An apology and a quick word about Final Fantasy

Due to reasons of health, I was unable to do three of my promised blog entries: Final Fantasy 11, 12, and 13. I apologize, but my health comes first. I'm still a little weary, but I really wanted SOMETHING to close this month of Final Fantasy, so here's a quick word about the franchise.

What is it about Final Fantasy that has earned it so many fans?  Well, we need to take a step back and look at what Final Fantasy actually is. Well, Final Fantasy is an RPG franchise that has been known, through its numbered iterations (at least from 4 to 9) to push the technological capabilities of whichever console the games were featured. It is a franchise that often features long stories while also having slow, menu based game play. It is one of the best selling RPG, as well as video game franchises in the world, and its name is synonymous with J-RPG. Along with Dragon Quest, this series helped revolutionize the RPG genre, and helped open up the RPG market. It is no exaggeration to say that, many modern RPG franchises owe their very existence to this series.

But what about the series itself? Why is it so famous? Well, this is a franchise that has often, though not always, churned out hit after hit. Starting with Final Fantasy 3, and ending with Final Fantasy 11, nearly every entry would garner near unanimous praise from professional critics and consumers alike. The few exceptions would be Final Fantasy Mystic Quest, released after Final Fantasy 4 in the American market and often viewed as a mistake, and Final Fantasy 10-2, the first (game) sequel to a Final Fantasy, in this case Final Fantasy 10, which, to be honest, was nowhere near as good as the original. After Final Fantasy 11, most entries would be either "love it or hate it", like Final Fantasy 13, "serviceable" like Final Fantasy 12, "pretty darn entertaining" like Final Fantasy Tactics Advance, or downright horrid, like Final Fantasy: All the Bravest, the single most abysmally reviewed entry in the entire franchise, and the SOLE entry in this franchise to be described by TV Tropes as So Bad It's Horrible.

So, what we have here is a franchise that has many well reviewed entries, and that has actually even helped shape an entire genre, as well as opening up said genre's market. But this is what makes the franchise "influential". What is it that makes the genre LOVED? After all, this is one of the few franchises that has lived from the 8 Bit era to the HD era! There are over 20 entries in the franchise; you don't get that many entries in a franchise without having a solid fanbase. So, what makes this series so loved?

It's a hodgepodge of reasons, some of which can not be put to the written word, but I'll try my best. You know, every video game offers the player a chance to experience something different. Super Mario allows the player to experience cutesy worlds while hopping about to find a lost princess. Sonic breeze through amazingly detailed stages at high speeds, sometimes making one feel as if they are on a roller coaster. The Sims helps one observe the daily lives of fictional people. Well, Final Fantasy allows one to experience an epic story of good versus evil.

But it's so much more than that. Final Fantasy lets the player experience new worlds, worlds that often the player wishes he or she could explore in real life, that they could be REAL. It offers characters that the player often identifies with, looks up to, and in the case of the villains, often loves to hate.

The series is popular because the player resonates with the series. Many of its games are emotional roller coasters. What gamer didn't stand up in shock when Galuf died fighting Exdeath in Final Fantasy 5? How many gamers dropped their controllers to the ground in horror upon witnessing Kefka destroy the world in Final Fantasy 6 after spending at least six game hours working to prevent such a thing? How many gamers wept when Aeris was killed in Final Fantasy 7? How many fists pumped into the air in triumph when Sephiroth was killed once and for all? How many tears were shed when Tidus ceased to exist in Final Fantasy 10?

Final Fantasy is a series that has created an innumerable amount of memories in gamers across the world. It's this love, for many unconditional, for others waning from the disappointment in a company that has seemingly forgotten what got it ahead in the first place, that keeps this franchise alive and profitable. Why is Final Fantasy so popular? Because it is a franchise that creates unforgettable experiences to the player, makes them feel more alive. Final Fantasy is famous because people love it, and people love it because they experienced many emotions playing.THIS is the sole measurement of a game's quality and of a franchise' staying power. 

