Detective Pikachu

Let's talk about Detective Pikachu today. I had been excited about this game for a good long while, and knew that it would be something I would love. When I was a child, I was obsessed with detectives. I wanted so badly to become one when I grew up. I read tonnes of whodunits, and mum caught me fingerprinting in the kitchen more than once. I used to put police tape up around the crime scenes I was investigating (inside the house, don't worry), and I even had a trench coat I wore while I was working. 

I was also a huge Pokemon fan, of course! I played Pokemon Red frequently, training my Pokemon to be their very best. So, when I discovered that there was going to be a game that combined my love of detectives and investigations, and Pokemon, I was sold from the beginning. I became even more excited when I learned about Detective Pikachu, the coffee swilling, rough talking companion to the playable character, Tim Goodman. 

Yep, I had to buy the game on release. And the Amiibo. Of course.

I haven't finished the game yet. I've just started Chapter Seven, and according to my 3DS, I've been playing for close to 10 hours. I thought that I would be able to write a little about what I think of it so far, and then maybe write something again when I've finished it. So let's get into it.

Firstly, I love the game, just as I thought I would. The game play is a lot of fun. You collect clues, interrogate witnesses, put the pieces together, in a variety of different ways. I feel like the different ways to interact with the world of Ryme City and its inhabitants were decently varied, and have thus far not gotten bored, or bothered by any repetitiveness (that's not to say some parts of solving the case aren't repetitive- they have to be by nature- but it hasn't been a chore). I will say here that this game is very easy. If you're looking for a challenge, you likely won't find it here. Even if you do have a hard time connecting some clues, there are no penalties for wrong guesses, so you can proceed through the process of elimination.

Visually speaking, this game is pretty, but it isn't spectacular. It is very bright and colourful, and the Pokemon are all adorable, which is to be expected. When you are talking with Detective Pikachu, going through Case Notes or Files, or working on the bottom screen to solve the problems that stand in your way, it is quite a pretty game. When you are travelling around however, it becomes a little jarring. I am not sure if this is purely because of 3DS limitations, or if it is noticeable to me because I've been playing a lot of PS4 lately, but when you first get into your session with the game, the graphics might be a little distracting. I have noticed however that the more I play, the less I notice, as I get absorbed into the mystery.

Ah yes, the mystery. The draw of the game, and any game/novel/movie like it. As I said, I haven't yet finished the game, so there is still a lot I don't know, but at this point, I would happily call the mystery solid. You are given enough clues to make some assumptions about the overall situation with Detective Pikachu (and I have no idea if my assumptions are correct, or if they've deliberately placed misleading clues to distract me), but not enough that you feel there is no point in continuing. As far as the mini mysteries strewn throughout the game go, while they are formulaic, as they would of course be, the clues are well distributed, Red Herrings are used appropriately, and you always end up with the perfect amount of information you need to proceed. Throughout the episodic mysteries you solve, you are able to gain new information and leads for your main pursuit, which is to find Tim's missing father, Harry Goodman. Detective Pikachu's loyal partner.

I know that the voice of Detective Pikachu is a contentious issue for many, but I had no problems with it. In fact, I didn't even have to grow accustomed to it. It just fit for me. If you can separate Detective Pikachu from other well loved Pikachu characters, then you likely won't have much of a problem here. The voice acting is strong in this game, and the music engaging and appropriate for the numerous settings you get to explore.

And a quick note about the Amiibo. If you didn't get the chance to snag the behemoth, or you couldn't afford to, or justify the price, then don't worry too much. His only function at this stage is to unlock any Pika Prompts that you missed during your time with the game. Pika Prompts are cute interactions with Detective Pikachu, which you can view as many times as you'd like, but they're hardly essential to the game, and if you're persistent, you can collect them all without the Amiibo. I'm not sure if it will be compatible with any other games in the future though.

Overall, so far, I would give Detective Pikachu a 7/10! 

And keep an eye out for a fun cameo!

My Nintendo Handhelds

Hey guys! I uploaded my first video today! It isn't great quality, and I'm sure that in the future I will be able to improve this (a camera upgrade might be a good start), but for now, I hope that you enjoy!

