to hurt him with her short lifespan. The two cross paths when Aki secures the sixth spirit and she saves him from a similar infection by utilising focused surgical lasers. Although Gray is a sceptic and a pragmatist, he’s not some deluded warmonger like General Hein and at least entertains Aki and Dr. Sid’s theories, even if he doesn’t believe them. A driven and stubborn individual, Aki’s determined to gather the eight spirits and save her world and fully believes in Dr. Sid’s research, even exposing her infection to prove to the command council that there’s an alternative to the Zeus Cannon and merit to Dr. Sid’s beliefs. Naturally, this causes General Hein to become deeply suspicious of her. Believing she poses a threat and may even be manipulated by the Phantoms, he orders Gray and Deep Eyes to watch her for any abnormal behaviour. However, Gray’s feelings for Aki lead him to save her and them all to be branded as traitors, forcing Deep Eyes to team with the doctors in securing the last spirit before it’s too late.

The loyal Deep Eyes squad give their lives to protect Aki and gather the remaining spirits.

Gray’s a very by-the-book commander. He’s strong and loyal, for sure, and acquits himself well in combat, but he’s a bit of a blank slate. It’s clear that war has taken its toll on him and that he was hurt when Aki pushed him away. When his squad drops off one by one in their mission to save Aki, Gray reacts with anger and grief each time, showing he truly cares for his team. Indeed, Deep Eyes are a very likeable bunch, often bantering and acting like seasoned allies rather than simple grunts who blindly follow orders. Sensing the lingering feelings between Aki and Gray, mechanic and comic relief Neil Fleming (Buscemi) and stoic Corporal Jane Proudfoot (Gilpin) give the two some private time to work through their feelings. It’s abundantly clear that, for all his smart mouth, Neil has a crush on Jane, one he’s too awkward to express out loud and instead resorts to grand gestures to try and win her affections. Unfortunately for him, this results in his death when a gigantic Phantom sneaks up on him during their escape from the barrier city. While she’s largely dismissive of Neil and scolds him like a child at times, Jane’s incensed by Neil’s death and flies into a rage, only to ultimately embrace the same end when it’s clear she can’t defeat the Phantom. They’re joined by surly Master Sergeant Ryan Whittaker (Rhames), a soft-hearted brute who follows his commander out of blind loyalty. After being mortally wounded during the escape from the barrier city, Whittaker demands that they leave him behind with a gun and covers their escape, ultimately dying and leaving Gray fully ready to make his own desperate last stand to cover Aki and Dr. Sid’s journey to the Northern Crater Phantom Crater. Luckily for Gray, Aki won’t let him foolishly throw his life away and Gray joins her in descending into the crater, only finally realising that Dr. Sid’s seemingly mad theories are all-too true and that he, not Aki, holds the key to stabilising the life force of their fractured and doomed world.

General Hein refuses to believe the Phantoms are alien ghosts and is undone by his delusions.

The Phantoms come in all shapes and sizes, from humanoid warriors to gigantic, Lovecraftian creatures that defy description. Largely insectile, sporting tentacles and stingers and carrying weapons they never seem to fire, the Phantoms emerge from the ground and pass through walls with ease. Though they can be cut down and seemingly killed, hundreds more rise in their place and, since they’re largely invisible, they easily get the drop on the unprepared. Even when Aki and the Deep Eyes use technology to detect the Phantoms, fighting even one of them is a lost cause as they kill with a touch and just being near them can be infectious. As if their name (“Phantoms”) wasn’t enough of a clue, the creatures turn out to not be an invasion force, but the tortured spirits of a long-dead world who were carried to Earth via a meteor. Having waged war on their world and ultimately destroyed their planet, the restless alien spirits rise again as dangerous ghosts alongside the other creatures that inhabited their world. Their motivation is revealed to not be conquest, but simply that they cannot rest, though they remain no less dangerous after this revelation. As if an endless swarm of ghostly aliens wasn’t bad enough, Aki’s efforts to recover the eight spirits are undermined by General Hein. A brash, delusional, and paranoid military man, General Hein genuinely believes that the only logical course of action is to slaughter the Phantoms at their source using the Zeus Cannon, an orbital laser powered by the same energy emitted by the creatures. Cold and callous, General Hein relishes publicly humiliating Dr. Sid and throws his authority around with reckless abandon, happily branding even his own troops traitors if they dare question his orders. General Hein is so sure that the Zeus Cannon will work and so desperate to avenge his losses that he orders the city’s barrier to be partially lowered to let in some Phantoms, believing his troops can contain them before realising that he’s doomed the entire city. While this seems to bring him to his senses for a moment, it actually tips him over the edge into full on megalomania. Believing Aki is under the influence of the Phantoms, he refuses to entertain her revelation about them or acknowledge her warnings and orders the Zeus Cannon to be fired, even personally re-routing power and ultimately undoing himself due to his obsession.

The Nitty-Gritty:
My advice to any Final Fantasy fans coming into Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is not to expect a movie that reflects the source material. You’re much better off watching the film as a sci-fi alien invasion movie than a Final Fantasy adaptation; doing this makes it much more enjoyable, even if it does tend to drag in the middle. However, while the movie has little resemblance to the videogames, there are some loose familiar elements. Dr. Sid is the most obvious example, taking the recurring name from the games (why Biggs and Wedge weren’t also used is beyond me), a Chocobo gets a brief cameo, and you could even argue that the Zeus Cannon is a technological stand-in for the mythical “Summons” usually seen in the games (though calling it the “Odin Cannon” would’ve been a stronger link). While the film isn’t set in a medieval fantasy land, has no magical Crystals, and features no magic, there are some thematic parallels that mirror the games, specifically Final Fantasy VII (Square, 1997). The planet having a life force, for example, is very similar to the “Lifestream” from that game; the steampunk-like technology is also similar, with the barrier city resembling Midgar; Deep Eyes and their uniforms kind of resemble SOLDIER; and the finale at the Phantom Crater reminds me of the descent into the Northern Crater to confront Sephiroth. The idea of the Phantoms spewing from this singular point isn’t a million miles away from the “Lunar Cry” of Final Fantasy VIII (ibid, 1999) and the planet’s sprit is called Gaia, a recurring name for the planet in Final Fantasy games. Yet, the movie features none of the music from the games, no returning characters, and is as far removed from the source material as Final Fantasy VII was from the first Final Fantasy, so I can understand why long-time fans of the games were disappointed by the film, which changes so much of the source material that it’s almost unrecognisable.

As visually impressive as the film is, it suffers from being nothing like the source material.

However, put that aside and watch it as a sci-fi alien invasion movie, and it’s not that bad a watch. Sure, there’s a lot of existential musings on the soul, the nature of the planet, and the difference between logic and reason and abject aggression but there’s a fair amount to like here. The Phantoms are very intriguing; I loved how they all looked so different, from flying snakes to massive Eldritch abominations. I liked the sheer hopelessness that was evoked whenever even a handful of the humanoid Phantoms showed up and how desperate the situation was for all involved since humanity is on the brink of extinction. The performances were all solid throughout as well. Steve Buscemi and James Woods, especially, stole every scene they were in with their comical, over the top delivery that was perfectly mirrored in their character’s performances. And this is, naturally, where Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within shines the brightest. It’s a technical marvel, there’s no doubt about it, showcasing dramatic and cinematic camera angles never seen before in CGI animation and providing the most photorealistic CGI “actors” the world had ever seen. The detail put into Aki, especially, is staggering and you can really feel every emotion, doubt, and strength of conviction through her. Gray doesn’t get quite the same nuance, but General Hein is suitably menacing, Dr. Sid fittingly portrayed as a disheartened but no less enthusiastic grandfather, and the technical achievements of the film can’t be understated. It still holds up really well today, even if technology has advanced so far that most modern videogame cutscenes are now technically superior. Unfortunately, everything does come across as very bland and bleak. This makes sense considering the context, but it’s clear that the darkness and griminess was a conscious choice to hide imperfections in the CGI. The Phantoms are the most colourful thing in The Spirits Within, giving them an ethereal presence that’s bolstered by the fear and desperation of the characters and the creatures’ death touch to make them incredibly ominous. I do wonder what a more traditional, medieval fantasy setting would’ve looked like with this same technology and if it would’ve aged as well, but it is impressive to see CGI characters brought to life so realistically, even if they spend most of the film just standing or sitting and debating beliefs.

Gray’s sacrifice allows Aki to dispel the Phantoms and restore Gaia to full health.

As Aki’s condition worsens, her visions become more intense and detailed, finally allowing her to figure out what anyone with a brain could’ve told her: the Phantoms are alien ghosts, not an invasion force. Unfortunately for her, she and the Deep Eyes must escape the barrier city, which has been compromised thanks to General Hein’s arrogance, resulting in the loss of Gray’s entire squad. Realising the eight spirit is at the Phantom Crater, Aki, Gray, and Dr. Sid head there to retrieve it, finding the infectious spirit of the Phantom’s world threatening Gaia. Unfortunately, General Hein takes his obsession to its logical conclusion and bombards the site with the Zeus Cannon. Although Aki tries to reason with him, General Hein balks at her words and orders the assault to continue, destroying the eighth spirit and, ultimately, himself when he refuses to let go of his vendetta. To make matters worse, the Zeus Cannon also penetrates Gaia, wounding her and leaving her susceptible to the Phantom Gaia’s influence, which seeps in as a tangled mess of red roots. Left defenceless and with the Phantoms closing in on them, Aki has one last vision that makes her realise that the Phantom particles within her have been changed by her spirit and transformed into the eighth spirit. Though sceptical, Gray allows Aki to take the power node from his weapon and broadcast the energy wave, which pushes back the Phantoms. However, when this proves insufficient in restoring Gaia, Gray makes the ultimate sacrifice and acts as a medium between the planet’s corrupted life force and the spirit resting with Aki, dissipating the Phantoms and returning Gaia to normal at the cost of his life. With the Phantoms having finally been laid to rest and Dr. Sid finally seeing his lifelong beliefs with his own eyes, a despondent Aki returns to the surface cradling Gray’s lifeless body and sees a world finally free from the invading spirits.

The Summary:
I was a SEGA kid growing up, so I didn’t get to play the Final Fantasy games (legitimately, anyway) until I was in my twenties and got a PlayStation 3. I knew of the franchise thanks to gaming magazines and such, but I believe my first real experience of it was Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. I think that ignorance, my personal lack of nostalgia for the traditional videogames, and my love of sci-fi films has always contributed to me having a soft spot for this movie. It’s nothing like any of the games; it has none of the characters you know, none of the tropes, and only surface-level similarities in its themes. As an adaptation, it’s very poor and has little fidelity to the source material. However, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily bad; it just means you have to view it differently. As a sci-fi alien invasion film, it’s pretty decent. The Phantoms are a really interesting twist on the formula (even if the “twist” can be seen from a mile away) and I loved how they were so dangerous and unstoppable. I like the post-apocalyptic setting and the delusional General Hein, who stole the show for me, and the desperation faced by everyone to combat this threat. The existential themes at work were a bit obnoxious at times, the pacing felt very off and it does drag in the middle, and I would agree with arguments that many of the characters were wooden and underdeveloped. Aki gets the most screen time and the most development, which makes sense, but isn’t always the most interesting character, and the Deep Eyes squad quickly descend into one-dimensional (if enjoyable) characterisations. Of course, the most impressive aspect of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within is the CGI, which still holds up today. The level of detail in the characters is extraordinary and it’s clear that a lot of time, effort, and money went into the project. Unfortunately, I think it was largely squandered. By being so removed from the source material, the filmmakers alienated their target audience, and bogging the film down with a dull pace didn’t help cover for this decision. I still like it and still defend it, but even I don’t watch it all that much and I can see why both die-hard Final Fantasy fans and even casual audiences would be disappointed as, once you get past the technical achievements of the film, there isn’t much left to sustain your engagement.

My Rating:

Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pretty Good

Did you enjoy Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within? If so, what did you like and, if not, how annoyed were you by the changes made to the source material? What did you think to the premise, Aki’s character arc, and the characterisation of the Deep Eyes squad? Were you also a fan of James Wood’s performance? What did you think to the Phantoms, and did you also guess their true nature ahead of time? Would you like to see another big screen Final Fantasy movie? Which Final Fantasy game is your favourite? I really want to know everyone’s thoughts on this one so leave a comment below, support me on Ko-Fi, and check out my other Final Fantasy content.

Game Corner: Final Fantasy VII Remake (PlayStation 4)

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Released: 10 April 2010
Developer: Square Enix Business Division 1
Also Available For: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (Intergrade Version)

The Background:
Before the PlayStation, Square’s Final Fantasy titles were primarily known as a Nintendo-based franchise. That all changed with Final Fantasy VII (Square, 1997), an award-winning role-playing game (RPG) that sold over ten million copies for the upstart console. Final Fantasy VII was so successful that Square Enix were inspired to expand its lore and characters through numerous spin-off media, including a computer-generated movie, an RPG/action shooter follow-up, and a mission-based prequel initially exclusive to the PlayStation Portable. Development of a remake can be traced back to the early 2000s, though hardware limitations saw the project delayed until late-2015. Rather than simply remaster the original, the team decided to completely rebuild Final Fantasy VII from the ground up, replacing the turn-based mechanics for a more action-orientated gameplay style and creating all-new, photorealistic character models. Soon into development, the team also decided to split the game into three parts, expanding on supporting characters and even adding additional story elements to bolster this first entry. The announcement and first trailer alone did big numbers for Square Enix and the game sold over 3.5 million units worldwide within its first three days and was met with critical acclaim. Reviews praised the expanded characters and lore, the revised combat mechanics, and the deep dive into Midgar society. While some criticised the slower parts of the story and some tedious mechanics, Final Fantasy VII Remake echoed its source material by becoming an award-winning title. In 2021, an enhanced port dubbed Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade was released for the PlayStation 5, where the second part of the project released, also to widespread praise.

