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[luxandarc]

Tom Clancy's Ranbow Six 2 Las Vegas

It seems that video games have experienced a revolution in the past twenty years. With companies like Nintendo and Sony fueling a habit that resembles a drug addiction, its no wonder that the market is constantly flooded with content. Video games are accessible all over the world and they represent an escape for an individual to leave their reality. I attempted to do this by picking up a used copy of Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Las Vegas 2, from my local game stop. I purchased a Sony Playstation 3 about one year ago to utilize its Blue Ray dvd capabilities. The price of video games was also a factor as to why I never purchased them, but buying a used RPG like Rainbow Six Vegas 2 was a matter of a couple dollars. 

Upon first impression, I was impressed with the graphics of the Playstation’s computer generated graphics. The city of Las Vegas looked exactly how I remembered it from my yearly trips there as an adult. Upon the start of a campaign mode, I was presented with the options of customizing my online identity. Of course I made him resemble me as much as possible; 6’2, Military boot haircut, tattoos all over my body, full grown beard, and a deep voice. Well at least thats how I picture myself in my head. It also gave us tactical options such as weapons and outfitting. 

The most exciting mission was the second mission, where I was tasked with an autonomous role to save a hostage in a building that was about 300 yards out. The critical thinking skills on the appropriate side of my brain began to tingle and I experienced butterflies while pursing my hostage. I had never been tasked with such an important mission in real life, that it was hard for my mental capacity to comprehend the reality of this being only a video game. As I pursued the hostage takers, I began to get crafty and use my alternative weapon, which was  a sniper rifle. The reality set in after the first shot. The creators of Rainbow Six were perfectionists when it came to this game. Everything from the wind factor, to the follow up of the bullet piercing the hostage takers skull. Although I ultimately failed the first couple of tries, I didn't feel too bad because I knew that I was no where near a pro level.

I highly recommend this RPG to anyone interested in playing video games. it was only nine dollars at game stop in the used section. The game itself is about four years old, which to many may seem ancient in video game years, but I can assure you, its was well worth nine dollars.

-Patrick Gapol 

[luxandarc]

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

The most exciting part about playing video games is the interaction between human and machine. In most cases, the common individual plays on a video game counsel. For me, I chose to participate on a computer based role playing game. The video game I chose to participate in was Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, because it was available on the Apple App store. I do not have much experience playing video games, so the validity of my critique comes from inexperience. Right from the beginning, the most impressive aspect of the video game was its graphics on my macbook. I recently purchased the Macbook Retina Display, and may I add that Apple did a phenomenal job on the graphics of this game complimenting their retina display.

As I progressed to begin my journey throughout San Andreas, I noticed that San Andreas looked familiar. After running around avoiding the first mission I was assigned, I had a look around the city. They city was reminiscent of Los Angeles, California. This was uplifting because southern California is a place I visit often. I soon went back to start my first mission which was to pick up a friend named “Jordan.” I was assuming that my car ride to get Jordan would consist of some oldies music and a soft breeze, felt by my characters face, but I was surprisingly met with gunfire right off the bat! I had a hard time figuring out the controls, because I had not used a computer to navigate through a video game before. 

After begin shot, and killed for the first 3 times, I realized that I would have to wonder the streets more to understand how my character moves. As I ignored my assigned mission of getting Jordan, I happen to walk down a street where a Strip Club seemed to be the prominent building. The club was open, and the sun was still out so I attempted to walk in, but because I had not started the mission yet, I was unable to get in. Little to my surprise, my character had a gun, which I began to fire outside the club. After getting the attention of the cops, I began to work my way inside and shoot up the strip club. Chaos ensued, and strippers were everywhere. I knew that if I walked back outside, I would have a duel with the cops. So, I walked back out and died. I then repeated this 3 more times to try and kill everyone, and not die myself. 

Grand Theft Auto lived up to my expectations of a high level of violence, sex and crime. Although I did not complete my assigned mission, the ability to control a digital body and be autonomous was quite invigorating.

-Patrick Gapol

[luxandarc]

Are you just a pawn?