Final Fantasy 10- An Age Ends, Another Begins

The year was 2001. The era of the Playstation 1 was completely over. The Sega Dreamcast had died, and with it came an end to the gaming market of the 90's. Everything was changing, including the RPG market. In July of 2001, Squaresoft released one of their last games as an independent franchise, often seen as one of the greatest games in the series: Final Fantasy 10.

This may be our last chance to listen to his story.

Final Fantasy 9- Golden Age's Twilight Hour

The year was 2000, and the RPG's golden age was in its twilight years. Classics were being released left and right, even if there were some, shall we say, hiccups (like Time Stalkers for the Dreamcast). The genre was at its most diverse: some games could push for a more futuristic, Sci-Fi feel, like Final Fantasy 8 and Xenogears, while other titles tried for a more whimsical look and tone, like Legend of Mana. Some titles went for deep and convoluted stories, like Chrono Cross, while others still tried telling simpler, easy to follow tales, like Grandia. The Fifth Generation of video games was ending, and in its place would arise the Sixth Generation, the one where gaming would truly become far more diverse and profitable. And on this year, Squaresoft released the game that would celebrate their best selling franchise: Final Fantasy 9.

You are not alone, just under appreciated

Final Fantasy 8- Read Between the Lines

A year after releasing what many consider the greatest game ever made, Squaresoft released their follow up title, Final Fantasy 8. Expectations were higher than ever, and this was a game that was, unfortunately, in the shadows of not just one of the greatest games ever made, but it was heir to one of the most celebrated and venerated RPG franchises in history. So, with expectations THIS high, anything less than pure perfection was bound to disappoint. And did it? Well, yes, it did let a lot of people down at the time of its release, mostly because gamers expected "Final Fantasy 7-2". But, is the game good by its own merit? Well, let's take a good look at it.

Is it an epic? No, but it's epic.

Final Fantasy 7- A Company's Magnum Opus

The year was 1997, the FMV was on its last legs, and the Sega-Nintendo Console War ended with Nintendo the undisputed winner. The Sony Playstation was slowly gaining momentum, and CD based gaming was becoming the clear path that the gaming industry would take, leaving behind cartridges forever. And on that year, Sony unveiled what many consider their best game, and what some even go so far as to call the greatest game ever made... Final Fantasy 7.

Ten million copies sold, for a reason.

Final Fantasy 6- An Era Peaks

The year was 1994, and the RPG was just getting through its early Golden Age. Final Fantasy 4 had raised the bar on gaming narrative. Seiken Densetsu provided a rich plot with a unique weapons and magic system. Lunar: Silver Star was showing the world that the future in RPG's laid in animated cut scenes and voice work. And finally, Final Fantasy Mystic Quest showed the industry that the old standards just weren't gonna cut it anymore, that the RPG gamer was now much too sophisticated for what was acceptable less than 7 years ago. People wanted more: they wanted a deep story, they wanted unique characters, they wanted a rounded cast, they wanted a unique fantasy world that could engross them, they wanted to lose themselves in the narrative, they wanted a good guy they could root for, they wanted a bad guy they would want dead and hopefully in the best boss fight possible. However, the North American market, one of the biggest video game markets in the world, second only possibly to Japan at the time if it was ever second to anyone at all, still had the RPG as a niche genre. That was about to change with Square's darkest, grimmest game yet, Final Fantasy 6.

More popular in America than in Japan

Final Fantasy 5- Time for Fun

Final Fantasy 4 really changed the way the RPG was made, but the genre itself was just a niche market, inaccessible for the common, every day gamer that was used more to jumping on turtles as an Italian plumber than to reading an epic story starring a Dark Knight with a troubled past. People wanted to play for fun, and when you get down to it, that's what video games are for. So, what's a game company to do? Make a game about death, loss, despair, with a genocidal monster clown and starring a cast of varied characters that have suffered soul crushing losses? Actually, Squaresoft simply made a game that was considerably lighter, softer, easier and simpler than their previous game. They made Final Fantasy 5.