FANCIFUL LISTS- Top Five Resident Evil Playable Heroes

Today I thought it might be fun to list my personal favourite five playable Resident Evil heroes! Keep in mind, there will be spoilers for the series, so if you want to avoid those, I suggest you click back out, and I'll see you next time : )

5. Parker Luciani

Parker is briefly playable in Resident Evil Revelations, and he is awesome. He is loyal to his partners, and willing to sacrifice his own life, if it means that it will be easier for them to escape with their own. I grew very attached to him as I saw the way he treated the people he worked with, and how much he genuinely seemed to care about people, and the job. 

Also, it is super fun to run around with an axe as a melee weapon.

4. Ethan Winters

Ethan is the most recent playable hero in the series, and while most people think his personality is kind of dull, I think he was actually a great character. He was very headstrong and determined, and, despite the fact he has had zero training in anything that would help him in Resident Evil 7, he still pushes through to the end. Nothing can stop him. Not Mia lopping his hand off, not having it stapled back on, not even going up against the maniacal Baker family. He pushes through to the end. And if that isn't incredible, I don't know what is.

3. Jill Valentine

Jill has been around since the beginning, exploring the Spencer mansion in Resident Evil 1, alongside Chris, Barry, and Albert (damn you, Albert). Her experience in Stars, and later in the BSAA have given her everything she needs to fight against the various zombies, parasites, and other corrupted creatures she encounters in her pursuit to keep people safe, and find Chris (which seems to be a bit of a theme for them, doesn't it). With good reason, she has attracted many fiercely loyal allies over the years.

2. Helena Harper

From the first moment I saw her in Resident Evil 6, I loved Helena. She was a bad ass, she was mysterious, she was voiced by Laura Bailey (not gonna lie, that is a large draw for me). As you progress in the Leon and Helena campaign, you slowly unravel her story, and discover that she got involved due to tragic circumstances, and despite the role she played in causing the chaos at the university, you feel for her. At least, I did. She puts herself through many dangers in order to achieve her vengeance, and stays by Leon's side to the very end. She ultimately earns her redemption, and a chance at a happier future. She found a loyal partner in Leon.

1. Leon Kennedy

Speaking of Leon, I am putting him in at number one. I know that this choice might be a bit predictable, and some people might assume I'm just fangirling, but hear me out. Firstly, Resident Evil 4 was the first RE game I ever played, and I loved it from the get go. The intrigue, the danger, the setting. I loved it all. So, seeing Leon reminds me so much of that experience. Then you have the character himself. He's sassy, he's unlucky, and most of all, he's only alive because he overslept on his first day as a member of the Raccoon City Police Department, and I find that funny. Obviously, he's had plenty of chances to die since then, but if he hadn't overslept that day, there would have been no escape from the outbreak for him. What a hero. Also, he has the patience of a saint. I would not be able to deal with Ashley the way he did. I was so tempted to leave her in one of those bins.

So there we have it, my top five playable RE heroes. What did you think? Agree? Disagree? Who's your ultimate favourite? 

PS. I would love to make a video version of this, and all future Fanciful Lists, but I do not have any reliable equipment currently (the webcam on my laptop is not of good quality at all). I also am not sure I have the confidence for it, but maybe one day I'll manage it! If so, keep an eye out!!!

Octopath Traveler Demo

Today I played through the demo of Square Enix's up and coming Octopath Traveler, and I thought I would write a little bit about my experience. I downloaded the demo for my husband originally, as it is from the team behind Bravely Default, which is a game he thoroughly enjoyed. I never played Bravely Default, but I do enjoy Final Fantasy, other Square Enix titles, and RPGs.

In this game, there are eight protagonists to choose from. You play through their stories, and see how they interact with the world around them. Each character has a path ability that they can use. For example, Primrose can use her Allure to have people follow her, and Olberic can challenge people to duels, which is pretty self explanatory.

The demo allows you to choose between playing as Primrose, a dancer, or Olberic, a soldier. I played as Primrose, because I like playing girl characters when they're available, and I am a bard in our D&D campaign. I also assume that my husband will probably play through as Olberic.

Visually, this game was beautiful. It seemed to be a mix of old school sprite art, and much more modern 3D, CGI graphics. It felt a lot like wandering around in a pop up book, honestly. The music was also gorgeous, and suited the locations and situations perfectly. And the voice acting was brilliant. I felt the tension and the emotions. I was repulsed by the characters I was supposed to be repulsed by, just by the combination of their appearance, and their voice. 

