It was a bit of a lack of foresight. I mean, how can I even begin a Code Lyoko month without even talking about the show in the first place? I am pretty sure that only half of the people reading this know what I am talking about.

So, for the Code Lyoko ignorant, I am going to quickly go through the main ideas, concepts and plots surrounding the show. Off we go!

Introduction

Code Lyoko is an animated French TV show that originally aired from 2003 to around 2007. The show is divided into 4 seasons, each with about 30 or so episodes, with a grand total of 123 episodes. In a sentence, it's about a bunch of approaching-HS-age-kids entering a virtual world and fighting back a malevolent computer program that's trying to destroy the world; we'll get on the specifics later. The episodes usually are broken into four parts:

1. Slice of life section, characterizing main protagonists and school life

2. Problem arises, either from school or from the malevolent computer program

3. Protagonists go to virtual world and stop the villain

4. Resolution of problem, both in school and against antagonist.

Kinda like old power ranger episodes, come to think of it!

Graphically, the show uses both 2D and 3D animation for the school and virtual world. The musical score is mostly comprised of digital tunes and traditional instrument soundtracks (ie. flute, guitar, some string instruments)

The show was well received and has some awards. There's going to be a 5th season, and it most likely a continuation of the story rather than a remake (I don't know yet).

Plot, story, and so on

OK, now on to the story in detail, because from what I see the games don't set up the plot very well. As I've stated earlier, it's about five kids (well, four, actually. One observes the action all the time) entering the virtual world known as Lyoko to stop the aforementioned program called XANA. To wreak havoc upon the world, or at least around France, XANA has to activate a tower on Lyoko. Once that happens, XANA can enter the real world and do his thing. Once the protagonists find out what XANA is up to (they have a program to detect this), they enter an abandoned factory and enter large, cylindrical scanners. To get XANA away from the real world, one character, Aelita, must enter the tower that was activating it. Once inside she (Aelita) can deactivate it by entering the words "Code Lyoko" and stop XANA. To stop the kids in Lyoko, XANA creates monsters that can attack and deduct life points off of the characters. Once a kid has no life points, he or she gets sent back to the real world and reappear in human form inside the scanners.

Code Lyoko has many sectors, but for the purpose of preparing for the Lyoko the games show, just keep in mind there are five main regions:

1. Forest 2. Mountain 3. Ice 4. Desert 5. The central hub region for Lyoko known as Sector 5 or Carthage

Each region is surrounded by a body of water known as the Digital Sea. Originally the protagonists avoid the area but later on they build a digital submarine to explore it. On a further note, XANA eventually builds mini Lyoko worlds on its own so it can access the real world from there. These worlds are known as replikas, and they are accessed by the digital submarine known as the Skidbladnir (or Skid, for short).

Away from Lyoko, all the characters study in Kadic Academy, a boarding school located in a French suburb. There are some extra tidbits of course from the school life but it's more appropriate to put those trends in the characters section, which leads us to-

(Main) Characters

Other people can go on and on about each character but here's the lowdown:

Jeremy is the brains of the group. He is the one who doesn't fight in Lyoko, so he is the one who watches the actions, observing the flow and guiding his friends. He is also responsible for other major projects such as upgrading weapons and building vehicles for his friends in Lyoko, and keeping any computer bugs at bay. He is the primary techie, inventor, and strategist for the team. His main subplot has to do with his romancing with Aelita.

Odd is the life of the party and the jokester. Unfortunately I have very little to say about him other than his penchant for getting in trouble due to his exuberance or his going out with countless girls. On Lyoko, he has a purple cat costume. WIth it he is capable of climbing walls and other vertical terrain. His main weapon involves laser arrows, though you look closely he's just firing arrow heads and that doesn't count. However, the first Code Lyoko game does have him use purple grenades. His main vehicle is the Overboard aka hover-board.

