DS Games in March 2008

March is really a busy month for me. Work (my own project), work-related work (some workshops and some proposals), not-really-work-related work (MC tasks and newsletter editing), and definitely-not-work work (preparing for family visit), etc. A lot need to be handled - Internet service extension, gym card extension, etc. So, from first glance, I definitely have no time for game, but I do. In the weekends, despite of doing all the definitely-not-work work, I really relax, i.e., do nothing at all. In addition to the PSP games, two DS games definitely have most of my attention, namely "Final Fantasy Tactics A2: The Sealed Grimoire" (FFTA2) and "Tales of Innocence" (ToI).



FFTA2 certainly suits me well cause I love strategic role-playing-game (SRPG). Considering I have spent more than 50 hours on "Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions" (FFT) on PSP. This is a sequel of FFT. The game takes place in Ivalice, like Final Fantasy Tactics Advance and Final Fantasy XII. There are seven playable races in the game: Hume, Moogle, Viera, Bangaa, Seeq, Nu Mou and Gria. Chronologically, the game takes place some time after "Final Fantasy XII". The main character, Luso Clemens, is a mischievous boy who lived in the real world until, after being punished for teasing and being late countless times and sent to library clean-up duty right before summer vacation, he finds an old book in the library. The book is full of pictures of swords and wizards, but abruptly becomes blank in the middle. After this, the book commands that the reader should tell/write the person who should fill in this blank (presumably the 'hero' of the story). He then writes his own name on the blank page, Luso Clemens, after which he is transported into the world of Ivalice. And, the adventure goes on.

Next, ToI is semi-action role-playing game (ARPG). The Imperial Capital of Regnum kept itself in peace during the long-lasting world war. Slowly, people with a "special power" began to appear. Feared by normal people, Regnum set out a law to capture all people with special powers. One day, Ruca, the son of a merchant in Regnum, realizes the special power within him. So, the main protagonists are teaming up, with different special power seek for the special power that is going to "save the world". Tales of Innocence has six playable protagonists to the story. Ruca Milda, the protagonist of the game, lives in the Imperial Capital Regnum and is a shy honor student who is picked on by other children. Iria Animi is the impulsive, quick-tempered heroine of the game who runs away from her village after being chased by a mysterious group. A small, strange creature named Coda follows her. Spada Belforma is a warm-hearted, righteous young man from a family of nobility who cut off ties with his family for unknown reasons. Ricardo Soldato is an experienced mercenary who wields a rifle and bayonet with impressive ability who meets with Ruca for unknown reasons. Hermana Larmo is a young girl who was orphaned because of recent wars, who moves at her own pace. Ange Serena is a sister at a sanctuary in a city. She posses powers of healing, which causes the people to refer to her as a "holy woman". She is skilled at the worldly and political matters of society.