Square Enix’s partnership with Koei Tecmo, more specifically developer Omega Force, has led to two very fun games that mesh together two different genres into one compelling experience. While the combat has changed quite a bit from the turn based roots of the mainline series, Dragon Quest Heroes 2 is still an RPG and with that comes skill boosts that can be very useful.
Dragon Quest Heroes 2 provides the various characters in your party with Skill Points at each new level reached by gaining experience points, which can then be used to upgrade stats like HP, Strength, as well as provide new abilities.
This differs from say Dragon Quest 8, where Skill Points were allocated into different weapons and you received new abilities and upgrades from that specifically weapon type. However, the game still offers something just like this by separating them into what are known as Proficiency Abilities.
Proficiency Abilities are a separate set of new abilities and stat boosts that come from focusing on specific weapon types. For instance, having a two-handed sword equipped on your character will cause the proficiency ranking for that weapon to go up for that specific character, which are indicated by star rankings. Each of the weapon types have 15 total stars that you can work towards, with each providing some new ability or stat boost.
Just reaching these levels won’t unlock the new abilities and stat boosts though, as you instead have to visit who is known as the Martial Master. He is located in Accordia, one of the first areas you visit in the game.
If you’ve checked out our guide on how to change party members, we mentioned a building that housed many important people in Accordia, which is exactly where we want to go. You can just check around and find this building, but unlike the other NPCs that are located behind counters, the guy you need to talk to is just to the right as you enter.
The man you need to speak with is the aforementioned Martial Master and is wearing a green robe, making him definitely stand out. All you have to do is simply talk to him and he will unlock anything you have earned through the weapon proficiency ability rankings. This is definitely something you’ll want to keep up with and stay on top of with leveling up certain weapons types so that your team can be very well rounded. Visiting him can also earn you Party Powers that can help boost your entire party as well.
I’ve been avoiding 3D gaming like the plague. Only second to the gimmick filled antics of the motion controllers that were released last year, I was content to hunker down and let 3D phase itself out. This weekend at BlizzCon, I got to get intimate with LG’s Cinema 3D technology, while playing one of my most anticipated games, StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm.
Now before I get started here, there’s something you should know. LG flew us out to BlizzCon to cover their product, and while this wasn’t my first experience with a PR trip, it was one that I was a little hesistant about because of my overall dislike/uniformed opinion on 3D gaming. See, the Nintendo 3DS gives me a headache, and the short stint of play testing I did at my local Best Buy on an “active” 3D display, left me dizzy and disoriented. That said, I had pretty much written off the liklihood of ever making the jump into 3D gaming. As immersive as the technology is, it’s hard to justify the physical effects of playing for just a short time.
As hesistant as I was to jump in, getting to play Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm against a fellow journalist who didn’t know how to defend a ling rush, coaxed me in nicely. And once I was in, I wasn’t leaving, because not only was I playing Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm, I was playing it in 3D and enjoying the hell out of it. It was a great game to show off the new tech for me, Starcraft II is a beautiful game and the battlefield being layered in the manner that it is, it shows off the technology nicely. With clear distinictions between the foreground, battlefield, and backdrop, there’s a better sense of immersion than in its standard view. The air units and ground units have a clear distinction with the 3D technology enabled on the monitor, and I was surprised that the functionality of the game wasn’t decreased in the least. Grabbing and splitting units was still a breeze, although it was easy to kind of get lost in the beauty of it all.
So how did this happen? How did I go from anti-3D, to pricing televisions and monitors to enhance my gaming in just two days? Well talking with the technical folks at the LG booth, I’ve come to find out that the technology is quite different than what I had already experienced. Obviously, the 3DS which I mentioned above is glasses free, and the “Active 3D Technology” found in many 3D televisions is the only one that I had experienced. The LG Cinema 3D displays use a “passive” 3D technology and their design focus is to provide the end users a more “comfortable viewing experience” while having “no perceived loss in resolution”. This focus is blatantly obvious. As a consumer, I naturally assimilate cost with quality. That couldn’t be more wrong in this case.
The monitor that I tested was the LG D2342P Cinema 3D LED Monitor. They had other models on the show floor, which incorporated the same technology into a larger package. But when I explained my gaming setup, and what I wanted from a 3D monitor, the engineers that I spoke with boasted about the fact that it would do exactly the same things it did for StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm to any of my catalog of video games. Which is when I got extremely excited. What this meant was for the price of the monitor, which retails at $349 and no other out of pocket expenses, I could have 3D for all my games. Whether the game has been developed in 3D or not, the LG D2342P will allow you to play in either 2D or 3D at the press of a button. Through software provided, any 2D images or films can be converted into a 3D view, according to LG.
After my day one experience with the technology, I was still on the fence. But I think myself and anyone that stopped by the LG Booth to watch the StarCraft II GSL matches on Day 2 on the mind boggling 260 inch display, can attest to just how well the 3D does for the viewing experience, whether you are playing the game or not. Driving home the point even further, I also attended Kotaku’s meet-up which was sponsored by Samsung. Right then and there, I realized why I had been so turned off by 3D. The Samsung technology on display was of the “Active” kind, not only did it not look as good as what I had played earlier in the day, but it was nearly double the price. To be fair the monitor was a couple of inches larger, but the quality in my eyes was heavily skewed towards LG in the comparable displays.
Talking with fans as they exited the LG Booth and StarCraft II Experience in 3D, many common threads popped up. For one, nearly every person I talked to had agreed with fact that they felt less strain on their eyes. As gamers we subject ourselves to long play sessions, and for many, utilizing 3D for extended periods of time just isn’t feasible. With many of the people who visited the booth to the play the game battling it out for 30 mins to an hour, most people said that they were as comfortable going out as they were going in. I think alot of people were also surprised at just how affordable the monitor is. At $349, it’s definitely a gateway drug into 3D gaming.
