Game Vs. Game! This week: SA1 Vs. SA2

[E-Man]

Hm, considering the strengths of each game, this is a close one. Sadly, I never got around to playing my copy of Skyward Sword, so I'm not sure if my opinion is going to have any weight here. For me, I think I'll go with Twilight Princess on this one. While both games have an enjoyable artstyle and good mechanics, I'll give TP this victory for having less of a "segmented" overworld and a lack of stealth missions. Plus, who doesn't like Midna?

[Gwen]

Really close for me. On one hand Skyward Sword has easily one of the best art styles from the series, plays like a fucking charm, and added some pretty cool new things to the universe.

On the other hand, Twilight Princess had me completely captivated when it came out, and yielded far more exploration.

It's pretty close but I'd probably have to go with Skyward Sword. Flying around was a blast, the game was a blast to play, and it's so so so so gorgeous.

[Shade]

Really close for me. On one hand Skyward Sword has easily one of the best art styles from the series, plays like a fucking charm, and added some pretty cool new things to the universe.

On the other hand, Twilight Princess had me completely captivated when it came out, and was yielded far more exploration.

It's pretty close but I'd probably have to go with Skyward Sword. Flying around was a blast, the game was a blast to play, and it's so so so so gorgeous.

I really wish I could have enjoyed this game more than I did. I could never get the motion controls to behave accordingly and it became more bothersome to play than to not. :<

Overall, I'm gonna say Twilight Princess. I'll explain more thoroughly later.

[Maxpphire]

I thought Twilight Princess was the most boring Legend of Zelda game I've ever played. It took too long to get to the interesting parts, it was dark and broody instead of dark and slowly terrifying like what people has been asking for (Like Majora's Mask, Talking to people on the 3rd day hit ya hard), and some things were difficult to control like the spin top and all of Wolf Link. It wasn't by all means a terrible game, it was just bad as far as LoZ games go considering how expectations are high for that series.

Skyward Sword easily became one of my more favorite games, but I do have a couple of gripes about that as well, but at least I can say it kept the pacing throughout the game that most LoZ titles do, and the motion controls weren't terrible.

Skyward Sword is very much easily a winner to me.

[Zero Kirby]

Plus, who doesn't like Midna?

*raises hand*

On the topic of choosing between the two I'd say that- oh it's not even a contest. Skyward Sword by far considering it's the one I actually enjoyed.

[Sevenstitch]

I didn't really mind TP myself; the atmosphere may have been a little lacking and at times "tron-like," but it wasn't bad. As far as SS as a Zelda title, however, I played up past the forest temple, I think, its honestly been years since I've even really played it, and I remember the actual game being quite fun and enjoyable to look at. If I had some option to use a classic controller instead of the mandatory motion controls, I most likely would have played through the entire game. The only reason I'd chose to play TP over SS is simply because I can use an actual controller to play it.

Motion controls completely ruin games for me, not because they aren't good but because my wrists, shoulders, and hands have been through a lot of abuse over the years (from occupations and injury) and even holding a normal controller for long periods is painful for me. Having to hold two controllers tethered by a cord and operate them independently of each other somehow also in tandem whilst using my wrists and arms to actually move characters and navigate menus is quickly taxing and simply drains any fun
I would have had with a game near immediately.

[Goemar]

I didn't really like Twilight Princess but I didn't like Skyward Sword at all. It just didn't feel right, I don't know if it's because of the setting or what, but I just didn't get into it. Never finished it as got bored.

So well... I don't know, neither? Now, Link Between Worlds, that was a game...

[E-Man]

Please, if a Link Between Worlds was an option, it would have been no contest.

[recme]

now we are back in schedule!

this weeks topic is Kingdom Hearts I Vs. Kingdom Hearts II. discuss!

[Gwen]

Kingdom Hearts II.

I watched my cousin play the first one and while it's undoubtably great and the story in the second one does get silly at times it was pretty much a souped up radical version of the first and was such a danged blast to play. I've gotta do a run through of those games again at some point.

[Gors]

Neither, honestly... all the urge to play a KH game goes away when I see the anime & disney shit. It's comparable to making a sprite comic with unmatching styles - it just sucks.

I might be missing out on a great series because of my prejudice towards this series but I simply can't take it seriously.

This is also true with Lego games.

I'm sorry.

[Kriven]

I want to say Kingdom Hearts (one) is the better game because it was riskier. KH had a lot of great exploration and adventure elements. The platforming was a lot better, I feel like the environments were more colorful and featured livelier details. Each world had so much to look at, even if it was difficult to navigate at times. It would have been great had the series explored this style of play more enthusiastically.

However, I find it a lot more difficult going back to the first game (which I've played through only once in its entirety) as opposed to the second game (which I've played through at least three times). The second doesn't utilize quite as many different gameplay elements, but what it does carry over is polished into a much more enjoyable experience. Though I feel like it went a little too far into its own mythology with the narrative.