The demo seems to give you the opening chapter to the two available characters. Primrose starts as a dancer, working for a terrible man who mistreats his dancers. She is waiting for the perfect opportunity to spot and exact revenge on one of the men who killed her father years before. And so, you play through this first chapter in what seems to be a regular day in her life here. Until the man she is looking for does appear. I won't say too much else, as I don't want to spoil anything (most of what I've already mentioned is revealed in the opening cut scene, and also in the character selector). I will make a quick note now that, if you are uncomfortable with sexual content, especially implied sexual assault of women, you may want to avoid Primrose's story line. It was something I certainly wasn't expecting when I went into it.

After you complete the demo, you are able to do some limited exploring. I decided to keep wandering and see how far I could get. The short answer is, not very. However, I did end up in the next town over, and was able to recruit Olberic into my party, so I could see how he operated in combat, which is something I will discuss now.

Combat felt fairly typical for a Square Enix turn-based combat RPG. The turn line up is on the top of the screen, so you can always keep an eye on it. You need to keep track of your HP and MP. You can attack with your equipped weapon (Primrose has a dagger, while Olberic has a sword, and a polearm), or you can burn MP to use an ability. Primrose is proficient in dark magic, while Olberic does more intense sword and polearm attacks. And, with each turn that passes, you earn a BP (Boost Point). Using two of these, you can boost the ferocity of your attacks or abilities. If you use an attack or ability that an enemy is weak to, you have the chance to "break" them, leaving them stunned for their next turn. You can use items to replenish health and MP as well, so if you get into any sort of trouble, you have that option. I will say now that, barring the story initiated combat, combat is randomly encountered as you're wandering, so if you're not a fan of that, it might put a damper on your enjoyment of this game.

All in all, I really enjoyed the demo of Octopath Traveler. It took me about an hour, including the exploration that I did at the end. I am looking forward to playing it when it comes out later this year, and seeing how the rest of Primrose's story unfolds. Are you excited for it? Do you plan on picking it up?

Nintendo Direct 8/3/2018

I live in Sydney, so this morning, on the 9th of March, was the Nintendo Direct. I haven't really been keeping up with Nintendo news lately, or video game news in general really. But, here I am, back in the thick of it, and I wanted to share my favourite mentions in today's Direct! Just a reminder that the release dates will be for the Australian market.

Kirby Star Allies

We already knew this game was coming. It is due out on the 16th of March. There was a little bit of new information, however. After the game's release, there will be free DLC, introducing new Allies for Kirby to play with!!!

Detective Pikachu

Again, we knew this one was coming already. This one is also releasing this month, on the 24th. It was nice to see a bit more of his strange personality, and the humour of the game. I am also quite excited about the large Detective Pikachu, releasing on the same day.

Captain Toad

When I saw Captain Toad pop up, I was ridiculously excited. When it continued to reveal that this was a port to the Switch of Treasure Tracker, I was disappointed. However, it will be coming to the Switch with a few extra Mario Odyssey levels, and a multiplayer mode. I am hopeful that this means Captain Toad will get a new game in the future, because I love Toad, and this game was brilliant. This is releasing on the 13th of June.

Octopath Traveler

I played the demo through a few days ago (and I'm still in the process of writing about my experience with it). I really enjoyed it, and I am keen on picking it up on release. We learned today about two more of the eight characters you can play- the apothecary and the merchant. We also learned that the characters can choose an additional job, to help customise and add additional layers of strategy to combat! And of course, the release date was announced. It's coming on the 13th of June, with a special edition as well, containing a pop up book presenting all of the characters, a replica coin, and a handy dandy map! I kind of want this edition, but it is currently much too expensive for me (sitting at AU$199.95 at EB Games).

Okami

A Switch remake of the original Okami game is coming, employing the Switch's touch screen, or Joy Con motion controls, depending on what mode you're playing in. I never played this game, but I did play the DS Okamiden, and that game was beautiful and very charming, with an engaging story. I was constantly reminded of Japanese kabuki theatre as I played. This releases on the 10th of July.

Luigi's Mansion

The original Luigi's Mansion game, released on the Game Cube, is coming to the 3DS! I played the sequel, Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon when it was released (it got me through a bad illness in fact, so I have very fond memories of it), but never had the chance to play the original. By the time I acquired a Game Cube, the games were quite difficult to find, unless you went on eBay. So, I am very excited to give this one a go when it releases later this year!

