Dragon Quest VII | Geekscape

Natalie Kipper’s Favourite Things Of 2016!

by Natalie KipperJanuary 3, 2017

Can you believe that 2016 has come to a close? We’ve finally abolished that dreaded six for ten more years, and a cool, clean, sexy seven has taken its place.

2016 was an incredible year for everything aside from presidential candidates and celebrity deaths, so as always, we wanted to share our favourite games, movies, moments and more of 2016.

We’ve seen Adam’s favorite things, MCDave’s favorite films, Josh’s favourite games, and Derek’s favourite games too, and now it’s Natalie’s turn! Read on for some of her favourite video games, geek moments, and more from the past year.

Video Games

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past (Review Here)

While it may not have been perfect, Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past was one of my most pleasurable gaming experiences in 2016. The Dragon Quest series is one of the most colorful and whimsical in the RPG realm and VII was another lovely entry in the series. It somehow managed to escape the tedium that usually comes along with RPG battles. I actually found myself seeking fights in hopes of gaining mastery of over new jobs and potentially befriending the attacking monsters. And oh goodness, it is so darn pretty! The colors simply popped off the 3DS screen.

I also appreciated Square-Enix’s continuing support with DLC. It definitely took some time to be up able to survive those special dungeons but each one was worthwhile. If January’s release of Dragon Quest VIII is anything like VII, I think it is safe to say gamers will have a lot to look forward to.

Pokémon Sun/Moon

While Sun and Moon came out at the tail end of 2016, the titles were worth the wait. I know many longtime fans were tentative about the removal of the standard “Gym System” and its replacement with island trials but I honestly like this way much better. It added more variety to the experience and refreshed the series a bit. I also loved loved loved the introduction of ride pagers instead of relying on HMs to solve puzzles and traverse different environments. I just can’t get enough of the concept of riding on a Stoutland, sniffing out treasure. It cracks me up every time!

The island flavor of the twin titles was lovely and well-done. The details like malasada shops and people calling each other “cousin” were perfect. The overall world feels more fleshed out in my opinion. Regional variations of several Pokémon clinched it.

Animal Crossing: New Leaf – Welcome amiibo

Okay, this isn’t technically a new title but Animal Crossing: New Leaf’s 2016 update, entitled Welcome amiibo, is so brilliant that it deserves a spot on this list. Not only did it manage to reinvigorate a three year old game but also give a boost to the waning interest in amiibo. I even added some older amiibo to my gift list purely for this game. Plus it also introduced a new series of amiibo cards to fuel the collecting addiction. Very clever, Nintendo. Very clever.

Everything Else:

Yuri!!! On Ice (TV Show)

Never in my life did I think I would get interested in (and later obsessed with) an ice-skating anime. Sports-related anime just aren’t my style. Not even Haikyuu!! or Free! could pique my interest. But there is something about the human relationships and emotions in this show that seem so real and relatable that you can’t peel your eyes off it. The relationship between Yuuri and Victor is incredibly touching and one that you become invested in. The opening and ending themes are also super-beautiful.

I urge any anime viewer, sports fan or not, to give Yuri!!! On Ice a look. I am so glad I did. PS- Watch it subtitled, not dubbed. The dub is kind of, sort of, not that good.

https://youtu.be/qh-Olq7caGU

The Re-imagining of the Disney Wonder (moment)

The second of the Walt Disney Company’s fleet of cruise ships got a facelift this year. Featuring a upgraded kids area, re-themed adult hangouts, and the replacement of Parrot Cay, the weakest link in the trio of the ship’s restaurants that are included in rotational dining, with the gorgeous Tiana’s Place (of Princess and the Frog fame). The new eatery focuses on Southern cuisine (can you say beignets?) and features a live Jazz band along with an appearance from the owner herself, Tiana.

While many cruisers prefer the newer, bigger Dream and Fantasy ships, I always had a soft spot for the Wonder. With these improvements, I can see the ship becoming others favorite as well.

Geekscape Games Reviews: ‘Dragon Quest VII: Fragments Of The Forgotten Past’

by Natalie KipperOctober 4, 2016

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past is a long game. I mean, a really long game. Thankfully, the title is worth the commitment. As one would expect from a remake of a Super Famicom RPG, Dragon Quest VII rocks it old school-style. We are talking level grinding, a huge world map, and lots and lots of turn-based battles.

I say “huge world map” but in the start of the game, the world is limited to a single island in a vast sea. As you continue on your sojourn back and forth through time, additional islands appear. The towns and dungeons housed on these islands are varied in theme and not a single one felt bland, visually at least. The game did however seem recycle the same several music tracks for towns and castles. For goodness’ sakes, there was a Middle Eastern-themed town that had the same music as the French village. It was disappointing when there was such a great opportunity for regional music variations.