The Plot:
The Shinra Electric Power Company drains the planet’s “Lifestream” by harvesting its “Mako” energy, making life miserable for the lower classes. Ex-SOLDIER Cloud Strife reluctantly teams with eco-terrorist group Avalanche to oppose Shinra, only to end up defending fate itself when Sephiroth, a celebrated SOLDIER, enacts a mad plot to alter the timeline and become a God.

Gameplay and Power-Ups:
Final Fantasy VII Remake is, as the title suggests, an action-orientated remake of the classic RPG Final Fantasy VII. As in the original game, players assume the role of stoic mercenary Cloud Strike, a troubled young man who wields various swords as tall as he is, and team up with some colourful characters in a bid to first stick it to a corporate conglomerate, then to defend both the world and fate itself. If you’ve never played the original game, this is a great way to experience the story for the first time. However, Remake does dabble in multiple timelines and rely on references near the later stages so some familiarity with the original is required. Those who are well-versed in the original and the series will find new gameplay options available here that mix things up. Obviously, the turn-based mechanics are gone, replaced with the franchise’s more modern third-person, active battle system. You can set up battles to somewhat resemble the original system with “Classic” mode, where attacks are automated and you simply focus on making decisions, though I chose to play on “Easy” mode and have full control over Cloud and his allies. Battles are semi-random; enemies appear and occasionally respawn in specific areas for you to battle for experience points (EXP) and Gil, but you won’t be assaulted every other step like in the original game. When in combat, Square unleashes your standard attack and holding it performs either a multi-hit swing or an automated combo, depending on who you’re controlling. Triangle activates each character’s signature move: Cloud switches between the faster, weaker “Operator” stance and the slower, more powerful “Punisher” stance, while Barret Wallace unleashes a powerful blast from his gun arm that must be recharged, Tifa Lockhart executes a whirlwind uppercut, and Aerith Gainsborough deals magical damage with Tempest. X opens the command menu, slowing the battle to a snail’s pace as you select magic attacks, items, or character abilities. Circle allows you to evade, you can guard by holding R1 to reduce incoming damage, L1 opens your shortcut menu (allowing you to quickly perform preset actions), and you can lock-on to targets by pressing in the right stick. While in the “Commands” menu, L2 or R2 issue commands to your two teammates and you can switch to them with the directional pad, though they’ll battle independently without your input.

Combat is fast and action-packed as you pummel enemies with spectacular special attacks.

Although battles are much more chaotic and action-packed, many of Final Fantasy VII’s mechanics return here. Your health points (HP) are depleted as you take damage, with characters being knocked unconscious after enough hits, and utilising spells such as Fire, Cure, or Barrier drains magic points (MP). Attacking enemies builds up the Active-Time Battle (ATB) gauge and allows you to perform certain actions. You need at least one bar to consume a restorative item, cast a spell, or perform a character’s special abilities, with stronger magic and attacks consuming two bars. These special abilities are dictated by the weapons you hold; each weapon unlocks a new ability once you use it enough, allowing you to use it whenever you like with different weapons, and these abilities essentially replace the multiple “Limit Breaks” of the original game. Limit Breaks are still present, however, and again activated when a small gar fills up during battles. Selecting a special ability or Limit Break can turn the tide of trickier battles as you’ll deal greater damage or inflict wider status effects so they’re worth experimenting with. Victory not only earns you EXP to boost your level and stats (attack, defence, speed, etc) but also nets you Skill Points (SP). These are spent in a surreal menu not unlike Final Fantasy X’s (Square, 2001) Sphere Grid and boost your stats further or grant you additional Materia slots. As you explore and interact with non-playable characters (NPCs), you’ll find Materia that can be equipped to weapons, armour, and accessories. Materia allows you to cast spells in battle, from elemental attacks like Fire, Thunder, and Blizzard, to defensive spells like Barrier and Haste, to boosting your stats and assessing enemy weaknesses. Materia also levels-up through battle and the acquisition of Ability Points (AP), and levelling-up certain Materia lets you cast more powerful spells, though these consume more MP and have a noticeable charge time. Certain weapons add elemental effects to your attacks and most enemies have some kind of elemental weakness, so having a diverse set of Materia is key to mastering the combat system. It also helps to take advantage of buffs and status draining magic, capitalise on “critical hits”, and pummel your target when they’re “staggered”.

Completing side quests and mini games nets you Summons, fast travel, and other rewards.

When facing more powerful enemies, this staggered state is crucial to victory as landing successive hits builds the “Summon” meter. If you have a Summon Materia equipped, you can call forth a powerful beast to fight alongside you. Unlike in the original game, you issue orders to the Summon from the Commands menu and it’ll fight with you until the bar depletes. There are only four Summons available, with three locked behind virtual reality missions where you must defeat them to earn them, but they’re well worth bringing out during tougher boss battles. Victory, chests, and completing side quests also nets you Gil, which you spend on items to restore your HP, MP, or remove status effects like sleep and toad, purchase weapons and accessories, and buy more Materia. You can also use it to rest in inns, but I found little use for this as the game’s littered with helpful benches that restore your party to full health and Cloud even has a free room he can rest in during the first part of the game. This meant I never bought any items and rarely used them in battle and was much more frugal with my MP expenditure than usual, especially as I took the time to complete side quests to gain greater levels and gear. At various points throughout the chapter-based story, you’re encouraged to complete side quests for the destitute inhabitants of the Slums or the boisterous locals at Wall Market. These see you finding and feeding Chocobos to unlock a fast travel system, collecting medicines, defeating enemies that’ve infested the scrapyard and other areas, finding mischievous local kids, and playing songs to cheer people up. You’re usually rewarded with Gil but you’ll also unlock new Materia or be gifted SP or certain gear. Though these side quests did feel like padding at times, it was a great way to flesh out the game’s supporting characters and develop a deeper connection to the Midgar residents, meaning it has more emotional impact when Shinra decimates the area and kills most of them as recompense for your disruptive actions.

Gameplay is mixed up with some racing, interactable, and puzzle solving sections.

While Final Fantasy VII Remake is heavy on combat, you can run from most battles and much of your time between fighting is spent interacting with party members, other members of Avalanche, and the NPCs in the Slums and other Sectors. These interactions also see you participating in various mini games, such as a squat and pull up contest where you rhythmically press buttons in the correct order, culminating in a full-blown rhythm game where a cross-dressing Cloud shows off his dance skills! There are two sections where you race along the Midgar highways on a motorcycle; both see you swinging your sword at Shinra’s soldiers or blasting them with a beam attack, though the second jaunt sees you dodging anaerial bombardment and taking on a massive tank! While most areas are sprawling and daunting in their size, your helpful mini map, onscreen compass, and the larger in-game map steer you in the right direction. Puzzles generally involve squeezing through gaps, pushing things aside, or activating consoles and levers but you’ll also be moving crates (and giving Aerith a ride) using gigantic robotic hands, switching between parties to open doors, asking Red XIII to hop along walls to pull levers, and rescuing terrified children following Shinra’s horrendous counterattack. When bringing down the Mako Reactors, you’re given a time limit to battle to safety; when infiltrating Shinra headquarters, you find and upgrade identification cards and crawl through vents; and you’ll be firing grapnel guns with Triangle to escape the Slums, blasting walls with Barret’s gun arm to find goodies, and draining water to progress in the bug-infested sewers. Shinra-branded crates are scattered everywhere, and you can smash these for items, to restore a little MP with Mako Shards, and to collect Moogle Medals to trade in the slums. You’ll be competing in the colosseum to progress the story and gain levels, searching for cats and allies, following a disconcerting trail of glowing slime, clambering on overheard poles, and shifting disused trains around in your quest. None of it’s too demanding but the game does slow down noticeably during the more padded and tedious moments.

Presentation:
Final Fantasy VII Remake is absolutely gorgeous. The graphical standard is so high that it’s basically like playing through Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (Nomura, 2005) and a far cry from the chibi-like polygons of the original! However, I did notice some texture warping in the environment now and then and a delay loading the correct, high-quality textures here and there. Still, character models are now expressive and incredibly realistic, with your party’s weapons and gear reflecting what you’ve equipped in every cutscene (so, for example, Cloud doesn’t default to the Buster Sword when you’ve equipped the Nail Bat) and them being more expressive than ever. Cloud, especially, benefits from this as the story revolves around him and him slowly coming out of his shell as he interacts with his unlikely friends and other NPCs. He’s socially awkward at times and hesitant to form deep connections, meaning he’s left quite uncomfortable by Jessie Raspberry’s advances and Aerith’s teasing. He constantly clashes with Barret, who constantly gives Cloud a hard time and it takes a while for him to see Cloud in a different light when he willingly opposes Shinra and defends Midgar. Barret is a standout character for his passionate love for the planet and his little girl, Marlene, but I was surprised to see how big a role supporting characters like Jessie, Biggs, and Wedge have this time around. They desperately try to pierce Cloud’s armour and he begrudgingly comes to care for them, making their injuries and deaths all the more impactful, but it’s obviously his care for Tifa and Aerith that have the most impact on his character. Beset by migraines and assaulted by visions of his past, a distorted version of events, and Sephiroth, Cloud is a deeply troubled young man initially just looking to get a payday who naturally assumes a leadership role and goes out of his way to protect his newfound friends, even accepting Red XII without hesitation.

Midgar has never been so lively and expansive! it’s truly awe-inspiring to behold.

These narrative moments are pivotal to Remake’s story and directly tie into your extended time in Midgar and its various Sectors. While you can argue it unnecessarily drags things out, I did form a deeper bond with the welfare of the NPCs and this area since I interacted with everyone and got a sense of their society. Remake is quite linear and restrictive at times, however; it’s rare that you’ll get lost as your destination is either clearly signposted or you’re barred from going in different directions. You can explore a bit, though, and will find nooks and crannies hiding chests, Materia, health-restoring benches, or other minor goodies. Sometimes you have to go out of your way to find these, like directing moving platforms to an area behind some giant fans that you temporarily disable to snag some Materia. The game often highlights when you might’ve missed something with characters giving you the option to go back, but you can ignore these prompts if you just want to progress. You’ll be exploring Midgar’s Slums often, venturing into the squalor and interacting with the locals at the scrapyard, orphanage, or various shops. Aerith’s church is also here, of course, as is her beautiful house. You’ll also venture deeper into the oppressive and dark, steampunk-styled streets of Midgar to visit Jessie’s family, clamber up a pillar to escape, and toil in the dank sewers beneath Don Corneo’s opulent mansion. Quite often, you’re treated to a sprawling view of Midgar, which looms over the Slums like a dark shadow or stretches to the horizon, either twinkling with lights or left in ruins. The environments all recall the pre-rendered backgrounds of the original game but in a much greater scale. This is best felt when exploring the Mako Reactors, which feel large and lived in and fully operational, and when escaping the wreckage of the Slums and venturing into Shinra headquarters.

Cloud’s emotional journey takes a dramatic twist by the end.

Shinra headquarters is a high-tech skyscraper housing offices, an luxurious library (where the mayor is hidden away like a bad secret), toilets, and a museum dedicated to Shinra’s Mako research. It’s also home to Professor Hojo’s sprawling laboratory, where his Mako experiments created abominations and super-soldiers alike. Although Cloud is beset by fragmented memories, they become much more volatile here as Professor Hojo drops hints regarding his true past and his visions of Sephiroth manifest in physical form. We get brief glimpses of Cloud and Tifa’s childhood and a fiery incident involving Sephiroth, but nothing concrete, of course. Sephiroth’s presence is much more prominent here than during the original game, with his presence altered to potentially be time displaced and often accompanied by ominous, robed spectres known as “Whispers”. These pop up at key moments to keep the timeline intact but rage out of control in the finale, engulfing Shinra headquarters and warping Cloud and his friends to a desolate, whirlwind of a wasteland for the game’s final battle. Final Fantasy VII had one of the best soundtracks in all of videogaming, to say nothing of the franchise, and it’s well represented here. All the memorable themes make a return and can be freely listened to from jukeboxes once you’ve acquired CDs from vendors and side quests, and they even dynamically shift depending on what you’re doing. While your party won’t strike poses after every battle, they do in the combat simulator and Barret likes to hum the “Victory Fanfare” after a win, which is fun. A new remix of “One-Wing Angel” plays during the final battle, which always ups the ante of these situations, and Cloud’s confrontation with Sephiroth echoes their final encounter in Advent Children and recreates the automated showdown from the end of the original game. Finally, Remake ends with a tantalising teaser for what’s to come as we witness an alternative timeline where Zack Fair survived his dramatic last stand and leaves the ultimate fate of these characters up in the air since Sephiroth’s messing with the timeline.

Enemies and Bosses:
It’s been a while since I played Final Fantasy VII so I admit that I didn’t recognise many of the enemies I cut down throughout the remake. Some Final Fantasy staples are recognisable, of course, like the flaming Bombs, frog-like Hedgehog Pies, and the deceptively dangerous Tonberries. Many battles pit you against Shinra’s forces; these militant goons wield machine guns, toss grenades, hide behind riot shields, and even fly using helicopter blades. Shock troopers, faster, more annoying “elite” variants, and even 3rd class SOLDIERS also crop up, alongside turrets, small drones, and cannons. Some of these are placed amidst the environment and can be pre-emptively destroyed by Barret; others come to life from the background or pop up from holes in the ground. Shinra also employs large mechs known as “Sweepers” that boast buzzsaw appendages, flamethrowers, and missile launchers. Their clandestine operatives, Rude and Reno of the Turks, occasionally attack from a chopper and their troops are often accompanied by monstrous guard dogs seemingly bred from Red XIII. Various bizarre monsters, presumably discarded experiments or the result of Shinra’s hazardous actions, are also fought in the Slums and other Sectors. Ravenous rats, crane-like birds, disgusting insects, and weird amphibious creatures are as commonplace as living junk and bandits looking to pick a fight. Ghosts and the ominous Whispers are also encountered numerous times, alongside lizardmen, wolf-like beasts, and the truly peculiar “Unknown Entities” birthed from Professor Hojo’s lab! Many attack in groups and utilise similar magic to you, but you’ll find they invariable have elemental weaknesses, items to be stolen, or are all bark and no bite, especially if your levels and weapons are particularly strong. I’d recommended using Assess to keep a record of their weaknesses, hitting the touch panel on the controller to review each enemy afterwards, and equipping Enemy Skill to learn some of their more troubling abilities for yourself. The game also logs battle intel on each creature for you to review and this ties into the VR side quest to snag new Materia as well.

