Blog Herding – The Best Blogs Of The Community (April 30, 2015)
This week the community's blogs were, as always, full of wonderful topics and writing. And somebody wrote about Freedom Fighters; Internet fist bump. A lot of the community challenge responses surprised me and made me remember just how eclectic video game characters can be.
On another note, our first community playdate went smoothly and was a success! We won't have a playdate this week, but I've got some important details below you should check out if you'd like to play some games!
One more thing: Community member tstitan is setting a Super Smash Bros. tournament into motion for the 3DS and Wii U. All Game Informer community members are welcome! Right now the tournament is planned for early May, so check out the post to leave your Friend Code or Wii U Network ID and get in on the smashing action!
Community Blogs For April 23 – April 29:
What Does a 19-Year-Old Alien Look Like?
Alien: Isolation brought the Alien franchise back into the gaming spotlight
(for good reasons this time), but that's not what blogger Kyle Wadsworth wants
to talk about. Instead, he takes us on a trip through time to explore Alien
Trilogy for PlayStation 1. We've come a long way since then, but Kyle still
finds plenty to like in this old-school shooter.
Wii U Screen Shot Scrap Book #1
Happydude633 shows off screenshots he's been taking with his Wii U, and they're
a sight to behold. The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, Super Mario World,
Mario Kart 8, and more all make the cut. To be honest, I didn't even know this
was a thing the Wii U could do, but I can't wait to try it out!
Then and Now: How my feelings for Final
Fantasy XII have changed over time
Blogger TidusandYuna1983ZackandAerith gives his two cents
on Final Fantasy XII. Or, or more specifically, how his views of the game have
evolved over time. I remember enjoying the game quite a bit when it came out,
but never beat it. I'd like to go back and see what I think of it now, and maybe even beat it.
Buried Treasure: Soul Blazer
Adam loves writing about the classics, and this time he chooses an Enix oldie
to shine the spotlight on: Soul Blazer. The game features classic dungeon
exploration and baddie smiting, but what sets it apart is town restoration.
Simply put, defeating a lair restores a part of town. If that sounds
interesting, you can check out the Soul Blazer Super Replay!
WHERE'S MY SEQUEL?! – Freedom Fighters
Pestulio07 wants a sequel to Freedom Fighters, like, right now. And who can blame him? The game is unique in a shooting genre rife with clones. One of the blogger's favorite parts of the game is also mine: the ability to command a small entourage. Players could also beat stages in any order they wanted, affecting things like helicopter appearances or soldier counts in another.
52/52 Week 17 – When to Remaster
TheDarkestLink takes a thorough look at game remasters he deems to be the best.
An example of this is the game collection. Ratchet & Clank gets it right,
but Link writes that The Handsome Jack Collection gets it wrong. And don't even
get him started on the Final Fantasy X remaster of a remaster. *cue Inception
bass*
Character Portrait: Ellie As Surrogate
Daughter
The Last of Us has come and gone, but its impact is still being written about.
Adam's angle on Ellie stems from his experience and role as a father of a
daughter. This gives him a unique take on why he wants to protect Ellie, and
just how much like his own daughter, or children in general, she is.
My Top 30
Favorite Gaming Protagonists (#30-21)
MightyMagikarp is celebrating one year as a Game Informer community member by
writing about his favorite video game protagonists. From Cloud to Ness, and
Mega Man to Toad, readers can explore an eclectic mix of inspiring heroes. I
would have chosen Toad donning a blue cat outfit (or Super Mario RPG toad who
forgets his bazooka at home!), but this is a mighty fine list.
Return of the Jedi Wannabe – My Favorite
Star Wars Games
The Force is strong with Brian in his list of his favorite Star Wars
games. You know this list is legit since Knights of the Old Republic is
(spoiler) numero uno. The Star Wars universe is a lot of fun to dive into,
and many of these games deserve a look even if you're not a huge fan of
blasters and lightsabers.
Writing Challenge Responses:
Community Writing Challenge: My Favorite
Character Is...
Jon_G chose to write about a plucky black mage named Vivi. The hero from Final
Fantasy IX was chosen because of how he transforms from a "weak, insecure
character," into one who is strong enough to support his close friends.
And black mages have the coolest magic, period.
Community
Writing Challenge: A Character With A Message
Rebekah has a fondness for Tearaway's aesthetic and main character (Atoi if you
choose a female, Iota if you go with a male). Atoi and the game had a truly
profound impact on her, bringing her to tears, and it was largely thanks to the
whimsy of her character.
Community
Challenge: Why Squall is the Best Character in Final Fantasy
Blogger Enuo thinks Final Fantasy VIII is underrated – something he totally
understands – but it's still a JRPG close to his heart. A big part of that is Squall, the Gunblade totin' hero with a snazzy scar on his face. He argues
that Squall's character growth might be the most "fully formed" in
any Final Fantasy title.
Community
Writing Challenge – My Favorite Video Game Character
Nightcrawlerash13 didn't choose an X-Man or a Pocket Monster catcher like the
account handle may lead you to believe, but instead chose Sho Minamimoto from
The World Ends With You. The instant connection? Both Sho and our blogger love
math. And Sho has a killer fashion sense.
Community Writing Challenge:
What's your favorite gaming gadget to use? I don't mean the Nintendo Power Glove; I'm talking about the nifty gadgets and gizmos found inside of your favorite games. Gadgets like the Zero Point Energy Field Manipulator (Gravity Gun), Pip-Boy, and pretty much everything in Batman's arsenal are a lot of fun to play with. Now tell us what your favorites are and why!
Community Playdate:
Our first community playdate was a success! We may not have had dozens of players, but a close-knit band of warriors filled out a team of hunters to take on a giant toad and other dastardly beasts in Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate on Saturday evening. A big thank you to all who joined!
We're going to keep community playdates as a biweekly event for the time being. In the meantime, look for a new playdate group, and please let me know in the comments what games you'd like to play. Below is a list of games already mentioned by the community, or that we've already successfully hosted. In the meantime, keep an eye out for the playdate group announcement!
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
FIFA 15
Super Smash Bros. (Wii U, 3DS)
Destiny
Dragon Ball Xenoverse
Mario Kart 8
I hope you enjoy the blogs! Please contact me via my Game Informer page or on Twitter at @LouisGarcia12 with any blog news or playdate suggestions.
