Update: Last Remnant PDF guide release date

Sorry folks, but I have to adjust the release date of my PDF guide. I've been horribly busy these past few days... I can't even reply to some of the emailed questions. I can still promise to have something up before the year ends... I'll try Dec 31st here (GMT +8). I haven't ventured that far in the game's story yet since I am taking care of the sidequests first. Right now I haven't still entered Nagapur but I have cleared almost all of the sidequests available at the moment.

So far, I have uploaded some illustrated maps that you can use as you wait for the main guide; they are not much but will certainly be of good use for those who are just starting in the game.

And one more thing... those friggin' monslayer guild tasks are driving me nuts!?! &$#^&*Q^#@@!


A blessed new year to you all.

Paul Vhayste

Merry Xmas everyone!

I hope you guys are enjoying the holidays. My christmas is pretty uneventful due to work and such. I even have to work on Christmas eve and Christmas day. Well, at least we got free food and overtime pay.

As for the guides, with only a handful of days remaining before the year ends, I won't be able to release the Persona 4 walkthrough unless I finish Last Remnant. I have started a walkthrough for the game and it is progressing fine. I will be releasing the first version during the weekends.

Thank you for all the readers, guests, fans (if there's any) and subscribers. You guys made this year a wonderful one for my game-writing "career". May you all have a blessed New Year. I got tons of future projects for next year but don't worry, you guys will know about that.

Till next time,
Paul Vhayste

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4 guides released!

Yes, you've read it right. GUIDES. Well, they are actually mini-guides which will be part of the main guide I'll be working on. You can view them here. I will be working on a series of mini-guides until I finally finish the main walkthrough. Please visit regularly or better yet, subscribe to receive timely updates for my releases.

The guides currently uploaded are:

1. Fusion Forecast Guide
2. Skill Inheritance Guide
3. Special Fusions List
4. Unique Fusions List
5. Yasogami High School Map

More guides to follow.

And still no Last Remnant yet. *sigh*

Still alive and kickin.

Sorry for not updating this blog for over a month. I was having a self-imposed "game writing holiday" so I can play games leisurely without a pen and notebook beside me. I do that every now and then just to relax and enjoy gaming as it is meant to be.

Also, due to my recent promotion, I have less and less time for gaming not to mention, going online. Do not worry though, since I can promise that the quality of my guides won't be affected with these changes.

I have mentioned before that my country (Philippines) is probably one of those freakin countries with horrible logistics and postal service. I still haven't received Last Remnant which was sent to me during the first week of December. Persona4 is probably out but I don't know when I'll get it later. Well, maybe this is the best time to think that it is "better late than never."

See ya.

Change of Plans

Due to the atrocious scores and low ratings of Legendary, it has been decided that I won't be covering it anymore. However, I shall cover this game instead:


The Last Remnant is Square-Enix's latest RPG offering for the 360. I will receive my copy of the game on Nov.20 onwards so I may be able to post an initial release of the walkthrough. I don't know if you guys will favor this decision but I certainly think I made the right choice.

More updates to follow so subscribe to my blog if you want to receive timely updates about my walkthroughs and releases. Laters.

~~Vhayste

Gears of War 2 Achievement Guide Updated (11/12)

I have released my achievement guide for the game. It's not the final version of the guide yet so it is entirely open for future modifications and additions. If you want to suggest or add something, kindly contact me via email. You can download the PDF guide here.

I will work on the PDF walkthrough if I have the chance so I'll just keep you guys posted. See ya.

EDIT 11/12/08:

I just updated the achievement guide. The Youtube link mentioned in this post has been included as well as tips in clearing all 50 waves of Horde with less people - two people to be exact. No need to look for 3 more horde co-op players.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

This just in; check this Youtube vid for the "Kick 'em when they're down" achievement. Thanks to xyjar for uploading it.

Kick 'Em When They're Down Achievement

1. Rude Awakening
Lancer + B

2. Meatsnap
A, then X

3. Curbstomp
Any weapon + X

4. Triple Punch C-C-Combo
Any non-execution weapon (shotgun) + Y

5. Snixecution
Sniper Rifle + Y

6. Torque Nudge
Torque Bow + B

7. Pistolwhip Deluxe
Boltok Pistol + Y

8. Boomshield Headache
Boomshield + Y

9. Shotgun Golf
Shotgun + B

10. Torquapitation
Torque Bow + Y

11. Sniper Head Thunk
Sniper Rifle + B

~~Vhayste

Star Ocean: First Departure (PSP) PDF walkthrough updated! (11/9)

My PDF walkthrough for the game has been updated. You may use the download link found in my previous post. It covers everything in the game, including the optional dungeon, the Cave of the Seven Stars. Puzzle solutions are included as well. This will be my final release of the guide unless there are some major changes that needs to implemented.

