25 Days of Christmas - #7: Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles

One of the most popular RPG series over the years has been Final Fantasy. From its humble beginnings as a last-ditch effort to revive a dying company, to its upcoming highly-anticipated and visually stunning thirteenth main game, the series has proved itself a force to be reckoned with. To accommodate to the changing times, the series had to go through many changes, and the more recent titles have shifted from turn-based to real-time battle. Final Fantasy has spawned numerous sub-series as well, including Final Fantasy: Tactics and Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles.

Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles takes place in a world rebuilt after the fall of the Lilty empire. Due to the miasma that has engulfed the land, each city must send out a caravan on an annual basis to retrieve myrrh from trees in order to maintain the power of the city’s crystal. The four tribes, though they work together to fight off the imposing monster threat, have a very uneasy relationship and none of them get along well with one another. This makes an interesting dynamic as players interact with the characters in-game, hearing different stories of days long gone by. Much later in the game, the focus shifts to solving the mystery of everyone’s dwindling memories, turning the game towards a much more melancholy mood.


The world of Crystal Chronicles is vast and colorful. Each level breathes a different life into the gameplay, throwing its own respective horde of enemies at the player(s). Grunt soldiers will prove to be easy to defeat, but larger enemies will force players to be more conservative in their tactics. Players will also find themselves cycling back and forth through magic and weapon attacks when faced with a group of enemies. The art style remains consistent, but throws a different flair with each level. The towering fortress of Rebena te Ra is imposing and haunting with its signs of former glory. Mt. Kilanda and Lynari Desert throw some of the harshest environmental factors at players, and are both physically and mechanically removed from the levels of the mainland. River Belle Path and Veo lu Sluice exemplify the visual beauty of the world, while offering more puzzle-based gameplay. Tida offers a look into the darker and more depressing parts of the world, giving a glimpse of what could potentially occur if the caravan fails to return myrrh to their home village. Even the cities to which players travel to fill up on supplies are diverse and carry their own code of honor.


In regards to the magic available to players, there are more generic attacks such as fire, blizzard, and thunder. Cure and clear with aid party members during their trek through each level, and ease up on their dependency on food items. Combining different magic will create stronger spells that can include blunt attacks from fira and blizzara, and more specifically concentrated magic such as gravity.

Each tribe has different strengths and weaknesses. The Clavats are the most well-rounded and are best suited for newcomers to the series. Lilties are focused around physical defense and blacksmithing, constantly upgrading weapons and armor. Selkies are fast and agile, their physical attacks their strongest attribute. Yukes are probably the most challenging to master, as their strength lies almost solely in their abilities in casting magic.


Players are able to play through the game solo or as a party of up to four via the GBA-Gamecube link cable. Treading the levels solo will take players much longer, but will be accompanied by a moogle who carries the crystal chalice. In multiplayer, the party is no longer accompanied by a moogle. Each player’s menu shifts to the GBA screen, keeping the television screen free of clutter. Because of the lack of a moogle, however, multiplayer is best suited for a party of three or four, as two players becomes a bit of a hassle.

The control scheme is incredibly simplistic, but works wonders for the title. Everything is fluid, from combat to the menu system, to the upgrades following the completion of each level. The originality of every single level is exemplified through the beautiful art style, as well as what I consider to be the greatest video game soundtrack of all time. Though it may be quite far drawn from the traditional RPG style of other Final Fantasy titles, Crystal Chronicles sets itself aside as a genius game in the RPG genre.

25 Days of Christmas - #8: Half-Life 2

In 1998, Valve released their landmark game Half-Life, which took the FPS genre in a whole new direction. This was a game that focused less on the run-and-gun gameplay of popular titles like Doom, but rather chose to present players with obstacles and allow them to figure out how to get around them. Some of these obstacles were enemies, who needed to be killed in order for hero Gordon Freeman to continue his journey. Other obstacles were barricades that could be torn apart with the crowbar. Some obstacles required Freeman to carry out a side mission in the style of Metroid and do some brief backtracking in order to restore power to a generator or find the correct switch that would open a door. Half-Life was an incredibly linear game, but offered some very creative environments and forced players to watch their moves carefully.