Shinra’s mechs and agents will hound you throughout the story.

Shinra’s military arm is second to none in the world of Final Fantasy VII and, consequently, you’ll be battling some massive, heavily armed mechs. The Scorpion Sentinel is a significant first boss since you’re also battling a twenty- or thirty-minute timer during the escape portion. The Scorpion Sentinel sets a precedent for the game’s bosses in that they all consist of multiple phases, with the environment changing or the boss altering its appearance and attacks as you deal damage. Able to lock on and bombard you with missiles, leap to the walls, and fire a devastating laser beam from its tail, the Scorpion Sentinel isn’t to be underestimated but, as with every other boss, can be staggered by targeting its appendages and elemental attacks (in this case Thunder) turn the tide. The Crab Warden is somewhat similar, though favouring flame bursts and electrifying the floor and with a central generator and pilot for you to target once you bust through its defences. The Airbuster continues the trend, though the difficulty of the timed fight is set by you since you can sabotage the machine while exploring the Mako Reactor. The Airbuster boasts a large beam cannon, launches its fists, and flies out of reach to pepper you with missiles. In the second phase, it sits at the end of a narrow walkway and will decimate you with its beam unless you take cover, while filling the space with laser beams in the third phase. The Valkyrie flying machine chases you down as you escape the Slums, favouring rapid-fire chainguns and explosive artillery, the tank-like Arsenal must have its wheels cut from under it on the highways, and you must swap between parties to battle the snake-like Swordipede in the depths of Shinra headquarters. This electrified mech flies about, tossing a buzzsaw and blasting you with an electrical field that can make it tough to hit. Alongside these mechs, you’ll battle Shinra’s human forces: Reno and Rude, in particular, are a troublesome duo, attacking with both speed and power. You’ll also match wits with SOLDIER 3rd Class Roche, earning his begrudging respect in a duel, and must target Rufus Shinra’s canine companions to keep him from counterattacking with a shotgun to your face!

Bizarre, monstrous creatures lurk in the shadows and burst free from Professor Hojo’s lab.

You’ll also face some large, generally grotesque monsters. If you want to summon Shiva, Chocobo and Moogle, and the Fat Chocobo, you must first defeat them in VR simulations, which isn’t too difficult given their obvious weaknesses. While competing in the Wall Market colosseum, you’re forced to fight the Hell House, a strange sentient house that’s initially immune to physical attacks, protects itself with Barrier, sends fireworks into the arena, and uses its jet boosters to stay out of reach. While in the sewers, you battle the troll-like Abzu, targeting its horns with Fire magic and avoiding its devastating pounce and poisonous water. A damaged Abzu reappears when you revisit the sewers, now accompanied by its pig-like offspring, retreating to tunnels to flood the room but otherwise retaining the same attacks. Abzu is good practice for the Type-0 Behemoth, a ravenous beast best crippled by attacking its torso and hind legs so you can target its horns, which make it otherwise invulnerable. Similar to the Whispers, who spawn the “Enigmatic Spectre” mini boss, the ghosts that haunt the trainyard are governed by the Ghoul, a poltergeist-like entity that teleports, becomes intangible, and inflicts Silence. This is merely the prelude to the Grim Reaper-like Eligor, who races around in a chariot, sweeps the floor with its eye laser, and can only be attacked from behind (preferably by ice-based magic). Finally, there’s Specimen H0512, a Cthulhu-like chimera with no elemental weaknesses, poisons and who “Slows” you with Noxious Expulsion and Mako Expulsion, slams one of your team around like a ragdoll, and spawns disgusting little minions to distract you.

Sephiroth reaches out from across time to try and undo his defeat and realise his mad goals.

Final Fantasy VII Remake includes an all-new form of Jenova, Jenova Dreamweaver, a malformed, Lovecraftian, tree-like entity fought in Shinra headquarters. This writhing, tentacled thing is rendered vulnerable by attacking its appendages, which spawn throughout the arena, pushes you back with Cast Aside, targets a single character with the hard-hitting Vengeance laser orb, and envelops itself in an impenetrable barrier with Rejection. It’s a fun, three-stage fight that keeps you on your toes, but the tension really ramps up once you enter the “Singularity” and are confronted by the titanic Whisper Harbinger. This towering monstrosity is too big and too far away to hit, but it does create three Whisper-like avatars: Whisper Rubrum, Whisper Viridi, and Whisper Croceo. Though colour-coded, they have no elemental weaknesses and instead absorb elemental attacks; they also constantly teleport and respawn, so it’s better to focus on one at a time. Deal enough damage and they’ll cast Correction, separating your party and forcing you to flee as the Whisper Harbinger wrecks the floating environment and showers the floor with lightning blasts. When Barret and Red XIII leave to attack Whisper Harbinger directly, you’ll face Whisper Bahamut, which throws explosive purple flame balls and the devastating, unavoidable Megaflare. Defeating it, and the other avatars, sees the Whisper Harbinger lose health and eventually crumble but this is a gruelling multi-stage fight that I’m not sure has checkpoints between each phase. Victory sees you confront Sephiroth, first as Cloud alone and then alongside his friends. Sephiroth is fast, casting elemental attacks, attacking with a sword beam, launching a three-swipe attack, and being the most aggressive and damaging enemy you’ll face. His Aeolian Onslaught can be tricky to dodge, his Hell’s Gate creates an explosion of light that hits anyone nearby, his Flamewall restricts your movements, and his Octoslash is effectively a one-hit KO attack. Once you deal enough damage, Sephiroth casts Meteor; you then have until the count of ten to finish him off before your whole party is decimated! This is a tough fight but also incredibly enjoyable. It echoes the Advent Children finale while also bolstering Cloud’s relationships since his friends arrive to help him for each phase of the fight.

Additional Features:
Final Fantasy VII Remake has fifty-four Trophies up for grabs, with one awarded each time you clear a story chapter and when you finish the game. You’ll get additional Trophies for completing side quests, like decorating the orphanage, helping out Johnny, and defeating Summons in VR. Collecting CDs, calling upon a Summon, levelling-up Materia and your characters, and mastering weapons all award Trophies as well. While it’s easy enough to win a battle and stagger an enemy, mastering the darts mini game, receiving praise from Jessie for your motorcycle skills, completing all the squat and pull up challenges, and beating the game on “Hard” mode are a bit more taxing. “Hard” mode is unlocked once you finish the game and disables items and restricts you to healing at benches, making for a far greater challenge. Beating the game also unlocks a chapter select option so you can retry any remaining side quests all while retaining your current level and gear. Your EXP and AP is also doubled at this point, which is helpful, a play log is unlocked, and additional battles are added to the combat simulator. Completing Chadley’s Battle Intel requests lets you battle and add Bahumut and Leviathan to your team, and you’ll need to defeat all these Summons to take on the optional superboss the Pride and Joy Prototype. In addition to a bevy of options, from combat controls to camera positions, you can also upload your save file to the PlayStation 5 to continue your game there. The PlayStation 5 version is the only way to play an interlude mission involving Yuffie Kisaragi, so it’s probably better you upgrade to that version to get the full experience.

The Summary:
Unsurprisingly, I’m a big fan of Final Fantasy VII. I enjoyed playing through it and have been waiting for a remake for a long time, though I never expected Square to go this far with it! I would’ve settled for a graphical overhaul of the original, with additional CGI FMVs tossed in to bolster the experience but, much like Capcom, Square went above and beyond in remaking arguably their most successful RPG and the results are clear to see. Final Fantasy has never looked better; Remake is like playing through a high-budget CGI movie, with an incredible sense of detail and depth to every environment. Making you interact with NPCs and spend more time helping them out fleshed out every character, not just the supporting roles, making them richer and more nuanced than ever. I loved the classic turn-based battle system and was worried I’d struggle here as a result, but combat is fast, fluid, action-packed, and intuitive. It’s fun issuing orders or switching to characters on the fly, taking cover, healing, or dishing out damage across the battlefield, to the point where it would’ve been great if this was a co-op experience! While the playable roster and the available gear is limited and you’re restricted to what amounts to the first disc of the original game, there’s a lot to see and do here and I liked the twist that this is more of a retelling of these events than a complete retread. The bosses were large and engaging and the sense of empowerment and progression was great; I played on “Easy” and didn’t get a single game over but enjoyed the sliding difficulty scale as the stakes increased. I’m glad it finally came to the Xbox and would gladly replay the game there, especially to experience the Intergrade add-on. Regardless, Final Fantasy VII Remake is an outstanding visual and gameplay experience, easily accessible to newcomers and packed with fan service for long-time fans, revitalising and expanding upon the original game in bold, new (and, crucially, fun) ways to present a truly amazing feat of videogaming.

My Rating:

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Fantastic

Have you played Final Fantasy VII Remake? If so, what did you think to it and how do you think it holds up against the original? Were you disappointed that the project was split into three parts across two console generations? What did you think to the Whispers and the changes made to the story? Did you enjoy getting to know Midgar more intimately here? Which of the side quests was your favourite? Did you struggle against Whisper Harbinger and Sephiroth? Would you say it’s worth upgrading to the PlayStation 5 to continue the story? Which Final Fantasy game is your favourite? Let me know your thoughts on Final Fantasy VII in the comments and be sure to check out my other Final Fantasy content on the site.

Movie Night [National Anime Day]: Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals

Dr. K2 Comments

15 April has been designated National Anime Day to celebrate the stylistic genre, which achieved mainstream success thanks to animators like Osamu Tezuka.

Released: 21 March 1994 to 21 July 1994
Directors: Rintaro, Naoto Kanda, and Tomohiko Ohkuda
Distributor: Madhouse
Budget: Unknown
Stars: Matt K. Miller, Sherry Lynn, John DeMita, Kate T. Vogt, Michael Sorich, Julia Fletcher, and Barbara Goodson

The Plot:
200 years after Final Fantasy V (Square, 1992), the malevolent Ra Devil (Sorich) arrives from the Black Moon and seeks the four elemental Crystals and only a quartet of unlikely heroes – headstrong Prettz (Miller), timid Linaly (Lynn), bumbling Valkus (DeMita), and mischievous Rouge (Vogt) – can stop him.

The Background:
In the mid-1980s, developer Square entered the Japanese videogame industry with simple role-playing games (RPGs), racers, and platformers for the Nintendo Famicom but, fearing low sales, forbade Hironobu Sakaguchi from developing a more complex RPG. That all changed with the success of Dragon Warrior (Chunsoft, 1986), prompting Square to reconsider their stance. Thus, Sakaguchi formed a small team to develop what he saw as his last chance at success in the industry. Of course, Final Fantasy (Square, 1987) was a huge hit that not only popularised the genre, but led to a slew of sequels and spin-offs over the following years. By 1994. the series spanned five games (with a sixth, arguably one of the greatest entries, due that same year). Final Fantasy V was a big hit upon release, despite not receiving an English translation, and Square sought to capitalise (and expand beyond videogames) by partnering with NTT Publishing on an original video animation (OVA) based on the title. The first direct sequel to a Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals was originally released in Japan across four episodes on VHS before being dubbed into English and released in two volumes some three years later. At the time, the OVA was warmly received and praised for its visually engaging mixture of action and adventure. While some have criticised it as a poor adaptation and for its more comedic aspects, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals became notorious for its scarcity. The OVA has never been re-released on any other media and is essentially lost to time, known only to a handful of die hard Final Fantasy and anime fans.

The Review:
200 years ago, the Warriors of Light (or “Valiant Ones”, as they’re referred to here) defeated the mad ambitions of Exdeath (dubbed “Exodus” here) to use the four elemental Crystals of Planet R to plunge all life into an everlasting void of darkness. Since then, Bartz Klauser (here called “Batz”), Lenna Tycoon, Galuf and Krile Baldesion, and Faris Scherwiz have passed into legend, with only Batz leaving behind a legacy in his descendants, the elderly Hassam (John Hostetter) and his brave but timid daughter, Linaly. Hassam operates alongside an unnamed Blue Mage (Unknown) as a spiritual advisor to Queen Lenna (Goodson), monarch of Tycoon, who learn from the wind itself of an oncoming danger. Despite his age, Hassam is adamant about journeying to the Wind Temple to investigate, determined to live up to the standard set by his ancestor. When Linaly offers to go in his place, the two reach a compromise to travel together, but Hassam refuses to allow boisterous Prettz to tag along as Linaly’s “bodyguard”. Believing the hot-headed youth would desecrate the sacred Wind Temple (and suspecting that Prettz just wants to impress Linaly), Hassam refuses to divulge their destination or let him on their boat, despite Linaly having a soft spot for the boy. Undeterred, Prettz follows on his bitchin’, steampunk-esque motorcycle, ultimately saving them from a gigantic, insectile desert monster when his nodachi proves more effective than the gaunt, featherless Chocobo Linaly summons. Despite severing the creature’s head with one dramatic slash, Prettz fails to impress Hassam who, too injured and exhausted to continue, insists that Linaly continue by herself. With Hassam returning to their village to rest and offering spiritual guidance to his granddaughter through a mystical talisman, Prettz continues to follow Linaly, whom he has an obvious crush on. Though she steadfastly refuses his offer for a ride since she wants to honour her grandfather’s wishes to go alone, Linaly soon changes her mind when threatened by a massive airship. Piloted by treasure-hungry pirate Rouge and her all-female crew, the pirates accost them, looking to steal their bike and possessions. Although Prettz manages to elude the pirates using his riding skills and one of his trademark spiked bombs, he makes an enemy of Rouge, who vows to hunt him down and make him pay for the humiliation.