~~Thanks
Paul

Gears of War 2 (Xbox 360) - Review

The fight is far from over. It’s been months since Delta Squad successfully delivered the Lightmass Bomb into the heart of the Locust stronghold. The Locust suffered tremendous losses but still prevailed. Now, they strike back with a more powerful army than the humans ever imagined. They have started their siege in the last bastion of mankind, the city of Jacinto. Because of the unique mineral structure underneath the city, the Locusts can’t dig beneath it. With the battle reaching its climax, the humans assembled a massive strike force, in an attempt to raid the Locust heart, strike from the inside and end the war once and for all.

Epic Games and Microsoft Game Studios bring the highly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed title Gears of War exclusively for the 360. The game offers several new features, weapons and mechanics that will definitely make the two year wait worth it.

During the first minutes in the game, players will definitely feel the tension in the air with all the commotion around. The game will start a few seconds afterwards and they will have the option to train the new Delta rookie or head immediately to the action. The controls are pretty much the same so seasoned Gears of War players won’t feel alienated as if they’re playing an entirely new game. There are also collectibles scattered around each area (even during the training course) which are not limited to COG tags but also artifacts, magazines, newspapers, journals, etc which makes hunting them more interesting. Another thing that is noticeable is that the game will track your progress for unlocking achievements. It will occasionally display the amount of kills you need or the number of times you’ll need to do that specific action in order to unlock the corresponding achievement. Those are just some of the game’s features. Now let’s head to the details.

Gears of War 2 is definitely longer than its predecessor due to the massive stages Marcus and gang must explore (and survive). As mentioned earlier, the game’s controls are practically the same; however, there are some wonderful changes. The most notable probably is the infamous “meat shield” feature, where players can pick up a downed enemy and use it as a shield against enemy gunfire. They can retaliate only with their pistols and fortunately, grubs are very efficient bullet sponges because they last even if their limbs get torn off. If you managed to kill the opposition with the dying meat shield in your arms, you can dispose it by enjoying the crunching sound of broken neck. Players may execute downed enemies instead in a variety of ways depending on the weapon equipped. Sniper Rifles can be used as sledgehammers or torque bows as axes. You can also stomp and crush their heads like little bloody watermelons.

When injured, players won’t stay stationary and just wait haplessly for someone to revive him. They can crawl to a safe cover by tapping the A button continuously. Also, there will be a time limit on how long the player can stay in that condition. If ever the life “gauge” turns entirely red, the player will die. Fortunately, the squad AI in the game will prioritize reviving you if ever you’ll fall. Though there will be instances that they will act like dumbasses running to and fro, ignoring the bloody lump you’re becoming, they are most of the time, I can say, efficient in keeping you alive and kicking. Downed enemies will also crawl to safety but won’t be capable of doing anything. They simply wait COG deliverance by either acting as a meat shield or ending up as your personal, bloody watermelon.

There are also a variety of ways to eliminate heavily fortified foes. The game features partly destructible covers. If players keep shooting near the edge of the cover, it will be “chipped out”, exposing a body part behind it. Players will also need to use a moving (indestructible) cover later on, but I won’t be divulging any details in regard to that.

The game features a variety of new and improved weapons. Players will notice that the Lancer is a lot of more accurate than before. The Locusts’ Hammerburst rifle has a slower fire rate but packs more punch than the Lancer. Heavy machine guns like the Troika are still powerful as ever. In the first game, you can just hold the fire button, lay waste on the enemies without worrying of overheating. But in Gears of War 2, the machine guns will overheat. You can “force cool” it by pressing and holding the reload button. The same applies to the portable chain guns dropped by the larger locusts. Crowd control? That is where the portable artillery gun comes in. You can dig in, aim upward and calculate the distance where the mortars shall land. This is very effective in taking care of multiple, fortified enemies without too much of a risk. Even the dreaded boomers won’t last one or two direct hits for this rain of fire. Maulers are new types of locusts that carry impenetrable shields and deadly morning stars. If you kill these bastards, you can pick up their shield and be invulnerable against frontal fire. You can retaliate using your pistol but the most practical use of this shield is that you can “plant” it on the ground as an indestructible cover, pull out your primary weapon and fire back. You can even pull it up after the battle and carry it again. Stink grenades will be available as well, that even though lacks destructive power, release very lethal cloud of poison. Flamethrowers also make their entry in this installment of the game. Players will also have the chance to control a Centaur light tank which strongly resembles the tank from Metal Slug games.