Ulrich is the silent, introverted dude of the group. On Lyoko, he has a samurai outfit. His main weapon is the katana, though later on he gets two of them. His abilities include super speed and cloning himself up to 3 times. He can merge both abilities for "Triangulate": Running around an enemy at mach speed with his clones and attacking from a blind side. His main vehicle is the Overwheel, a one-wheeled motorbike thingy. In school, his main subplot is his rocky romance with Yumi, another protagonist, hence creating the majority of the romantic tension in the show. He also has to fight off the romantic advances from girls outside the group.

Yumi is the oldest of the bunch. It's not easy to call her the most mature, especially once one sees her fighting with Ulrich or how she handles her relationship with him. However, beyond that, she does seem kind-hearted and easygoing. On Lyoko, she has a geisha outfit, though later on it is replaced with an all-black ninja-esque attire. Her main weapon is a pair of sharp fans that has boomerang, return to sender properties. She also uses telekinesis, though it takes a lot of her concentration. Her main vehicle is the Overwing, a hover scooter.

Aelita is origninally a Lyoko native, having been taken there by her father, the creator of Lyoko. Like Jeremy she is extremely smart and witty, though she also has bouts of immaturity or naiveté. Her original abilities is simply entering a tower and deactivating it. However, she eventually can use energy fields (ie. energy balls) to defeat monsters. She can also create large slabs of ice, stone or other materials for traversing areas or creating large barriers. Her main mode of transportation is the Overwing, though she has also shown prowess with the Overboard, and eventually a pair of built-in wings. She is a secondary techie to the team and Jeremy's love interest.

XANA is the main villain of the show. The computer program's main power is kind of ambiguous, though it looks like control of electronic appliances and/or living beings seem to be the most noticeable things XANA can do. However, there are times when it does things like remove gravity and sink Kadic downwards like an earthquake. Exactly why the computer doesn't just control a guy with a legit weapon like a butcher knife (gun laws are strict in France), get him/her to a factory and knife up the kids is anyone's guess, however.

William is a later character who tries to pursue Yumi, hence putting him in conflict with Ulrich. He comes off as a cunning, exuberant dude but overall has a heart of gold. He shows his worth one time by disabling bombs in the factory planted by XANA, but it takes a while before he gets accepted into the Lyoko circle and begin fighting in the virtual world. However, on his first mission he gets controlled by Xana, and he is now XANA's main henchmen for a good long time. He has a large sword that can cause tons of damage, and can dissolve himself into a gas and move about that way. He rides around a black manta but also has a mini-ship for the Digital Sea called the Rorkal.

Unfortunately, this article is already getting too long, so I am going to end it here. The next blog will talk about my recollection and re-evaluation of the first Code Lyoko game. Hope to see you soon!

RC aka C

Hi again! 
  
I am here to roll out another list of games that I thought should be given praise (or at least attention) because they are fun and well done.  
The drill is the same. Might not have some games you've heard of, and some that might be in the mainstream. The games don't have to be released this year, and it doesn't have to be games that I've PLAYED this year.  Oh, and no "Game of the Year" because it's way to difficult to compare games of different genres and ports. No top 10 countdown either.
 
With all that taken care, let's start. 
 
1. Saints Row the Third (I played XBox 360 version)
Let me make this abundantly clear: As much as SR 3 is a really fun game, would I consider it for "Game of the Year"? Absolutely not. To have that reward everything has to be perfect. It's graphics are not the best and there are a bit too many glitches that made me restart several missions. Does a game of the year do that? Not in my book. It has to be spotless.  SPOTLESS!
That being said, SR 3 is still a barrel of laughs and fun. It's the epitome of lawlessness and chaos in an endearing sense. Dialogue is funny as hell with great voice actors. Lots to do, although some better than others (eg. Prof. Genki's Super Ethical Reality Climax).  
Saints Row the Third is without a doubt the most entertaining game I've played for a while. And you'll be sucked into it's world until 4 in the morning.  Every. Single. Day.
 