As you can see, we were impressed with LG’s demonstration of the Cinema 3D technology. So much so that the journalistic hat came off, and gave way to the consumer that is always looking to get the most out of my entertainment per dollar spent. Now I have to say that I only experienced StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm and that I only played it on the model that I mentioned above. I can’t speak to the quality of other games, or other models, but if you were looking for an affordable way into 3D gaming, and aren’t willing to sacrifice quality, LG’s new monitors seem to be the best in class.
A new small video has been released for LEGO Star Wars 7: The Force Awakens that focuses on the character of Poe Dameron. The character will take part in a lot of action sequences in the game.
Much like in the movie itself, Poe Dameron will be doing action on-foot as well as inside of his black and orange X-Wing. Oscar Isaac reprises his role in the video game voicing several new scenes that are included.
New to LEGO Star Wars 7: The Force Awakens is a cover system that is used in many other third-person shooters. The villains also have some brand new toys/weapons that were not featured in the actual film.
A selling point for the video game is that it adds a few scenes that happen before the events of The Force Awakens. Most of the actors reprise their roles to voice their respective characters. This is unlike Disney Infinity 3.0 where only four of the actors returned.
A flyer distributed by Gamestop has some new information regarding the DLC and Season Pass plan for the upcoming Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 video game.
As reported by ShonenGamez a flyer from Gamestop gave more details on what the Season Pass for Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 contains.
The Season Pass gives you the exclusive Akatsuki Combination Ougi, but you also get early access to the DLC packs for the game as well. The release dates for the DLC have also been revealed.
The first DLC pack comes out on March 1st, but Season Pass holders will be able to get it on February 26th. The second DLC pack is due out April 5th, but Season Pass owners can play it on March 29th. Lastly the third DLC pack releases on May 3rd, however the Season Pass allows you to own it on April 26th.
If you are a huge Naruto fan, you might consider buying the Season Pass for Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4. The incentive to play it earlier than everyone else is very persuasive. Not to mention you will get the DLC packs cheaper than if you were to buy them separately.
Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 4 releases for PC, PS4 and Xbox One on February 9th, 2016. In Europe, the game comes out earlier on February 5th, 2016.
Sony’s next generation of home consoles has yet to be announced, and the company has gone as far as to say that they aren’t focused on the next generation at all. However, a recent report out of Forbes explains why the company may be more focused on what’s next, than they are letting on. According to the financial publication, former AMD employees revealed that the chip maker has a “key role” in the unannounced console.
AMD which is currently used by Microsoft for the Xbox 360, was not used by Sony in the PlayStation 3. They instead opted to go with Nvdia. Did Sony make a switch for their next generation of consoles?
Both Sony and AMD are being extremely quiet on the topic. Forbes claims that both companies have declined to comment on the leak from the former employees. Sony’s Jack Tretton recently explained why the company isn’t focused on the next generation, with the Vita freshly launched, and the belief that the PS3 still has some good years ahead of it.
Rumors have also suggested that Sony was set to reveal the PlayStation 4 at E3 2012, but the company also shot down those rumors earlier this month.
If you haven't heard yet, This is my new little baby sister. Her name is Gabbana ... I really wuff her .. but she gets into everything (that is mine)....
Mr. Pink Bunny ... my big brother barks.. if I take Rover one more time .. you are his... Don't worry I got you!!!
I am loving little sister, she is precious! Looks like they are having fun playing and hanging out. Everyone needs a playmate :)
Oh my goodness, this is the cutest thing ever! It looks like they are having a blast together. What a fantastic little cabin! My favorite photo is on the patio chasing each other. Over the winter we adopted Ashley another little chihuahua and this reminds me of she and her big sissie. Baby is always teasing, stealing toys....lol. We take Little Lola over to visit and they play all afternoon in the yard, giving big sister a break. So fun.
What a joy this little baby-girl Gabbana. Dolce will have to get used to sharing 'his' toys... But that's part of the game. They act like little children and it takes a lot of guidance from their human parents. By the time summer comes around they both will be playfully darting off into the garden; their HEAVEN!
Oh, SO cute! You are making me want a Yorkie puppy! Can you imagine that? Five dogs. My husband would have me committed. I will just have to live out my Yorkie puppy dreams through you.
I miss my dogs so much but not ready yet to be tied down with 2 more. I live alone and when i travel I always had to board them and that was sad for all of us invloved
OMG! Love this - I am crazy about dogs and this made my day. I need to get a picture of my girls up . My older girl is wearing a leg brace and my 8 month old just got spayed so she is sedated and wearing a cone ... Poor girls!
What a cute post, Celia! Your new little addition to the family is adorable! Have fun and enjoy your week.
Soooooooooooooooo cute... just adorable.. All I have ever wanted was a little dog and my husband bought a freaking wolf ...thank you so much for popping over and reading my new stuff xxx
She is adorable!!! I am sure it is alot of work...that puppy stage is priceless, but oh my I remember getting so stressed :) And yet we are thinking of a new baby for our Golden, to keep her company ~ let me know how it goes!
As the weather continues to warm up the desire to get outside heightens. And being in the city offers many choices to do just that. Within 15 minutes we are casually enjoying a late morning stroll at Humber Bay Shores Park.
Oh my! Yes this is the very best way for soaking up on vitamin D! What a beautiful view you got and also love your Burberry ballerinas.
These images remind me so much of walking along the harbor front in San Diego, let alone all of the beautiful beaches!!
I enjoy living near parks and hiking trails ( we have one behind our house) and enjoyed your photos. Love the pattern on your shoes, and it looks like a pretty place to be!