Sunday, November 23, 2008

Disgaea DS

I love spoofs, but good spoofs are hard to find. I love video games too but, although there’re certainly many good ones, it’s hard to find one I really like. Spoof video games (which, it has to be said, are different from video game spoofs) are even harder to find, much less good ones. Disgaea DS, though, is one of those rare finds.

Adapted almost directly from the most excellent Disgaea: Hour Of Darkness for the PS2 (which was also adapted into Disgaea: Afternoon Of Darkness on the PSP), Disgaea DS is, thanks to a few certain extras, arguably the definitive version of a spoof about strategy RPGs (roleplaying games) and roleplaying games that is perhaps, ironically, one of the best in the genre.

Due to its satrical nature, Disgaea’s story is lighthearted and the game doesn’t take itself too seriously at any point in time. Prince Laharl, heir to the throne of the underworld, wakes up after a two year nap to find his father long gone and that he has to fight his way back to the throne.

While the story might seem pretty standard, it has all the prerequisite twists and turns that marks a RPG while having a bevy of unbelievably likeable characters (ranging from the punky back-stabbing assistant Etna to her crew of decidedly awesome penguin warriors) and a deeply humorous script that pokes fun at everything from the characters (especially when they’re stereotyped) to the game itself to the genre.

While the witty story and delivery already sets it apart from its brothers in the genre (most of which are overwrought exercises in drama or have reed-thin cliche plotlines that any five year old could write), the gameplay, which is after all the focal point of any strategy RPG, is what truly makes the game stand out.

To cut it short, if you’ve played any SRPG before (Final Fantasy Tactics, Tactics Ogre etc.), you’d know what to expect. Whlie the gameplay might not be as immediately accessible as, say, Final Fantasy Tactics A2 (which is the premiere SRPG on a system that has a pretty decent range of these games) and the learning curve is slightly steep at the beginning thanks to the overwhelming load of options a gamer is presented with, the basic square-grid chess-like battling system should be pretty easy to pick up, even for beginners.

The standard SRPG battling elements are solid in this game but what makes it stand out amongst the rest is the addition of geo panels and colouring. Basically, geo panels are objects on the battlefield that add certain effects (at times good, at others terrible) and, if destroyed when on a grid that is of a different colour, sends a damage wave every grid of that same colour on the whole map. Manipulating, moving and destroying the geo panels is an initially daunting and overwhelming prospect that nevertheless adds an immense amount of strategic value to experienced gamers.

In terms of production values the game is pretty top par. While it might not have the beautiful 2D art of FFTA2 and the visuals might not stand up to the PS2 and PSP versions (naturally), the semi-3D graphic style of the game is definitely pleasing to the eye and some of the flashier spells and effects are decidedly breath-taking. The score and special effects, while not outstanding, are not distracting and at times even kooky in a cool way.

If all that the multiple hours of gameplay are not enough (the main story alone is worth up to about 40 hours of solid gaming), the game also throws in several extras that are exclusive to the DS version.

A side-splitting running commentary is kept up by a prinny (one of the fighting penguins) for the whole game, extra characters are open for unlocking, there’s a Dark Assembly where you can petition for better items and stuff (and in case of failure, get it by force) and, in case you still want more, every single item in the game has an item world, which is a series of randomised battlefields that get increasingly more difficult but which upon successful completion gives more items, experience and make the item itself more powerful.

From start to finish, Disgaea DS is a fun-filled, challenging strategy gem that, despite not having the immense visual polish of FFTA2, serves up a crap load of unbelievably indepth gameplay (even more so than the above-mentioned) and laughs too.

Definitely a must for any SRPG fan, DS owner or even gamer in general.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Quantum Of Solace

Some people watch Bond movies for the riveting action sequences; some for the Bond girls; some for the Bond guys themselves (although the latest James might not necessarily be the hugest draw ever - roguish charm not withstanding). Me? I always watch it for the kooky gadgets and dreamy cars.

Which is why I was sad to learn that the latest film in the franchise, Quantum Of Solace would have no gadgets and that the only apperance of an Aston Martin would be in the opening requisite car chase scene, where it would then proceed to get as banged up as a car can possibly be. Still, despite the lack of my favourite Bond factors, I was surprised to find myself enjoying the movie pretty much.