Prettz insists on accompanying Linaly and gets mixed up with a magical Crystal.

While taking refuge in a forest, Linaly reveals the true nature of her quest to Prettz and uses her talisman (and telepathic advice from Hassam) to guide them to the Wind Temple, leading them to a raging sandstorm which Prettz rushes head-first into while Linaly allows her faith to guide her. Upon reaching the Wind Temple, however, they find the shrine out of reach. Hitting upon an idea, Prettz doubles back and forces Rouge and her crew to pilot her airship into the temple valley, threatening to blow them all sky-high unless they agree. Begrudgingly, Rouge agrees and, despite her annoyance and doubts that her ship will even fit through the canyon, successfully brings Prettz to the temple’s entrance…where he finds Linaly waiting! While he was off being a show-off, Linaly investigated the area and solved the puzzle to open the way to the Wind Temple and she ventures inside with Prettz while Rouge is distracted by an incoming airship. Braving the temple’s interior, the duo locate the Crystal, which, upon contact, bombards Linaly with visions of the past and a malevolent figure and the spirits of the long-dead Valiant Ones crying for aid. Overwhelmed by the barrage, both Prettz and Linaly are powerless to keep the Wind Crystal from entering her body, where it glows ominously from her perky little butt (leading to much raunchy leering throughout the OVA). Desperate to help his friend, Prettz races from the Wind Temple, reasoning that the Blue Mage would be able to help her, only to be confronted by Valkus, the heavyset commander of the Iron Wings, the same airship that caught Rouge’s attention. Having learned that the other three elemental Crystals have been stolen and their nations have descended into chaos, Valkus and his crew flew to the Wind Temple to secure and protect the remaining Crystal. Naturally, Valkus believes Prettz and Linaly to be thieves and fires on the two when they not only refuse to return the Crystal but when Prettz also pushes his disrespectful attitude too far. Despite the Iron Wings’ bombardment and Valkus shooting at the two with his pistol, the duo topple Valkus and attempt to escape. After being grazed by one of Valkus’ shots, however, Prettz flies into a rage, only to have his sword blocked by the commander’s bare hands and the hostilities between the group ended when Rouge (who had been eavesdropping the entire time) knocks them all unconscious with gas and kidnaps them, lusting after the mysterious Crystal she heard them talking about.

The lovelorn Valkus is locked up with the duo and learns of the impended threat from Mid.

Elated to have captured not only the kids who humiliated her so badly but also the captain of the Iron Wings, Rouge spirits her quarry to her personal island and threatens them with torture. Defiant to the end, Prettz scoffs at her threats, maintaining his insolent attitude even when Rouge subjects him to a tickle machine. When Rouge threatens to snap Linaly’s neck with her whip, Prettz attacks in a fury, only to receive a beating that renders him unconscious. The three are thrown into a cell while Rouge ponders her next strategy. Though Prettz desperately tries to break out, he receives little help from Valkus, who finds himself confused by his attraction to Rouge. While Valkus’s crew frantically search for their lost commander, following sporadic energy spikes emitted by the Wind Crystal, the prisoners are stunned when the Crystal suddenly emerges from Linaly’s chest, and the spirit of Mid Previa (Fletcher) appears before them. The grandson of Cid, an ally of the Valiant Ones, Mid’s restless spirit ignores Prettz’s insolence and drops a bunch of exposition on the captives. Sometime after defeating Exodus, Mid was heartbroken when his beloved grandfather died, taking all his secrets of the Crystals with him since he’d come to realise it was foolish to meddle with their divine power. While mourning at Cid’s grave, Mid was suddenly attacked by the same dark figure that’s been haunting Linaly’s dreams and barking orders at his robotic subordinate throughout the OVA. This demonic being, later identified as Ra Devil, desecrated Cid’s grave, stealing his brain to absorb the old man’s knowledge, and murdered Mid simply for witnessing the act. Unable to rest, Mid pleads with Linaly to keep the Crystal safe within her and reveals that the three of them (and Rouge) have been chosen by the Wind Crystal to be the new Valiant Ones destined to save Planet R from destruction. Despite Prettz’s scepticism and continued hostility towards Mid because of their shared feelings for Linaly, the group soon set aside their differences when Rouge takes Linaly to forcibly remove the Crystal from her. Thanks to spurring Valkus on with promises that he can see Rouge again if they escape, Prettz finally breaks free from the cell and is forced to follow Mid’s lead.

The rag-tag Valiant Ones must awaken a dragon to confront Ra Devil on the Black Moon.

Although Rouge implied that she would surgically remove the Crystal, Prettz is stunned to find the pirate queen serving his friend laxatives! After fighting past Rouge’s guards, Prettz rescues Linaly and reunites with his bike, thanks to Mid, discovering a massive cavern filled with explosives. When their escape threatens to turn violent, Valkus intervenes to try and make peace, only for Ra Devil’s Deathgyunos forces to attack. Prettz lures the alien creatures away, claiming that he possesses the Wind Crystal and allowing the others to flee to the Iron Wings. Prettz leads the creatures to the cavern of explosives and sets off a massive explosion that leaves Rouge’s island in flames, distraught at the sight, Rouge is offered some comfort by the blushing Valkus and Linaly is overjoyed to see Prettz inexplicably survived the explosion despite being at the heart of it. Reunited on the Iron Wings, Rouge is initially outraged when Valkus is forced to put her in chains to appease his loyal crew. However, she’s soon freed per a decree from Queen Lenna, whom the group meets in person upon reaching Castle Tycoon. Queen Lenna echoes much of Mid’s earlier exposition, explaining that the rag-tag group are the last hope for the world, which will be torn apart if Ra Devil acquires the last Crystal and absorbs their powers. Although Mid confirms the villain’s threat, the group remains sceptical: Linaly doesn’t believe she’s special, Prettz refuses to believe he’s been chosen by an inanimate object, and Rouge scoffs at the idea of a pirate like her being crucial to saving the world. Only Valkus accepts his destiny and the challenge of confronting Ra Devil on his base, the Black Moon, though the others are soon coerced into helping when Queen Lenna promises Rouge a treasure trove of riches and Prettz volunteers to protect Linaly, who quietly accepts her calling to save the world. However, to reach the Black Moon, the group must first venture into the depths of Castle Tycoon to awaken their guardian deity, the flying dragon (or “Hyriuu”). While Valkus and Rouge fend off the attacking Deathgyunos forces, Prettz, Linaly, and Mid head into the catacombs beneath the palace, fending off Ra Devil’s soldiers and taking a plunge through the clouds to a hidden stone shrine to the dragon. Prettz is dismayed to find the creature is represented only by murals and a tiny, flightless lizard (though Linaly is instantly enamoured by the cute little dragon). However, when Ra Devil appears in the chamber and kidnaps Linaly, shrugging off Prettz’s attack and terrifying Mid, Prettz finds himself astride the legendary dragon when it undergoes a dramatic transformation into a titanic winged deity ready to spirit the group to the Black Moon.

The Nitty-Gritty:
Although I haven’t played Final Fantasy V yet, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals is no less enjoyable both as an adaptation/continuation of the game and as an anime. Setting it 200 years after the videogame is a good way to tell a brand-new story with some original characters, though I do wonder if this may alienate or disappoint fans of the game, who only get to see familiar characters returning as spirits. The visual, action, and humour are all far more reminiscent of Dragon Ball (1986 to 1989), focusing more on touches of lewd humour (mainly with everyone staring at Linaly’s glowing butt) and a fantasy land that’s less medieval and more disparate. I’d wager some of the locations will be familiar to fans of the videogame, especially Castle Tycoon and the Black Moon, and the OVA does a decent job of recreating a few of Final Fantasy’s gameplay mechanics. The group engage in random battles, for example; Linaly is a summoner (albeit not a very accomplished one); Queen Lenna is advised by a Blue Mage; and elements of the iconic Final Fantasy theme are sprinkled throughout the soundtrack. Airships are also few prominent and Linaly’s shown to be able to summon Chocobos. They don’t resemble the cute, furry beasts from the games, but this is attributed to Linaly not having fully realised her power. Each of the new Valiant Ones also has a “class” just like in the classic games, with Prettz being a swordsman, Linaly a mage, Valkus a marksman, and Rogue basically being a thief. Finally, there’s the obvious plot point of them safeguarding magical Crystals (specifically the Wind Crystal), which are so powerful and integral to Planet R that their absence causes nations to fall into ruin. Indeed, Queen Leena warns that simply protecting the Wind Crystal isn’t enough and that the world will end if the other three aren’t recovered, much less if their powers and corrupted by Ra Devil.

The OVA is bolstered by some fun action and amusing moments between the heroes.

Ra Devil is an indistinct and vague threat who spends the first three parts of the OVA barking orders from his Black Moon base and resembling little more than a shadowy, vaguely cybernetic/demonic figure. When he appears before Mid and Linaly, he cuts an intimidating if generic and stoic figure, conveying his menace through desecrating Cid’s grave, murdering Mid, and kidnapping Linaly. Rather than being Exdeath Exodus reborn, Ra Devil is a seemingly alien threat who leaves the heavy lifting to his Deathgyunos soldiers, a nigh-endless swarm of demonic creatures who have the numbers advantage but are routinely cut down by Prettz and Valkus. There’s some enjoyable anime action in this OVA, especially when Prettz blasts about on his motorcycle or busts out his sword (something that, sadly, doesn’t happen all that often). The airships are suitably impressive, being immaculately detailed, and I enjoyed the mixture of action and comedy in most action scenes. Rouge’s “torture” turning out to be tickling and prune juice was amusing, as was Mid constantly winding Prettz up by comparing him to a dog and being immune to his physical reprimands. Although the attraction between Prettz and Linaly isn’t dwelled on all that much and is mainly conveyed through his willingness to endure any hardship to protect her, I enjoyed Valkus’ adoration of Rouge, which left the big man a blushing mess whenever the sultry pirate was around. The mismatched Valiant Ones make for quite the odd partnership; they’re often plagued by doubts or bickering between each other rather than battling Ra Devil’s forces. While only Valkus and Mid (and, to a degree, Linaly) understand the true scope of Ra Devil’s threat, even Rouge is convinced to help save the planet when she’s presented with riches. Prettz may be a sceptic and have an unruly demeanour, but he’s loyal to Linaly almost to a fault, volunteering for dangerous missions without truly understanding what he’s up against and taking on foes and even natural disasters with only his moxie and bombs to back him up. Though he knows when to flee a confrontation, Prettz is quick to join a fight if insulted or if Linaly is in danger and impresses with his defiant spirit. This contrasts with Linaly’s more subdued characterisation and leads to some fun interactions between him and his rag-tag cohorts.

Ultimately Linaly bests the God-like Deathgyunos, saves the world, and honours her ancestors.

Despite none of their airships being protected against the vacuum of space, the flying dragon hauls Valkus and Rouge’s crafts into the void, leaving Rouge and her crew stunned to discover Planet R is round rather than flat. Upon spotting the Black Moon, Mid is dismayed to find that Ra Devil’s plot is already underway. After wandering the universe in search of the ultimate power, the half-crippled demonic entity built an ominous base on the Black Moon and hooked the three Crystals up to an elaborate machine. With Linaly in place alongside Cid’s severed brain, Ra Devil begins siphoning the Crystals’ energy to channel the cosmic power of the universe into his very being! While his minions cry out in joy as Ra Devil slowly absorbs the power and knowledge of the universe, a lightning bolt causes our heroes to crash to the Black Moon’s surface, which is both hospitable and strewn with debris. After ordering her crew to repair the damage and nurse the dragon back to health, Rouge joins Prettz, Valkus, and Mid in tracking Linaly using her talisman (which Prettz retrieved in the dragon’s chamber) and Cid’s desperate pleas. When Ra Devil completes his transformation into Deathgyunos, the “God of Oblivion” (a titanic Eldritch abomination of organs and metal), Valkus and Rouge return to their airships to counterattack his forces, leading to Valkus flying into a rage when Rogue is wounded and his ship to be destroyed in an ultimately futile attempt to bring the behemoth down. Although Prettz rescues Linaly, he’s attacked by her thanks to Deathgyunos’ influence and it’s only through Mid’s intervention that the girl is brought to her senses. After Valkus’s men retrieve the other three Crystals and Mid reunites with his grandfather’s brain, Mid stalls Deathgyunos’ advance to allow his newfound friends to escape. Undeterred and seemingly unkillable, Deathgyunos continues, relentless in its desire for complete obliteration and torturing Prettz after the Wind Crystal joins with him. Though Valkus destroys the abomination’s hand, Linaly’s left to confront the creature alone when it subdues her friends with its energy blasts. Summoning a flock of Chocobos, Linaly rips Deathgyunos to shreds, leaving it vulnerable to Prettz’s final sword slash. Victorious, the newly formed Valiant Ones bid a fond farewell to Mid, who crosses over to be with his grandfather and friends, before returning home. Linaly relates their adventure to Hassam, who reacts with awe and pride, and the OVA ends to show Vulkus joining Rouge’s pirates to be with his sultry queen.