2. The Adventures of Tin Tin (iPad) 
Tin Tin for the iPad does more for the iPad platform than what SR 3 did for the XBox 360. Before you go and raise your pitchforks, hear me out. In short, this game is heads above shoulders almost every other iPad game. Graphics are off the charts, voice actors are believable. Story is engaging and suspenseful that will make you keep playing. Gameplay takes from other games but really meshes all its elements well. The Quick Time Events are nothing I've seen before on an iPad (it saved the best for last. You'll have to see that part at least once). Briefly speaking, Tin Tin on the iPad felt like an adventure, a smooth, daring adventure that you want to see through. Gameloft is on top of its game in this product. Nuff said.  
 
3. Rise of Nations (PC) 
 Before I go on, let me note that I will reference a lot of RTS games because they didn't make the cut in the last post.  
I also want to note that I haven't mastered this game yet. But I would really love to. If you're looking for a game that really mimics world history in a span of epochs, in a RTS format, this game is it. The number of things you need to look after is huge. It's not just your food and wood. There's iron, knowledge, oil, wealth and so on. The methods of wininng is also hard to count. You can do the traditional burn-em-down method, but there are also things like building X number of wonders and taking x% of territory. The combat is extremely balanced and takes a lot of mental power to win a single victory, let alone the entire war. Finally, the Conquer the World Campaign is huge and soaks in a lot of time. And you'll be glad to put those minutes in.  
 
4. Command and Conquer: Generals + Zero Hour (PC)
As the old saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a cat. And the Generals series proved that just because you don't have cutscenes and over the top actors doesn't mean your product is going to stink. Despite having 3 factions their style of play is so different and yet so effective in their own little way that you would want to go play each side at least once. Each campaign is also interesting to go through.  
The greatness of this game is further enhanced with Zero Hour, the expansion. While the campaigns are still short they are still very fun to play. And the various factions within the US, China and GLA again bring more variety to an already versatile package. Game also looks and sounds good for its time, which only helps. Boy, I can't wait to see what the next Generals game looks like.  
 
5. Rise of Legends (PC) 
ROL is like the simplified and yet more over-the-top version of its famous brother Rise of Nations. I mean, how many other games can you think of that has glass dragons, a death god and a walker inspired by the works of Leonardo Da Vinci. The art style of the game is very impressive, and ROL also makes the game a whole lot more accessible to RTS laymen, while maintaining a certain level of depth that RTS veterans will appreciate. Once again, there are 3 distinct factions, each with their own cool stuff to work with, and are so different in the way they play you would want to experiment with each group. Finally, the story mode is long and strikes a fine balance between introducing you to new stuff while dragging you back to the traditional skirmish. All and all, a great game worthy of succeeding Rise of Nations.   
 
6. Blazblue: Calamity Trigger (XBox 360)
Before I was 18 I think of these games when I think of the fighting genre. KOF, Tekken and Street Fighter. But then Blazblue: Calamity Trigger plunged itself into the list and never turned back. Combat is a joy to pull off and a joy to watch. It's ridiculously colorful when there's action going on, and of course there are the subtle touches (like Taeger using a small mobile phone). All characters, while some are more important than others, matter greatly in the story, something that is unheard of in most fighting games. Their styles are also so different in a way that works (See Clover, Karl). The story also deserves a lot of kudos; there are so many angles to look through, and the game has a sense of humor that only Saints Row the Third can exceed. The "Teach Me, Ms. Lithi/Booby Lady" sessions are comedy gold, invigorated by good English dubbing voice actors in the sessions but also in the fights. Throw in a couple of more boob jokes (I'm looking at you, Noel Vermillion), and the game is all set. Never have I had a game that made its franchise so memorable with just a couple of sittings. Blazblue 1 is that game.  
 
7. Dead or Alive: Dimensions (3DS)
DoA is not just here because it's the first 3DS game I bought. And it's not just because there are beautiful women there. It's the combat that really made the thing work. Simple in appearance but difficult to master. It has some modes that really stand out, like the tag team mode (where you're fighting an overpowered opponent) and survival mode, where you kill X number of enemies. Admittedly the story is WAY too disjointed for me to follow, but it is a good tutorial session for non-DOA experts such as myself. Finally, the game looks gorgeous, from its characters all the way down to the scenery. DOA is a great game for anybody's 3DS library, and to me, it gives hope that there will be better 3DS games on the horizons (there are only a handful of those so far).  
 