Did you watch the Nintendo Direct today? What are you most excited for?

[Dragon Quest Builders] Five Things to Prioritise When Building a Base

As with any game that's based around gathering resources in order to keep yourself alive, there are a few things that it might be worth prioritising in Dragon Quest Builders when you first start up a base. Just so you know, I am playing this with the experience of the first two chapters only (and a tiny bit of Chapter Three), so later in the game, it might be different. This is just what I have found to be useful (and potentially life saving).

1. Fix up the Bedroom

When you first start, you find an area that is to be your base. The first, and, at least in the first two chapters, the easiest thing you should do is fix up the bedroom. Fill in the holes in the walls, and make sure there are two straw mattresses, and a light source, and then you will have somewhere to safely sleep away the night, rather than needing to brave the ghosts.

2. Build a Kitchen

Get a Crude Kitchen together as soon as possible! Walls and door, a light source, a cook fire, and a chest, and you should be good to go. That way, even when you can't find food out in the wild to either cook or eat raw, your citizens will still cook for you and drop food off into the chest. This saved me from starving in Chapter Two, as food was a little scarcer.

3. Gather Earth

This one is pretty simple. You need earth to build, so go out and gather as much as you can. From what I've found thus far, the most efficient and resource light way to build up your walls and floors is to start with earth, and then upgrade with wood/stone/other material later. You'll get your base's structure up faster, and won't need as much wood or stone to complete it!

4. Build a Workshop

In the first three chapters (and probably later- again, I haven't gotten further than the first two chapters, and a little of the third), your base will contain a table/refinery to build at. Build a room around this, with a light source, door, and a chest, and bang, you have a workshop. I find this useful because your citizens will build furniture, and occasionally put materials into the chest. And, you can use this chest to store materials until you can put together the Colossal Coffer (which should also be a priority for you, once you have access to the materials). 

5. Find White Petals

White petals are necessary to craft Healing Cream, and, well, that's good for healing. If you gather the materials you need early, then you can craft it from the get go, and be better equipped for the inevitable combat- and you won't have to return to your base as often to sleep off your wounds.

So there you have it. My personal top five priorities for building your base in Dragon Quest Builders. Do you share these priorities? Do you have your own tips to share? Feel free!

[Fanciful Files] Playing With Pokemon

I have been playing video games in some capacity since I was a child. We had a computer game when I was very young about exploring a castle (I cannot remember the name of it, but it was so much fun- I played it with my siblings, and mum got us a clock specifically marked to let us know when it was the next person's turn).

My earliest solid memories playing video games are of Pokemon, as I am sure is the case for many people my age. I didn't have my own Game Boy, so I couldn't play often. My friend used to let me play her copy of Pokemon Blue when I slept over. Of course, I couldn't save it, so each time I would start at the beginning, and usually manage to earn my badge from Brock. I always chose Bulbasaur (and to this day, he is my favourite Pokemon). I must have been very enthusiastic about my experiences playing this game because, when I turned 9, mum took me to the second hand shop and bought me my very own Game Boy Colour.

Not just any Game Boy Colour, but the yellow Pikachu one. I was so excited. Then, with my birthday money, I bought Pokemon Red. This was the first video game I ever bought myself. I still have it, and occasionally bring it out for a nostalgia trip on the Game Boy, which is still in perfect working order.

Some of my fondest childhood memories were playing these games, helping my sister with Pokemon Yellow (she was so enthralled by my game that mum bought her a special Game Boy Colour as well, the metallic Pikachu/Pichu one), playing with my imagination with my friend, and the help of some figurines, and watching the show before school each weekday. 

As much as I still enjoy Pokemon now, and appreciate it on a whole new level (playing with my husband and my best friend is enjoyable- though I don't battle them, as I'm too anxious about making mistakes, I just sit with them and play), I'm not sure anything Pokemon related can surpass that feeling I had as a child, training my beloved Bulbasaur at my nan's, in the car, even in bed when I should have been asleep (hey, my mum bought the light attachment, I can't be blamed).

Do you have fond memories of playing Pokemon as a child? Do you still play now?

Dragon Quest Builders

I haven't played much in the Dragon Quest universe. The only other DQ game I played extensively was Dragon Quest IX: Sentinals of the Starry Skies. I really enjoyed my experience, but never ended up picking up another DQ game- with limited funds, I always prioritised games that I was more interested in. However, I saw a video on YouTube by BeatEmUps about Dragon Quest Builders, and bought the game the same day. I will post the video here for you.