Cute artwork, isn't it?

Final Fantasy 4- Growing the Beard

The year was 1991, the 8 Bit Era was officially over, and the 16 Bit Era had begun. It was the dawn of the greatest Console War in the history of the industry, and both Nintendo and Sega were bringing out video games that would become instant classics. During this year, Squaresoft released what could very well be called one of their best games ever, beloved by many gamers the world over: Final Fantasy 4. The 90's were what I would very much like to call the Golden Age of the RPG, because this was when the genre was really releasing its best and most famous games. Final Fantasy 4 was no exception. This was only the second Final Fantasy to be released in the US (Final Fantasies 2 and 3 didn't make it at the time), so when this game was released, it was called Final Fantasy 2. However, since I've already covered the real FF2, I will refer to this game as FF4, regardless of how nostalgic anyone feels for the old (false) name.

There is no direction to go, but forward

Final Fantasy 3- Getting There

Two years after Final Fantasy 2 came out, the 8 Bit era of gaming was at its twilight years. The Sega Genesis was out, and the Super Famicom was on its way towards store shelves. However, the Famicom (or the NES, for us westerners) was still a popular console, and one that still had games being made for it, and one of those games was Final Fantasy 3, a game designed to push the Famicom's capabilities as far as possible. Because of its extremely complex coding, it was nigh impossible to translate, and in fact this would be the one Final Fantasy to take the longest to ship out outside Japan: a full 16 years had passed between its original 1990 release date, and its international 2006 release on the Nintendo DS. Furthermore, it must be said: there are so many substantial differences between the Nintendo DS and the Famicom version of the game, they may as well be two different games. However, the version I'll be talking about and analyzing today will be the Famicom version, for the simple reason that it came out first.

Allow me to introduce Sir Not-Appearing-In-The-Game

Final Fantasy 2- Growing Pains

Hironobu Sakaguchi did not, in any way, shape, or form, expect his 'final fantasy' to become such a huge hit. So, what's a game company to do when they have their first real hit? Why, cash in, of course! But how do you follow up a game changer like Final Fantasy? Well, if you ask Squaresoft, the route they took was to make a game that had NOTHING to do with the original, recycled some graphics, and called it the second game in the series. And then, they gave that name what was most likely the least sensible name that the gaming industry must have seen in the entire decade: Final Fantasy 2.

Wait, so this is the second Final Fantasy? So the first one wasn't final at all?

Final Fantasy 1- Humble Origins

Back in 1987, there was a failing game company named Squaresoft, that just couldn't seem to catch a break in the industry, what with how many of their games were failing. So Hironobu Sakaguchi, then president of Squaresoft, decided to release one last game before calling it quits, his Swan Song. After seeing how well Enix' game Dragon Quest had sold, Sakaguchi decided to make an RPG unlike any other. This was supposed to be his last project, hence he gave it the most ironic name ever given to a video game: Final Fantasy.

Can you hear that iconic theme in your head, just by looking at this box art?

Anouncement- December will be a Month of Final Fantasy

All throughout the month of December, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, I'll be dedicating every blog entry to analyzing the Final Fantasy series. On every blog entry I'll be giving a brief description of the plot of each game, analyzing the story, and the game elements. Why? Because besides the fact that I'm a fan of the series, Final Fantasy is a series that has, in many ways, influenced the RPG genre. Final Fantasy is one of the highest grossing video game franchises, and one of the most famous as well, so it makes sense to me that I take a short while to analyze the way this series has evolved through the years. Here is the schedule:

December 3- Final Fantasy 1
December 5- Final Fantasy 2
December 7- Final Fantasy 3
December 10- Final Fantasy 4
December 12- Final Fantasy 5
December 14- Final Fantasy 6
December 17- Final Fantasy 7
December 19- Final Fantasy 8
December 21- Final Fantasy 9
December 24- Final Fantasy 10
December 26- Final Fantasy 11
December 28- Final Fantasy 12
December 31- Final Fantasy 13

I am sorry that there is no room for Final Fantasy 14, and that I am only paying attention to the numbered Final Fantasies and not the side games, like Final Fantasy Tactics or Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles, but there is simply no time, I'm afraid. It'll have to be for another time.