8. NBA 2K11 (XBox 360) 
I am an avid basketball fan, and I"ve played my share of NBA titles like Live 06, 07 and 10. I thought they were OK, but NBA 2K11 takes the cake best sports game I've played by far. The best thing about the game is its accessibility. You can be a complete noob and still call an offensive set like a pro. The game makes all its information present for its players (like the salary cap) and its commentary package is the deepest I've ever listened to (looking at almost every single player, for crying out loud). Now on to the basketball portion of the game. Where do I start? The My Player mode is well designed and fair, a vast improvement to NBA 2K09. Calling plays like the pick and roll, or defenses like a 2-3 zone is so easy and fun to pull off. And of course, the Dynasty mode (aka The Association) is deep with customization options that I cannot even begin to count. Oh, and it features the most realistic and badass version of Michael Jordan, His Airness. Need I say more? 
 
9. Warcraft 3 + Frozen Throne (PC)
I am 18 an I've finally beaten an easy AI opponent. And I'm glad I did it in Warcraft 3. There's just so much to like here: 4 unique factions, each with strategic depth that fills up multiple dictionaries. A lengthy campaign that is interesting from start to finish thanks to mission variety and narrative. A presentation that still looks better than some PC games today, even though WC3 is released almost a decade ago. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that there is built in self-awareness resulting in some funny lines ("I am a Dread Lord, not a Drug Lord", "Crouch, Tiger, I sense a Hidden Dragon"). Finally, the game's difficulty was never cheap but always fair, and every time I beat a level or win a skirmish I feel like I'm on top of the world. Only a handful of games do that... on an easy difficulty level. 
 
10. Dungeon Siege 3 (XBox 360) 
Dungeon Siege 3 is a game that does little wrong and does a lot of things right. It has an extremely expansive universe with likable characters, an intriguing narration that has twists and turns you don't expect, and a combat system that is fun, because it is fast paced, requires quick reactions and non-cheap at all times. Treasures of the Sun, its DLC, is also a great product in its own right, expanding on an already large world while applying a new subplot that makes you care. More importantly, it also added essences and 3 new ultra abilities that deepen customization, converting the game from more action than RPG to healthy doses of both. I'll reiterate: Dungeon Siege 3 is a game that made me care, about its story, about Ehb, and the 10th Legion. This might sound really odd to many, but If this really is the last Dungeon Siege game, I would say that DS 3 sent the series out on a high note.  
 
Now that that's taken care of, I would also want to point out 1 final thing. It's not a game. It's...  
 
11. "Free" by Chris Madin 
It might be because this song has vocals or it comes from the Sonic franchise, but beyond that there's no reason why "Free", the introductory song to Sonic Free Riders, shouldn't receive some acclaim. I am a Sonic fan through and through, and I've always loved their songs. Back then, I thought "Wow, Ungravitify and Open Your Heart are the best video game songs there is. Crush 40 isn't going to get any better than that." But then along comes "Free", and it blew away the competition, my favorites, into the stratosphere. It is THAT good.  
So what makes it tick? For me, it's that it is first and foremost a SONIC type song. It sounds loose and, as its title implies, "free", really catching the essence of who and what the Blue Blazer is. But what really made this track special is its catchiness. Other songs might make the wrong impression, but Free doesn't. It really reminds me of a strong yet gentle slipstream passing through the air. Its lines, especially "Into the FREE, Into the ME", injected anticipation and excite that I've never really heard in other songs, like getting a jolt of energy to go out, spread your arms and run like you never did before. Now that's amazing.  
The Crush 40 version is also worth listening to. Really rolls like a destructive hurricane that Sonic can become, thanks to its rock instrumentals. Both are really high-class tracks, and rival Mario can't do a damn thing about it.  
Here are the links. Please listen to them at least once:
Madin's version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbLTQOC8Np0  
Crush 40 version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=In9PKsAFbl8&feature=related 
 
Here's my list for 2011. Hope y'all have a great new year. Now about the list... do I have a point or am I off my rocker in my choices? Please respond to this blog post on the comments section below. 

