MEGA MAN X8 + OMG AXL IS SO COOL!!!

Mega Man X is happy that Amethyst Anne

has returned to playing his video game series.

When it comes to playing Mega Man X8, Axl is my boo.

It was time I finally returned to playing a video game in the Mega Man X series. I think I need a break from Dissidia Final Fantasy, as fun as that game can be. My love for the Mega Man X series has weakened the longer I went without playing any of it.

The last time I tried Mega Man X8  (MMX 8 here for Amazon.com) was sometime last year in February. I was trying out the game to make sure it was a working copy, since it was used and in very good condition. It worked like a charm; however I started the game in NORMAL mode, so it wasn’t impossible, but it was frustrating. I never made it past the prologue stage, and I was still getting used to Axl’s controls.

Well, when I started this game again, I chose EASY mode. And I went to the Options Menu to change a couple of button controls for the controller configuration. I wanted to switch characters using the R2 button because I am used to switching weapons on other games with that button. I kept the “switch weapons” control to its original L1/R1 buttons. It made the tag-team game play so much easier. I usually, er, maybe never changed configuration for video game controllers, but I wanted to make things easier for myself if I wanted to have fun with this game. I am also pleased that the game play is side-scrolling style, yet the game play’s graphics are in 2.5D and the colors are very vivid and rich. I’d like to think that the voice acting is decent, especially with Lucas Gilbertson’s Zero being just right for him. Axl’s and X’s voices are agreeable to me as well.

Everyone starts out already having the DASH move! Yippeeeeee!

I was so excited to play as Axl, the third Reploid in the Mega Man X threesome…0.O I almost always choose Axl first when I go through the Character Select. I didn’t even get to play this character in MMX: Command Mission yet, so I was so happy I could play as Axl from the very beginning. Here are some reasons why I love playing as Axl in MMX 8 (and why he should have been popular):

• Auto-shooting (non-stop bullets)

• Auto-shooting in ANY direction

• Great chance of large-numbered combos during attacks

• Weapon and Special Weapons don’t use Weapon Energy

• Hovering

• Hovering + shooting

• Hovering  + moving

• He’s just so awesome.

The Options Screen has such beautiful, calming music, much like music that helps promote brain waves that can help a listener fall asleep. It is a good change from always having loud or fast music in the levels or the results screen. I don’t need to change anything else in the game, so I occasionally go to the Options Screen just to listen to that relaxing music :D  MMX 8 has a great music soundtrack. I fell in love with the music track used for the Bamboo Pandamonium stage.

Here are the stages in which I’ve beaten the bosses so far in my personal order:

• Bamboo Pandamoniom

• Optic Sunflower

• Graviy Antonion

• Dark Mantis

I still need to find X’s Neutral Armor and some items that I can’t seem to find now. I am getting the hang of playing as Zero since he wields the Z-Saber instead of shooting. I enjoy playing as all three characters, and as I’ve said, I love playing as Axl most of all because of his hover ability and endless weapon energy. Sometimes I have to decide that a stage can do without Axl, and X needs some more fighting to do together with his buddy-pal Zero. I have a suggestion though: use Axl and Zero in the Avalanche Yeti stage because they have the best shooting weapons for the stage. This stage is also a good way tol collect lots and lots of Metals. Those Metals are important for creating things call Power Chips that enhance X, Zero and Axl on their missions.

I am going to be having a lot of fun with this game :)  So I will write more about it in the near future as I play further into the game.

 

@.@

 

Dissidia on April 23 and 30 + Getting Ready for Dissidia Duodecim Final Fantasy

Sorry for the looooooooong wait, guys. =P

I’ve been reading up on DDFF (from The Lifestream.net and FFU) and I am very pleased about the additional goodies that come with the sequel to Dissidia Final Fantasy. Man, I am wayyyy behind. I am on Chapter 3 of Shade Impulse and left off needing to level up Zidane and a few other heroes.