I'm very excited for this special series, and I hope you will join me in this analysis!

Legend of Dragoon- Did it deserve to become a franchise?

Back in 1997, Squaresoft released a little game on a system called the Playstation called Final Fantasy 7, which helped change the Role Playing Game from a niche genre to a mainstream darling, bringing video game narrative and presentation to previously unseen levels. For a bright, shining moment, the Japanese RPG was seen as the ultimate video game experience, bringing stories and characters that could rival anything that could be found in the best Oscar winning movies. During this time, the market saw a large number of RPG's, ranging in quality from excellent (Suikoden 2, Grandia) to mediocre (Evolution:The World of Sacred Device, Grandia 2) to just plain awful (Time Stalkers). Among this large clout of RPG's, there is one that stands out: Legend of Dragon, the first RPG made directly by Sony. This game was one that took many years of programming and design to make, and was released in America in the year 2000. It is a game that, in spite of the lukewarm critical response, has been considered a cult classic and a consumer favorite, often called one of the best games on the Playstation. But, did the game deserve better? Did the game have potential to be more, to make way for more?

Go go Power Rangers Dragoons!

Cool Boarders 2- A look back

I'd like to take today's entry to just shut my brain off and instead reminisce about a happy time in my childhood. Back in the year 1997, Sears was having a competition for the Playstation, which was back then really started to gain momentum. The first place prize was a Sony Playstation, the second was three free PS1 games of your choosing, and the third was two PS1 games. I came in second and picked 3 games: Final Fantasy 7, Primal Rage, and Cool Boarders 2. Though I am often an enemy of nostalgia, today I want to talk about what that last game meant to me.

Good times.

An Analysis of Suikoden 3

Although I adore Suikoden, I must admit that the third entry in the series is one that is rather divisive; you either love it or you hate it, and there are strong arguments that justify both positions. However, one thing that is not up to debate is that Suikoden 3 tried something very different from its predecessors, and in large parts succeeded in telling a very memorable story via a very unique Perspective system that allows the player to go through several Point of View characters. But what is Suikoden 3 about? Well, let's find out.

Learn from this- Grand Theft Auto 5

More than mindless entertainment, video games often provide us with subtle lessons that the programmers and writers want us to learn. Today, I take a good look at a few lessons that you can learn from that fantastic video game, Grand Theft Auto 5:

The Bechdel Test and Video Games

Today, I want to talk about something that a lot of people are passionate about: the female presence in gaming. Now, I know a lot of you are going to feel rather strongly about this sort of thing, so let's get a few things out of the way here: there are subjective views, and there are objective truths. A subjective view is saying that the gaming industry is misogynistic and ignores the female demographic. An objective truth is that female representation in video games is not to the level of the variety in male representation (less games featuring women are made in several genres, not as many female programmers and directors as men, etc). This is a really big deal for gaming culture, and one that needs a civilized discussion, which I know ALL sides of the spectrum are capable of doing. But today, I am not here to discuss if gaming is misogynistic, or anything similar; really, I just want to talk about the Bechdel Test in gaming.

For those that do not know what the Bechdel Test is, allow me to explain. The Test was first proposed by Alison Bechdel, the author of the comic strip Dykes to Watch Out For, (That word is repeated solely because it is the title the author gave her work, no offence is meant), in a strip where one of her characters lays out the rules of the test, which are as follows:

1- The work needs to have two female characters
2- That have at least one conversation
3- About any topic other than a man.

Deep Sleep- a quick analysis

A free to play online game, Deep Sleep is a point-and-click horror game, reminiscent of old school adventure games like Return to Zork. In the game, you collect and use several normal, every day items in order to solve simple puzzles that require little more than logic or trial and error. It is also a very frightening game, one that will most likely give you nightmares. But what is it about?