I've been gone for way too long. School, sports, school drama all jammed me out of  the Giantbombverse. But thankfully it's New Year's Eve (at least in my hometown of Hong Kong SAR) and since it's the last year of the first decade of 2010, and that it's my last year of high-school before getting whisked off to Claremont, California for university, I've decided to post my top 10 games that I've ever played.  
 
Two things before I move on:  
1. This list is obviously very very flawed. I am your typical suburban gamer who can't play everything because of a tight budget and lack of time. So sorry, no Mass Effect 2, no Halo Reach, no Bayonetta, no super top-tier games because I haven't played them yet. If you want to know, I think I do have a good top 10, although I don't think any of these games could be considered to be timeless classics.  
2. This Top 10 list is not in any order whatsoever. These games stand out above the rest of the pack, but I am not ready to compare each other just yet.   
 
OK, here it goes. Go ahead and blast this list all you want : )
 
10. Resonance of Fate (XBOX 360) 
This is actually a very very late entry; I only started to play it on Boxing Day 2010, the same time when I have myself my first console (XBOX 360). But it only took me a short amount of time to realize that Resonance is pretty special. I love the main threesome, with Nolan North's Vashyron leading the way. I also like the steampunk atmosphere of Basel. Oh, and the combat system is one of the most complex and most rewarding systems I've ever seen. The game is also long too (I've played through half the game and already sucked in 20 hours), Without a doubt, I was glad to buy Resonance of Fate as a starting game for my XBOX 360 (along with Lost Planet 2) and its entrance to my Top 10 in such short notice speaks volumes about its superior quality. RPG fans, make way for Resonance of Fate! 
 
9. Advance Wars: Days of Ruin (Nintendo DS)
Days of Ruin is a bastard child in terms of story. The developers decided to supplant a rough gritty story in place of the colorful, happy-go-lucky COs and their lame "Let's make friends and defeat some gothic black-coated jerks" storyline. To tell you the truth, that's my favorite part of Days of Ruin. The complete shift helped the story to usher forward and improve by leaps and bounds, and as a result I connect so much more readily with the characters (Brenner in particular). I also loved the way the game also made improvements and changes to the gameplay formula, by adding new units and reducing the CO power mechanic to force players to play more methodically and strategically. All in all, Advance Wars: Days of Ruin is a more complete package than its predecessors, as its story puts the game above previous installments.  
 
8. Pokemon Crystal (Gameboy Color)  
Ah yes, good ol' Pokemon. I've played everything up to the Emerald Version, but there's still no doubt that Pokemon Crystal is top dog. OK, so there's no Rayquaza, Kyogre and Groudon, but there certainly are some staples in Crystal that stayed put. For its limitations, Pokemon Crystal is the best at using its tech to its maximum potential in terms of presentation. The selection of male/female trainers, the animated battle cries the Pokemon make before they fight and the more cohesive story are all staples that future installments respected. Besides being an awesome game in its own right, thanks to great freedom of experimentation and ridiculous replay value, Pokemon Crystal is a positive trend-setter for the rest of the franchise. That's what separated it from other Versions (like its Gold/Silver counterparts). 
 
7. KOF EX 2: Howling Blood (Gameboy Advance)
To this day, I still cannot understand why Gamespot would put Street Fighter II Revival Ahead of this game. KOF EX2 is better in almost every way possible: The number of characters, the graphics, the fluidity of the fighting animations are only a couple of great touches that helps make KOF EX2 a serious consideration for best fighting game for the Gameboy Advance. EX2 also resolved most of the problems found in EX1: Neo Blood, and typically improving off a sequel by leaps and bounds isn't an easy task by any stretch of the imagination. KOF EX2 for best fighting game for GBA. Down with Street Fighter!! OK, sorry I got carried away....  
 