Players will also battle Reavers face to face in most instances, giving them the chance to see the creature up close. Reavers are the flying beasts that carry locust gunners from the last part of the original game. These beasts still pose a threat even without its riders but fortunately, a full round of rifle fire can take it down. There won’t be lambent (exploding) wretches but they’ll be replaced by Tickers, volatile, ticking bugs that explode on contact. Fortunately, they don’t explode instantly; you’ll have at least 1-2 seconds to hit them with any weapon (except the Lancer) to send them flying back and you can shoot them safely at a distance. Remember the large dinosaur-like machine beast that chased Delta Squad while escaping from the Fenix Estate in the original gears? These are called Brumaks and players will have several encounters with them. Players will also have the chance to ride these beastly war machines which I won’t spill out in this review.

The achievements are toned tone a bit. More than 500 points can be acquired by playing offline alone. Though the infamous “Seriously” achievement from the original game got a remake in the form of Seriously 2.0, the requirements are toned down a bit as well since the kills will count your campaign kills as well. The game also tracks the achievements and displays the progress and the required number of times to perform or enemies to kill to unlock the achievement. Various multiplayer achievements have remained though they are not that many compared to the original. A new game mode, called Horde will put players against waves of attacking locusts and they must kill every enemy before proceeding. Like all the multiplayer game modes featured, this can be done locally with a partner via split-screen but they can’t unlock achievements where a public session is required.

The game features an upgraded multiplayer that will allow up to 10 players to connect simultaneously. You can even hold local, split-screen sessions - even when not connected to Live. Aside from the old multiplayer favorites like Warzone, Execution and Annex, new modes has been introduced like the Horde, Guardian, Wingman and Submission. Horde will pit players against wave of enemy locusts, ranging from all size and ranks. Fortunately, weapons and ammo respawn on the same locations. Guardian is like the Assassination mode where players need to protect their leader. The only difference is that players can still continue fighting even when the leader is down. Its just that they lose the ability to respawn. Wingman will allow players to form two-person team and battle it out with the other teams. Submission follows the "Capture the Map" logic but there is a catch; the flag is actually an armed stranded civilian obviously called as the "Meat Flag". Teams must race and down the meat flag then drag him to their base while protecting it. There is a tutorial for each new mode or even the old ones so veteran and new players can easily grasp the mechanics for each mode.

Another great addition in the game's multiplayer is the addition of BOTS. These AI-controlled players can be added in match if you're short on people. Don't be fooled though; the bots are really efficient fighters, especially on harder difficulties. Of course, having human squadmates is definitely better but you can't simply set the bots aside since they almost seem to act like human players when playing. New multiplayer models/skins can also be unlocked by clearing the campaign and having some specific achievements from the original game.

The multiplayer mode's battle camera has also been improved significantly. Instead of fixed views, players can activate ghost cams or simple a "free-chase" camera mode. When observing, they can freely mode around the map while waiting for the round to finish. They can even take snapshots that can be uploaded via Live. Players can also pan around the map with different views of the battle. They can even see the action in both sides.

As promised by the developers, the game does feature vividly detailed surroundings and intricately designed levels. Players will definitely feel the dread, death, destruction and the urge to survive no matter what the cost as they traverse sunken cities, Locust torture barges, beautiful subterranean cave systems and even the insides of a living leviathan. There will be instances that you’ll feel like you’re playing a different game because of the unique locations players probably never expected. Blood and gore are still there, as there remain the many ways to die in the game, in the hands of the enemy or not. The visual effects are never been better. The gun battles are always as dramatic as ever, as hordes of enemies come pouring in at the same time – without the lag. The horde will introduce new enemies which players can easily distinguish from the normal enemies they have fought before. Even COG will utilize heavy hardware that is previously unknown. Overall, the battle effects, the explosions, the dismembering – they all blend perfectly in drawing players directly in the action, demanding full attention otherwise they’ll end up dying or miss something big.

Ratings: 1-10

SOUNDS: 8.9
The sound effects of the game are great and very engaging. The character voices and dialogues are played out beautifully giving the game a cinematic feel – very much like the first game but greatly improved. The superb timing of the background scores and the battle effects are sure to keep the players worked up and engaged throughout the game.

GRAPHICS: 9.1
The game’s visual quality is definitely better than its predecessor. Vividly detailed environments and intricately designed levels deliver the sense of dread, isolation, death and destruction. Special effects and cinematics are even more appealing.