Pokemon versus Nostalgia

The year was 1998, when I first  heard of Pokemon, and needless to say, I caught the bug. Back then, there were two Pokemon games: Pokemon Red and Pokemon Blue. I asked for the Red version because it impressed me more. The generation that was first introduced to Pokemon is all grown up now, facing the world, building the future, so many of us feel nostalgic for old Pokemania. Even today, the first generation is still held up in high regard, still talked about. It is the first generation that has the most famous Pokemon creepypastas (creepy stories that are spread through the Internet), including the story Jessica (about a Pikachu from Pokemon Yellow that becomes sapient), the Lavender Town Syndrome (about how the background theme to a town in Pokemon caused dozens of children to commit suicide) and even the original Pokemon Black (about a haunted game cartridge where the Pokemon were murdered by a mysterious entity known as Ghost, that the player controlled). Yet, why? Why all this nostalgia?

No feels, please

Character design and characters

As some of you may know by now, I consider myself a skeptic when it comes to character designs, especially "sexy" character designs. You guys know the ones: chicks with huge breasts (DD cup and up), long legs, peach shaped rear ends, the works. Guys with toned, slender bodies, natural tans, feathery hair, that kind of thing. Now, I'd like to take this opportunity to clarify something here: I am by no means pulling any third wave feminist mumbo jumbo here, this blog entry is by no means a critique of the industry's tendency to design and market these kinds of character designs. Instead, I just want to ask a simple question: What is the line between a justified 'sexy' character design, and when the design is just gratuitous?

Because I KNOW that the three or four ladies who are reading this blog are gonna be having a fit over the large amounts of sexism that's bound to be found on this entry, I provide for them the beefcake.

Was Cross Edge doomed to fail from the get go?

In 2009, Five gaming companies banded together to make a game. This game was a love letter to the Japanese Role Playing Game genre, a collection of various elements that make said genre stand out in all of gaming. Item crafting, world map battles, a long story, deep dungeons, hundreds of unique skills, several characters with their own personalities and individual skills, menu driven game play, a mix of two dimensional sprites with three dimensional backgrounds, skills that could combine together to create highly cinematic attacks, the works. The cast was a combination of original characters, and characters from several well regarded game franchises. The game was called Cross Edge, and it failed miserably, selling less than fifty thousand copies. What happened?

Don't shoot me, bro!

Surprisingly Better Sequels- Dark Cloud and Dark Cloud 2

I've spoken before about Sequelitis, the disease that causes good franchises to churn out needless sequel after sequel. However, like all things in this world, there is a Ying for every Yang. The opposite of Sequelitis is the Surprisingly Better Sequel. What makes them opposites? Sequelitis is bad sequels, and the Surprisingly Better Sequel is, as its name states, a sequel that manages to be better than the original work. Maybe the story is better, maybe the characters are more expanded upon, whatever. Today, I want to take a look at a game, and its Surprisingly Better Sequel: Dark Cloud and Dark Cloud 2.

Can we learn about love from video games?

What is love? Baby don't hurt, don't hurt me, no more. Alright, now that we have that obligatory joke out of the way, I ask again: what is love? Millions of poets, novelists, essayists, philosophers, and Reddit and Tumblr teens have written trillions of words in regards to love. I myself have written about love as well (shameless self promotion here: my Twilight Fan-fic Spring Blossoms). But what is it? Well, I don't know entirely. I've played dozens of games where love is a central theme, but the question is, have they taught me anything?

Did I learn ANYTHING from these two?

Sequelitis- Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, and so forth

Sequelitis- when some greedy old executives decide they don't have enough money, so they take a work that is much beloved and make a sequel to it. Ah, but is the sequel as good as the original? Heck no, but it made money, didn't it? Today, I want to look at a game that was very original, very groundbreaking when it came out, and then got a sequel that was none of those things. And then got another sequel. And another. And another... This is Kingdom Hearts.

What makes a hero?

All month, I have been counting down the top 11 video game heroes. But a question remains: What makes someone a hero?