After much toil at Black Mesa, Freeman is finally able to close the portal between Earth and Xen, cutting off the alien forces. However, Dr. Freeman doesn’t receive a traditional heroic ending, and is instead put to work for the mysterious G-Man. His life spared, Freeman enters a stasis sleep for almost two decades. When he awakens again, Freeman finds that Earth has been conquered by another alien race known as the Combine. The human race has been spared, but people are forced into following strict living conditions and constantly live in fear of the Combine.


This dystopian world is the setting for Half-Life 2. As Gordon Freeman fights the Combine forces alongside his new partner Alyx Vance, he encounters many former colleagues from Black Mesa. Barney Calhoun, a former security guard, aids Gordon by opening passageways for him and rallying people to fight against the Combine. Scientist Issac Kleiner gives Gordon directions and later uses hijacked television channels and radio stations to inform the citizens of City 17 of what they should do after the human revolt has started. Eli Vance, Alyx’s father, was wounded sometime after the events at Black Mesa, but is constantly watching out for the safety of Alyx and Gordon, as well as offering moral support to the duo.

However, another former Black Mesa employee shows up in City 17 as the primary antagonist. Dr. Wallace Breen carries out the role of being the human representative to the Combine, as well as a Combine propaganda tool. His broadcasts can be heard all throughout City 17. Later in the game, once the human revolt is well under way, Breen will focus his broadcasts directly at Freeman, fruitlessly attempting to stop him from dismantling the Combine rule.


The world is visually stunning in Half-Life 2. Scattered around the drab streets of City 17 are various propaganda posters of Dr. Breen. Most of the buildings are old and the doors and signs bear writings in a dialect of Russian. Outside of the city walls, the sands of the shoreline are bright and largely untouched. In contrast, the oldest part of City 17, Ravenholm, is dark and almost completely devoid of life, save for the headcrab and zombie infestation, as well as the lone surviving human Father Grigori. These distinctly different environments work events to their advantage brilliantly. The narrow streets and building interiors focus heavily on combat with zombies and Combine forces, while open areas give players more freedom to explore in the vehicles.

While physics played an important role in the original Half-Life, they become the center of the sequel’s gamplay. Initially, Freeman is limited to his crowbar in order to break boxes and solve puzzles. Not too long into the game, however, he acquires the gravity gun, which plays a dual role as both a weapon and a tool. Players will find the gravity gun useful for stacking boxes in order to reach a certain height, or hurling heavy objects at Combine troops during combat. There is a well-balanced variety of weapons in the game, from the classic pistol, to the melee crowbar, to the one-hit-kill crossbow. But racking up kills with any of these weapons doesn’t quite give you the same satisfaction as disposing of an enemy by hurling a toilet or oil drum at their face.


The AI in Half-Life 2 in fantastic, and only hits one or two snags throughout the entire game. The friendly forces think before charging into an area heavy with gunfire. Likewise, Combine forces will always try to take on Dr. Freeman in numbers, and will stay a safe distance from him if fighting solo.

Half-Life 2 takes everything from the first game and turns it up more than just a few notches. The gameplay is fluid and never stops for cutscenes. Every event is scripted into the gameplay, making players feel immersed in the world. The game will last players a decent time length – not too long, but not too short either. Half-Life 2 is easily one of the most creative FPS titles ever released, topping even its prequel.

25 Days of Christmas - #9: Banjo-Kazooie

During the heyday of the N64, there were two companies constantly releasing games that revolutionized the industry and put other developers to shame. The first, understandably, was parent company Nintendo. The second, however, was Rare, developer of titles such as Diddy Kong Racing, Perfect Dark, and - one of the more controversial games of the time – Conker’s Bad Fur Day. Rare is a company that has managed to release a successful game in almost every genre. Perhaps their most critically acclaimed title, however, was adventure/platformer Banjo-Kazooie.