6. Megaman Zero (Gameboy Advance)
The duo of Zero and Ciel is one of my favorite pairings of all time. How different could you get between compassionate, surrogate mother Ciel and the cold, independent killing machine Zero? As I've stated in my review, I wished their relationship would be much, much more developed (much to the chagrin of Iris fans), but regardless, if you have good characters you stand a chance to get some attention. Of course, what will attract you to this game is not its story but its gameplay. It is ultra smooth and a very good challenge for those who like that sort of game. Graphics are also tops, especially the animations of Zero and his movements. Once you have superior gameplay, great graphics, two really good characters and underrated depth, this game is a joy to play. It's good that Megaman Zero has now a collection, but I think that the now-dead series should be more mainstream in the Megaman saga. Uh, I'm still bawling over Zero's death at MZ4. WHY CAPCOM WHY????
 
5. League of Legends (PC) 
League of Legends is my DOTA experience, and boy howdy it was a really good one. It was the first real game that I ever had involving strong teamwork and communication between teammates. Terms like rage quit, mia, oracle etc. are now part of my vocabulary since they are common terms when sending instand messages to comrades to stage an attack or set up a defense.LoL also has strong graphics (well except when things lag) and the characters are all extremely different and warrant different styles of play. There is probably something for everybody. LoL is a very strong interpretation/ upgrade over the already-popular DOTA, and since it is free to download/make an account there is no reason for anybody to shy away from this game. 
  
4. Command and Conquer 3 (PC)  
Probably the only game that could be considered to be a "game of the year" candidate for most game sites in its time (I believe that it's 2007), Command and Conquer 3 blew me away with its simplicity (harvest materials, mass units, attack), variety (3 factions, different play styles) and strategic complexities (managing resources, massing certain types of units in army, build order etc). The campaign for both GDI and Nod campaigns are relatively lengthy, filled with really really difficult missions. Add a Scrin campaign, some excellent production values, and some really good multiplayer components you get a really methodical RTS that could be considered second to none, and perhaps it could even be the height of the fabled Command and Conquer franchise. If only I could get Kane's Wrath as well for the expansion : ( 
 
3. Fire Emblem (GBA)
In of itself Fire Emblem plays out like a mini version of Advance Wars with more depth. The rock paper scissors approach of sword, spear and axes, coupled with the addition of flying units (pegasus, wyverns), magic with it's own stone paper scissors order (nature, dark magic, light magic) and terrain/cover mechanics and you've got yourself a relatively deep combat system. But that's not my most memorable part of Fire Emblem, impressive as it is. The story is what drove the experience home. This little GBA conquistador has the best story I've seen so far. This is a monumental achievement considering that its story and exposition come from text boxes. The characters are incredibly realistic and easily likable. A death of a character (that is permanent, by the way) is much more significant from both a strategic and personal/emotional level. This is why I've decided to not play Fire Emblem at least for the time being; The story is too much for me as it broke my heart time and again. But hell, it sure was a great time while it lasted.
 
2. Tekken Dark Resurrection (PSP) 
If Howling Blood is my pick to go for the goal as the king of fighting games on the GBA, I hope that Tekken Dark Resurrection for the PSP will be outright fighting champ for the Playstation Portable. The game is terrific, thanks to a deep combat system, with each fighter owning over 50 moves to master. Graphics are also great, very similar to its PS2 counterpart Tekken 5. There is so much customization allowed for your characters from top to bottom. A gazillion characters, a gazillion storylines to unlock, and many gazillion more fighting moves to digest to get to the endings of said stories (unless you buy the endings). Tekken Dojo is a challenge and should be a must for any Tekken master. If there's one nit-picky snag for this awesome game, it's Tekken Bowl. It's moronic. But hey, why be so down on that when everything else is spon on or off the charts? 
 
1. Astro Boy: Omega Factor (GBA)
Hands down, a brawler that expands the mash mentality with some open ended adventure (as flawed as it is). This is a brawler that also requires some thought, simply because the enemies are too good to be beaten by simple button mashing. Boss battles are superb; they have an epic feel and they push you and Astro to the brink. Probably one of the very few brawlers, in my opinion, that has a very good story to boot with the great combat; Astro is as believable a main protagonist as any other solo main characters I've seen in my young gaming career. Provided that the adventure is pretty long (way above the standards of a typical brawler) you can expect to have a great time from start to finish. You'll also have a difficult time; You'll die a lot. One more thing, if you're a big fan of Osamu Tezuka's works, be prepared for a lot of goodies because many of Tezuka's creations make an appearance in this game (Astro included of course).  
 