A hero isn't just someone who fights off evil monsters. He or she isn't just someone who wields a bad ass sword, or spear, or boomerang, or anything like that. It takes much more to be a hero than that.

A hero is someone who does something extraordinary for the greater good. A hero is someone who, for example, stands up for the poor, stops a robbery, etc. A hero is someone who puts his/her safety, and sometimes their life, on the line for others.

The top 11 video game heroes- Number 1

The top 11 video game heroes- Number 2

The countdown nearly ends, so today we're honoring the second greatest hero in video games. I will also admit a strong personal bias towards this character. You see, he not has my admiration, but he is also a character that has greatly inspired me, taught me what a real hero is like. His name is Ramza Beoulve, and he hails from that fantastic, genre defining, Playstation 1 Masterpiece, Final Fantasy Tactics.

The top 11 video game heroes- Number 3

I continue the countdown with the third best video game hero. Ladies and gentlemen, there are few words that can do this hero justice. When I close my eyes and think "female hero", and notice that this includes ALL media, not just games, this is the character I see. This is someone who embodies perfectly the greatest attributes a hero can ever possess. Her name is Yuna, and she hails from Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2.

The top 11 video game heroes- Number 4

Today I honor one of the most tragic heroes in video game. This is someone who led a tough life, one of constant struggle, a life of killing, of war. This is a man who has had to stare in the face of death constantly, always losing friends, always worrying about if he'll see his loved ones alive once the mission is done, if he lives through it that is. This is a man who grew up on the battlefield, a man wounded, but not broken, by war. His name is David, but everyone knows him as Solid Snake, and he's the hero of Metal Gear.

The top 11 video game heroes- Number 5

Today, I cheat a little on this countdown once more. See, this hero earns this spot not by anything she has ever done in game. No, this spot was not earned by being a hero IN the game, but rather, outside of the game. This is a hero whose contribution to gaming, not just in its industry but also in its culture, can never be overstated. This hero revolutionized the role of the video game hero, breaking several barriers, glass ceilings, and destroying stereotypes of all calibers, all in her debut. The number 5 hero is Samus Aran, from Metroid.

The top 11 video game heroes- Number 6

The countdown continues with the sixth entry. I admit, there may be a bit of bias here, because this particular character is one from my youth. I love this character (no homo), he represents, to me, much more than just what a hero should be. He is someone I aspire to be like, someone worth emulating. This character is everything I wish I could be, he is a leader, a fighter, a hero. His name is Tir McDohl, and he hails from that PS1 classic, and one of my all time favorite games, Suikoden 1.

The top 11 video game heroes- Number 7

Carrying on with this countdown, we celebrate today a real icon. This character is, when you get right down to it, a re telling of the classical archetype of the Knight in Shining Armor, crossing the deepest valleys, climbing the most dangerous mountains, and fighting off a wicked dragon, all to save this lady love, the Princess. This character has entertained millions the world over for over thirty years. His name is practically synonymous with video games! In fact, even people that have never even picked up a controller in their lives know who this character is! This brave Italian plumber, who has traveled all across the Mushroom Kingdom in order to save Princess Peach, has fought Bowser numerous times...I'm not talking about Mario, by the way. I'm talking about his little brother, Luigi.

The top 11 video game heroes- Number 8

Today we continue our countdown of the top 11 greatest video game heroes. On this entry, however, I'm cheating a little, in that there's not one hero, but many. That's right, it's a tie, only not really a tie per se, because these characters all come from the same game. These characters saved not just the world from a monster from outer space that threatened to destroy everything. The twist is that, to do so, these seven heroes needed to travel through time. I have a feeling everyone reading this already knows who I am talking about, so without further ado, I present to you the 8th greatest hero(es) in video game history, the crew of Chrono Trigger.