Banjo-Kazooie put players in control of two unlikely heroes who must stop the evil witch Gruntilda, who has kidnapped Banjo’s sister Tooty. The story sets up to be rather basic, but the characters take this in a comedic light and poke fun at the game and themselves constantly. Nearly every remark Kazooie makes is sarcastic, and she is constantly countered by her more serious partner Banjo. The personalities of these two characters play off each other brilliantly. Gruntilda constantly speaks in rhyme, each statement more cheesy than the next. But the best aspect of the game is that the story is satirical, and the characters aren’t meant to be taken completely serious.

The gameplay is fluid and rather creative. Moving around the world as the pair is as simple as pushing the control stick in any direction. The camera angle changes appropriately for specific situations, but is never an annoyance. Each level has multiple tasks to complete, including collecting music notes, jiggy pieces, and boss fights.

Occasionally Banjo and Kazooie will find themselves at an impasse due to terrain or enemies and require assistance from the shaman Mumbo Jumbo. He will ask the two to complete a task for him within the confines of that particular level. Upon completion of said task, Mumbo will use his magic to aid Banjo and Kazooie in their quest, often temporarily transforming them into another animal such as a termite or a walrus.

In a similar role as Mumbo is Bottles the mole. Bottles is encountered several times during the game and will teach Banjo and Kazooie a new move each time. Despite the help from Bottles, Kazooie seems only interested in making fun of him, calling him names like “goggle boy”, “squinty”, and “root muncher”.

The game is a decent length for the time of its release. There are a few areas that can be frustrating and seem more complex than necessary, but these are few and far between. Each level is designed differently and things don’t feel repetitive. Each level also increases in difficulty at a fairly consistent rate, so players can get their feet wet before plunging into the really challenging parts. The art style is cartoony, but fits the game’s mood perfectly. The game flows incredibly smoothly and load times are nonexistent. Although sequel Banjo-Tooie was more commercially successful than the first game, Banjo-Kazooie is the foundation upon which many platform games from various developers would build in later years. Banjo-Kazooie is easily my favorite game from Rare, as well as one of my favorite N64 titles.

25 Days of Christmas - #10: The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Let me begin by stating that I initially thought this title would be the worst Zelda game of all time. The cel-shaded style and younger looking Link looked silly, and the footage revealed early on seemed simplistic and uninspired. Shortly after The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker was released, I kept hearing about how awesome of a game it was. Reluctantly, I rented the game to give it a try. I was engrossed in the world almost instantly and never looked back.

The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker is the odd duck of one of Nintendo’s most renowned series. It broke away from Majora’s Mask and Ocarina of Time – both of which tried to be more dark and violent titles in the Zelda series. A Link to the Past, though it is a great game in its own right, was more about pushing the graphical capabilities than revamping the control scheme. The Wind Waker, however, doesn’t ever feel like it’s trying to sell itself. In this regard, I feel like The Wind Waker soars above its predecessors. The story is wonderfully written and focuses heavily on the theme of growing up.

There is some truth to the skeptics’ claims of The Wind Waker being a kid’s game – it really is aimed at the kid-at-heart. Though there is plenty of swordplay to be had and gargantuan bosses to fight, the game’s strongest point comes from the sense of adventure you feel every time Link jumps into his boat. The ocean is absolutely massive, and many islands only become fully accessible upon acquiring specific items or weapons. Every single character in this game is unique and memorable in their own right, from Tetra and her band of pirates to Link’s talking ship the King of Red Lions. Even the minor characters have such unique personality traits that they will stick with you, such as apathetic Salvatore who runs a Battleship-style minigame, the quarrelling elderly brothers Orca and Sturgeon, and the class-cutting band of kids known as the Killer Bees.

The dungeons are huge in The Wind Waker, easily double the size of most dungeons in Ocarina of Time. The puzzles are incredibly clever, and players will receive aid from Medli and Makar later on in the earth and wind temples. There are plenty of familiar weapons and tools that return from previous installments, including the boomerang, bow, and golden gauntlets. But new inclusions, such as the Deku leaf and cannon still flow just as smoothly with the gameplay.