Battles in the game are not random, thankfully. Monsters are visible on the map and making contact with one will trigger a battle. I will say there have been many instances of monsters popping up where my character is standing, which was a bit of a surprise.

Thanks to the Vocation system, in which you gain access to abilities and additional jobs through the completion of battles, I found myself actually seeking out monsters to fight in hopes of increasing my mastery of a vocation. I loved that each vocation changed how your character looked, too. It was a small touch but added to the fun. Finding a mix of vocations for your party that fits your immediate needs may take some tweaking but it is a rewarding experience.

The vehicle for your party’s previously-mentioned time travel are tablet pieces scattered across the world (hence the “Fragments of the Forgotten Past” subtitle) that when reassembled in the Shrine of Mysteries add a link to an undiscovered island’s past. Finding them isn’t hard for the most part, thanks to the a special Fragment Finder gifted to the main character that lights up the upper-left corner of the bottom Nintendo 3Ds screen when one is nearby. The closer your character is, the more rapidly it blinks.

One thing I was disappointed in was how long it took to unlock the much-advertised Monster Meadows feature of the game. You have access to the main hub area relatively early but it doesn’t begin to function until much, much later. I am talking about 40-plus hours into the game. It was frustrating that a feature so hyped on the game’s promo site remained unavailable for such a long stretch of time.

You do get the chance to experience one of the benefits of Monster Meadows, the Travelers’ Tablets, through the Download Bar at the Haven (available relatively early on) and by finding reformed monsters in towns you have visited. The Tablets received from the reformed monsters are on par difficulty-wise with the level of monster you currently face in the story. Nintendo’s DLC Tablets at the Download Bar, however, are substantially more difficult. I wouldn’t even bother with them until after you have access to the Vocation system.

In terms of Dragon Quest VII‘s level of difficulty, I would rank it on par with the majority of RPGs coming out these days. There are some trying battles that will require taking some time to level-up before challenging but on the whole, I didn’t find it too taxing. The only stressor was needing to find save points. For a portable game with long dungeon segments, there really should be a “save-anywhere” feature. You can, in theory, suspend your data temporarily with a “quick save” but the game limits the areas where you can perform that action.

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past for the Nintendo 3DS gets a 4 put of 5. If you have the time to invest in the title, you will find a rich story with plenty to offer. Just don’t expect all the features to be available right away.

Get The Skinny On ‘Dragon Quest VII’ With Its New Website

by Natalie KipperAugust 29, 2016

Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past‘s North American release of September 16 is speedily approaching and Nintendo recently launched a new website informing potential players of what the game entails. The site itself is standard “promotional site” fare, explaining the main aspects of the DQVII as well as containing trailers (which I highly recommend watching), wallpapers, and other media goodies. Here is what we have gleaned after perusing the website:

As the player, you guide Auster, a fisherman’s son, and his friends on a journey to make your world whole once more. To accomplish this task, your team must go back and forth through time and acquire mysterious fragments that will allow you to revive different islands (you can see where the whole subtitle “Fragments of the Forgotten Past” subtitle comes from now).

One of the key features of the Dragon Quest series is the vocation system. This title has over 30 vocations, more than any other game in the series. There are three stages of vocations: Basic (seen in the screenshot), Advanced (which require mastery of Basic vocations), and Master (these can only be unlocked under certain special circumstances). Oh, there is one more vocation that is debuting in this title, Monster vocations! You know those monsters you battle? How would you like to learn their skills and turn them against those bothersome bullies? I didn’t even mention the best part. While assigned a Monster vocation, you will appear on the world map as that particular monster! Learning how to be Slime? Well, now you look like one, too. I love it!

DQVII looks to take full advantage of the Nintendo 3DS’s StreetPass function. After unlocking the area, Monster Meadows, you gain the ability to send three monsters that you have befriended into the area’s cave. The team you selected will return with a “Traveler’s Tablet.” These Tablets unlock dungeons that are generated based on the team you sent into the cave. After clearing a Tablet’s dungeon for the first time, you are then able to share it with others via StreetPass. Special tablets will also be distributed online from time to time. You can find those at the Download Bar in The Haven. The Download Bar becomes available after finding The Haven and then recruiting three reformed monsters.

Head on over to Nintendo’s special site for Dragon Quest VII: Fragments of the Forgotten Past to get even more information on what looks to be a very entertaining game. And seriously, check out those trailers in the Media section. I must have watched each of them over 10 times.