There you go. This is my top 10 games that I've played in my young life. No, they aren't the best games ever, but I still had a great time with those games; One way or another they changed my life.  Maybe you should try them!
As an extension, I want to thank all the games that I've played; most of you gave me much comfort and taught me that I should have fun with life and that life isn't all about getting good grades (yes, alma-mater-to-be CDNIS, I'm talking about you).  
I want to thank my parents of course, for bringing me here, even when they don't agree with me all the time. RIP dad. 
I want to thank Giantbomb.com as a medium for me to express myself concerning games
I want to thank my friends for supporting me from start to finish, encouraging me when things go poorly.  
And for you guys who commented on my work, I thank you for your feedback so that I could be a better game reviewer 
I want to thank some mentors: Guys in giantbomb.com (Jeff, Ryan, Brad, Drew, Vinny, Alex etc), Greg Kasavin, and Josh Davis (formerly Darknessthecurse and TheSaneRevelation). You guys are awesome! 
  
OK, that about wraps things up. I hope everyone had a merry Xmas, and I hope that we will all have a happy new year after 2010.  
 
Sincerely yours,  
Matthew Kwok aka "RayCarter" 
Hong Kong SAR

            The Sonic Franchise is in a ditch. I think that everyone who know the blue hedgehog well could conclude that Sonic just wasn't the same since his transition to 3D. His games are now targets for GT and GameSpot to ridicule, pan and beat to the ground.

            So what did SEGA do wrong this time? What does it need to do in order to return to the level of games from Mario and Legend of Zelda. That's why I am writing this opinion piece. I think that I could give good advice to Sonic Team Board Room so that the Blue Hedgehog can rise again.

            Now you might think "There you go again. An outsider who has no background on Sonic yapping out advice". But I've come prepared. I've done an awful lot of research and even had some hands-on experiences with the Blue Blazer. I think that my advice could, no matter how small, make a positive difference. 

            But before coming to the top 3 things on SEGA's To-do list, here are the solutions to improve the Sonic franchise which I DON'T agree with.

1. Overhauling the Sonic cast

There are a lot of fans for Tails (I am a Tails fan), Knuckles, Shadow (especially) and Silver. Losing those guys would probably create an uprising within Sonic fans. It's especially painful if the new characters aren't received by those fans and are also uninteresting, resulting in an indifferent gaming public and a bitter fan-base. Not a winning formula.

2. Overhauling the voice-cast

I've heard constant complaint about the 4-Kids dub, and I could understand (especially in Sonic 360). But even if the game had the best voice team in the world, it won't create a difference in gameplay. In fact, some people think that Jason Griffith who voiced Sonic is improving. I think people need to be patient with the guys. Remember, the fundamentals of Sonic games are top priority. Voice-acting comes way behind that.

3. Overhauling/ Giving up on Gimmicks

Some people are talking about getting back to basics: Stick Sonic back into 2D world, Emerald Hill Zone, and take on Dr. Eggman (or Robotnik) and save little animals. However, this theory has its flaws. How? Think of this:

In the early days of Gaming, there was Space Wars and Pong. Those were very popular in their time.

But do we like those games now? Probably not. They're way too old and out of fashion compared to games today. That's the main reason behind the flaw of returning to fundamentals. I'll explain my argument later on, but just remember that formulas that worked in the past might not work nowadays.

4. Giving up on Sonic, Shut Down the Sonic Franchise

That is an ABSOLUTE NO-NO! Thanks alot, freakin' Gametrailers. They kept referring Sonic as being in life-support, but I totally disagree with that. The franchise frankly bounced back from its poor start (from Sonic 360) and had some mild success. NOT overwhelming success, but success nevertheless.

