Tactics Ogre Let us Cling Together First Playthrough

 Another one of those game backlog that i cleared and certainly a superb RPG title, regretted abit that i didn't finish this gem earlier. PSP got plenty of Quality RPG game and certainly Tactics Ogre belongs to the list. For a Remake of PS1 game, Let us Cling Together got massive overhaul which makes its quality on a different level. Yasumi Matsuno maybe more known for his Final Fantasy Tactics or Vagrant Story but he is definitely the go-to guy for a quality high fantasy story and i am grateful to him for making Tactics Ogre.

 Compared to FF Tactics, Tactics Ogre is harder to get into due to rather different gameplay mechanics but it is really a good game once you grasp how the system works. But the main difference between Tactics Ogre and FF Tactics, is that Tactics Ogre Class System favors Vertical Class Build and doesn't really allow Mix and Matching Class Skills like FF Tactics. But seriously Archer in This Game pretty much murder everything. In terms of Storyline Tactics Ogre really shine over FFT if you like complex storyline as the former had tons of those. In any case Tactics Ogre is pretty much the other side of coin that is called FF Tactics. One thing that Tactics Ogre clearly win is that it got really cool Antihero in the game.

 For my first run of the game, i went for the Law Route mainly because i want to recruit Ravness but missed her in the end anyway. Back then i left the game near the end of Chapter 3 clocking around 30 Hours and it took me another 100 Hours for me to finish the game. You can actually finish the game within 40 Hours but farming Recipes and Sidequest delayed me that long. One of the main culprit is because i tried to Recruit Deneb which her Wicce Class is the hardest one to get in this game and she definitely live up to infamy. The main reason that her recruitment is very hard is that you need to farm certain rare item called Glass Pumpkin which is very hard to get and even with shortcut it took hours before you can get the required amount. Selling the Dragons to Butcher for their orbs is not too bad but the Glass Pumpkin takes the cake for the main reason that Deneb's recruitment is the hardest one.

 It will be another hundred hours i suppose before i am done with the game, as for now i am still training my underleveled Characters which are mostly the character exclusive class before hitting on Chaos and Neutral Path. It might be close to impossible for a continuation of this series, but i hope somehow Yasumi Matsuno could make another continuation for such amazing series.

MG 1/100 Gundam TR-1 Hazel Kai

 Even though it is Premium Bandai stuff, it is really a surprise that Advance of Zeta stuff made it into Master Grade Lineup. Scheduled for September Release, MG Hazel Kai will be sold around 4800 Yen. I don't know much about Advance of Zeta but Hazel Gundam is a Titans Prototype Mobile Suit based on GM Quel and some traces of Chobham Armor system as well. This version of Hazel Gundam doesn't have anything special yet other than the shield booster though its later iterations are pretty armed to the teeth. AoZ got some really cool design some of them are rather crazy in a good way. I am rather curious why Bandai decide to release AoZ MG out of sudden but i think if this goes well even Hrairoo could make it to 1/100 Scale.

Some Boardgame Expansion Acquisition

 I don't post much about boardgames in this blog but i have been dabbling in this hobby for 3 years already and it drains your wallet as good as collecting Japanese Toys. I like Horror themed Boardgame and Lovecraftian ones satisfied my need quite well. Ever since i played Arkham Horror, i become the closet fanboy of the subgenre. Fantasy Flight Games made some of the more popular and accessible Lovecraft themed Boardgame which i subscribe to Eldritch Horror for some heavy duty stuff and Elder Sign when i need a casual one.

 FFG is quite notorious for chugging out expansion and i am among the helpless fans who keep buying the expansions even though the base game works well by itself. Thus recently i got myself the latest expansion for Eldritch Horror and Elder Sign which are Dreamlands and Omens of the Deep. So far i didn't have time to make full use of the Expansions for both games so far but i should have plenty of opportunity to use them this year especially on Halloween. Perhaps i could post some session report for both games one of these days.