I haven’t touched Squall and Tidus, probably because they are my least favorite heroes fighting for Cosmos. If I ever do, it may be only to see their side of the story of Dissidia. I had just finished Onion Knight’s DO on April 30th and it was really easy for me, considering that he was near level 20 when I began. I am starting to understand why Terra is with the Chaos group on the cover of  Dissidia Duodecim Final Fantasy (DDFF). And Tidus, I’ll see. What I really want to know is why Cloud is standing next to Sephiroth in the Chaos half of the box art for DDFF. Poor Cloud, he doesn’t know what he wants to do. At this point, my guess is that Cloud will have to be a character that can be unlocked once certain requirements are met. That was how it was for the villains in this first game.

I am afraid to read reviews of the game because I don’t want much of the story to be disclosed to me. I guess it’s my fault for not playing the game frequently enough to be almost done by now. I know there are other games I can rent or buy, but as a Dissidia fan I cannot miss out on this, and the next big game I am excited about may not even be release by the end of this year (I’m talkin’ Final Fantasy Versus XIII, and maybe Metal Gear Solid: Rising).

I am giving myself more time to finish the first Dissidia. It might be the only video game I get to for the next couple of months. In the meanwhile, besides updating my progress, I will respond to the occasional video game news or reminisce about another game I’ve played in the past. Possible upcoming topics may be:

• FFVII remake for PSP 2?

• More thoughts about Dissidia Duodecim

• My introduction to Square Enix continues: FFVII

• News from FF Versus XIII.net

• Return to the world of NiGHTS

• Reminisce about my excitement about Jak II

• Video game-related dreams

• Video game YouTube videos

EDIT:  There may be more topics than this.  See the next post. 

Dissidia: Final Fantasy on April 5 + Gaming Habits

The next Destiny Odyssey I will tackle next is that of the Onion Knight.  But on this Bonus Day I just focused on leveling up characters again.  It is a good day to do that.  I’d rather not play a DO on a Bonus Day just in case I have to replay a whole story again and lose all of the EXP and Gil that way.  So here is the level-up progress on my faves from that last playing session:

• Warrior of Light………..42, from 39

• Firion……………………47, from 45

• Zidane…………………...50, from 48

• Cloud…………………….47, from 45

• Bartz……………………..33

• Onion Knight…………….16, from 13

I need to talk about something else now, actually.  I haven’t been touching my PS2 lately. I’m not tired of it; there are just less opportunities for me to get to it. I use the PSP more frequently (if it has enough battery power in it, of course ;p ) I am saying something about this because I am afraid my blog might be running out of steam if all I play are the few PSP titles that I have.  Sigh.  I am going to make an effort to get to the PS2 or Wii games.  Maybe even the one PS3 game that I do have, Devil May Cry 4.  I am stuck in that game and will have to give myself an hour or an hour and a half to figure out what the hell Nero is supposed to do there in that castle place.  I could find tips or just get the strategy guide for the game but I got through DMC 3 without the help of a guide.  So why not DMC 4?  And don’t get me started on DMC: Devil May Cry…….

Okay, now I am rambling on and on. Back to Dissidia. I saved a couple of battles of Cloud vs. Sephiroth, where I had Cloud pull off some good blocks and dodges from the Masamune sword.  Sigh again.  I need to upload these vids on my YouTube channel.  Now to get them on my computer, hopefully if this can work.

Sonic Rivals 2 on March 31st

Ha ha haaahh...I wondered why I didn’t get back to this game for a while, and then I realized it’s because this game made me temporarily hate Sonic the Hedgehog.  After reading the Sonic the Hedgehog comic books from Archie Comics Publications, Inc, I was in a SEGA mood.  Issues 215 and 216 have a lot of Silver the Hedgehog, so I felt like playing the only video game I have that contains Silver: Sonic Rivals 2.

I warmed up by playing a singular player race and then a free play to get used to the controls and the setting of the game.  Then I wanted to continue Silver’s story in the game, which is next to Espio the Chameleon.  It was right where I left off; Silver and Sonic were going to compete in a challenge where the one who captures and collects the most Chao wins.  Well, Sonic knew what he was doing, but Silver/I didn’t.  Whenever I stole Sonic’s Chao, it didn’t count because I had to have Silver take back his own Chao from Sonic.  In all, Silver had to have collected six Chao; three of his own and three of Sonic's Chao.  It took a few more losses to learn that was what I had to do.  I can't believe I didn't learn that last time I got to the game, which was how long ago, exactly....?  Maybe at least four months ago?