GAMEPLAY: 9.5
The game’s battle system remains almost the same with only a few tweaks including new execution styles. Gears of War veterans can immediately grasp the game controls easily while the learning curve for newbies would take around half or an hour. The effectiveness of the game’s control layout still delivers efficient and easy control for players. There is also a combat training and the default option to provide hints whenever a player acquires a new weapon. Your squad AI may have its moments, ranging from openly attacking enemies and dying or simply ignoring you while you’re already bleeding but not that severe that it will hamper your progress in the game.

DELIVERY: 9.5
The game offers hours and hours of gameplay through its long campaign missions and several multiplayer modes. Rewarding players with high scoring achievements for completing the game in higher difficulties will surely prompt achievement whores and hardcores to go through the lengthy campaign in order to get them. The new multiplayer modes also add up to the game’s depth and longevity. As mentioned, the game’s achievements are toned down a bit (except for Seriously 2.0) for most players to complete with ease. The game also features an in-game tracker that tracks your achievements and displays your progress and how far/short are you from unlocking the achievement.

Summary:
The first Gears was definitely a hit, keeping a solid multiplayer community years after its release. Gears of War 2 definitely have the strong potential to match or even surpass its predecessor’s success. The new and preserved features of the game works well with veteran and new players alike. If you’re into shooters or simply loved the first game, Gears of War should belong to your library. It is definitely worth the two year wait.

Final Score: 92
--------------------------------------

I will write an achievement guide for the game later this morning and hopefully I can finish it within the day. I will keep you guys posted. Images will be added later.

Paul Vhayste

Star Ocean: First Departure (PSP) PDF walkthrough updated!

The walkthrough covers everything up to Fargett, just before exploring the Revorse Tower. The quickstart section has been completed as well, including the list of all skills, specialties and super specialties. I will release new updates in a few days' time. You may download the walkthrough exclusively in IGN. If the version you get is not yet updated, then try again after a few hours or tomorrow; I just finished uploading the PDF in their FTP.

~~Vhayste

Star Ocean: First Departure (PSP) PDF walkthrough released!

It is pretty much skeletal at the moment since there are a lot of switches in the game that needs careful attention. So far it's only 1.5MB and has 16 pages. Don't be fooled though; it covers your first 10-20 hours in the game alone. You can download it here.

Edit: (10/31/2008) Out for the 9 optional characters, you can only recruit 4 - depending on the conditions. I'll try to cover them all so replaying the game 2-3 times is inevitable. Everything is progressing fine but I still got Brothers in Arms and Gears of War 2 distracting me and forcing me to spend 1-2 hours of my daily gaming time. Don't worry, I'll be updating the guide regularly (at least weekly) so keep posted.


Gears of War 2 - First Impressions
I was able to get an advance copy of Gears of War 2. Me and my brother has finished it the other day. It was definitely bigger, badder and of course, longer than the first one. I will list some things to expect in the game and I'll try to prevent too much spoilers. Still, read at your own risk.

**SPOILER ALERT** **SPOILER ALERT** **SPOILER ALERT** **SPOILER ALERT**
- One of the Carmine brothers will return
- Wild Reaver goosechase (High-speed boss battle and escape using Reavers)
- Brumak assault (Brumaks are those large dino-like beasts with fitted weapons)
- New weapons: Yes we know about the flamethrowers, shield and hammerburst. How about a chain gun and a portable artillery launcher?
- Dom finds his wife! Happy ending or sad? You'll find out.
- Anya gets a retouch; she's a lot lovelier now compared to the first game.
- Centaur drive-in: The chance to control one of the Centaur light tanks of the COG.
- The collectibles will be in the form of magazines, artifacts, certain structures and a few COG tags - Razorhail: Falling hail shaped like broken pieces of glass; sharp as hell too!
- New enemies: That freakin mauler can be shot at the feet to bypass the shields!
- The mounted machine guns on vehicles and outposts will overheat but will have forced cooling (In Gears 1, the Troika heavy gatling/chain gun NEVER overheats)
- Sqquadmates can now REVIVE you (I never noticed them doing that all that time while I played Gears 1)
- No more Lambent (exploding) wretches; but new explosive critters will replace them. Fortunately, you can easily kill them from a distance or hit them back for a number of times for an achievement.
- No more berserkers (the blind Locusts that hunts by smell and hearing)
- The Queen's appearance is definitely a surprise!
- Improved weapons: The Hammer of Dawn seems to be more powerful since it can easily destroy large locusts with one, huge burst of energy. And the Lancer is a lot more accurate.
- New bosses and stages that you'll never expect in a Gears game.
- Meat shields are really pretty effective!