There are a ridiculous number of sidequests that players can complete at their own leisure. Mini-dungeons can be found underneath the island resort and across various islands as players try to solve the mystery of the fabled ghost ship. Minigames include (but are not limited to) boat racing, distance flight with the Deku leaf, Salvatore’s aforementioned battleship game, and mail sorting for the Rito post office. The inclusion of the picto-box allows players to save three images at a time. These can then be taken to the Forest Haven and sculpted into over 130 different clay figurines. Any time a pool of light is seen on the surface of the ocean, players can use their grappling hook to search for treasure.

The wind waker itself is never used for any combat purposes. Instead it is used to change the direction of the wind, allowing players to reach new islands. Later in the game, this process is made easier with the ability to warp to specific islands via cyclones. The wind waker will be used to activate key points in the story, as well as unlock a few dungeons. In three of the temples, Link must use the wind waker to solve some rather complex puzzles. In these situations, the player shifts control to a different character temporarily.

Nintendo made good use of the GBA-Gamecube connectivity with the ability for a second player to give Link aerial support as Tingle. Tingle can scour for treasure and drop bombs on unsuspecting enemies. Upon completing the game, a second playthrough is unlocked which starts Link off with a deluxe picto-box. Link now sports his blue and white lobster shirt for the entire second playthrough, and the sequences previously in Hylian are now deciphered. These inclusions don’t exactly merit a second round, but the gameplay and story certainly do.

There are a few select points in the game where things slow down for too long that it become annoying. The most notable time is when Link is sent on a quest to find the triforce shards. Each shard is spaced a large distance away from the next, and travelling to reach these will take some time. But the game requires you to first track down the triforce chart that will reveal the location of said shard. To retrieve these, Link has to make his way through one mini-dungeon per chart (with a few exceptions). Upon finding said charts, you find that each is written in ancient Hylian and must therefore be deciphered by Tingle, who charges Link 398 rupees per chart. Between these three components, players will spend at least a couple of hours to complete the triforce of courage – that is assuming that they have saved up all their funds to pay for Tingle’s ridiculous asking prices.

The few shortcomings aside, The Wind Waker is one of the best Zelda games and Gamecube titles available. The sheer amount of things to do in the game is incredible and players will find themselves busy with this title for quite some time. Ganondorf is just as cunning and devious as ever, but has matured as a villain. I honestly prefer the final boss fight in Wind Waker to that of Ocarina of Time of Time, as Ganondorf is much more challenging with his dual swords and acrobatics. There are a number of ingenious plot twists in the story and it all leads up to a climactic ending that both closes the story of The Wind Waker and sets up nicely for Phantom Hourglass and Spirit Tracks.

25 Days of Christmas - #11: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty is quite possibly the most controversial title in the series. After the massive success of Metal Gear Solid, Hideo Kojima decided to tease fans with the prospect of playing as Solid Snake in a dystopian future where Metal Gears are being developed in secret. However, players are only granted control of Snake for the first relatively short chapter of the game, and once the tanker incident is complete they assume control of newcomer Raiden. Raiden was (and still is) one of the most disliked characters in the Metal Gear Solid series (though Guns of the Patriots certainly helped redeem his image). I personally thought he was a total imbecile when I first played the game. But this change of characters makes perfect sense in regards to the story.

In Sons of Liberty, Raiden is sent in to rescue hostages being held aboard Big Shell, a facility constructed off the shore of Manhattan to clean up the pollution caused by the tanker incident in the introductory chapter. Solid Snake has been blamed for the crime and marked as an international terrorist, along with his colleague Otacon. Thus, Raiden is responsible for taking down the terrorist organization known as Dead Cell, supposedly led by the now rogue Solid Snake. Throughout the game, Raiden will have multiple encounters with Snake, Otacon, Mr. X (a throwback to Gray Fox), Revolver Ocelot, and main antagonist Solidus Snake. Due to all the different people involved in the Big Shell hostage situation, it’s understandable how Raiden could become so utterly confused as to who to trust.