Jason Nelson describes his work Game, game, game, and again game as “a digital poem, retro-game, an anti-design statement and ‘a personal exploration of the artist’s changing worldview lens’”. In addition to these labels, I find this online experience to be very reminiscent of a role-playing game: the player must use simple arrow key/space bar controls to steer a tumbleweed-like entity throughout what seems to be thirteen levels, one by one. The game as a whole is very striking in both a remarkable and off-putting way, embodying a very abstract and chaotic mood that is almost headache-inducing when combined with the scribbled and continually-moving graphics, overlapping and clashing text, and electronic music/repetitive, mechanical beats. Moreover, the game also incorporates the “questing” aspect of the RPG, in that the character is able to collect a particular “item” within each level; however, this is never explicitly stated as a task, nor is there the hint of a reward- if the player does not happen to pick up on this pattern, it can easily go unnoticed.

As an amateur graphic designer, I found the nature of Game, game, game, and again game to be immediately overwhelming, with far too many elements competing for the viewer’s attention at once. As such, I initially did not take up the option of collecting items…and did not realize a particular plot point had been withheld as a result, until a classmate of mine pointed out what I had missed. From a poet’s perspective however, after reading the “About” section at the top-right of the screen and paying closer attention to the prose that is part of the game’s overlay, I have come to better accept the layout and gameplay; Nelson purposefully toys with the idea of chaos in simplicity, and muses as to the different ways in which man may bring about his own downfall.

Nelson’s project is an ultimate representation of utilizing multimodal rhetoric, in that it blends and plays with the power of words, audio, movement, graphics presentation, and level structure (all elements of the common media/gaming experience) in a way that is both completely immersive and halting to play. When the apocalyptic mood and melancholy proclamations are considered, Nelson’s rhetorical agency as an author and programmer, as well as our rhetorical agency as members of society, come into question. Thus, Game, game, game, and again game is an experience I thoroughly enjoyed, despite the frustration and near-migraines it brings, because it is the ultimate educational video game…educating man about himself.

The link to the game: http://collection.eliterature.org/2/works/nelson_game.html

[luxandarc]

Dark Souls II

Dark Souls II is the direct sequel to the game Dark Souls as such it takes place in the same setting and is connected to the world in the original Dark Souls, though it takes place in a different part of that “world”. Like the original, Dark Souls II begins with a cutscene that explains the origins of your character as well as the history of the world that surrounds them.  Following the cutscene Dark Souls II takes you to character creation where there are only 8 classes to choose from this time around. This appears to be because they have consolidated some of the original classes into others this time around. This time the begins in a forest where there are once again multiple signs strewn across the level.  In separate parts of the level there are tutorials to teach new players different actions they can take in the game. Unlike the preceding game there is no real boss to the tutorial, so the forest only took about 15-20 minutes to complete with a maximum of 2-3 deaths. After leaving the forest you seem to come across a main hub town. This town has many purposes from shops to allowing you to level up. This town also allows you to access three separate areas.  Of the three there is one area that cannot be accessed until certain requirements are met.  The other two are fairly similar in difficulty and if the player is patient and willing to learn the ways in which the enemies fight and when they themselves should strike they may choose to try either one. I was able to complete 1 area and explore the other over the course of 4-5 hours of play with approximately 7-10 deaths.

There have also been quite a few improvements to Dark Souls II over the original Dark Souls and Demon Souls.  Dark Souls II feels much less clunky and stiff in comparison to Dark Souls, though it still requires a controller to be played effectively on the PC. They have also upgraded the graphical quality of the game as the original seems grainy in comparison. The game has also improved in the fact that exploration still remains rewarding yet much less punishing as players will not be able to easily wander into an area much more powerful than they are capable of handling. Overall I did not believe that the game required much change apart from new content so these changes are a nice bonus.

The are also problems with this game most of which stem from their desire to improve the game.  One of the reasons the community liked the original Dark Souls was the difficulty in order to improve the game they believed they needed to up the difficult.  I do not know if that was necessary or not, however the changes made to the game in order to increase the difficulty feel very superficial. The first of which is the fact that monsters can no longer be farmed for souls (the in game currency), monsters will no longer infinitely respawn. They will only respawn 15 or so times and following this will only spawn if a certain item is used.

Another change is that all players can have their games invaded by other players. Originally this only occurred when a player was in a living human state, in Dark Souls II this can occur at anytime though will be less likely if the player is in an undead state. There is also a change with weapon durability where in the original Dark Souls weapons would slowly degrade and would eventually need repairs. In Dark Souls II weapons degrade much faster to the point where players must carry multiple weapons as well as return to a campfire in order to restore the weapons durability before it breaks. This has effectively made many weapons within the game unviable due to being too fragile.  Finally there is also now only one place in which a player may level their stats. This used to be possible at every camp fire, but is now only possible in town at a specific NPC (Non-Player Character).