The Summary:
It’s a shame that Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals isn’t more readily available. The best you can hope for are poor transfers on video streaming sites or maybe a battered VHS copy. It really should be more widely available and I’ve never understood why it isn’t, especially as Final Fantasy and anime fans would probably lap it up. This is a really fun OVA with a lot of amusing moments and memorable characters. I really liked how hot-headed and brazen Prettz was, how he treated everyone except Linaly with such a smart-mouthed disdain and how he impressed with his defiant, never-say-die attitude. He charges into situations without thinking, full of piss and vinegar, and never betrays his friends, no matter the situation. Linaly was probably my least favourite character since she’s so sombre and laid back. Though I enjoyed the relationship between her and Prettz, I would’ve liked to see more of her struggling with her ancestry. Valkus and Rouge were also great; I loved how the big, bossy oaf was left a blushing schoolboy whenever Rouge sauntered about and how mischievous and roguish the pirate queen was. Mid also proved an enjoyable foil for Prettz, even if he’s mostly there for exposition and as a link to Final Fantasy V. Again, I suspect the large gap between the game and the OVA may be disappointing to fans of Final Fantasy V as it may as well have just been a standalone Final Fantasy story since it’s so far removed from Final Fantasy V. I suspect the biggest issue from this is with Ra Devil, a painfully generic threat compared to Exdeath, though he at least visually makes up for it by transforming into a nigh-unstoppable Lovecraftian monstrosity at the end. I would’ve liked to see more from Ra Devil, perhaps have him physically interact with the heroes a bit more, and maybe create a link between him and Exdeath based on their shared desire for destruction. Similarly, while I enjoyed that much of the conflict came from the mismatched Valiant Ones learning to co-operate, it would’ve been nice to see a few more action scenes to show off the gorgeous animation. Otherwise, Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals is a lot of fun and has a lot to offer. It’s definitely worth seeking out and petitioning for an official release for, if only to drag it out of obscurity so I can stop thinking of it as a “hidden gem”.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Have you ever seen Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals? Were you disappointed that it was set 200 years after Final Fantasy V or did you enjoy the new characters? Which of the new Valiant Ones was your favourite and what did you think to their interactions? Did you like Ra Devil and how do you think he compares to Exdeath? Would you like to see the OVA be more widely available or do you think it deserves to be forgotten? What was your introduction to anime and how are you celebrating National Anime Day today? Whatever your thoughts on Final Fantasy: Legend of the Crystals, or anime in general, feel free to share them in the comments, support me on Ko-Fi, and go check out my other anime and Final Fantasy content.

Wrestling Recap: Rob Van Dam vs. Jerry Lynn (Hardcore Heaven ’99)

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The Date: 16 May 1999
The Venue: Mid-Hudson Civic Centre; Poughkeepsie, New York
The Commentary: Joey Styles
The Referee: John Finegan
The Stakes: Singles match for the ECW World Television Championship

The Build-Up:
In the nineties, while the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) dominated the professional wrestling scene in an all-out war for television ratings, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) offered an alterative product to its mainstream counterparts. Originally known as Eastern Championship Wrestling, ECW was re-branded in 1993 by pro wrestling genius Paul Heyman and quickly grew a cult following with the rabid Philadelphia crowd at the ECW Arena. While making waves with its violent and controversial matches and content, ECW also offered no-nonsense wrestling, greatly inspired the WWF’s “Attitude Era”, and gave future wrestling stars a chance to hone their craft. Up until 1997, ECW primarily presented non-televised supercard events from the ECW Arena, but Heyman got his big break with his first pay-per-view, Barely Legal, on this day in 1997. Unquestionably, one of ECW’s biggest stars was “Mr. Monday Night” Rob Van Dam, a trainee of the legendary Sheik who started out as enhancement talent for various independent promotions and WCW before honing his craft in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and being signed by Heyman in 1996. Depicted as a stoner, RVD made a name for himself with his rivalry with Sabu, which saw him transform into an arrogant heel, and his career-defining run with the ECW World Television Championship, which lasted 700 days! Widely considered one of RVD’s greatest rivals, Jerry Lynn had numerous clashes with RVD before and after his TV Championship reign, most notably earning this shot at the belt after declaring himself “The New Fuckin’ Show” and vowing to relieve RVD of the championship.

The Match:
This classic bout for the ECW Television Championship, a belt made famous my ECW’s most charismatic star, RVD, started with a lot of postering by “The Whole Fuckin’ Show” and his ever-annoying manager, Bill Alfonso, as they milked the crowd’s anticipation, laid down the law with the referee, and played into RVD’s arrogant character. Once the bell rang, however, Jerry Lynn wasted no time in going for the attack, fitting considering how badly he “coveted” the belt. Lynn’s opening wristlock kicked off an extended showcase of both men’s athleticism and wrestling fundamentals as RVD flipped his way into an advantageous position, took Lynn to the mat with a headlock, and the two effortlessly exchanged wristlocks, hammerlocks, and takedowns, proving themselves evenly matched and earning the respect and appreciation of the raucous ECW crowd. The next exchange emphasised their speed as both men shot off the ropes, ducked and dodged running attacks, and ended up in that classic wrestling standoff, with even the cocksure RVD giving his opponent his props for his quickness. Despite Alfonso’s irritating whistling, the crowd chanting the cocky champion’s name, and RVD’s showboating, Lynn remained laser focused and went right back working over the champion in the corner. Again, though, RVD proved too quick and constantly slipped out of every attack and Lynn answered right back, awkwardly flipping out of RVD’s patented corner monkey flip and leading to another stalemate. An errant elbow from the challenger caught RVD above the eyebrow, causing a minor wound that Alfonso tried to use as an excuse to call the match off, but RVD simply shrugged it off and went back to work with some martial arts kicks. The two then fought on the ring apron, with RVD missing a top rope backflip and being dumped out of the ring from Lynn’s springboard dropkick. However, RVD clumsily caught and countered Lynn’s top-rope dive and both men crashed to the concrete.

When the duo proved evenly matched, RVD upped his attack on the outside to gain the advantage.

RVD returned to the ring the hard way when Lynn stunned him with a dropkick and then hit a guillotine leg drop from the top rope that saw RVD folded up like an accordion on the ring apron! This scored Lynn the first near fall of the match and saw him work RVD over in the corner with some chops and a ludicrous avalanche bulldog…for a two count! When Lynn went back up to continue his assault, Alfonso tripped him and sent him crotch-first into the ropes, though Lynn fought the little weasel off and acquired a steel chair in the process, leading to a sickening shot to RVD’s head. The champion basically no-sold this, however, as he immediately crotched Lynn and sent him tumbling to the outside with a springboard kick. RVD took his time stalking Lynn and hauling the dead weight of his challenger back to his feet, then spitefully launched Lynn into and over the security guardrail. RVD followed up with an impressive flying clothesline, leading the dazed and bleeding Lynn to answer with a dropkick that sent RVD scurrying back into the ring. Lynn (who was either legitimately hurt or really good at selling), stumbled after him and even tangled RVD up with a rollup after dodging a corner attack. Although Lynn couldn’t hit a piledriver or avoid a rolling leg drop, he did roll out of the way of RVD’s Rolling Thunder. However, when Lynn went for a Tornado DDT out of the corner, RVD impressively countered into a Northern Lights Suplex pin for a near fall. With both men back in the corner again and battling on the top rope, Lynn took RVD to the mat with an avalanche sunset flip for another near fall then just decked him with a short-arm clothesline. With RVD down, Lynn set up a table at ringside but was again tossed into the front row when RVD intercepted him and ate a steel chair to the face thanks to an assist from Alfonso and a Van Daminator from the guardrail. However, Lynn quickly answered back by ramming RVD’s head off the ring post and teasing a top-rope hurricanrana through the table, only to be clunkily back body dropped through the wood!

The back and forth action culminated in RVD’s victory and a show of mutual respect.

RVD soon doubled down with a corkscrew guillotine leg drop off the top rope and across the prone Lynn’s back as he dangled over the railing. When Lynn still kicked out from the follow-up pin, RVD targeted his left knee and flip-dropkicked the steel chair into his face. RVD then countered a Tornado DDT onto the apron with a clothesline and a flying leg drop for another two count. Frustrated and impressed by his opponent’s resolve, RVD was sent through the ringside table when Lynn hit a sunset flip over the top rope and through the wood! RVD still kicked out of a pin fall and dodged a chair shot, but Lynn threw the chair in Alfonso’s face and nailed a nice bridging German Suplex for a near fall, though both men tumbled to the mat while fighting on the top rope in what could’ve easily been a very dangerous botch. A hush fell over the crowd as Lynn kicked out of the pin fall, but they soon got back into the action when Lynn dropkicked the steel chair into RVD’s face for a near fall. A clumsy pinning and reversal sequence saw Lynn switch his Cradle Piledriver attempt into a roll up and RVD hit the Split-Legged Moonsault for a two count. After slipping out of Lynn’s Inverted DDT attempt, RVD nailed a beautiful Five-Star Frog Splash, only for Lynn to roll into a pinning attempt. In the end, it was Alfonso who was the difference maker as he tossed the steel chair back into the ring, leading to a second Van Daminator and another Five-Star Frog Splash for RVD to retain his championship, though both RVD and Alfonso gave Lynn his props during their celebration. This was a very athletic and impressive showing from both men, though I would’ve preferred to see the stalling replaced with the guys selling the punishment they were dishing out as it seemed they were back on their feet far too quickly off the bigger moves. I liked how they made good use of all the space and were constantly portrayed as evenly matched, with both men easily dodging, countering, and exchanging strikes, holds, and crazy moves with tables and chairs. It felt as though the match could end at any moment and either man could be the victor, and they definitely built up a lot of anticipation and paced things out well, and the sloppier aspects actually fed into this narrative really well.

The Aftermath:
Rob Van Dam and Jerry Lynn’s iconic clash for the ECW World Television Championship was so well received that Paul Heyman opted to air the match in its entirety when ECW debuted on TNN. Given that a mutual respect had been earned between the two competitors, RVD and Lynn teamed up at ECW’s next pay-per-view, Heat Wave, to take on the Impact Players. While the duo won the match, RVD did accidentally hit Lynn with the Five-Star Frog Plash while aiming for Lance Storm. Despite this, Lynn branched off to feud with Storm and, later, Yoshihiro Tajiri and Super Crazy while RVD continued to defend his championship in a career-defining reign. Unfortunately, a broken ankle meant RVD was forced to vacate the belt and, when he returned at the 2000 Hardcore Heaven event, it was to face Lynn once again. This time, Lynn was victorious thanks to interference by Scott Anton, though RVD got another win over his rival at the start of 2001 in what turned out to be RVD’s final ECW match. Despite both men competing for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) during and after the ill-fated “Invasion” angle, their paths wouldn’t cross until they were in Total Nonstop Action (TNA), where RVD defeated Lynn on five separate occasions.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

What did you think to this classic match between Rob Van Dam and Jerry Lynn? Who were you rooting for at the time? Were you a fan of Rob Van Dam’s time in ECW? What did you think to the two being portrayed as evenly matched? Do you agree that there could’ve been a bit more selling of the bigger moves? Did you watch ECW back in the day and, if so, who were some of your favourite wrestlers and what were some of your favourite matches and moments? Whatever your thoughts, feel free to leave them below, support me on Ko-Fi, and be sure to check out my other ECW content across the site!

Mini Game Corner: Aliens: Dark Descent (Xbox Series X)

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Released: 20 June 2023
Developer: Tindalos Interactive
Also Available For: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S

A Brief Background:
The Alien franchise (Various, 1979 to present) has had a long and complex history with videogame adaptations over the years. The films have been adapted into everything from primitive pixelated messes to crossover titles, survival/horror experiences, and first-person shooters. We even got a real-time strategy title back in 2003, one that garnered a lukewarm reaction from critics. While it may be surprising that Tindalos Interactive chose this genre for their adaptation of Aliens (Cameron, 1986), there was precedent for this given their success in the genre with Battlefleet Gothic: Armada (2016). While there isn’t much information about the game’s development available online, I can tell you that Aliens: Dark Descent was received rather favourably and that critics praised the foreboding atmosphere and immersive gameplay while criticising its performance and the unwieldy nature of certain control options.

My Progression:
Aliens: Dark Descent is a real-time tactics games that borrows many visual cues, dialogue, and audio from Aliens. Played from a top-down, isometric perspective, the game has players control a squad of four Colonial Marines and take on various missions on Lethe, a planet they’re stuck on following a Xenomorph outbreak on an orbiting Weyland-Yutani space station. Initially, you learn some of the basics by controlling a single character, Deputy Administrator Maeko Hayes, who’s responsible for them being stranded on Lethe. While nowhere near as capable as the Marines, controlling Hayes teaches you the basics of character and camera movement, the interactions you’ll need to progress, and the importance of stealth in later missions. She also tours the downed USS Otago between missions, promoting Marines, assigning Physicians to heal injured troops, and deploying missions across Lethe. When on a mission, you press X to have your Marines move to a point on the environment. You can also double tap X to have them run, though they’re inexplicably unable to shoot and run at the same time. Y allows them to interact with the environment, activating consoles, calling lifts, extracting samples from downed Xenomorphs, and repairing sentry guns or healing teammates. You can also hold Y or press in the right stick to activate a flashlight, which is super useful for exploring the game’s dark, ominous areas. A confirms your menu selections, B cancels them, and the Xbox’s ‘View’ button opens a full-sized map (though I found the smaller mini map, with built-in motion tracker, more useful). From the map screen, you can select any security cameras you’ve activated, see primary and secondary objectives, and call the M540 Armoured Reconnaissance Carrier (ARC) for some heavy ordnance support or to extract your team. The Left Trigger allows a grapnel function, though I never utilised this so I can’t comment on it, and you can focus on your team leader or reload your weapons by using the directional pad.

Assemble a team of Marines to investigate and exterminate the Alien infestation.

Your squad will automatically open fire on any nearby targets or if manually directed by your inputs. They don’t have infinite ammo, however, so you must loot corpses and crates to boost your stock, though your inventory is limited. You can select a Marine with Y to apply first aid or give them a booster to calm their nerves as your troops will grew more and more anxious as you engage in combat. The Right Trigger opens the “Skill Menu”, allowing you to utilise additional weapons (such as a shotgun spread, suppressive fire, a flamethrower, and a grenade launcher) at the cost of “Command Points”. Command Points regenerate over time, but you can fully restock them, calm down your squad, and manually save the game by welding shut doors in enclosed spaces to create a “Shelter”. This can only be done as long as you have “Tools” points and will not refill their health, unfortunately, but it gives you a chance to catch your breath. Each Marine has a personality trait that affects their gameplay; they may be cowardly, or quick to panic, or clumsy. These negatively impact their performance, reducing accuracy, increasing the chances of exhaustion, and lessening their attack power. Even if your Marines survive their mission, they are left traumatised by several afflictions. While some are cured by a Physician, others escalate, especially as you pass days to give them time to recuperate. You can level-up and Promote your Marines, however, adding additional buffs such as increasing their armour or their build/health speed. You also spend points in the workshop purchasing new weapons, such as the Smart Gun and mines, and accessories like the sentry guns and tactical analysis, which can be lifesavers out in the field. While you can heal, save, and often carry downed Marines to safety, any you lose are gone forever and memorialised on the USS Otago, forcing you to strategize and make smart use of your resources and surroundings to keep them healthy and alive.

