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Final Fantasy VIII Remastered helps Seifer’s actions seem more understandable

By Jenni Lada //

There’s a saying that suggests that the best villains are the ones who, if you change the circumstances or story slightly, could have been the heroes. Back when Final Fantasy VIII was shiny and new in 1999, it might have been easy to look at Seifer Almasy, one of the antagonists, and see him as a jerk. I was in high school at the time and never thought too deeply about who he was or why he was doing what he was doing. But now, with Final Fantasy VIII Remastered, it’s a new opportunity to better appreciate a villain who could very easily have been a hero and often engages in some positive behaviors.

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Games like Valkyrie Profile are getting more prevalent

By Jenni Lada //

Some games have a rather unusual way of conveying information and taking people on an adventure, and we then see that mechanic mimicked. Konami’s Dance Dance Revolution and GuitarFreaks led to games like Pump It Up and Guitar Hero. Tri-Ace’s Valkyrie Profile is a similar sort. It’s an RPG, but blends in platforming and a more active interface for engaging in attacks. But, as interesting as its ideas were, they didn’t really influence other games at the time. Rather, it took years for other titles to start picking up on the concepts and attempting to integrate them into their own experiences.

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Which Atelier trilogy should you play?

By Jenni Lada //

There are a lot of Atelier games out there, and Gust keeps adding to the lineup with new installments in the main series and spin-offs to keep track of. It is a lot to deal with. Also, the major installments tend to come out in trilogies, which share storylines and sometimes gameplay mechanics. One line might not be as interesting for specific players, but another could be a perfect fit. So, instead of just going with recommendations of best or worst installments, let’s see if Michibiku can’t help you find certain trilogies that might fit your needs.

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What do you need to know about Jake Hunter Detective Story?

By Jenni Lada //

Adventure games and visual novels have been gradually gaining popularity outside of Japan. Thanks to series like Ace Attorney and visual novels like Hakuoki, people seem to be more comfortable with doing a lot of reading while sitting in front of their favorite console. It also means now might finally be a good time for Jake Hunter Detective Story to make its mark. This established adventure series is well established in Japan, and it might just be poised to find a place for itself in other regions after 2018.

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Video: Dropping blocks and breaking hearts in Tokimeki Memorial Taisen Puzzle Dama

By Graham Russell //

The enormous popularity of Puyo Puyo in Japan caused many, many competitors to try their hand at creating a falling-block puzzle franchise, and there weren’t many to find as much success in gameplay and domestic longevity as Taisen Puzzle Dama, Konami’s attempt in the genre. Let’s take a look at a signature entry — one tied to another Konami franchise that found a lot of fans in its home country!

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What do you need to know about SaGa?

By Jenni Lada //

It is a great time for fans of Square Enix’s SaGa series! Romancing SaGa 2 was ported to multiple platforms and released worldwide. SaGa: Scarlet Grace was the first new entry in the series in over 11 years when it was released on the PlayStation Vita in Japan in 2016. Basically, it feels like it is experiencing a renaissance. Which means it is a good time to review what makes it so special.

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