I’ve been playing the MMORPG Final Fantasy XI since it came out on the PS2 in 2004 up until today. The prospect of testing the next MMO coming out next year is quite exciting. Interested individuals can sign up here. The game is expected to be released for PCs and the PS3 sometime in 2010.
After almost a lifetime of waiting (five years in gaming is practically a console cycle) Final Fantasy 13 will finally be released in Japan TODAY. The famed Famitsu gaming magazine has given the game an imperfect score of 39/40.
The only Final Fantasy game to receive the honor is FF12. Fan favorite Final Fantasy 7 earned 38, while the PS2 FF 10 earned a similar 39/40.
Only four games have been awarded this year the coveted “perfect score”. Those include Bayonetta, Super Mario Brothers, Dragon Quest 9 and Monster Rancher 3.
Many gamers are fickle folk who will read heavily into reviews before making a purchase, while others will buy the game regardless if it was good or not based on reviews just as long as it had the franchise name on it (Final Fantasy, Guitar Hero and so on…). So does one point matter?
I think the game will still be hit. Despite many advances in RPGs by Bioware with Mass Effect and Dragon Age as well as Fallout and Oblivion with Bethesda, there are still a lot gamers who still like the linear gameplay and beautiful cutscenes. I for one will still buy the game. Square-Enix has shipped 2 million copies of the game for the launch.
So the game did not get the perfect score from Famitsu. It will still sell millions, just one point shy of the perfect score merely tells gamers that, it’s good ,but not perfect for us, but still good.
But for gamers such as myself, April is still too far away for me. I’ll try not care until then. But here’s a thought, was the international release date pushed to spring just so they can release the Xbox version at the same time? I hope not. Because if they did, I would rather be playing it anyway on the PS3 than to wait for the Xbox version to catch up.
While scavenging through the back of the fridge, I found this! It’s a
favorite beverage/ desert here in the Philippines and it’s now
available in a bottle just like that. This is usually made from
scratch or you have to go to restaurant to order one. It tastes just
like the real thing and you won’t notice the difference. Another great
find!
Sorry for the lack of updates. Since December set in, it’s been a very
hectic week. I will try to catch up with things over the next few
days. Not to mention say hello to my new avatar pose. I don’t know
what to call her yet. Can you think of any names? It’s a "her"
remember that.
Available from the bakeshop of the Makati Shangri-la, Emoticakes! Have
you recieved cakes with emotions before?
All shot with a Kodak Zi6. I really need better gear for this. Actually I do. I didn’t think I needed it. Obviously I do.
Moe Cafe line at AFA 09
Mamoru Hosoda signing at AFA 09
Witchblade on stage AFA 09
Will add more as I edit them.
Anime Festival Mascot
It’s the closest thing we could get to an international festival and it was satisfying. Even before the doors opened, anime fans from all over Singapore descended on the Suntec Convention Center for Anime Festival 09. While I still had to pick up my tickets from Sistic, there were lots of cosplayers spilling out of the MRT and to the festival. Upon reaching the convention center it was really crowded. One it was a Saturday but then there were also events taking place adding to the crowd.
One thing I realized is that I would have to get used to lining up over the weekend. And I do mean lines.
This is just the line to buy tickets
It would take almost half an hour to buy the day tickets but the entrance itself was just a breeze. You just had to make sure that this wasn’t the line to the Singtel event.
Inside, the Bandai booth will greet you along with the Takashimaya booth as well as a line of various gashapons.
Gundam standing guard
Hello Kitty Gashapons
There was of course, Danny Choo’s booth as well as the Tokyo Figure Show courtesy of the Good Smile Company. Thank you for bringing it to Singapore!
Tokyo Figure Show in Japan
There was of course the Eneloop Dog from Sanyo who is major sponsor of the festival.
Eneloop Dog
Cosplayers and their friends!
Register your cosplay character and get in for free!
Look at all those cosplayers on this side!
Don’t forget the other side
Lots of Domo kun!
And the line really starts here
But the main event was of course the Regional Cosplay Championships where countries from all over South East Asia competed to be the Grand Champion. I was of course rooting for Witchblade. But still, congratulations to everyone and to the winner!
Witchblade on stage
Witchblade with Kaname
Everyone on stage
I’ll bring a longer lens and a tripod next time.
Finalists on stage with Shoko Nakagawa and Ichirou Mizuki
Cosplay make-up session
I sat through the cosplay make-up session to get a good seat for…
Danny Choo, the Tokyo Dance Trooper… in SINGAPORE!!! (Part 1)
Danny Choo, the Tokyo Dance Trooper… in SINGAPORE! (Part 2)
Thank you klik.tv for the great videos you produced.
Here Danny Choo talked about his site and his passion and it’s simple beginnings to now one of the most influential blogs on Japanese culture in English.
Danny Choo @ AFA 09
Rather serious look from Danny Choo
Then I had to get souvenirs of course!
Schwag
Too bad I missed out on the signing of the Otacool book ; ; but I’ll try next time.
As night came upon Singapore, the stage was set for the “I Love Anisong” concert!
AFA 09 Stage
AFA 09 Balloons
I didn’t watch the first night which featured Shoko Nakagawa, Ichirou Mizuki and the virtual idol, Hatsune Miku. I instead went to the Yoshiki Fukuyama and May’n concert which was the following night.
It’s forbidden to take pictures but Danny Choo can and has a complete coverage here.
It was really fun and exciting. Especially when they got to the end where May’n and Yoshiki Fukuyama had a duet of Diamond Crevasse from Macross Frontier (Sugoi!) and Dynamite Explosion from Macross 7.
After two hours, the concert ended and along with it the end of AFA 09. A lot of lessons learned and also a lot of memories to bring home. But it was well worth it.
Tired AFA staff
Yoshiki Fukuyama signing autographs
There was a raffle to determine who will be able to get an autograph with the performers but sadly I didn’t win the one for May’n. I was however able to take photos of Yoshiki Fukuyama signing stuff and posing for pictures.
I know I missed a lot such as the Witchblade sisters coming to day 2 dressed as the Sunegai sisters. I was too busy shopping in Orchard Road. I promise, no shopping next year. I will try to do better.
But now enough of AFA 09. We all have AFA 10 to look forward to and hopefully everyone from this year will return, get a bigger venue (please please! the other event is just crowding the AFA too much ;)) And maybe Alodia and Ashley will return next year and finally win the championship.
Aftermath of AFA 09
I need to rest my tired legs. As for the video, I’m uploading them to youtube as we speak and will be writing another post about it.
It was a very very tiring day and I have no time to blog other than uploading the pictures on an unstable connection. Will get to it when I get home. But first, Day 2 of the festival is today and the I Love Anisong concert.
Now relaxing in my hotel for the Anime Festival tomorrow. I picked
these up at the convenience store downstairs. They taste like the fizz
on top the soda and very addicting, They don’t have these in Manila.
I’m thinking of bringing home a few.
My family was strolling down Ginza last weekend and wondered why there was such a long line and they decided to line up themselves. At the end of the line was this bakery that was selling these freshly baked goodies.
According to Wikipedia, the “Baum Kuchen” or King of Cakes, is a kind of layered cakes from Europe. It is traditionally sold in rings. To create the effect, a layer of cake is poured on a core that is baking. Once a layer has been created, another is made on top of it thus creating the ring effect.
They got a box (which was sealed and could last up to 6 days) for around ¥1,500 I think.
They brought it home to me and we opened it.
These pictures don’t even do justice on how it tastes like.
Note how the rings are made.
I also like the card it comes with when you open it.
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Procrastinating in the Heat 