[luxandarc]

"No cuts. No butts. No coconuts."

When it comes to non-handheld, console-based gaming, my family is a bit outdated. Although I did get the chance to test out many of the upgraded systems throughout the years while growing up, these opportunities arose only when I spent time at relatives’ homes- which, amid squabbling with my cousins over who got which controller, meant I got in a couple hours of solid playing time, if I was lucky. That being said, upon its release in 2006, the Nintendo Wii became the newest addition to our household. This console was the first of its kind to incorporate an immersive experience via a remote-controller, which is able to track players’ movement, in three dimensions.  As my brother enjoys the storylines and characters of movie-based video games, our collection of Wii games continues to grow, despite the decrease in my free time that would allow me to play said games. So for this play-through, I decided to select a game I had not yet experienced and whose film counterpart was one I found pretty enjoyable: Wreck-It Ralph.   

Being a children’s movie, I expected the Wreck-It Ralph game to be geared towards a younger audience, which rings true for the most part; however, I found it a little awkward that gameplay requires the use of the Wii Nunchuck attachment [which provides added button/controls, to aid in character movement (in certain games)], which in turn requires additional hand-eye coordination (or fumbling from lack thereof) and the learning of extra character abilities. In Story Mode, the player journeys through worlds based on the movie plot. To get an initial feel, I played through the first couple of levels of “Sugar Rush”, the racing game that the film’s main action is centralized in, which comprises the first world of the Wii game. Immediately apparent is the (sugary-)sweet graphics, that mimic the candy-coated racing world, Sugar Rush. Though vividly colored and fun, this backdrop gets a little confusing when the certain aspects of the landscape turn dangerous without warning: Ever lost stamina because you touched an ice-cold Popsicle? How about taken a fall because the peppermint platform you were standing on decided to give way…then drowned in a river of gooey pink frosting? You catch my drift.  One aspect I thought was pretty nifty was being able to switch between Fix-It Felix and the titular character Ralph, to access different abilities. Not only was this an option, but it was necessary to make it through the levels- at times, the active character would vocalize hints for the player to make the switch, which I found innovative, for a kid’s video game.

Overall, though still an enjoyable novelty, there is nothing particularly remarkable about the Nintendo Wii version of Wreck-It Ralph as a RPG. It is easy to play (in essence, a children’s game through and through), paints its characters and storyline well, and does a good job capturing the nostalgia of the eight-bit graphics and musical styling that you would expect to be present in a video game about a movie about video games. 

[luxandarc]

Dark Souls Impressions

Dark Souls is the spiritual successor to Demon Souls.  Demon Souls was a game with a dark fantasy setting that was famous for lack of “hand holding” and being fairly punishing for poor play.  Dark Souls continues this trend while introducing a new world with its own rich back story. You are first introduced to the world through a fairly thorough cut scene.  It describes the state of the world and the course of events that took it there.  After the cut scene you are sent to a character creation screen where you are allowed to choose from 10 classes ranging from Warrior to Mage.  Each class was defined by their main attribute and equipment.  I played Dark Souls as a thief which began with a high dexterity attribute who specialized in quick strikes that would eventually fell my enemies.  Once you have created your character the game starts you off in an undead prison that serves as a tutorial.  There are messages strewn around the prison that you may read to learn how to play the game as you progress.  Before you may leave the tutorial prison you must practice what you have learned in a miniature boss fight which will allow you to leave the prison.  It took me around 20 to 30 minutes to clear the prison as well as 2-3 deaths.  Once you leave the prison you enter a more open area with 2 different paths.  Both paths are challenging however I would recommend taking the path along the cliff on the right when you are first starting the game. After about two or three hours I found myself somewhat stuck in a castle town having died a minimum of 10 times.

This game definitely lives up to its predecessor as it brings back and improves many of the features and functions that made people loved.  One of which being the very methodical and technical gameplay.  Moves need to be thought out and done at certain points if you wish to avoid dying.  There are also special moves such as reposting and backstabbing that have certain requirements that must be fulfilled in order to be executed.  Another would be how large in scale and threatening the bosses are.  Most bosses tend to be at least 2 to 3 times larger than the player.  They are also equally dangerous as they tend to be capable of killing the player in 3-4 hits.  There is also the setting and backgrounds though dark and forlorn it is very beautiful and fitting.

There are also problems with this game especially the PC port as it requires a controller due to the games terrible keyboard and mouse control.  The game also has a large element of exploration involved with it.  This isn’t really a problem as there are many items hidden throughout the maps that may be helpful to the player.  Except in Dark Souls this can be a problem as there are multiple paths a player may take but there are also areas that may be difficult for certain players to navigate as they may be too weak.