Alien hoards will wipe out or traumatise your squad if you’re not careful.

This adds a level of tension and dread to Aliens: Dark Descent that’s exacerbated not just by the foreboding visuals and obscured map but also the game out-right warning you of its difficulty. You can adjust the game’s difficulty settings and the enemy intelligence before starting a campaign, though the standard settings were challenging enough for me. Lethe is crawling with Xenomorphs who scurry about on walls and ceilings and burst from pipes and the shadows. Aliens swipe with their claws and tails, attack with their little mouths, spit and bleed acid, and abduct your Marines and non-playable characters (NPCs) to be cocooned elsewhere. You’ll occasionally free these victims, though most die from a Chestburster, and encounter numerous Alien eggs and Facehuggers, which must be dispatched before they impregnate your troops. Even bog standard Xenomorph drones can take a lot of firepower to put down, especially if your squad is weak, injured, or panicked. Your best bet is to either use cover or stay back, laying down suppressive fire or deploying sentry guns in a kill box to thin out the Aliens. While they usually attack in small groups, their aggressiveness will increase, they will actively hunt you, large swarms spawn in for a short time, and their numbers and aggression only increase the more days you waste recuperating. Eventually, you’ll encounter a larger Alien variant, a “Charger”, that…well, charges at you like a rhino. Though big and cumbersome, the first encounter in the slaughterhouse isn’t too bad as long as you stay back and rest your troops, but they spelled disaster for my repeated excursions into the mine. An Alien nest is found here, with cocooned scientists and eggs everywhere, and sheltering a gigantic Xenomorph Queen. Ironically, this battle was easier than exploring the mines! I laid down suppressive fire, unloaded with the grenade launcher and flamethrower, and placed a sentry gun or two and she went down on my second try, though I think the strength of my squad had a lot to do with that as I had to extract and heal up to even reach her lair. It seems like you’ll also battle malfunctioning synthetics as well; this happened once during my playthrough so I imagine they, and other Aliens, crop up later in the game.

A tactical retreat to heal and regroup is often necessary to win the day.

Aliens: Dark Descent certainly looks the part. The perspective obviously makes the game far less detailed than FPS or third-person Alien titles, but the environments are all ripped right out of Aliens and I loved how all the tech and readouts aligned with what we saw in the first two films. Character models are very basic, however, often disappearing into the dark environments and not featuring much variety unless your troops are limping from wounds. They express themselves more through dialogue, shamelessly stealing the best lines from Aliens and commenting on every situation, and through the many pre-rendered cutscenes. Hayes’ time on the USS Otago recalls similar third-person sections from Aliens: Fireteam Elite (Cold Iron Studios, 2021) and sees her meeting new recruits, prioritising her troops, and being assigned side missions by other NPCs. If you choose not to deploy your squad, the infestation increases and your troops suffer; oddly, demanding they rest causes them to become exhausted, which was very strange. Passing the time often gives you the option to undertake offscreen missions for additional resources, though at the cost of a deployment, meaning you have to weigh the pros and cons of obtaining additional bonuses versus increasing the Alien resistance. Eventually, I got into a routine of deploying, accomplishing a mission or two, and fleeing Lethe with more of my squad, meaning the bulk of my gameplay was focused on repetition, trial and error, and revisiting the same locations with a bit more experience. It took everything I had just to clear the first mission, which took a good few hours, which tells me that Aliens: Dark Descent has a lot of play time in it, likely focused on grinding and exploration to nab all those hidden Achievements, though it’s possible those better versed in this genre of game may have better luck than I did during my frustrating play time.

When I first started Aliens: Dark Descent, I was expecting a game akin to the Command & Conquer games (Various, 1995 to present) I dabbled in as a kid. This turned out to not be entirely true as it’s much more focused on stealth and action rather than building bases and such, though the Shelter mechanic masquerades as a base, I suppose. This genre of game isn’t really one I’ve had that much experience with; it seems more geared to mobile players or fans of “roguelike” titles, and therefore was quite a chore and a challenge to play. I was hoping for a mission-based title where you strategically place troops and build forces to hold off the Xenomorphs, and instead was beaten over the head with a moody, difficult, and often tedious gameplay experience. The visual fidelity to the first two movies is amazing; the atmosphere is perfectly foreboding and the dread of every encounter, however minor, definitely echoes the dire straits faced by the Marines in Cameron’s sci-fi classic. Aliens: Dark Descent can be very unforgiving, though; even if you take the time to heal and prepare, the odds are always against you. Just one Xenomorph can wipe out your squad, especially if they are injured or fresh-faced recruits, and it’s very easy for the tide to turn against you, even if you set up a well-armed kill box and farm nearby resources. I can see that Aliens: Dark Descent is going to demand a lot of my time as the first mission took me most of an afternoon to get through, meaning it’s a game I will likely revisit in the same manner I played: “short, sharp bursts” to whittle away at each objective, no doubt to be wiped out by some unforeseen new Alien variant. But maybe I just suck. Maybe you had a better strategy. Maybe you found all the data pads and creamed this game. If so, tell me about it in the comments, tell me your favourite Alien game, and check out my other Alien content.

Game Corner: Final Fantasy IX (Xbox Series X)

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Released: 13 February 2019
Originally Released: 7 July 2000
Developer: Square
Original Developer: Squaresoft
Also Available For: Android, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series S

The Background:
Final Fantasy VII (Square, 1997) is unquestionably one of the definitive role-playing games (RPGs) and probably the most popular Final Fantasy title, selling over twelve million copies worldwide and making its way onto many “top ten” lists. In comparison, Final Fantasy VIII (ibid, 1999), despite being a best-seller, is often the subject of criticism. For the ninth game, Square decided to veer away from the pseudo-futuristic settings of its predecessors and move back towards a medieval fantasy aesthetic like the original games. This fantastical setting would be home to the various anthropomorphic characters who made up the game’s cast, all of whom were designed by Shūkō Murase, Toshiyuki Itahana, and Yoshitaka Amano. Main character Zidane Tribal was purposely designed to be the inverse of his predecessors: young, agile, brash, and outspoken with an eye for the ladies, a philosophy that extended to his supporting cast and the lighter tone of the narrative. Determined to return to the roots of the franchise by reviving narrative concepts such as the Crystals, Fiends, and fantasy elements, the developers tweaked the battle system to be both familiar and slightly different, returning character classes (or “Jobs”) to the franchise to make each character unique both visually and in terms of their abilities. Final Fantasy IX became the second-highest selling game in Japan upon release and was met with critical acclaim. Reviews praised the back-to-basics approach, amusing characters, and detailed environments and character models, though main villain Kuja was seen as inferior to his predecessors In later years, Final Fantasy IX has been recognised as an under-rated entry in the franchise, which perhaps prompted Square to release this enhanced version of the game in 2019. Featuring graphical updates and helpful boosters to speed up the gameplay, Final Fantasy IX found new life and new success on modern consoles and became much more accessible as a result.

The Plot:
In the medieval fantasy world of Gaia, thief Zidane Tribal kidnaps princess Garnet Til Alexandros XVII as part of a ploy by the neighbouring nation of Lindblum. However, he ends up joining forces with Garnet and a diverse cast of characters to take down her mother, Queen Brahne of Alexandria, who has sparked an all-out war between Gaia’s nations.

Gameplay and Power-Ups:
Final Fantasy XI is a traditional turn-based RPG set in a fictional and very fantasy-orientated medieval land. Unlike the previous two Final Fantasy titles, players now form a team (or “party”) of up to four characters, each with their own set of skills, magic, and abilities that are analogous to the classic Final Fantasy Job system. Primarily, players control Zidane, a peppy monkey-boy thief, though you’ll control his teammates at various points and will be encouraged to view their character-building moments and forced to split the playable roster into separate teams. In terms of controls, Final Fantasy XI is nice and simple: use the control stick or directional pad to move your character around the various towns, overworlds, and locations and to select commands in battle, execute those commands. Talk to teammates and non-playable characters (NPCs), activate objects and open chests with A, and back out of menus with B. Open up the main menu with Y, challenge characters to a game of Tetra Master with X, and use Right and the Left Triggers to move the camera on the overworld. RT also enables an “auto battle” function, effectively removing control from the player in battles. In battle, you can press Y to switch characters, hold the Left and Right Bumpers to escape (if possible), and select battle commands (attack, defend, casting spells, using items, and such) from several in-game menus. Pressing the View button opens the map on the overworld (which is eventually enhanced to show location names and allow fast travel) and helpful notes when on menus (a Moogle says what each item or spell does, for example), while pressing Menu pauses the game. From the pause screen, the shoulder triggers and bumpers activate some helpful boosters, such as turning off random battles and setting your maximum attack power to 9999 and speeding up the gameplay, all while still allowing you to obtain Achievements.

Engage in fantasy battles, powering up with Trance and more powerful weapons and gear.

There are some other helpful settings in the main menu, too. You can change the borders and text speed, set your default movement speed to run or walk, turn a helpful cursor on or off so you can always locate your character, and set the battle system to turn-based or “wait”. If you set it to wait, enemies won’t attack while you’re selecting moves, easing the pressure on you. You can also turn certain camera movements on or off to further speed up the gameplay, and certain items also affect this as they increase your chances of attacking first, avoiding damage, and the speed your Active Time Battle (ATB) gauge fills up. When exploring the overworld and the various swamps, forests, caves, and castles, you’re randomly attacked by monsters. Defeating them earns you experience points (EXP), ability points (AP) for your character’s different abilities (as dictated by the gear they have equipped), Gil (Gaia’s currency), and random items (potions, elixirs, and the like). Battling also fills the ATB gauge; once full, you automatically enter a “Trance” state that increases your attack power and speed and allows access to more powerful attacks. Each character carries a weapon to inflict damage on enemies; these are applied manually or you can select “Optimise” to equip the best options. Weapons and gear can be swapped for more powerful options you either steal, find, buy, or “synthesise” in specialist shops to increase their attack power and add various buffs or status effects to your attacks. Different equipment (armour, rings, headbands, and such) do the same, allowing characters to learn abilities that can then be equipped providing you have enough AP. These increase your maximum health and/or magic points (HP/MP, respectively), have you automatically counterattack or take damage for party members, increase you chances of stealing, escaping, or attacking first, negate back attacks, and make you resistant to status effects like poison, petrify, stop, and mini. Each character has different special attacks, too: Zidane steals from enemies, Vivi Ornitier and Eiko Carol cast magic twice in a row, Quina Quen eat enemies to learn their attacks, and Freya Crescent leaps to attack from the air, for example. These abilities are then enhanced through Trance, adding more powerful attacks to your arsenal that will attack or affect multiple enemies, deal greater damage and inflict status effects upon them, or heal or revive your party, though at the cost of MP.

Summon Eidolons, ride Chocobos, and traverse Gaia in various airships.

Characters like Eiko and Garnet (who later takes the name “Dagger”) can also summon “Eidolons”, powerful creatures that deal huge damage. Other beneficial magic includes healing spells, spells that cure status effects, and spells that revive downed players, abilities also accomplished by various items, using a tent at save points, or resting at inns (though this will cost you). Google save points are all around Gaia and you can eventually summon a Moogle on the overworld with X. Moogles also teach you the game’s mechanics, sell items, weapons, and accessories, and have you ferry letters around. Some key items must also be selected from your inventory to be used, such as the Gysahl Greens that summon a rideable Chocobo at specific parts of the map, and orbs or keys to open pathways. Initially, your Chocobo simply travels across the open fields but, as you play the aggravating Hot and Cold mini game to find treasures, it’s enhanced to traverse mountains, water, and even fly. However, you’ll also get access to different ships, ones that traverse water and, eventually, the skies, allowing you to quickly fast travel. When in the castle town of Lindblum, Air Cabs take you to the different districts; Memoria features teleport pads, but mostly you use ropes or ladders to explore. When you’re not battling, you can play Tetra Master, a card game almost every NPC plays. As you explore and battle, you’ll acquire cards; these have different strength ratings that, when placed on a grid, allow you to steal your opponent’s cards. Use the arrows on each card and their strength rating to judge where best to place them and fill the board with your colour to win, though I’d recommend making liberal use of nearby save points as NPCs are unfairly skilled. While it’s largely an optional distraction, you must win a small tournament in Treno to progress the story. Speaking of which, you’re regularly prompted to watch an Active Time Event (ATE). A prompt appears onscreen and, when selected, the game shifts to an NPC or teammate as they contemplate their situation or get into mischief. These are optional, and can arguably distract from the main game, but I liken them to regular cutscenes but with a little more character.

Various mini games and additional mechanics add some (often aggravating) variety.