As the story progresses, Raiden receives intel from Colonel Campbell and his girlfriend Rosemary. Both sources prove to have holes in their information. Despite this, Campbell reassures Raiden that he is doing a good job while Rosemary constantly talks about herself and how much more attention Raiden (also known as Jack) should give her. While Rosemary saves the game each time you ask, she never shuts up and interrupts you at the most random times. Everything she says is dumber than the next and by the end of the game I found myself having a strong urge to throw objects at the television screen each time Rosemary started yapping away. Rosemary aside, every single character in this game is multi-layered and distinct, from sado-masochistic Vamp to techie-gone-rebel Otacon to political extremist Solidus Snake. Speaking of Solidus, he is easily the most important character in the game, as he is linked to every single character in some way or another. His role as former President allowed him to scour computer databases in search of information on the organization known as the Patriots, who are revealed to be the driving force behind the world of Sons of Liberty and Guns of the Patriots. Though Liquid and Solid Snake are the more important sons of Big Boss, Solidus is easily my favorite of the three, as well as one of my favorite villains in any video game. His objective is essentially the same as that of Snake and Raiden, but the way he intends to go about it is far more brutal and relentless. Solidus may be hot-tempered, but he bears the mind of a genius.

The control scheme is very similar to the first Metal Gear Solid and works just as well. Guns are cycled trough at the player’s leisure, though espionage is still preferred. There are a few items, such as the bomb coolant, that will only be used once or twice and seem like extra baggage later on. Despite this, the sub-missions are a welcome break from constantly sneaking around patrols.

Graphically, the game has its flaws. It was one of the earlier titles released for the Playstation 2, so the shortcomings are understandable. That said, for an early release, Sons of Liberty has better lighting and textures than almost any early PS2 release. But the graphical upgrades are significant and noticable in even the smallest of things in Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater.

Sons of Liberty, like any of the Metal Gear Solid titles, is first and foremost about the story mode. Sons of Liberty plays out like one big mystery, as each layer is exposed only to pose more questions. At first glance, the game is about Raiden stopping Dead Cell. Then the focus shifts to clearing Solid Snake's name. Finally, the spotlight returns to Raiden as his relationship with Solidus is explained and the climactic finale tilts the world off balance. The game includes a nice variety of bonus features with its expanded material of Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance. A virtual mission mode allows players to shoot a set number of targets, or reach a checkpoint while avoiding and/or eliminating guard patrols. Each mode of play will grade the player in points and upon completing each separate mission it will subsequently unlock another. The virtual mission are the biggest bonus feature included, spanning over 500 individual missions. Also included was a casting theatre that allowed players to recast characters from the first two games into major cutscenes from Sons of Liberty.

Whether playing Sons of Liberty or the expanded version known as Substance, Metal Gear Solid 2 is an incredibly thought-provoking and engaging game. The story is definitely not for the casual gamer, and can be incredibly confusing at times. That said, Kojima really upped the ante with this sequel and set up brilliantly for the third and fourth titles in the series. It’s surprising when a game takes the premise of sneaking and makes it the core mechanic of the gameplay. It’s even more surprising when such a game is good – really good. By the end of his battles with Dead Cell, the Metal Gear RAYS, and Solidus Snake, Raiden has actually become stomachable and (dare I say) even cool. Metal Gear Solid 2 is one of those rare instances where the sequel is actually better than the original – a truly impressive feat, as the original Metal Gear Solid was so revolutionary.

25 Days of Christmas - #12: Star Wars: Rogue Squadron

Over the years, there have been countless Star Wars games. They span across virtually every system, and most of these titles are centered around allowing the player to wield lightsabers and use the force. And while the jedi way is certainly a core aspect of Star Wars, there are many other stories that make up the universe that George Lucas created. One of the most famous groups in the Galactic Civil War is the Rebel Alliance’s ace pilots that make up Rogue Squadron.

Star Wars: Rogue Squadron was released in 1998 for the PC and N64. The N64 game is the version I own, and I must say it is one of the most fluid and intuitive flight games ever released on any system. While Star Wars: X-Wing and Tie Fighter paved the way for space-bound dogfights, Rogue Squadron perfected them. Using different trigger combinations to pull off barrel rolls and arcs made maneuverability easy. Players were given a great deal of freedom in how they wished to deal with enemy fighters and turrets, but were also required to be wary of their secondary ammo supply.