What happened after that, what next, what next…Shadow had to compete against Sonic to beat the boss, Dr. Eggman, with the most hits. After a couple of times I got it.  Next, Espio wanted to get info from Tails, but Tails said, “I don’t know. I gotta run and catch up with Sonic.  See ya!” Espio had to race against Tails and win the race, or, beat Tails to the end of the race so he can ask Sonic more questions.  Espio is not really a fast runner :( and I got fed up so I stopped the story and chose Silver to search for Chao in Act 1 of Zone 1.

I got a Mephiles card at some point during my playing session.  I know he’s from Sonic ’06. Hah, I dunno if I am ever going to play that game after all.

Silver's growing on me, though.  It's more because of the comic books, not the video game.

LITERAL Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood Trailer

Sorry I've been a bit behind...or lazy...with writing about my gaming.  I played Phantasy Star IV on the PSP's SEGA Genesis Collection and I also played Sonic Rivals 2 just Wednesday afternoon.  In the meanwhile, here is another one of my favorite LITERALs from YouTube's Toby Turner.  You can visit his YT channel at http://www.youtube.com/tobuscus .

LITERAL Halo Reach: Trailer

I remember this trailer for Halo: Reach and the music is so cinematic and inspiring. It must be why I enjoyed this YouTube video so much. I've already added it to my favorites :)

I love the singing, and the lyrics are so literal and funny! I've never played Halo: Reach and I still laughed a lot. Enjoy.

Dissidia on February 25th and March 5th

Yeah, I think Zidane is ready to continue Shade Impulse chapter 1 about now. He is currently level 47, from 45. I think he was in the mid-30s when I tried before. I finished Bartz’s Destiny Odyssey this past Saturday and it left me in a really good mood, in fact quite bubbly for the rest of the evening! ^__^

• Cloud….42, from 41

• Zidane….47, from 45

• Bartz….32

• Sasuke (I mean, Cecil Harvey)…..4, from 3

• Kuja…..23

• Onion Knight…...11, from 8

I realize that Dissidia Duodecim (012) Final Fantasy will be released within a month, but I won’t be buying it anytime too soon. And frankly I don’t care much about those special downloads people can get if they preorder the game from Game Stop or Amazon or whatever. Do the characters have to have four or five different outfits to be successful? I like many options as much as the next guy, but I just want to keep it simple for myself.

Oh!!! I saved three battles. One of them is a very tense battle between Cloud and you guessed it Sephiroth. But I won’t say whether I’ve lost or won; I am planning on sharing it on my YouTube channel once I OPEN THAT DARN USB CABLE (for the PSP) PLASTIC BOX THAT IS VERY IMPOSSIBLE TO OPEN WITH ANYTHING!!! Hey, why don’t I just get an electric chainsaw to open it, right? Hah hah haha.

Speaking of hah hah haha, during that session I played as Kuja versus Kuja. So after I won the battle, he poses and then he says, “I thoroughly enjoyed myself.”

@o@ 

Nostalgia: Mega Man X on March 1st

On Tuesday, I returned to Mega Man X. It has been a really long time since I played a Mega Man X game, so after a short hour of playing the game my thumbs were feeling overused. I beat four bosses; Chill Penguin, Launch Octopus, Storm Eagle, and Sting Chameleon.

I tried to get through Flame Mammoth first, but the level was too difficult without the leg upgrade. So after some failed attempts, I skipped over to Chill Penguin because I remembered that the leg upgrade was in that stage. It helps soooo much.

I tried Armored Armadillo next, and got a sub-tank, but didn’t beat the boss. So then I had X go over to the Spark Mandrill, and I wasn’t lucky in that one either. Annoyed, I went to Launch Octopus and got a heart tank and defeated him with the help of the sub-tank I got earlier.

Next I went to Storm Eagle’s stage and got a Mega Head (extra life :D), the helmet upgrade and defeated that boss. After that I went to Sting Chameleon and got the body armor, another Mega Head, and defeated Sting Chameleon with the torpedo weapon. Then I called it a session.