[luxandarc]

Pokemon Emerald Nuzlocke a First Impression

This is my first attempt at a Nuzlocke Challenge run of Pokemon Emerald. For those not in the know, a Nuzlocke in the Pokemon games is a set of player governed rules set to make the game more challenging (and fun). If a Pokemon faints in battle they are considered “dead” for the remainder of the game and can no longer be used. You are also only allowed to catch the first Pokemon you encounter in each route or area. If you KO or can’t catch them, tough luck. Also, all Pokemon need nicknames!

I’m writing this article as a “veteran” Pokemon player, however I have never tried a Nuzlocke before and hope that it brings more of a challenge to the story aspect of the game. Pokemon has a very young target demographic, so when I was first played Red version, Gold, Ruby, etc. it was much more of an adventure for me. Now that I am older it is much easier to breeze through these games knowing how every mechanic works.

So I basically always pick the fire-type starter, Torchic is my choice to save Professor Birch from the pack of Poochyena attacking him. Graphically, Generation III of pokemon is my favorite. This includes, Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen. The colors and style are very rich and this was right before the advancement into the more 3D elements of the DS games, which I felt look very muddy. The overworld sprites of Emerald match the animations during the pokebattles, which I love.

After all of the introductory elements of the game are through with, the first Pokemon I can catch is a… Wurmple. A good choice if you want an early evolution, but I will probably pass on using this guy that much. My first impressions of this Nuzlocke game are only leading up to the first gym battle and so far the gameplay is a breeze. I have not even been close to losing anyone in my party. I’ve also rounded out my team with a Poochyena and Lotad before utterly destroying the first gym leader, Roxanne. As she uses rock types, my Torchic, cleverly named KIX, is at a disadvantage not yet knowing any fighting moves. Luckily I was able to run into a Lotad, even more cleverly named SPOTIFY (because it kind of looks like the Spotify icon). TM Bullet Seed on this water/grass type allowed me to essentially one-shot everyone in Roxanne’s party.

So far my impressions are that Emerald will not be much of a challenge until areas at the end of the game such as the Elite Four. I have also not experienced any post-Elite Four content for this specific game, so I am interested in finding out what will happen in that aspect. However, I am enjoying so far that I will be forced to use Pokemon that I might not usually want to use, such as Lotad who I always thought was such a weird looking creature. SPOTIFY ended up being crucial to my victory at the first gym.

(Go team!)

[luxandarc]

Cult Classic "Radiata Stories" a Review

Radiata Stories is an “old” JRPG for the PlayStation 2, developed by Tri-Ace and published by Square Enix. For its time, Radiata Stories boasted some pretty ground breaking gameplay elements and graphical style, however its overarching story mechanic has not aged well.

You play as Jack Russel, who wishes to follow in his father’s footsteps and become a Radiata knight. As to not spoil anything, through a series of events Jack becomes involved with the guilds of Radiata City and forges invaluable allies and friendships. The four powerful factions of the city being Theater Vancoor (mercenaries), Void Community (rogues), Vareth Institute (magicians/academics), and The Olacian Order (priests/monks). The non-humans become important too, who dwell in different cities outside of Radiata. These include elves, goblins, dwarves, and many other creatures.

Gameplay-wise Radiata is an open world with an over-arching story and many sidequests. Combat is action based where you control Jack, who has a wide array of different knight/mercenary weapons and skills he can utilize. I have always found that the main appeal of Radiata is the 176 NPC characters you can recruit onto your team, making your party (a max of four, including Jack) extremely customizable and diverse. However, a portion of these recruitable characters are terrible generic villagers who you would never use. Characters from all guilds, and even non-humans, can be befriended and fight for Jack. Some of these quests are much more complicated than others and many can be missed if you progress through the story too quickly. Every character in the world has a daily routine making the city feel very alive. While not affecting the main storyline a lot of the NPC backstories are very interesting and will make you feel attached to them as they fight along side you in battle.

As I mentioned the way you can miss recruiting characters, this is essentially my biggest gripe with the game. Often if you progress through Jack’s main storyline too quickly you will miss your chance to recruit certain characters. There is really know way of knowing how and when you can recruit someone without following a strategy guide. Certain characters are also only available after certain events in the game and then there are characters like the guild leaders, who need all guild members befriended before you can recruit them. This makes for a very difficult first play through, knowing you missed out on so many awesome opportunities and storylines.