As is common Final Fantasy games, the difficulty scales in Final Fantasy XI; the further you progress, the more powerful enemies become, even in areas you’ve previously explored. Puzzles are generally quite simple: you’ll be activating switches and consoles, collecting items, pulling levers, and traversing mazes in different areas without too much difficulty. There is a lot of back and forth and repetition involved, though, such as when you explore Fossil Roo and change the track the spider-like gargant takes to reach the exit, or when you wander Pinnacle Rocks looking for Ramuh to piece together his fable and earn him as a summon, or taking the correct path in a looping forest to reach the Black Mage village. You’ll light candles to uncover hidden stairways, explore rooms to find hidden passages, search for your teammates when they’re captured or inevitably wander off or have an identity crisis, mashing A to escape quicksand, and cooking dinner for your party. This, like some other parts of the game, requires you to select the right order from a list to get the best results, with some decisions leading to you battling a swarm of enemies. Final Fantasy XI is full of little mini games, with many being mandatory: you jump rope in Alexandria, take part in a play and sword fight with Zidane’s friend, Blank, and question your life decisions as you swing a cage back and forth to rescue Adelbert Steiner and occasional party member Marcus. Marcus and Beatrix, General of Alexandria’s armies, temporarily join the party at various points, with the latter often teaming with Steiner in side battles. Similarly, there’s a part where you play as Regent Cid Fabool IX (who’s been transformed into frog) and must carefully sneak past a Hedgehog Pie and then balance a set of scales to rescue Zidane’s friends. When exploring Ipsen’s Castle, you can open a secret passageway by picking the correct sequence and then mix ingredients for the Ancient Aroma. In Pandemonium, you get thirty seconds to slip past light plumes and the random battles they contain to cross a temporary bridge, as well as altering some headings to activate platforms. You’ll also power up and activate orbs in Oeilvert to learn valuable lore about Terra and Garland’s plan to fuse it with Gaia.

Presentation:
I loved the chibi character models of Final Fantasy VII and its industrial, futuristic steampunk prerendered backgrounds. Final Fantasy VIII was a huge visual improvement, both in terms of the more detailed character models and environments. Returning to a medieval setting for Final Fantasy IX is a shame for me as I prefer the more futuristic settings, but my God is this game full of charm! Zidane is the polar opposite of the brooding Cloud Strife and the melancholy Squall Leonhart, being peppy, agile, mischievous, and eternally optimistic. Zidane fancies himself a romantic, pirate-like figure; his charms are mostly wasted on Dagger but she warms to his enthusiasm and heart. When he learns his origins from Garland, Zidane becomes morose and lashes out at his friends, who endure tough battles to snap him out of his uncharacteristic mood. While he’s the focus of the story and gets the most character development, Zidane has competition in Vivi, a clumsy, insecure Black Mage who’s constantly feared and hated due to his destructive brethren who embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Zidane clashes with Steiner, the oafish captain of Alexandria’s guards, and Amarant Coral, a brutish thug and loner with a grudge against Zidane. Freya is an old ally of his searching for her lost love, while Eiko is a young girl with a crush on him who’s both envious of Dagger and also tries to get them to admit their feelings. Then there’s the supporting cast, such as Zidane’s roguish crew, the Tantalus Theater Troupe, who initially seek riches but are roped into saving the world, the jester-like Zorn and Thorn who constantly hound and mock the player, and the enigmatic Kuja, a flamboyant villain who lacks the menace of his predecessors but makes up for it in theatricality. It’s a very light-hearted, whimsical adventure for the most part; slapstick comedy and goofy moments pepper the narrative (especially whenever the androgynous and perpetually hungry Quina is around). However, there’s a lot of heart and emotion and high stakes as the story progresses, with characters questioning themselves and being forced to find the courage to fight for something worthwhile.

Medieval fantasy lands soon give way to surreal, alien landscapes.

While the overworld is largely similar to those of the last two games, comprising various land masses (fields, deserts, a snow region), lakes, and a vast ocean, the towns are closer to those seen in pre-Final Fantasy VII, now brought to life in more detail than ever before. The medieval and fantasy theme delivers bustling castle towns, lavish stone palaces, and quaint little villages. Technology is of a similar steampunk style, but far less advanced (airships and complex machinery aside), with towns relying on wind and water power for the most part. While it’s all very beautiful, it’s an aesthetic I find quite samey; Alexandria and Lindblum are quite similar in many ways, for example, though they get more personality after they’re attacked and left in disarray. One aspect I was keenly aware of was that each area is home to a different species, often anthropomorphic ones, and these different species intermingle throughout the game, adding to its distinct visual style and giving it a diverse world. Caverns, ice caves, great trees, murky swamps, and arid deserts filled with abandoned temples and structures are everywhere. Qu Marshes are full of tall crass and frog ponds, the Iifa Tree looms ominously and sports gigantic, twisted branches, and you’ll find isolated settlements in forests and atop mountains. Ruins, great gates, and abandoned towns add a sense of desolation but things really become surreal and visually interesting when you’re transported to Terra, a bizarre alien landscape whose architecture emphasises glaring eyes, spheres, and a quasi-magical awe. Like the chilling Black Mage production line in Dali, the warped, crystalline Terra and its main town, Bran Bal, is where the genomes (Zidane and Kuja’s people) are created as puppets for Garland’s plot. Though you only visit Terra once, its spirit lives on in the desolate landscape of Pandemonium, a ruined dimension of chaos and memory that threatens to eradicate all life.

The game has a strong visual appeal, with fun characters and rising stakes.

Unlike in previous Final Fantasy games, dialogue is delivered through speech bubbles, allowing multiple characters to talk at once and adding a level of personality not seen before. There’s no voice acting beyond a few roars and squeals and such, but each character exudes personality in their body language; Steiner even lives up to his nickname, “Rusty”, since his armour clanks as he walks. Legendary composer Nobuo Uematsu remixes classic Final Fantasy themes for this throwback, infusing every grand town and castle with a regality or sense of adventure, and every warped nightmare realm with a sense of foreboding as this whimsical adventure takes a dark turn. While no tunes were as memorable as “Dancing Mad”, “One Wing Angel”, or “Maybe I’m a Lion”, I enjoyed the fantasy score. Pre-rendered cutscenes and FMV sequences show our heroes comically swinging through the skies, emotionally reunite, and the all-out destruction of castle towns by powerful summons. Many cutscenes are standout moments, such as the characters flying the Invincible through a swarm of Silver Dragons, Dagger and Eiko summoning Alexander to repel Bahamut, and Zidane braving the Iifa Tree to rescue Kuja. Cutscenes are also told using the in-game models, of course, and these are often animated over FMV sequences. The transition is much less jarring than in previous games and, similarly, the distinction between the overworld models and the battle models is basically none this time around. Battles still load up an enclosed arena, characters still pose triumphantly as the victory fanfare plays, and their weapons change appearance as you equip new ones. Unfortunately, I did notice a considerable lag when the game loads battles that I don’t remember from the last two games. Since random encounters happen very frequently, it can get frustrating staring at a black screen and thinking the game’s crashed every other battle.

Enemies and Bosses:
Final Fantasy is known for having some bizarre enemies, but Final Fantasy IX may be some of the weirdest I’ve seen from the series. Sure, you’ve got some returning faces (Bombs, the ever-annoying Cactuars and Tonberries, Goblins, Hedgehog Pies, Malboros, and such) but these are joined by literal zombies, yetis, warrior skeletons, sand golems, lizard men carrying tridents or hatchets, amorphous red blobs with too many eyes for comfort, and a strange living house on spider legs! Giant armoured tortoises, vulture-like birds, oversized beetles, large worms and crabs, ravenous wolves, and sicken toads are commonplace, existing alongside powerful dragons, chimeras, giant trolls, terrifying robe-wearing ogres, and seemingly innocuous treasure chests that turn out to be Mimics. Epitaphs are living stone statues that conjure replicas of your party, Gimme Cats yield barely any rewards upon defeat and simply demand your items, Grand Dragons and Behemoths can KO with one hit even with the boosters activated, Jabberwocks and monstrous Mistodons are the stuff of nightmares, and you’ll be caught completely off-guard by the small, sheep-like Yans and being decimated by their powerful magic. Enemies inflict harmful or aggravating status effects, confusing you, poisoning you, or keeping you from using certain attacks. They heal themselves and their allies, cast elemental magic, and even blow party members away, though many can be stolen from to acquire powerful or rare items. When visiting Treno, you can challenge a powerful monster in the weapon shop if you’re feeling brave, though sadly this is the only opportunity to do this and it’s limited to certain monsters.

Aggressive Black Mages, powerful soldiers, and monstrous plants all stand in your way.

There are many boss battles in Final Fantasy XI, and some enemies must be fought multiple times. Steiner, for example, initially tries to stop you in Alexandria; you’ll battle him three times during your escape, though he’ll either flee or be felled by a Bomb, and he’ll refuse to attack Garnet so you can use this to your advantage. You also have three unwinnable fights with Beatrix where, after you deal enough damage, she uses Stock Break or Climhazzard and flees. You’ll battle Zidane’s boss and father figure, Baku, twice, with the first essentially acting as a battle tutorial, though he’s quite clumsy and often trips. Amarant is also fought before he joins your team; his battle is interesting as he hops all around the arena, making it difficult to target him, though he also casts Death, which can be a problem as you fight him as Zidane alone. Many Black Waltz’s, bloodthirsty Black Mages, attack Gaia’s towns and are thus greatly feared. They use elemental attacks, can freeze your party members, and even utilise dual magic attacks, though the third one you encounter also refuses to attack Dagger. Red Dragons pounce in Mount Gulug (though they’re naturally weak to Blizzard) and two serpentine beasts – Ralvurahva and Ralvuimago – must be fought to pass Gargan Roo. In the early game, Dagger and Vivi are both captured by the appropriately named Prison Cage, a strange plant-like creature from the Evil Forest that sucks HP from its captives. You must be mindful of this and hurting your allies, as it’s game over if their HP drops to zero. The Evil Forest is also home to the Plant Brain, a hideous malicious bud that attacks with lashing tentacles and by casting Thunder or afflicting Darkness through Pollen, though Fire attacks and Blank’s support will win the day (at the cost of the forest).

Bosses become more monstruous and fearsome as you progress.

Your reward for rescuing Lindblum during the Festival of the Hunt is a battle against the boar-like Zaghnol, which enhances its Thunder spells and rams you with Heave. While exploring Gizamaluke’s Grotto, Zorn and Thorn manipulate the cobra-like Gizamaluke into attacking you, though the Bird Killer ability counterbalances its powerful Water spell. While exploring Cleyra and the desert of the Outer Continent, you’ll fight the ravenous Antlion, which reduces your HP to single digits with Sandstorm, counterattacks when attacked physically, and inflicts Trouble (which can only be cured with Annoytment). You’ll finally confront Zorn and Thorn, who fuse into the Lovecraftian entity Meltigemini, which poisons you and stops you earning AP with Virus, though it is weak to Fire magic. Deep in the Iifa Tree, you confront the tree-like demon Soulcage to dispel the Mist spewing from the tree. It can cast LV5 Death and infuriate party members with Mustard Bomb and its attack power is raised if you use Fire spells, but it’s undead so you can use a Phoenix Down to reduce its HP to 1 or use Life or Elixir to instantly kill it. In Fossil Roo, you spring past hazards as the Armodullahan chases them. If hit, you battle it, desperately avoiding its Death spells, until it falls down a hole but you can outrun it if you’re quick. When forced into journeying to Oeilvert to obtain the Gulag Stone, players battle the Ark, and airship-like being that can confuse your team or reduce them to 1 HP but will become a summon upon defeat. Also, when in Ipsen’s Castle, the insectile Taharka attacks when you steal the four elemental mirrors, increasing its defence when it curls into a ball but being notable susceptible to Heat, Silence, and Sleep spells.

Kuja’s threat is usurped by Garland, who’s usurped by Necron!

When the party learns of the four elemental temples, they split up to explore them and are attacked be the four Guardians of Terra, though the player only battles the Earth Guardian, a regal skeleton that attacks with Earth Shake. As you enter Memoria, you’ll battle the Nova Dragon, which tosses you with Psychokinesis, inflicts heavy damage with Twister and Tidal Wave, and counterattacks when physically hit. The four guardians are recreated by Kuja in Memoria and randomly attack as you explore: the four-armed Maliris favours Fire magic, Tiama is a three-headed dragon (almost a Cthulu-type being) that uses Wind magic and can blow you off the battlefield, Kraken is a disgusting octopus-like creature that fires Water or Ink from its tentacles or inflicts Freeze, and Lich is the Earth Guardian reborn, now more likely to cast Death. In Pandemonium, you endure a three-stage gauntlet against the Silver Dragon, Garland, and Kuja with no respite between. While the Silver Dragon favours Wind spells like the Nova Dragon, Garland likes to freeze the party with Stop (causing a game over if all four are afflicted) and obliterate their HP with Flare. In comparison, Kuja casts Demi, Ultima, and Flare Star, the latter of which cannot be protected against with Shell or Reflect. This is an unwinnable battle, as Kuja enters Trance to end the battle, and battle him (as “Trance Kuja”) again after besting the four guardians and Deathguise, another cobra-like dragon capable of annihilating ill-prepared parties with Meteor. Trance Kuja heals with Curaga, casts Flare, Holy, and Flare Star, though these same spells (or similar) can be turned against him. Once again, this is an unwinnable fight but, this time, you’re transported to the Hill of Despair and challenged to assemble a refreshed party to battle Necron, a being from beyond time and space who appears out of nowhere, drawn to Kuja’s despair. This surreal, angelic being is fought in a void and boasts powerful magic spells, including Blue Shockwave (which reduces one character to 1 HP), Grand Cross (which randomly inflicts different status ailments), and Neutron Ring to deal heavy damage. Necron can also attack four times in a row, easily pummelling the unprepared, so it’s best to have abilities like Regen, Auto-Life, and Mighty Guard enabled.