The story follows Luke Skywalker and Wedge Antilles, the two most prominent members of the squadron, as they carry out various mission set in-between the films of Episodes IV, V, and VI. Other members of the squadron make appearances as well, including Wes Janson, Hobbie Klivian, and Zev Senesca. General Reikan provides briefings of each mission, and will reprimand players if things start to go sour. Each of the respective voice actors did a brilliant job in making these characters come to life. No single character in the game feels bland or one-dimensional.

Early missions have Luke and Wedge doing routine flight patrols and then encountering and subsequently destroying Imperial forces. These early missions are set up as tutorials, and aren’t meant to be anything special. But once Moff Seerdon (the main antagonist of the game) comes into the picture, the story really picks up in pace. Each mission is set on a different planet (with the only exception being two missions taking place on Kessel), and each is unique in design and mission objectives. On Gerard V, players must defend a city as the most skilled TIE Interceptor squadron - led by Kasan Moor - takes on the Rebels. On Chorax, players must navigate foggy canyons in search of the Nonah, a ship that crashed on the planet. On Fest, the Rebels must take down a shield and destroy AT-AT walkers as they attempt to free prisoners.

The soundtrack is classic Star Wars, strongly influenced by the original trilogy. Still, it adds a little flair of its own and sets itself aside as a separate soundtrack. The graphical capabilities of the N64 really shine in this game. The lighting effects are top-notch, and players will notice how the shadows move seamlessly as their X-Wing tilts towards or away from light. Engine exhaust flares up as the boost is activated, and blaster fire spreads outwards slightly as it makes contact with a target.

The variety of ships available to pilot is impressive, and includes not only classics like the X-Wing, Y-Wing, and A-Wing, but includes the V-Wing, a ship that is used more heavily in the post-Imperial years. The Millennium Falcon and a TIE Interceptor are unlockable as players meet certain achievements in missions. The inclusion of a cheat code system allows players to unlock the N-1 Naboo Starfighter, a 1969 Buick Electra, and even a minigame that puts players in control of an AT-ST “chicken” walker. Extra missions could also be unlocked, including the classic battles of Hoth and the Death Star trench run. Other extras include a theater mode in which players can view the various cutscenes in the game, and a music hall wherein players can listen to any given song from the soundtrack.


Star Wars: Rogue Squadron allowed players to step into the cockpit of an X-Wing and take on Imperial forces in an engaging and challenging way. The game covers some key moments for the Rebel Alliance not covered in the films, including the retrieval of Crix Madine on Corellia and the defection of ace pilot Kasan Moor. The game encompasses a large timespan, but still leaves enough material to be covered in two sequel games. Rogue Squadron pushed the capabilities of the N64 to the limit and was a fantastic achievement for parent company Factor 5.

25 Days of Christmas - #13: Tetris

Honestly, Tetris doesn’t need an introduction. It’s a gaming legend. This is the game that shaped the puzzle genre of today. No matter how you look at it, any puzzle game involving multi-colored shapes that are lined up in some sort of sequence, can be traced back to Tetris.

Tetris used the incredibly simple mechanic of rotating pieces with a single button, and controlling where they fall with the D-pad. This control scheme was fluid and intuitive. Tetris was not, however, an easy game by any means. As players were required to reach a set number of combos before reaching the next round, they had to keep a close eye on how their current pieces were aligned and the blocks that were queued to drop next. This combined with the fact that the gameplay sped up with each new round challenged players to try and stay two steps ahead of the game.


With every new gaming system released, a new variant of Tetris is born. Tetris Worlds saw release on both the Gamecube and GBA, and included a variety of modes including Sticky Tetris, Cascade Tetris, and Hot-Line Tetris. Tetris DS payed homage to the old NES games of Zelda, Metroid, and Mario, and included online multiplayer modes. There has even been a Tetris variant released for the Apple iPod.

From Russia with love, Tetris saw a jump in popularity that was unheard of during the years of its heyday. Which is not to say that it is at all unpopular today, as each new game in the series performs admirably in both sales and critical reception. But the original Gameboy cartridge is the most successful game for the handheld system to date. Hexic, Dr. Robotnik’s Mean Bean Machine, Dr. Mario – all of these have Tetris to thank for their design and success.