I guess I'll have to go with Kingdom Hearts II, just because it is the more polished game over all.

[E-Man]

I was hoping this would be the challenge for this week.

It's a no-brainer that I'll choose Kingdom Hearts since I keep giving my reasons why I like it better. Don't get me wrong, though. KH2 is a good game and all. It's just that there are more appealing things about it in my opinion.

While I like the combat of both games, the second game felt a little too easy and had a little too many gimmicks to my liking. The combat of the first game felt a little more satisfying to me and offered a fine amount of challenge. Plus, it felt like Sora's attacks had more weight in the first game as compared to swinging around a feather of sorts in the second one.

Speaking of combat, the colosseum side quest in the first game better clicked with me. Not only did I earn EXP for the battles (something I don't think KH2 did with its colosseum), but also I had a chance to fight some really cool bosses (including taking out a certain one-winged angel whenever I want).

The first game had exploration covered with its uneven landscapes and interactive landmarks/puzzles. The second game did away with all that by making the worlds boring, flat planes and made the magic system useless outside of battle. While there are items to find, they seem to be hidden relatively poorly and don't exactly make me work to earn them in the slightest. Since I mentioned I liked the first one's exploration, you can see how disappointed I am with Atlantica (give me supposedly bad swimming controls any day over rhythm mini games I could care less about).

In fairness, I like the story for both games and KH2 added very interesting concepts to the table, but some things about KH2's story left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. The Disney concepts took a backseat to the Final Fantasy side of Kingdom Hearts and the Organization. They don't exactly do anything that original with those worlds and copied their original stories more than the first game did. Also, while I do like several of the members of Org. XIII (especially when I learned more about them in other games), I don't like how they overshadow everything else in the fan base. The biggest offenders of this are Axel and Roxas, who gain more praise than they actually do deserve. It's bad enough that they get so many fan fictions, but it really yanks my chain for all the yaoi content they're associated with.

By the way, I can't stress this enough, but I don't like how they used Kairi in KH2. Sure, it's rather silly that I'm putting so much stress about a simple girl that hardly anyone else cares about, but I think she could have been a strong character if they kept the direction of her in the first game and refined it from there. In the first game, she had a good deal of spunk, is fairly upbeat, and felt like she was willing to take anything on (she even was willing to tag along with Sora at one point if it wasn't for Sora talking her out of it). While she's not the most perfect character and some aspects about her a slightly annoying to some people, all she needed then was a little sanding. If Square were to reduce her more annoying character traits and strengthened her character in ways that will make her appeal to both genders, then she could have a lot of potential. What did they do to her in Kingdom Hearts II? They basically shoehorned her into being a love interest. Not only did they make her outfit more feminine, but also gave her a weapon that looks too girly for my tastes. Then, they drop a lot of the energy she had from the first game to make her more like a "refined princess." On top of that, besides having her get kidnapped while she was conscious, she barely had any action at all. While she did took on a couple of beasts (I don't recall if they were Heartless or Nobodies), she was left behind the very moment the final battle began. I'm not implying that she needs to be rough and tumble like Princess Jasmine is (especially how she is in the animated series), but a mix between Sora and Riku would be nice.

Anyway, I'm sorry if I ranted in any of my parts (including that last bit), but you get what I'm saying, right?

[Kriven]

I just want to play as Kairi.

Team her up with Minnie and Daisy (or Max Goof), "kill" Riku and Sora (maybe they get trapped in a world), and have Kairi save the day.

Other changes:

Chip & Dale get stuck with Sora wherever he is, so Gadget, Jack, and Zipper pilot Kairi's Gummi Ship.
Mortimer Mouse as a villain in an actually Mickey Mouse-centric story and world.

I'm going to stop now because I could just fill this whole thread with Kairi Should Be Protagonist ramblings.

Edit: Heartless attack the 100 Acre Wood in a loose adaptatio of the Tigger movie (Tigger would actually even be a party member), and they bring about an actual Heffalump and Woozle to serve as the world's antagonists. Completing the world gives you Pooh Bear as a summon, who sits on your shoulders and feeds you honey during battle, which temporarily boosts a random stat.

Edit-Edit: Brave Little Toaster summon plugs into your keyblade to give you enhanced atk and electrical properties to all melee attacks.

stopme

[Goemar]

...wow, so people really like Kingdom Hearts huh? I played them not long back and thought it had aged really badly/actually wasn't as good as the claims.

Kinda see them as fangasm games. Like how people will defend a mediocre game because the subject matter/concept is so good but the game just isn't or because of the sheer status it has (aka Radiant Silvergun syndrome).

Anyway, I'm going to go with 2 because it's still kinda playable compared to the first.