(My late game team. Swords only.)

While I have these issues with Radiata’s gameplay and story mechanics, I still highly recommend playing through this gem. With the huge cast of characters there will probably be something for every player to love and there are even more interesting decisions Jack must make in his own story quest throughout his adventures in Radiata.

[luxandarc]

In my last update Horn had just battled a robot, decapitated him, and sent him chasing after his head through the forest. Upon following the robot through a myriad of other tutorial-based actions, a cut scene interrupts with another mysterious giant stomping through the forest trampling the trees. Horn is startled but the player resumes control over the character and is encourage to continue chasing after the robot and his head through more of the tutorial.

Initial Reaction:

As a player with little experience playing RPGs on the iPad, the controls feel clunky and somewhat difficult to maneuver/make precise actions. I do like the feature of swiping to complete actions though. The game developers took advantage of the natural game play interface and made the movements of the character feel immersive and intuitive. Instead of swiping, a tap could have been used to indicate movement, but the designer’s choice makes me really feel connected to my avatar/character as if I am really playing the role. I think with time I will get used to the controls and be able to complete more finess movements.

  Eventually, Horn catches up to the Robot whose head is caught in a tree. The robot body tries to reach for it but accidentally flings it farther away into the jungle and then short circuits himself after falling into a river bed (there goes the humor again). Horn picks up what appears to be a crossbow on the ground, presumably dropped by the robot body (it was never used in the combat scene).

Initial Reaction:

There is a great balance between seriousness and comic relief. I hope more of the robots continue to this trend of being, for lack of better words, stupidly entertaining. The unique personality of the robot really adds to the gameplay and makes the tutorial bearable.

 What I don’t like is how Horn comes to find the cross bow on the ground. It seems incredibly out of place and a bit confusing because it was never properly introduced to the storyline. It’s just an additional weapon that he is able to use. Not to mention, the weapon interface is not as intuitive as the sword. It requires precision to use and because of the iPads clunky-ness it is pretty difficult to get a fast and accurate shot with the crossbow. I probably won’t be very successful with it if I have to use it as an actual combat device.

  The player is now able roam freely throughout the world (for the most part) and encounters a split road. I chose to go down the road to Cuthbert because I recognized it from the introduction. Horn also recognizes the name and realizes that the world that he’s in now is the world from his past—before he was unconscious. The road is conveniently blocked off by another robot with an amazing sense of humor and I battled and conquered it without throwing any silly unnecessary potions.  

On this path Horn also encounters the unknown giant (from the beginning of this post). The results of this battle are quite surprising …

Initial Reaction:

I was quite shocked with what happened to the giant. I don’t want to give out too much here but after this scene, the story suddenly made a lot more sense. If I had to speculate about what happened to Horn I might guess that he’s fallen asleep and the world that he’s created is some kind of fantasy dream he’s having. I really hope that the story is not THAT predictable, but I am so far quite intrigued to keep on playing. I appreciate the minor plot twist that the developers have built into the game and it’s really helping to develop the story arc. 

[luxandarc]

Horn is a single player action adventure game for mobile platforms. My play experience will be limited to the iPad edition of the game. Horn offers two modes of play: Story Mode and Quest Mode. For this first-reactions play-through I will focus on Story Mode which promotes itself as “an epic journey of Horn the Blacksmiths Apprentice on a quest to save his homeland of Reynes” 

Horn opens with an unusually long narrative visualized through comic book style art in order to place the story in Reynes—a peaceful land that has prospered throughout the Middle Ages. Eventually, the location is narrowed to a town in Reynes, Cuthbert, where the player meets the main character: Horn. The only background information the player is given about Horn is that he was a young Orphan living in the care of his Aunt Bell. The game officially begins with a final cut scene depicting Horn unconscious on the ground and a slow transition from the 2 dimensional comic into the actual 3D world of the game.

My Reaction:

I was quite impressed with how the storyline was laid out and the choice to use the comic book style art to open. It was  fresh take on the typical RPG story game which requires storyline introduction. Usually, the backstory is presented using the same medium as the game and the studio animates simply animates the models to enact the necessary story to set the stage and world. Horn does something different with the comic book opening. Beginning this way successfully captivated my interest as a player. In addition, the comic book / storyboard effect helps to build up the distinction between past events from the introduction and the present reality that my character is involved in. 