Finally the ending message. Its not the exact one but leaves a lot of room for a final, part.

"Can anyone hear me?... This is Adam Fenix... What have you done?"

Overall, the game is a blast. Now I can't wait for Gears 3. There is still too much story to tell. Gears 2 offers the same feeling with little to no modifications with the controls and combat systems but also offers entirely new experience.

Walkthrough Releases and Updates - 10/26

Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure (DS) Released!
You can download the text format walkthrough for this game here.


Tales of Vesperia (360) text walkthrough Released!
The main walkthrough is still ongoing (about 80% complete). You can also download the Title and Cooking guides separate text files. I have converted this for readers that doesn't have access to high speed internet connection or those who doesn't have a PDF reader readily available.

You can download the walkthrough and the guides here.


Progress Report:
I just got Star Ocean First Departure (PSP) yesterday and I am just about to start a new game later this afternoon. I will be releasing it on PDF format as promised though I may release a text format as well if I have time.

That's it for this week. Later guys!

~Paul

New Projects - October

With my PDF walkthrough for Tales of Vesperia 95% completed, Stephen Ng of IGN has assigned two new games for me to cover. The first one is the Xbox 360 game first-person shooter, Legendary.

As far as I have read and seen, Legendary will pit you against mythical beasts that have been released from the infamous Pandora's Box. We have already fought aliens, mutants, terrorists and Nazis through FPS games so this is like a breath of fresh air to me. Will humans and their technology prevail against the beasts of mythology? Me wants to shoot some griffins!


About this game:

Legendary tells the story of Charles Deckard, an art thief who is duped into stealing Pandora's Box. When he opens the box, he releases hordes of beasts thought to be fictional -- werewolves and gryphons and all means of beast and demon -- into an unprepared modern world. A full scale war between man and myth begins, and it is quickly complicated by the actions of powerful secret societies. As the person responsible for releasing this terror, Deckard's unwittingly become the only person capable of containing it once more and saving civilization from being destroyed by the terrifying creatures of the box.






The second game I'll need to write a walkthrough for is Star Ocean: First Departure. I have been a fan of the Star Ocean series. I even remembered finishing Star Ocean: 2nd Story for about 9 times back in the Playstation days. Originally, I was about to cover Valhalla Knights 2 but since I am really short on time (I am still half finished with my Tales of the Abyss walkthrough) I just declined it. I am glad that I found a working screenshot plugin for my PSP custom firmware version 4.01M33-2, so I can write up a PDF guide than the traditional text format I originally planned.


About this game:

Space Date 346: The crew of a Terran Federation ship arrives on the planet Roak. With the help of a stalwart band of local heroes, the crew must work together to unravel a mystery and halt a galactic war.

First Departure is a remade version of the very first Star Ocean, created anew with with 3D graphics and CG cutscenes. Initially released toward the end of the Super Famicom's life cycle, and never before localized for North America, the origin of the Star Ocean series receives a total makeover for the PSP system. Additional scenarios and characters, integrated 2D and 3D graphics in the style of the PS one game console sequel, fully animated movies, and other bonus features transform the game into a completely new experience.



Progress Report
I was planning to give myself a writing "holiday" until my next projects but I can't stop writing for some reason. *sigh*. I started playing Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure for the DS early this week and I am currently writing a simple walkthrough for it. I'll be releasing it soon enough.



As for Tales of Vesperia, I am currently converting it to text format. I am only doing it during the weekends, that may explain why its taking a long time to release it.


That's all for now. Laters!

~~Paul Vhayste

Beware of stolen guides!

Please Support our game writers!

Don't ever, ever buy game e-guides from Ebay or any auction site. Most of the time, these are blatantly stolen works of hardworking authors that contribute to several gaming sites. These guides should be free, regardless of format. I have a friend and fellow game writer that has her walkthrough stolen, pliagarized and sold in Ebay for $5.99. Please report any similar incidents to the authors. We writers dedicate countless hours of our lives, energy and resources just to deliver you quality content and help for the games you love. It is infuriating to have some gutless idiot to take advantage of someone else's hard work.

Tales of Vesperia PDF walkthrough updated!

Sorry for the 10 day delay. I have already finished reconstructing the whole guide so its pretty organized now. As a bonus, I have taken some time to add more sections.

• Titles
• Achievement List
  
• Giganto Monsters
• Cooking and Recipes

I will try to add the artes and materials section if I have time but for now, this is as complete as it can be. You can download the updated guide here. Enjoy!