Sonic and the Secret Rings was a good game to most critics, so was Sonic Chronicles, so that means that Sonic Team (and BioWare for Sonic Chronicles) were at least doing SOMETHING right. They didn't exactly epic-failed in every aspect of gaming. They just need to look above mediocrity and aim for the skies.

Also, failure isn't a final destination, but just a pathway to success. I think that this goes for nearly everything, including video games, including Sonic the Hedgehog.

OK, so I've outlined the things which I don't want to see from SEGA, and I hope they are reading this. I have hope that in my lifetime, I would see Sonic become glorious once again and be compared to gaming legends like Mario, Legend of Zelda, and maybe even Final Fantasy (albeit for different reasons).

All Sonic teams need to do is follow steps that I would write about later on. Then before they know it, they are back on the track to stardom.

Coming Soon: The First Step to Fixing Sonic. What is it going to be? You're going to have to wait to find out...

Sincerely,

RayCarter

Now, this is a semi-review of FusionFall, the recent Cartoon Network  MMRPG. I call it  "semi" because i haven't paid for the game to fully play it, although I believe that I have played enough to make a solid opinion on the game.

At first, I had doubts on FusionFall, because I thought it was style over substance, and I stayed away from it for a while. But I overcame my fear for it and tried it.
How did I receive the experience? Well, here are my general thoughts on FusionFall...

Story: You are sent by Dexter and his stupid sister Dee Dee into a dystopian Cartoon Network future, where the planet is attacked by creatures from Planet Fuse, and you are now trying to stop them. At the same time, you need to find pieces to rebuild the time machine and send you back in time. The story is OK, I guess, but right now I feel that the story will give some sort of urgency to players, but that's about it.

Gameplay: Well, the gameplay is mediocre at best. First of all, the stats are very simple: Attack vs. one enemy, ATK vs. Multiple enemies, and Defense. Not only are the first 2 a bit confusing to me, but it's difficult to see the difference if you improve on these attributes. Also, pacing is very suspect here. You can  moving along flat terrain for about 5 minutes and it can get really boring (gets even worse if you're lost).

Then the fighting is really mindless. You can't dodge opponent's attacks, so all you do is stand there and shoot  (or slash) your enemies (including bosses) and hope that they die sooner than you. It doesn't feel like fighting, because there are no tactics, strategies or anything. The only gimmick you have are the Nanoes. These are the little versions of CN characters after you beat their fusion counterparts. They do a little bit of effects, like Buttercup can stun opponents, Numbuh 2 can increase your end of fight looting in terms of Taros (currency). But they aren't that important in terms of fighting and gameplay. There's some platforming, and the parts are not difficult.

In fact, this game is actually pretty darn easy. You always have a map to guide you where you need to go, and the process is usually the same. Go to one place, blast Fusion enemies, grab a couple of items, repeat, then fight a Fusion boss, get Nano, repeat. That summarizes the gameplay for FusionFall.

Presentation: At least they did a good job in making the game look good. The environments are varying and clear, so are the character models and the houses and structures. The sound doesn't reflect the urgency of the moment. It's frilicy-frolicky, and it ignores the desparate moment of saving the world most of the time.

BARs: Pretty open-ended, like any RPG. You can chage your character, buy different items and weapons, and you can spend time blasting enemies for free time. That is, if you can stand the shallow combat. OK, I guess.

Overall: Now, I have to admit, that I do have a bit of scorn on Cartoon Network. Since cartoons like Hi-Hi Puffy Ami-Yumi, Winx Club, PPG Z and other anime-like cartoon, I moved out and exiled myself. But I feel that I have put aside that feeling for this semi-review.

So now for my verdict: If you like all that boring combat, if you are a fan of Cartoon Cartoons and if you are a MMRPG fanatic, this could be for you. Anyone who is different, who want some depth in the fighting might want to go something else.

Predicted mark in an actual review: 6.5/10 (or 13/20, about 3.5 stars).

Hello to anyone who is reading this,

So, for the first time in my amateur career, I've decided to write a review of a game, which was for Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity. I am sorry that it was over 2000 words, but I felt like I had to explain everything.