Song of the Long March 长歌行

 A good Feudal Chinese manga is rare and even rarer the one that sets in Tang Dynasty Period. Chang Ge Xing is one of those rare gems coming out from Mainland China showing that Chinese could make some Manhua that outshines the Japanese counterpart. Chang Ge Xing is a story about a Princess who seeks Revenge by Overthrow Tang Regime and a Young yet Powerful Turkic General whose fate intertwined into an epic journey.

 While Tang Dynasty hold special place in my heart for being one the highest point for Chinese Civilization, i follow Chang Ge Xing more than that reason. Kingdom might be another good Feudal Chinese manga but it lacks the finesse of Chang Ge Xing. The storytelling and the art of this manga are simply top tier stuff and it even treads deep on Chinese philosophical value, something really rare coming out of this media. The Character Development of the Two Protagonists are just complex and satisfying, while both start as enemies the Princess and Turkic General are basically two sides of a coin, having so much in common and at the same time complement each other. Both are outsider of their society and seeks the truth of their lineage. One of the best pair from manga series i have seen for a while. I am rather surprised that the author of this series is a young girl in her 20s which makes her certainly very talented if she do everything by herself. I am rather sad that the series is on Hiatus for some reason because Masterpiece like this deserve a proper Conclusion. If you seek a good Feudal Chinese manga that is more than just a Battle Manga than Chang Ge Xing is one of the best one out there. Here is some of my favorite part from the Manga.

Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars

 Kinda surprised that the Starship troopers going to get another CGI Movie considering Starship Troopers Invasion feels rather Lukewarm. Nothing much known about the new Movie except that it continues after the event from Starship Troopers Invasion and stars Johnny Rico as the protagonist once again. The Movie will be scheduled for release on August this year and i hope it got international release. It feels kinda weird that the sequel movie takes place on mars as the setting considering Bugs are infiltrating the earth already but i guess the new movie will give an explanation on it. By this time the Movie series are nowhere close to the Novel  but i will expect some good action and gore considering the previous did it quite well. The Starship Troopers Novel itself is a good read but mostly for its idea on society rather than the dakka action. I do hope Marauder Armor have more screentime in the new movie.

Liu Jian Piercing I (刺痛我）

 一切的偶然都是必然 - Coincidences lead to Destiny

 Seeing Liu Jian's work of "Have a Nice Day" attract some sensation being featured in Berlin Film Festival while Chinese Government attempt to censor which piques my interest on Liu Jian's work. As i haven't find available copy of "Have a Nice Day", i watched Liu Jian's Previous Work instead which is 刺痛我 or dubbed as Piercing I. Despite its arguably terrible animation, Piercing I has simple yet superb story and it is also a good commentary on Chinese Society in particular on the lower end. The story is about a young migrant worker who met series of misfortune which made him decided to return to his Village. Trying to do the right thing he met with injustice instead and one thing leads to another, his friend coax him to commit theft to get even with the person who wronged him. Trying to convey the message of "What goes around comes around" The movie set up lots of coincidences that leads to Bizarre event but somehow believable conclusion making thing going in full circle. I am not good at describing things but watching this movie feels like watching Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. The Reason why the movie is exceptional is that it shows an undiluted glimpse of the nature of society corruption in Mainland China which is something rare coming out of that place. I am expecting "Have a Nice Day" will have the same vibe of this movie and really look forward to watch it once available.

DX Chogokin Combattler V

 If there is such thing as Overkill for toys then this one would be one of them. For those who wants something more than Soul of Chogokin, Combattler V is getting one called DX Chogokin. Slated for End of this Year, DX Chogokin Combattler V will be sold for Hefty Price tag of 55000 Yen. For the double price of the SOC, you will get 35 Cm Tall Combattler V with complete set of the weapons and sound effect when Combattler gets combined. For me i will just stick to the regular Soul of Chogokin if i ever get Combattler V but i guess DX certainly worth it for Diehard fan of the series. Speaking of the series, Combattler V had profound effect on Sentai series despite its Anime Background mainly because it provide the mold of 5-People Special Squad with Combining Robot. If this Chogokin DX sells well i think Voltes V will follow up.