The top 11 video game heroes- Number 9

We continue our countdown of the top 11 video game heroes with someone who is more iconic. This character is not just one of the best characters of all time, not just the protagonist to one of the best selling franchises of all time, and not just an icon of 90's pop culture, but he is one of THE faces of gaming. This character has starred in not just video games, he is also the star of not one, not even two, but THREE cartoon shows, one Original Video Animation/movie, and one anime. He is also the star of one of Archie Comic's longest running titles, having sold millions of comics world wide. This blue blur has found success in the entertainment industry unmatched by any but a few select franchises. His name? Sonic the Hedgehog.

The top 11 video game heroes- Number 10

We continue our countdown with the tenth greatest hero in all video games. Now this girl, she's one of a kind. She has the power to control phantoms, and can summon them to do her bidding. She has ties to some of the biggest names in her world, from (implied) mobsters, to dukes, to the greatest swordsman around, to the freaking hero who single handed took down a demon that threatened the world of Ivoire. This girl is one who has faced the prejudices and ignorance of a world that would sooner chop off her head than so much as give her a hello. And she's only 13 years old. Her name is Marona, and she comes from the fantastic, though under-appreciated video game, Phantom Brave. 

The Top 11 video game heroes- Number 11

We kick things off with the number 11 best hero in video games. This character is, unlike most video game protagonists, not a warrior from a fantasy world, not a magical hero, not a space marine or bounty hunter, nor a tomb raider. He can't kill dragons by yelling "Fus Ro Dah!", he can't activate the Alpha Protocol, can't launch a Shoryuken, doesn't wield the Keyblade, would probably die if he moved to Raccoon City, and would most certainly get car jacked in Los Santos. But he is still one of the greatest video game heroes of  all time. His name is David Hoover, and he is from the freeware video game The Crooked Man.

The top 11 greatest video game heroes- introduction

In this era of games where you get to play as violent criminals, sociopaths, murderers, and so forth, it is worth remembering that not all games are like that. There are hundreds of heroes in gaming, ranging from a simple paperboy going about his daily business, to mighty men (and women) standing up to demons and angels and angry gods. Although there are hundreds upon hundreds of video game protagonists that can be classified as heroes, there is one burning question: Who is the best of the best? The cream of the crop? Which video game character is the greatest hero in the history of video games? This is a question I aim to answer.

I aim, for the month of October, to count down the top 11 greatest heroes in video games. Why top 11? Because I'm ripping off Doug Walker, that's why. Second time I use that joke. Every entry will be its own blog. For example, the eleventh best video game hero will have his/her own blog entry, going in depth as to why he/she deserves that spot, and so will number 8, number 5, and so forth. There will also be a special blog entry, dedicated to a few honorable mentions, with a brief summation of why they deserve recognition.

This will be a bit of an opinion piece, but research has been done, and every entry will have not just a summation of each hero's deeds, but also an explanation for why they deserve this honor. This is more than a simple countdown, it's eleven different character studies. Eleven different characters, eleven different blogs, and one special blog for five honorable mentions. And, when the countdown has finished, there will be a special blog, analyzing what it means to be a hero, as a way to sum up what this mini series are about.

I'd also like to announce that, as of today, this blog will have a set schedule. Since August of 2013 (two months ago as of this writing), I've been updating this blog every two days. Although this has helped me maintain a level of consistency in writing, this is not so convenient for the reader. So as of today, I will be updating every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I thank you all for your patience, and for reading my blog.

What killed the Dreamcast?

During the early part of the 90's, Sega was one of the biggest video game companies in the world, and the sole company that could realistically challenge Nintendo's practical monopoly on the home console market. The Sega Genesis was the second best selling console on the market, trouncing machines like the Panasonic 3DO, the Phillips CDi, and the Atari Jaguar. In the year 1999 and Sega had launched its greatest console yet: the Sega Dreamcast. This console was nothing short of a gamer's dream. It was a system that focused on gaming, bringing out high speed, three dimensional gaming. It launched with several fantastic games, like Sonic Adventure and Power Stone. It was THE hot commodity of Christmas 1999. A year later, the Dreamcast was discontinued. What the hell happened? Let's find out.