As the player gains control of their character for the first time, Horn has a built in basic tutorial in which text instructions are displayed to the player. In order to progress through the world the player naturally learns how to manipulate their character’s actions and camera view. The controls are quite interactive. For example, to move to a location the player simply taps on the screen. A swipe upwards pulls the character onto a ledge, and a swift swipe from side to side allows him to swing a sword when in combat.

  Eventually, following the natural path of the tutorial, the player is lead towards a giant mechanical being. The “robot” is confused as to Horns Presence, “Why do you look strange? You are pink and rubbery.” Horn (the player) must engage in a mock battle and fight for his life.

Initial Reaction:

The basic game tutorial is built intuitively and naturally into the game. The limitations typical of a tutorial such as limited character movement and damage intake are not too restrictive. I could freely move around the virtual world and get a feel for my character. What I like in particular about the game so far is that it has incredible detail for the surroundings for a mobile platform game. There’s  a great attention to detail in the landscape’s textures and models. For example, Horn’s stature and youth is showcased nicely in that he wears oversized clothes like an orphan/child but is overshadowed by the largeness of the world he has been placed in. I also like that the other characters within the storyline have a sense of humor and have colorful commentary.

What I don’t like is that Horn automatically seems to have some skills as a warrior/fighter. He wields a sword and can swing it around with the force of an adult and experienced swordsman. When the game progresses to a combat scene he can tumble around like he’s been doing it for years. All of this seems to be at odds with the backstory character that was introduced to me at the start of the game. I wasn’t expecting a warrior like this at all. In essence, there was not enough backstory presented in the introduction to support this kind of rapid character development. But I suppose, as the word he’s living in now appears magical, that it makes some sense that he’s developed powers of his own. I also suppose that because this is a mobile game, the size of the game also needed to be taken into account.

  One other thing that I did not like about the game so far was the battle tutorial. Throughout the fight it was prompting me to use a potion to make the opponent dizzy. I understand that the tutorial supposed to teach me how to use the potions in combat, but I was doing fine without it—swinging away with my sword. Eventually, the health of the robot wasn’t depleting and I was forced to throw the potion that I wanted to save (because I should be given that right to).

[luxandarc]

Another accessory like the Strange Hourglass [x] where it serves a battle purpose mainly (as far as the story has given us) but has a connection to Agnès that is yet to be explained.

I really like how the game sets up the important in-game items with a purpose more than a "here's a random item that might be helpful but maybe/not really" that gets chucked in the inventory with everything else, forgotten. But Agnès is not about to just forget why the pendant is so important to her.

[luxandarc]

Oracle drive is suppose to show the future events, which I heard is a common theme in the FF13 series. This connection to future events is contradicted by the limited hours of the future. The world is going to end in about thirteen days, yet people want to alter the moments before the end of the world. Another aspect of the game that I notice is why does Lumina show up in every important event? I feel as Lumina is Lighting's guide through the main quests in the game. How does she appear in these important area, and how does she anticipate future events. 

[luxandarc]

What is going on? Is Lumina her sister? This sequence that goes inside of  Lightning's head is suppose to reflect her true feelings, but she hides her feelings away. Lumina tries to help Lightning express her feeling, but in vain. Then she repeats Serah's lines to trigger a reaction out of Lightning, which confuse my understanding of Lumina's role in the game. Who is she? 

[luxandarc]

What is interesting about the story line is the character,Lumina. She is introduce in Lighting Returns as a mysterious individual that can be a friend or a foe. Her interactions with Lighting suggests that some moments Lumina helps Lightning, while other instances Lumina will bring out a monster from the chaos for Lighting. I wonder how Lumina will affect the story line for the game. 

[luxandarc]

Luxerion is consider to be the last safe haven in a world of peril and destruction, yet this line displays a different picture on the divine city of light. The dummy that is suppose to mimic Lighting, the savior, may display a fear in some of the end of the world. 

[luxandarc]

Lighting's goal is to bring salvation to as many living souls before the end of the world. I doing so, "God" or Bhunivelze will bring Serah back to life. Therefore, Lighting's main goal is her drive to reunite with her sister. 

[luxandarc]

 What was interesting about Lightning Returns is the flashback sequence in the story line. The creator summarize Lightning's reactions to the events in the previous Final Fantasy 13 games and emphasis the effects of losing her sister, Serah. Lightning's connection to her sister and the rest of her friends is emphasis with her desire to help Snow, her interaction with Noel, and her reminiscing moments spent with her sister. I feel that future events will expand on Lightning's memories and will affect her actions in the story line.