When you first start playing, you are able to customise your character. I was a little worried that it wouldn't be an option, so I was glad to see that I was wrong. The customisation options are somewhat limited, but you can choose your gender, skin tone, hair colour, and eye colour. Your character has a distinct Dragon Quest style to it.

As you will see as we progress through this article, Dragon Quest Builders feels like a hybrid of a few different games. Most notably for me are Minecraft, 7 Days to Die, and of course, Dragon Quest. As I said above, I am personally not all that familiar with the lore and world of Dragon Quest, but if you are, from what I have seen online, you will find yourself in familiar territory, which I imagine will add to the enjoyment level of this game for fans of the series!

There are three modes to enjoy in this game. There is free mode, which provides you with unlimited resources and lets you build to your heart's content. There is the story mode, which is what we will primarily be focusing on today, in which you gather resources, help citizens, and defend your base. Lastly, there is Terra Incognita, which is a mesh of the two previous modes.

I have only played in the story mode thus far, and I have been thoroughly engaged with it. The story mode consists of isolated chapters, taking place in different settings, with varying characters, and based off of what I have played so far, different experiences and challenges to meet. The story mode consists of different elements.

As with Minecraft, and many other survival based games, you must gather resources. These come in many varieties- building materials, food, equipment, and so on. You then use these resources to build your base/city, cook food, create weapons and armour, and build furniture for your home and its residents. You discover new recipes as you play, speak with different NPCs, and discover new materials. You can use the furniture to put together rooms that often give you boons as well (such as increased passive health regain, stronger armour and weapons, etc).

As in 7 Days to Die, you must defend your base from monster attacks. It is not as difficult as 7 Days to Die, but it is still an enjoyable aspect of the game. You can build various defenses in order to keep your base and citizens safe. Spike traps are a defense you learn early on. You can strengthen your walls by upgrading them to sturdier material. And you can go out in person to attack the invaders.

And of course, you must do what you can to help your citizens, even if they're kind of rude to you... sometimes they will ask for particular items, or will provide you with blueprints for a room they want built. I have only recently begun playing Chapter Two, but the requests between chapters seem different enough to keep this part of the game entertaining.

Once you finish Chapter One, you unlock the third game mode, Terra Incognita. I haven't played it yet, but I am excited to give it a try. In this mode, you have a safe island where you can build the city of your dreams. NPCs will come and stay with you for a few days, then leave to make way for new ones (apparently you can designate favourites so that they will never leave). Even friendly monsters can come and visit. You can add them to your party, and explore various other islands (unlocked as you complete story mode chapters), fight monsters, and gather resources. If you exhaust those islands, you can ask the goddess to reset them, meaning that you can keep building and building, without fear of running out of resources. Completing the challenges in each chapter of story mode also unlocks a variety of  recipes you can make use of in Terra Incognita. 

As I said above, I am not very far in the game. I have recently started Chapter Two. It took me approximately 20 hours to complete Chapter One, though I know that I didn't 100% it. I was a little worried about beginning Chapter Two. When you travel to the next land, you lose all of your resources, many of your recipes, and items. I was concerned that I would be frustrated, or bored, in starting from almost scratch, but after having played Chapter Two for about five hours, I have not actually experienced any negative emotions. Chapter Two offers an experience very different from Chapter One, that has so far kept me engaged completely. I might go so far as to say that I am enjoying the new mechanics and items of Chapter Two more than I did those of Chapter One. And, if I do ever miss the city from Chapter One, I can always continue playing there, as each chapter uses its own set of save slots (five each). So, the chapters are completely isolated from each other, but I wouldn't say that this diminishes the experience in the slightest. I actually quite like the compact nature of this. And when I am all done, Terra Incognita will be waiting for me.

Leave me alone Slime, I'm trying to study!

Have you played this game? What do you think about it? I have found myself dreaming in blocks with how much I've been playing lately. It has been helping with my anxiety a great deal, and I do not regret spending the pricey $79.95 on it. I bought it on the Nintendo Switch, as I like the idea of being able to play in bed when my insomnia is bad, and while my husband plays Monster Hunter on the PS4. I play on taking it to my mum's tomorrow, just in case I have to play (you know what I'm talking about).