Paul

Tales of Vesperia PDF Walkthrough updated!

Alright folks, the latest version of the guide is up. It covers everything from the main walkthrough and most of the sidequests. I am currently playing the game all over again to do all possible sidequests. I have mentioned in my last entry that I'll need to reconstruct the guide so it may take a while. I'll try to post another update within a week or so.

You can use the same download links from my previous posts to download this guide. Currently it has 136 pages and is 18.5MB. It covers up to the end of the main walkthrough, including the optional battle with Duke's third form - the Radiant Wing One.

~Paul Vhayste

Major changes in Tales of Vesperia walkthrough

I just discovered that there's a lot of sidequests I have missed or haven't continued to the point that they're not doable anymore. I will just finish the main walkthrough and start a new game, hoping to sweep all possible sidequests and mini-events. There might be some major changes in the guide's layout since I'll be inserting new stuff but the main content will still stay the same.

I'll need to work on with the beastiary, artes list, titles list and many more after that. Well, let's see what happens next. Stay tuned!

If you want to hunt for the sidequests yourself, you may use these very helpful links:

Sidequests Faq (US)
Sidequests Faq (JP)

Tales of Vesperia PDF Walkthrough updated

I have already submitted the updated version of my pdf guide for this wonderful game. At the moment, it contains 110 pages and is 16MB. I have found a way to crop those unwanted parts for each pic and prevent those from taking up too much space.

I have missed some of the restricted side-events but since I will be doing a second playthrough in the game, I am sure I'll be sweeping the minor events I have missed. You can download it here.

Thanks,
Paul

Tales of Vesperia PDF walkthrough released!

At long last! I received the game last Sep 5 and started working on it as soon as possible. The walkthrough has 70 pages. (10MB). It covers up until the start of the Sands of Kogorh. Secret Missions and items are carefully tagged for your convenience. A comprehensive Quickstart section is included as well. You can download this free from IGN.

~~Paul

Sidenote: This is going to be a pretty long faq. I hope it doesn't go over 200 pages or even reach 40MB. 10MB is already compressed. The actual size of the guide in MS Word is 24.2MB.

Tales of the Abyss PDF guide now available!

Since I'll be getting Vesperia in a few days, I've decided to write a walkthrough for the PS2 game, Tales of the Abyss. I just wanted to get a little refresher course since both titles have the same battle system and similar in depth and complexity of the storylines. You can download it free in IGN or view it online in Chaptercheats. It covers all sidequests and extra stuff up until the rescue of Natalia and Ion in Daath.

It will most likely coincide with Tales of Vesperia but I'll try my best to cover as much as I can and release the full version as well.


Progress Report:

Tales of Vesperia (X360) - I have purchased the signature guide from Brady Games so I have already started with the basics section of the walkthrough. I am also compiling all extras in one nice list; however, I will still include them during the main walkthrough so you won't miss it. I can start working on the walkthrough immediately as soon as I get the game.

Final Fantasy 4 (DS) - My partner and co-writer for this game, Mogg 13-42 has already written half of the guide. Now I am just continuing from where she left off.

Play-Asia: Marcus Fenix Action Figure

I am planning to order this later. I personally think this is a must have for any Gears of War fans. It's affordable, too.

Here are some screenshots:









I'll post some pics of the actual figure once I receive it. If ever you decide to order it, please do so using the link I provided :)


~~Thanks!

Summon Night Twin Age Text Walkthrough completed!

Alright, the text version of the guide is already out on major gaming sites. It still has the same content, minus the images and maps. The guide was just around 57KB so even dial-up users can download it with ease.

I am currently working on Tales of the Abyss and Final Fantasy IV so I'll see what I can come up with within a week at most.

Thanks!
~~Paul

Summon Night Twin Age PDF Walkthrough completed!

Yes, I have finished the whole walkthrough at last. You can download it here and view it online here. This final version of the guide has 98 pages including the EX stages and bosses. Enjoy!


Seal of Excellence
I thought since I've been writing walkthroughs for a while now, it will be better to have a logo or something to become my trademark. I want it to be easily recognizable and since I really suck in making one, I just made it simple. From here on, you should see this logo in my PDF walkthroughs.


New walkthroughs in progress
Since Vesperia is coming up, I thought it will be nice to get a little refresher. So, I've decided to play Tales of the Abyss and write a PDF walkthrough for it. I know the game's almost or over two years old already. But when I played it yesterday, it still has the charm to draw me in and play it all over again.