Additional Features:
There are fifty-one Achievements in Final Fantasy XI, with very few obtained through simple gameplay. You’ll get one for finishing the game, sure, and for winning one, ten, and 100 Tetra Master matches, but you’ll be hard-pressed to defeat 10,000 enemies or reach level 99 without grinding endlessly. Similarly, while it is possible to view 79 ATEs in a single playthrough, if you miss even one you can’t go back and view it or tick it off on a second playthrough, same goes for buying every item from Stiltzkin the Moogle (I missed that he was in Bran Bal). While guiding the residents of Cleyra to safety, entering Trance fifty times, causing Moguo to have a tantrum, and having Vivi win the Festival of the Hunt are pretty easy, getting an encore from the nobles, catching ninety-nine frogs, and jumping rope 100 and 1000 times are more than a chore! Similarly, you’ll be playing Hot and Cold a lot to upgrade your Chocobo’s beak and uncover all the hidden treasures across Gaia, though you can obtain most of the Ultimate Weapons if you search around Memoria. Other Achievements are gained from delivering Moogle mail and repairing their Mognet, uncovering the secret of the Eidolon Wall by interacting with the images etched there, obtaining four Moonstones, capturing a golden frog, and trading thirteen rare cards to Queen Stella. If you defeat the Behemoth in the Treno weapon shop with Dagger, you’ll get an Achievement (something easier said than done even with the boosters on!), and you’ll get another for getting a Very Good Omen from the fortune feature in Dali, where you also earn a nifty model airship if you bring an NPC three coffees hidden throughout Gaia.

You’ll have to endure tedious side quests to reap the best rewards and challenge the bizarre Ozma.

Other Achievements are much more time consuming. You can’t acquire Zidane’s Ultimate Weapon unless you upgrade your Chocobo, which must also be done to find hidden treasure chests and reach Chocobo’s Air Garden. This is a hell of an ask and an aggravating task, but your reward is battling the spherical superboss Ozma, an existential cosmic being capable of fully regenerating itself and attacking before you do, decimating the party with powerful spells like LV5 Death, LV4 Holy, Doomsday, and Meteor. Ozma is also practically unreachable unless you befriend all the friendly monsters across Gaia (which also awards another Achievement). These randomly appear (accompanied by a whimsical jingle) asking for ore or diamonds or other items and allow you to attack Ozma unrestricted once appeased. The Ragtime Mouse also randomly appears throughout the overworld, challenging you answer his quiz to earn rewards and another Achievement. All the boosters in the world won’t help too much with these tedious tasks, and be careful what you activate as there are cheat boosters in the main menu that disable Achievements. If you fancy synthesising the best weapons and gear, search around in Memoria to find Hades, an optional superboss that likes to inflict numerous status ailments and reduce you to 1 HP with Judgment Sword but will synthesise the best gear upon defeat. Additionally, you can take on the Tetra Master tournament as often as you like (and challenge numerous NPCs) and pop along to the Trena auction house to win rare items, some of which are needed for Achievements. If you reach Memoria in under twelve hours, you’ll also acquire Steiner’s Ultimate Weapon, Excalibur II, and you’ll even be ranked on your treasure hunting abilities by a mysterious four-armed man. Finally, completing the game unlocks a movie gallery and an additional card game from the main menu, if you fancy checking those out.

The Summary:
I first played Final Fantasy XI on the PlayStation 3 back in the day after years of being a SEGA and Nintendo kid. The darker, more melancholy and futuristic nature of its two predecessors appealed to me a lot more so it was always jarring entering a medieval fantasy world, a trope that had been done to death even back then, but the sheer visual appeal and wacky nature of the game’s characters quickly won me over. I was excited to return to Gaia, especially with the helpful boosters this version offers, and the story and characters are just as appealing as ever. Everyone has such life and personality to them and, while the game is very goofy, there’s an emotional undercurrent through it and it gets pretty dark at times when castles are being destroyed and characters are questioning their origins and morality. While I wasn’t massively blown away by the game’s locations or music, few of which really stood out for me, the diverse cast and bizarre enemies made up for it, as did the bonkers existential narrative that the otherwise simple plot descends into by the end. Gameplay is solid throughout; battles are as easy to navigate as ever, with a few tweaks to the formula to harken back to the old Job system and make characters unique through their abilities. I was a bit disappointed by the Trance state as I missed the big Limit Break attacks of the past games, but they open up new attack options and the summons are as impressive as ever. While it can lag at times and the mini games can be frustrating and the ATEs a little distracting, I think the whole package comes together nicely to pay homage to the franchise’s rich history and deliver a suitable love letter to the games that made Final Fantasy a household name. It may not be as mainstream as Final Fantasy VII or as controversial as Final Fantasy VIII, and I’d agree that it’s unfairly forgotten or overshadowed by its more successful and appealing predecessors and successors, but Final Fantasy XI is everything you could want from an RPG. Strong story, fun and engaging characters, intricate battle system, and a fair amount of replay value if you’re willing to put the time into doing tedious tasks for high rewards.

My Rating:

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Great Stuff

Are you a fan of Final Fantasy IX? Were you pleased to see it return to the medieval roots of the series? Who was in your party in Final Fantasy IX and which character was your favourite? Were you surprised when Necron randomly appeared at the end? Did you ever find all the treasures and defeat Ozma? Whatever your thoughts on Final Fantasy IX, and the Final Fantasy series, drop a comment below and go check out my other Final Fantasy content.

Movie Night: Last Order: Final Fantasy VII

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Released: 14 September 2005
Director: Morio Asaka
Distributor: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Budget: Unknown
Stars: Christian Sekhanan, Jonathan Waters, Kennedy Spatz, and David J.G. Doyle

The Plot:
Tseng (Waters) of the Turks recaps the catastrophic events of Nibelheim, where super soldier Sephiroth (Sekhanan) learned of his origins and went mad, leading to a violent confrontation with his fellow SOLDIER 1st Class Zack Fair (Sekhanan) and rookie Cloud Strife (ibid).

The Background:
Final Fantasy VII (Square, 1997) needs no introduction. The genre-changing, award-winning game was a best seller on the PlayStation and so popular that Square Enix expanded upon the story with the Compilation of Final Fantasy VII multimedia venture. Produced alongside the computer-generated movie Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children (Nomura, 2005), Last Order: Final Fantasy VII wasn’t the first anime venture for the franchise (Final Fantasy: Unlimited (2001 to 2002) finished only two years previously) or the first to be directly tied to an existing game in the franchise, a task animation studio Madhouse didn’t take lightly. Final Fantasy VII director Tetsuya Nomura was apparently heavily involved in the original video animation (OVA), to the point where development was troubled as a result. Nevertheless, producer Akio Ofuji was allegedly determined to produce a high-quality product that expanded upon Zack’s character and legacy. Although included with some releases of Advent Children outside of Japan, the OVA never received an English dub, though this didn’t stop the anime from being widely praised. Unfortunately, Square were said to be discouraged by negative feedback and subsequently erased Last Order from continuity with Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII (Square Enix, 2007).

The Review:
Last Order begins right after the sacking of Nibelheim and finds Zack Fair helping his wounded friend, SOLDIER grunt Cloud Strife, to safety in the nearby woods. Unfortunately, the Shinra Electric Power Company sends their troops into the woods to weed the duo out, under the direction of Tseng, leader of Shinra’s clandestine force, the Turks. As he’s essentially a super soldier, Zack easily makes short work of the grunts, though he is massively outmanned and outgunned and burdened by Cloud’s dead weight. The two are branded as “samples” that escaped from Professor Hojo’s (Sekhanan) laboratory in Nibelheim, with both infused with “Mako” energy (the veritable life force of the planet), plus cells from the malevolent alien entity known as Jenovah, and thus branded a threat, especially considering Zack’s vaulted status in SOLDIER. Though Tseng issues the order to recapture the two, he morosely reflects on the events that led to this point, thumbing through his records (and memories) of SOLDIER’s greatest warrior, the super soldier Sephiroth, who turned his wrath on Nibelheim after learning of his true origins as a genetic experiment. Seeing Jenovah as his “mother”, Sephiroth slaughtered most of Nibelheim’s inhabitants and set the town ablaze, leaving young Tifa Lockhart (Spatz) stunned by the legendary hero’s murderous actions. When she learns that her father, Brian (Justin Cabanting), went to the local Mako Reactor to confront Sephiroth, she rushes to help despite the protestations of her martial art instructor, Zangan (Doyle). When she gets there, her father dies in her arms, leaving her further distraught and even more enraged. Determined to get revenge, she enters the Mako Reactor to make Sephiroth (and everything associated with Shinra) pay. Despite her moxie, Tifa is naturally no match for Sephiroth and is left an unconscious, heartbroken heap in the Mako Reactor. Zack was equally horrified by Sephiroth’s sudden turn but was cocksure of his ability to confront the fallen hero, shocked that he could harm innocents, much less their mutual friend, Tifa, who’s left vilifying SOLDIER and all they stand for.

Sephiroth’s psychotic break enrages Zack and compels him to avenge those lost.

Regardless, Zack ploughs into the Mako Reactor to bring the fight to Sephiroth, only to be hopelessly outclassed and left gravely injured. Yet, even in his weakened state, Zack finds the strength to cheer Cloud on when the enraged foot soldier takes Sephiroth by surprise, summoning the will to send the once-lauded hero plummeting to his apparent death, though this also leaves Cloud grievously injured. In their weakened state, the two are easily apprehended by sadistic Shinra scientist Professor Hojo, the man who created Sephiroth, and imprisoned in his laboratory beneath the Shinra Mansion. Even after escaping from Professor Hojo, Zack doesn’t lose his snarky, carefree attitude, despite the odds against him. Cloud might be out cold, but that doesn’t stop Zack reassuring him and making light of the situation, regardless of how grim it appears, and promising him they’ll start a new life once they reach a safe haven. Zack is so athletic that he easily dances rings around the military, dodging their gunfire and decimating them in melee combat and with his gigantic Buster Sword. Although Zack and Cloud represent a real threat, and are valuable assets to Shinra, Tseng orders Rude (Sekhanan) to bring them in alive. As much as others revere Sephiroth, his abilities and his reputation, many also respect Zack’s skill. And with good reason: he’s a one-man army, with determination and charisma that inspires admiration, even from his enemies. This is true of all the Turks (who paradoxically sympathise with Zack and Cloud’s plight while remaining determined to bring them in) and especially their leader. Tseng was already questioning Shinra’s unethical practices; he was outspoken about Professor Hojo’s experiments and the treatment of Nibelheim. However, resentful of the Turks, the military defy their authority (and their direct orders) and use lethal force against Zack and Cloud. When they locate the two hitching a ride on a truck, they’re more than happy to take sniper shots at them and unleash their full might against them.

Tseng reflects on Sephiroth’s downfall and Zack’s persecution.

Unfortunately, we’re denied seeing this as the short cuts to the credits right as Zack’s last stand starts. While this is very dramatic, it denies us the full tragedy of Zack’s last moments; we see him fight for his friends and get a taste of his physical ability, but the feature doesn’t go into much depth with this. It’s a shame as the action sequences bring Zack, Sephiroth, and the game’s turn-based battles to life in a visually striking way thanks to the anime’s slick presentation. The battle between Zack and Sephiroth is as beautiful as it is deadly, with the two trading strikes within the hyper-industrialised Mako Reactor and the fight nicely personifies their different personas. Zack is emotional and hot-headed, full of passion and justified anger, while Sephiroth is a cold, soft-spoken, ominous individual, just as he was in the cutscenes and gameplay moments that this feature recreates. We don’t get a sense of his personality before his psychotic break, but Zack and others express shock at his sickening actions and awe at his abilities. Having learned that he was a genetic monstrosity infused with alien DNA, Sephiroth becomes obsessed with freeing his “mother”, Jenovah, and bringing ruin upon the world, starting with Nibelheim. Even with his new skewed outlook and apparent disregard for his SOLDIER honour and the lives of others, Sephiroth still sees Zack as a “traitor” for opposing him. Unmatched in combat and attacking with a blade that’s twice his size (one-handed, no less!), Sephiroth is a formidable foe; his madness has extended to a full-blown God complex and he easily bests Zack. However, Sephiroth’s obsessions also empower him with a faulty overconfidence; thus, he ignores a cardinal rule of battle and turns his back on his foe and is impaled by Cloud. Despite this fatal injury, Sephiroth’s rage and power are enough for him to return the favour, but he underestimates Cloud’s resolve and ends up careening down the reactor shaft, still clutching at his mother’s severed head!

The Summary:
I fully admit that I came into Final Fantasy VII a bit ass-backwards. Although aware of the game as a kid, I was a SEGA and Nintendo 64 gamer back in the day; I don’t recall any of my PlayStation-owning friends having the game at the time. So, it wasn’t until I was a lot older and got a PlayStation 3 that I really got into it, and the entire Final Fantasy franchise. This means that my first real exposure to the game was Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children and the handy feature-length recap included. I then played the game, then its spin-off sequel and prequel, and here we are with this anime feature, which I believe I first watched between Advent Children and completing Final Fantasy VII, or somewhere around there. However, I didn’t remember it ending so abruptly, or being so shallow. Despite incorporating musical remixes (including a new version of “One-Wing Angel” during Zack’s duel with Sephiroth) and a handful of Limit Breaks, action sequences are incredibly brief and the short focuses more on being a sombre and brief recap of the Nibelheim incident, something the game’s cutscenes convey in far more detail. Sure, Zack showcases more personality, but the feature is so short that even he is painfully one-dimensional (he’s fierce and loyal and carefree, and that’s about it). The same is true of Sephiroth, Cloud, and Tifa, with only Tifa really standing out because you see a lot of emotion in a very short time from her. If it was supposed to be more of a deep dive into Tseng, Last Order also fumbles the ball as he just seems reflective and conflicted over it all and not much else. It’s a shame as the animation is gorgeous, but Last Order is too short to live up to its potential and left me disappointed that we didn’t get to see more of the game’s moments and features recreated with the same level of detail on show here.

My Rating:

Rating: 2 out of 5.

Could Be Better

Did you enjoy Last Order: Final Fantasy VII? Do you agree that it was too short to really impress or were you satisfied with the retelling of the Nibelheim incident? Did you enjoy seeing a little more of Zack’s personality and what did you think to the abrupt ending? Would you like to see more anime adaptations of Final Fantasy? Which adaptation of the franchise is your favourite? Whatever you think about Final Fantasy, drop a comment below and be sure to check out my other Final Fantasy VII content.