Another Square-Enix disappointment...

I was actually quite excited about the release of this game, but it seems that I got my hopes up for nothing. Seriously, the Final Fantasy series is turning into the debacle that Star Wars has become. I guess I'll just have to accept that they'll never achieve the greatness of VII again.

Top tips for video game widows

As a fairly avid gamer (I wouldn't call myself 'hardcore', but that's another debate entirely), I have witnessed the annoyance and anguish that my video game interest can generate in my other half. I know it can be hard for my wife to comprehend when I ask her to wait until this essential boss-battle is over before she can receive any hugs and kisses. I have therefore decided to compile some key hints and tips for the 'wives and girlfriends' of video game fanatics, so that the fairer sex can learn to deal with their partner's obsession a little more effectively.

DISCLAIMER: I completely and totally accept that gaming is not a strictly masculine activity. Maybe you're a guy reading this who has a gamer girlfriend, and you're the one in need of some coping mechanisms. If so, MAN UP! However, whilst I don't wish to be sexist, my experience has been that it is more often the woman moaning at the man to turn the flipping console off and pay them some attention.

1. Know how his game 'saves'

A common excuse for a guy to continue gaming after you've asked him to stop is that he just needs to save the game and then he'll be done. Find out how the save function on his current game of choice works. Can he save at any moment or does he need to reach a save point? If the former is the truth, then what your partner might mean is, 'I could save now, but I want to make sure I've equipped all my best items and organised my inventory before I do'. Ask him to clarify this with you, so as to receive a more accurate finishing time. If he needs to reach a certain point to save his progress, ask for regular updates as to the location of this point in the game. You don't want to miss a prime opportunity to drag his attention away. Finally, be aware of whether or not a game as an 'auto-saving' function. If it does, then your partner has no excuse in regards to ending his gaming abruptly, because little or no progress will be lost.

2. Beware of multiplayer, online and off

Multiplayer gaming can be the biggest time-sink for your gamer-man, and can be very detrimental to chances of you and him spending any 'quality' time together. You have to bear in mind that in most cases, once an online multiplayer game has begun it cannot be be paused or ended prematurely without the player incurring losses or being ejected from the game. You may have to wait patiently for a match to finish, but be prepared to jump into action as soon as it does. Otherwise he may start another game, thus prolonging your wait for affection and attention. Offline multiplayer is also a danger for which you should be ready. If your boyfriend/husband is surrounded by his friends, he is much less likely to heed to your demands for an activity that you can also enjoy, valuing his couple of hours of FIFA 11 as a worthy prize for enduring the wrath you plan to pour upon him as soon as his mates are out of the door. However, there is an upside to offline multiplayer - the opportunity to create a bartering system. If you allow him an evening of Halo death-matches one weekend, then you can trade this in for an evening of manicures and Sex and the City another weekend. If he protests, then entice him with the prospect of allowing more gaming in the future, but only if the barter system is fair and its laws are upheld by both parties.

3. The pros and cons of 'seemingly endless' games

Some might say that it is best for your man to be playing short games that he will complete within a week or so, as this provides less chance for serious obsession to set in. I disagree with this thinking, as short games mean more money spent on new products, and the constant use of the excuse, 'but I've only just bought it, I've hardly played it yet'. However, there are negative aspects to having games that either take a long time to complete or can continue infinitely. You should be very concerned if your partner is a fan of role-playing games, as these titles can have an all-consuming effect. If you hear the names, 'Final Fantasy, World of Warcraft or Fallout', alarm bells should start to ring, as these games will become your man's new adulterous lover if you aren't careful. However, there are positives to lengthy games. You can always use an uncompleted game as a reason for why a new game shouldn't be purchased. A key phrase to remember in this situation is, 'well if [insert game title] is too hard for you to complete, I guess you should buy an easier one'. Not many gamers will be able to shrug off this barbed comment.

4. Encourage him to play what is most enjoyable for you

Unless you are some kind of tyrant hag who has her partner firmly wedged under her thumb (if you are... please don't kill me), there will be times when you have to relent and allow your man some gaming time. However, this doesn't have to be a completely arduous process. Try to find out which of your partner's games are most enjoyable to watch him play. A good tip is to stay well clear of Football Manager, which is about as fun as watching someone make a spreadsheet on Excel. Cinematic games with a good story-line and high quality voice acting are ones to search for, which will hopefully alleviate your boredom a little bit. Some examples that have worked well in my experience are Uncharted 2 on the Playstation 3, and also Resident Evil 4 on the Wii. These games are exciting to watch, and will provide you with a marginally better backseat experience during your boyfriend/husband's gaming time.

Hopefully these tips will aid you in making life bearable with your video game-obsessed partner. Let me know if you have any tips of your own, or what your experiences are of putting these pieces of advice into action.

Disappointment...

You may remember that earlier this year, a certain video game was the subject of quite a few of my posts. Well, it's been a few months since the release of Final Fantasy XIII, and I think it's time for my verdict so far.