Also, me and fellow writer and friend Mogg13-42 decided to write a walkthrough for Final Fantasy IV. We have planned to write up The World Ends with You together but she was given an exclusive task by IGN so it was postponed. Hopefully everything turns out okay; otherwise you'll see some partially finished walkthroughs for ToA, ToV and FFIV next month.

~~Laters!
Paul

(DS) Summon Night: Twin Age PDF walkthrough now available!

The guide is still ongoing. As of the time of submission, its completed up to Chapter 7. You can download the PDF guide here or view it online here. Updates will be posted regularly so watch out for that.

In the other hand, the text versions of the walkthrough for Army of Two (Xbox 360) and The World Ends with You (Nintendo DS) have been released. It can be downloaded in any of the following sites:

Chaptercheats.com
Cheatcodes.com
Honestgamers.com
Cheathappens.com
Supercheats.com
pwnguides.com
neoseeker.com

More updates will be available soon. Thanks!

~~Paul

The World Ends with You (DS) and Army of Two PDF guides: complete versions now available

Alright, I have finished what I consider the final versions of those two guides. You can download them using the same links found in the previous posts. With less than a month ahead before Tales of Vesperia, I am still thinking on what game to cover. Anyhow, I will just post once a new guide is up.

Thanks!

~~Paul

Tales of Vesperia (English language Version) delayed

I hate it when Play-Asia does this; they have moved the release date for 2 weeks. So there goes my plans for an advanced walkthrough before the US release. And there goes my planned exclusive review for xbox360achievements.

So with all the delays and stuff, I am planning on writing a walkthrough for another DS game for the meantime; I am thinking of Final Fantasy IV, (omg, I can't believe I am going mainstream now) Summon Night - Twin Age or Etrian Odyssey II. These are just plans though; I have finished the World Ends with You walkthrough in less than a week anyway.

Also, its been a long delayed plan now to write a walkthrough for one of most admired and treasured games for the PS2, Xenosaga. I am planning to write up a walkthrough for Episode I-III. I don't have tentative dates though since I still need to do a lot of stuff like manually converting the PDF guides to text format so my walkthroughs can be available to most gaming sites. But of course, PDF guides still deliver the best quality in walkthroughs. And its still free.

Btw, the download links of the Army of Two PDF walkthrough is now updated. You can check my previous blog entry. I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks!

~~Paul

Army of Two PDF Walkthrough now available!

Alright, my first walkthrough for a shooter is out. As you know, my forte is with RPG games and Ace Combat. I am planning to expand my coverage to write walkthroughs for almost every genre (sorry, no sports or fighting games) so expect more titles to be released within the year.

The PDF guide is less than 7MB, and covers everything (including intel briefcase locations) until Aircraft Carrier (Mission 4) only. Two more missions to go and the guide will be complete. You can download it IGN or view it online on ChapterCheats.

~~Paul

The World Ends with You (PDF) Main Walkthrough complete!

Alright, main walkthrough finished! I will be adding up the walkthrough for the post-game side story "Another Day" and Secret Reports sections later on. Download it free here or view it online here. Also, I will be releasing the text format for this guide once it is complete so watch out for that.

As for the Persona 3 FES text guide, its already posted on major gaming sites except Gamefaqs. I'll need to change the formatting of the guide (its funny how everybody didn't mind the formatting except them) for them to approve it.

As I've mentioned in my last blog, since the asian version of Tales of Vesperia will be released on August 14th, I will be creating an exclusive PDF guide for the game - again, courtesy of IGN. I hope I can release the initial walkthrough within a week or so.

That's all for now. Ciao!

~~Paul

Play-Asia: Tales of Vesperia (English language Version) now available!

During the last few months, me and S (IGN Faqs) are trying to figure out how will I cover Tales of Vesperia. Since the game is bound to be released in the US, my main problem is that it may be incompatible with my asian Xbox 360. I even attempted to buy a bargain US console to cover the game once it is released. Thank goodness Namco will release the English language Asian version of the game on August 14. What's more delighting is that it will be available at Play-Asia.com.

That wraps it up actually. I will cover the game so expect another exclusive PDF guide on your way! You may check out my homepage or subsribe to my blog to get the latest updates about my projects and updates. For the best resources for Tales of Vesperia, you can visit IGN.com

Laters!


~~Paul

New Resident Evil movie!