My hands are rusty having not played a Mega Man X game for a few months.

One-Year Anniversary of Playing Mega Man X

It was the 24th or so of February. That was the first day that my sister and I played Mega Man X for the first time. The game had been out for long time by then, but we were only then just getting into it. I was so excited, learning about the Mega Man X story and getting used to the controls for the game. The graphics were bright and colorful and the music for many of the levels was catchy.

We were in third grade when this video game series started. We were loyal Sonic the Hedgehog fans, so we didn’t dare consider getting a whole different console to play other video games. But a certain video game magazine allowed us to learn some things about this new Mega Man series. A Santa Claus-looking scientist portrayed by a blue light; a Mega Man with white armor; and Mega Man X changing colors depending on the weapon he has equipped. I don’t remember being familiar with the classis/old school Mega Man during that time. Oh, there was a Mega Man Soccer game for the SNES (?), I believe, and THAT was the classic Mega Man because Roll was in it. The design for the video game however looked like that of Mega Man X, though. Odd. :D

We were curious about this Mega Man X, but again, we didn’t intend to stray from Sonic the Hedgehog, so for the next several years, (1994 to 2002) we were only SEGA/Sonic girls. It was either Nintendo or SEGA during those years.

Thank goodness for the Playstation 2, right?

Playstation 2 opened up our options. We can play PS2 video games, AND we can play Playstation video games as long as we had the corresponding memory card for that type of game. That’s how after Kingdom Hearts I was able to play the original Final Fantasy VII, for which I had to buy a set of 3 PS1 memory cards. Playstation 2 allowed me to try other genres of video games; adventure, action, eventually fighters.

Sis and I didn’t pay attention to when the Mega Man X Collection was released. We ignored it or missed it. The part of us that would be Mega Man fans was kept deep inside where it would be hard to let it out.

I am glad that we didn’t miss out on Mega Man X after all. Yeah it’s a 2-D video game but it has enough charm to amuse a new Mega Man fan.

But really, I have to thank Nintendo Power magazine for the preview on the Mega Man Zero Collection. That is how this whole craze began: we found out from there that Zero, originally from Mega Man X, is a “super-powered robot,” and all this time we didn’t know that Mega Man, X, and Zero were robots (we thought they were humans with super-powered armor and weapon instead). It just made our interest in the franchise even stronger! Mine especially, since I was already fascinated with cybernetic characters.

In wanting to understand this fascination, I started a new blog. Getting into the Mega Man X video games was a push that I needed to start Cybernetic Dreams, my blog about my fascination with robots, androids and cyborgs. Why am I so interested in robots, especially robots that are (or are not) capable of demonstrating human emotions? The same goes for androids. Cyborgs too; I am interested in how a human can be part machine. I don’t really write much about the Mega Man X series in Cybernetic Dreams, but someday I should. Just because Mega Man X is a robot.   :)

Whew, long post @.@

Return to Dissidia Final Fantasy on February 1st and 5th

YAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!


It has been OVER A MONTH since I laid my fingers on my PSP, to play Dissidia no less, considering it is a video game I haven’t finished. Will probably not completely finish, considering the other video games I still have to finish up. I haven’t even finished the original FF VII, yet I watched FF VII: ACC, finished Dirge of Cerberus (the main game, anyway) and finished Crisis Core: FF VII just over the month ago.

Anyway, it was good to return to Dissidia on a Bonus Day Tuesday, leveling up one of the characters very well, in fact. I gave Zidane a big boost.



• Bartz-------------------29, from 28

• Zidane-----------------45, from 42

• Cloud------------------42, from 41

• Firion------------------41, from 37

• Warrior of Light-----37, from 35


As I was playing as Cloud in his Alternate form, I made a sort of mistake by not customizing Sephiroth’s stats (yes…I had Cloud fight against Sephiroth again, okay? Sheesh :D) So he was not impossible against my Cloud but hard enough that in four battles in a row I did not win. Just before he lost the third battle I said, “Poor baby!!” What? Why did I say that? Cloud’s stronger than that.