Unlike other Bond films which usually stand alone pretty well, QoS is a direct continuation of the previous film, series prequel Casino Royale. Still bitter from the death of his lover, Bond seeks revenge on her killer and on the way finds himself embroiled in an international conspiracy involving a supposed philanthropist aiding a cookie-cutter villainous general overthrow the Bolivian government in exchange for an apparently useless piece of Bolivian desert (which, of course, isn’t all that useless).

With double-crossing and backstabs galore, the movie’s plot is thin yet convoluted and unbelievably unintelligible, with new characters constantly joining the mix, snatches of mystifying dialogue making things all the worse, and a distinct lack of cohesion. But, of course, expecting a Bond film to make sense is like expecting a Meg Ryan film to be a horror flick revolving around zombies and chainsaw killers.

Bond films have always been known for its adrenaline pumping action scenes and here, QoS delivers in spades. From the afore-mentioned opening scene all the way through right to the final, explosion-packed hero-villain showdown, the action is nonstop and the great pacing keeps audiences glued to their seats. Taking it up several notches from the decidedly action-free Casino Royale, QoS features boat chases, car chases, a pistol duel, an airborne battle and an shockingly high body count.

The acting, too, is top notch. Following its predecessor and departing from the campy,non-too-serious feel of previous Bond films, QoS is decidedly edgier, grittier and more realistic (although not as gritty as Casino Royale) and it shows in the lead. Daniel Craig is a stoic, harsh, jaded spy, although he does start to exhibit some of the suave debonair of the Bond that the character ends up being.

Olga Kurylenko, as the main Bond girl Camille, a Bolivian seeking revenge on the above-mentioned general for murdering her family, is equally gritty and tough and more than a match for ol’ Jimmy. Hot yet not utterly useless (as some Bond girls have proven to be), Camille more than holds up her end of the fight, even getting to finish off her own big villain in the climatic finale.

The supporting cast is competent, too, with Dame Judi Dench shining as strict, no-nonsense M, Bond’s boss.

While QoS won’t be wowing audiences looking for their intellectual fix but for fans of the series or action movie aficianados, the movie won’t disappoint. It’s not the best in the series but it’s definitely far from the worst.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Monday, November 03, 2008

Ji De Chi Desserts

Desserts have always been one of my favourite parts of the meal. Be it as a light, refreshing compliment to a heavy main course, a sweet-tooth satisfying end to a meal or even as a chill-out snack by itself, I think desserts, especially of the Chinese variety, are a quintessential part of Singaporean food culture.

A few weeks ago, I was at Shaw Towers for a birthday party at Creation Cafe (which I reviewed two entries back) and, on the way out, my friends and I passed by a Chinese dessert shop in Liang Seah Street. Enticed by their exciting menu (which included amazingly attractive photos of durian- and mango-centric desserts), we headed right in for a sweet fix.

Styled with an old-school, 1950s Chinatown coffeeshop look which only adds to its authentic, traditional feel (they even serve their desserts in blue-patterned white china!), Ji De Chi (or Remember To Eat, in English) serves up a whole of range of desserts, ranging from popular oldies like sesame paste and ice kachang to new-fangled dishes like durian puree and mango/grass jelly mixes.

Apparently, the restaurant is known for their ginger soups, of which one of my friends ordered a variation of in the form of tang yuan (glutinous balls) with a ginger soup base. According to her, the tang yuan were pretty good, cloying and slightly chewy, with a thick peanut filling. The ginger soup, though, was rather overwhelming, with the smell wafting to our table the moment it came out of their cooker.

I went for the afore-mentioned mango/grass jelly mix, which had a sago base and also had pomelo bits in it. While the grass jelly was bland and didn’t add anything to the concoction, the slightly sour pomelo bits were a perfect compliment to the very sweet, ripe mango slices.

I also shared a durian roll with a friend. With a hefty durian filling wrapped in a glutinous skin, the dish was suitably heavy and overwhelming on the taste buds, although the glutinous wrap did nothing to enhance either taste or texture.

The star of the table, though, had to be the durian puree, a thick, luscious bowl of pure, unadulterated mashed durians with a smattering of pomelo bits on top. The taste of the dish was intense and packed a gastronomical punch, every spoonful eliciting a declaration of love from the eater. Here, though, the pomelo bits tasted a tad mismatched, although the overwhelming taste of the puree pretty much rendered it negligible anyway.

While the desserts are priced slightly higher than the usual coffeeshop fare (each dish cost around S$5 or so), the quality is also better than the usual. True, some of the dishes are decidedly hit-or-miss but the durian puree alone is enough to warrant a visit here.