The fact that I haven't made any comments on FF XIII since purchasing it pretty much sums up the state of play. To be honest, I'm finding it a little boring, to the point where I haven't actually played it since I bought it. Only the other day did I realise that I had misplaced it during the move to the flat, which demonstrates my lack of interest. The game looks absolutely beautiful, continuing the Final Fantasy tradition of pushing graphics to the cutting edge, and the story is complex and original. However, these elements don't really make up for the dull combat system, which consists of telling your characters to 'auto-battle' over and over, the changing of their fighting style being the only useful action to be taken. Also the character evolution mechanics are equally bland, offering the player only linear paths and little choice. The weapon upgrade system seems to be based completely on chance, with no skill involved.

The word 'linear' sums up my experience of FF XIII so far. It doesn't matter how pretty it is, if it has the complexity of a 4-piece puzzle. I am going to give it another shot, when I eventually find it, but I'm not keeping my hopes up.

Whilst contemporary gaming has been a little bit of a disappointment to me recently, going back to the classics has been a rewarding experience. I dug out my copy of Pokemon Fire Red the other day, and have been enjoying some mindless leveling for the last few weeks. Where as Pokemon's story-line is fairly non-existent, it's gameplay is absolutely flawless. After the dreary experience of FF XIII, Pokemon's simple yet open-ended gameplay style has been a breath of fresh air. I've been leveling all my creatures up to level 20 at the moment, which has actually been less repetitive than playing the latest FF game!

I also recently downloaded a Playstation One classic the other day; Metal Gear Solid. This game is one of my all-time favourites. The stealth-focused gameplay is innovative and addictive, with all-out gun battles off the menu, replaced by careful sneak tactics. At the time, the graphics were cutting edge, taking the PS1's capabilities to the limit. The story is extremely complex, playing out in an incredibly cinematic style, which touches on every emotion as you travel through the game. The music, sound effects and voice acting are all equally unforgettable, making the story even more effective. I don't know how many times I've played through this game, but I have to say it never gets boring!

Let me know if there are any unforgettable classic games you're always returning to, or if a recent game has been a real let down.

"Have some of that!"

Only got time for a quick update at the mo, lots and lots of university work to do. Plus it's my church's youth weekend away coming up, so I won't be able to work then. Also I'm playing guitar over the weekend, so lots of practice to do to.

The last couple of weeks can be summed up in one phrase; I'm hooked on the online multiplayer on Uncharted 2! Got the PS3 up and running back down in Portsmouth and discovered the fun of competitive deathmatch. I say the fun, there's also a load of frustration, anger and shame as well! It's a really great game to play against other people. The single-player mechanics have been transfered into the multiplayer aspect of the game really well. But it's much harder than playing against the computer. I'm getting better however, I'm on level 28 or 29 I think. I still have the odd off-game though, where no matter what I do, I get owned repeatedly.

I will not be owned by the game however. So I'm being really strict with myself and not playing the PS3 during the day. No time wasting can be endured! Uni is going well though, got some good marks back recently and my screenplay and writing project are both ticking over. Just gotta keep the momentum up!

I'm listening to The Mars Volta for the first time in ages...

... which has nothing to do with this post really. Just checking in. Apologies for the inconsistancy in my posts recently, I doubt anyone noticed but i try to post the new sections of my stories every four days. My tendency for perfectionism showing through. Or is it OCD? I don't particularly know (or care).

Anyway, I've been trying to infiltrate a terrorist stronghold off the coast of Alaska, and the genetic super-soldiers within said stronghold have been causing me some bother, preventing me from posting on my blog. Or, my internet wasn't working. Which ever is more believable.

Been replaying Final Fantasy VII, hence the classic review. That game never gets old! When the prospect of spending time leveling up is actually something you look forward to, you know you've got a good RPG. Or a dangerous obsession. I've just arrived at Cosmo Canyon, for the FF fans out there, and am about to take on the dreaded caves. Shouldn't be too hard though, my characters are pretty tough. I always level up Aeris primarily, cos otherwise you can't get all her limit breaks, before the second disk (for anyone who hasn't played the game, I won't spoil why that is).

I got a guidebook for FFVII a while ago, I don't use guidebooks on the first time with games but I like having it there on the second play through, just to find all the secrets and stuff. However, I wouldn't recommend this particular book, as it has some glaring errors and sloppy mistakes, e.g. claiming that it is impossible to unlock Aeris' final limit break before disk 2, which any FAQ worth its weight in gil (gold for non-FF freaks) will show to be a falsehood. So don't get the Bradygames guide for FFVII, save some money and find one online, there are tons of good ones. The Piggyback guides for the other FF games are much better on the other hand.

That's enough FF talk for one post I think. Here's a little challenge for you. I rang my grandma this evening and had a chat with her, and she really appreciated it. I don't wanna be patronising but I think older people deserve our interest and time, and I don't think they get enough of either. I'm speaking to myself as much as to anyone else. So your task is to ring/visit/write to your grandma/grandad/grandparents/random older person you know, and if you already do those things on a regular basis, well done! Let me know how it goes.