For some reason, I can’t quite seem to focus on finishing a Team Fortress 2 map successfully lately; after scrapping my first CTF map concept, I started up another one (as mentioned a few weeks ago), but now I’ve decided to drop that one and start work on a new variation of the first one.  While this does manage to keep things fresh and new, it’s not so great in terms of actually getting a final product.  This week also feels like a bit of a holding pattern in terms of starting new games, as I know a whole slew of titles I’m interested in are coming out over the next several weeks, first and foremost being the new Fire Emblem for the DS.  With that in mind, I haven’t really wanted to get too involved in any older titles, so I’ve just continued hacking away at King’s Bounty and Hoshigami.  Speaking of Hoshigami, if anyone out there comprehends this confeigm engraving system, please enlighten me; even the FAQ writers don’t seem entirely clear on it…

-Joel Haddock

After spending time over the weekend advancing plotlines in Persona, almost all of this week has been spent in various dungeon-crawling games. The boss in the 4th Persona dungeon didn’t even give a second though about handing me my own ass, so i decided that I needed to get my levels up, especially that of my healer. One thing I like about the Persona games is the “rush battle” option…if I know i’m going to win, hit triangle and your dudes will just attack over and over, until the enemy is dead, while I sit back and watch something on TV (truly, I am a great leader). Also nabbed “Dungeon Siege: Throne of Agony” for the PSP…I loved the PC games (and am a huge sucker for that style of game), and I’m enjoying the PSP outing as well…not a lot of depth there, but it’s good for a diversion when I just want to play something for 20 minutes. I also finally got around to hopping on the Left4Dead train, and almost immediately hopped back off due to my PC’s complete inability to play the damn thing at a decent framerate, which has angered me to the point where I’m finally considering biting the bullet and getting a new PC – anyone have any recommendations for the best gaming machine I can build on about a $650 budget?

-Jeff Feeser

My gaming time was extremely limited this week, to the point that I think all I’ve actually played was a short bout of Team Fortress 2 and some Hoshigami Remix on the train.  Hoshigami Remix, it should be noted, was designed by beings from another plane of existance with a deep hatred for humans; the coinfeigm engraving/evolution system makes absolutely no sense to me whatsoever.  On the TF2 front, I put some more time in with my map (currently, ctf_inspiredname), and started trying to get a handle on playing Scout in preparation for the pending update.  Scout is the one class I have always studiously avoided, due to my really sucking at it – now is the time to remedy that.   Finally, I found myself suddenly missing Star Wars: Galaxies crafting system yesterday completely out of the blue; this is grounds for slapping me.

-Joel Haddock

After 65 hours of making friends and beating things with swords, I can finally claim victory over Persona 4; my review, of course, is pending!  I managed to get the “real” ending to the game on the first try, but not through any skill of my own – I was checking a FAQ for something unrelated during the end sequence, and happened to glance down and see the completely random series of actions I had to take to get the best ending.  I’ve talked about arbitrary actions leading to good/bad endings, and this unfortunately falls into the same category – still, a minor quibble overall.   Still powering my way through Hoshigami Remix on the DS, and I curse this game’s lack of a quick-save feature on a daily basis; completely inexcusable in a handheld game.  Finally, on the old-fashioned side of things, I’ve just finished writing the rules and putting together a prototype of a boardgame I’m working on; I’ll be running the first playtest this weekend, and many revisions will be soon to follow, I’m sure.

-Joel Haddock

I, too, am still plugging my way through Persona 4, although my progress hasn’t been nearly as great as Joel’s, due to the game’s constant propensity to screw me over.  A fight will start, the enemy goes first, enrages my main character, who attacks it, the attack is countered, he criticals himself, and dies; and in Persona, when your main character dies, it’s game over.  Poof, there goes an hour or so of work, and my motivation to continue playing for that evening.  I managed to snag myself a PSP used for 30 bucks last week (in a very shady, craigslist based deal), so I’m now looking for anyone’s recommendations of games, so let me know in the comments.  Final note:  I know i’m late getting on the Lumines train, but if you haven’t gotten it yet, don’t…it’ll ruin your life…I started playing, and next thing i knew, it was two and a half hours later.

-Jeff Feeser

Took my first stab at (what I think is) the final boss of Persona 4 last night; got wiped out after twenty minutes of fighting, so I think I’m definitely going to have to revise my strategy on this one.  This is one of those games I’ll be a little sad to finish, because I’ve enjoyed playing it so much – that’s the sure sign of a keeper.  Got King’s Bounty for the PC this week after playing the demo – plays very much like Heroes of Might and Magic, but with a real-time world map.  I’ll provide more impressions as I get some more time in with it.  Finally, started over on Hoshigami: Remix on the DS after a 6 month hiatus; that game was designed by people who hate people.

-Joel Haddock