July 25, 2008 - Today at the San Diego Comic Con, fans were treated to the first footage from the Capcom / Sony Pictures Entertainment collaboration, Resident Evil: Degeneration. Making its theatrical debut this fall in Japan and coming to DVD and Blu-ray in North America later in 2008, this spectacular, all-CGI animated feature takes the zombie action to a whole new level with its ground-breaking visual effects and thrilling new storyline.

The "Umbrella Incident" that took place in Raccoon City ended with a missile attack ordered by the government intended to wipe out the deadly zombie virus. Following this catastrophe, the Umbrella Corporation's stock plummeted. This serious blow to the business giant resulted in its complete dissolution. Seven years later, at an airport somewhere in the United States, on an ordinary autumn afternoon, a zombie is unleashed. Now, in an airport beginning to fill with the undead, the horrific disaster is about to repeat itself... Claire Redfield, now a member of an NGO supporting victims of bioterrorism and medical disasters, happens to be in the airport while Leon S. Kennedy comes to the site on a mission to take care of the incident. Click here for the trailer.

Source: IGN

The World Ends with You (DS) PDF guide now available!

Yep, my first guide for the Nintendo DS. And it's in PDF format too! Download it free using here or view it online here. Its still ongoing so the walkthrough will only cover until the 2nd day of Joshua chapter. No worries, updates will only be just days in between. Also, I will be releasing the text format for this guide once it is complete so watch out for that.

As for my Persona 3 FES walkthrough, I may be releasing a text guide for some of you guys' convenience. If time permits, it should be done during the weekends. Thanks!

Next: Army of Two (Xbox 360) PDF guide

Persona 3 FES FULL Walkthrough released! (At last)

Sorry for the long delay guys, especially to those that waited for this release. So, after skipping work and going through almost 20 hours straight, I have finished the guide. Now, with 194 pages, it covers the following:

• Main Walkthrough
• The Answer Walkthrough
• Locations
• Social Links
• Weapon Fusion list
• Fusion Spell List
• Elizabeth's Requests

With convenience in mind, I was able to make this guide compact (About 10MB) without sacrificing quality. So, grab it free at IGN.com! So I am off for my next project(s). I will be covering Persona 4 once the English version is released on December so watch out for that! Later guys.


~Paul


Note: This is an IGN Exclusive walkthrough; no other sites are allowed to post this guide and if you happen to see this anywhere else, kindly inform me.

Rumor: Next Gen DS

Hirokazu Hamamura, the head of gigantic Japanese gaming mag Famitsu's parent company, made a prediction that Nintendo will unveil the next-generation DS at E3 2008 this summer. Normally we wouldn't think anything of some businessman making predictions, but if anyone knows what's going on with Nintendo, it's Famitsu (the gaming industry and gaming press are really tight over there). Kotaku says it took two years between the transition from DS to DS Lite, so a summer DS Lite to DS EXTREME transition might be possible. Our prediction is that they'll do away with the GBA port altogether, saving space and hardware costs.

Source: Gizmondo

Vhayste's Most Awaited titles for 2008 (Xbox360)

8. Halo Wars
I am not a solid Halo fan but I will be a hypocrite if I denied that I didn't enjoy all three games. In this sequel, players won't take control of Master Chief, but armies, vehicles and other hardware to battle the Covenant. I am hoping that this RTS works well on the 360.


7. Left for Dead
This zombie-vs-humans shooter offers two controllable factions. Yes, players can also play as highly intelligent zombies in an attempt to get a taste fresh, struggling meat. Not to mention that Valve (Half-Life, Counterstrike) is behind this promising survival-horror-shooter title.


6. Fable 2
I haven't played Fable 1 yet but I heard from friends that the first installment was a blast. Jumping with the bandwagon, I hope I get the same craving sensation to play this game.


5. Dead Space
If you own a 360 then you must have seen the trailers and teasers of this space themed survival-horror title. The idea of attempting to survive alone in space inside an alien-infested ship is enough to give you chills and thrills to get this game.


4. Fallout 3
Like Fable, I still haven't played the first two installments of the game but the EGM article covering this has convinced me to eagerly wait and watch out for this one.



3. Resident Evil 5
I've been a casual player of Resident Evil and enjoyed it very much. A next gen installment of this popular series will be greatly accepted by its fans for sure. I am expecting more intelligent and aggressive zombies for a change!


2. Star Ocean: The Last Hope
Star Ocean: Second Story was my all-time favorite game. A Star Ocean title for the 360 is definitely a dream come true for the solid fans of the series. Go Square Enix!



1. Gears of War 2
Aha! The original Gears of War is still strong even if its already years after release. The developers have promised "bigger, better and more badass" features for multiplayer.


List based from IGN