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Coppelia's Top 5 Favorite Webcomics
1. 10%+ from Zachary Braun's Nature of Nature's Art website
Easily my favorite webcomic I've read. Created in an Oekaki program, the first storyline of the NOFNA world, 10%+, follows the struggles of animals gifted with a "halo brain" that allows for them to develop a society, a complex common language, and a series of powerful martial arts. While the art isn't exactly professional and often looks a little makeshift, the later development of it suits the strangely technological, vivid style of the world Zack successfully hooks you into. Furthermore, Zack shows his incredible drawing skill and comic rendering by exploring shifts in perspective, angles, and spacing to create a haunting and mind-racing tale. 10%+ follows Meander, a maned wolf intending the College to learn the sophisticated martial arts offered in this developing animal society. Along with him is Quintet, a fiery cat who vies for him as his best friend, and Syncope, a kinkajou studying as a representive within the building judicial system. While attempting to create his "thesis", however, Meander rushes headlong into the problem of expending the halo brain and the injuries it may cause. In an attempt to diverge from this path and create a new thesis, Meander comes across his teacher, a purple wolf by the name of Mr. Rule, selling wild, vacuous (without a brain) coyotes as a slave service to the public. Turns out, Mr. Rule is using his own martial arts technique to make the coyotes vacuous. Infuriated and connected with these coyotes, Meander faces Mr. Rule's operation and attacks...by the consequences of his actions are dire, leading to a societal battle between morality and insanity, reason and justification. The themes written into the story are amazing. I absolutely love the plot behind the comic, and after reading it completely, you will too. I have to warn you: the ending is just heart-shattering. How I have sobbed reading this comic. Anyway, a must-read. I will say, however, that the comic isn't for everybody. Many people who hate science fiction, solely feral stories, and/or huge martial arts battles may not like it, despite some of the significantly at-home tones of the story. Just try it out and see. You either love it or dislike it, but if you read it and love it...you will most likely become as obsessed as the small following.
2. Secretary from Zachary Braun's Nature of Nature's Art website
The second and currently on-going storyline of the feral world also seen in %10+. This time, we follow the difficult life of SV, a rodent who struggles to follow behind the footsteps of his older brother in the College. The malice of his family, the rocky friendship with a jerboa named Nutsedge, and the misunderstanding of his teacher play a part in his unwillingness to accept the teachings applied at the school, in comparison to what he feels are his own innovations. But in time, the pressures amount and SV's refusal to the academics grows: he is pushed from the school by his own attitude and comes to accept "malice", using it as a tool to teach others, ensuing new meetings of fear, psychology, and insanity. While very confusing so far, the tale is dark, chilling, and gives off great mood to the reader. The problems behind the characters are much easier to relate to, while the ever present "dark side" the protagonist sees and narrates creates a distorted environment not unlike the perspectives used in film noir (furthermore similar to aspects of film noir in that Zack uses the same Oekaki program drawing but leaves things black and white). Obviously, it's not finished, so the story may change to something less desired or with too many loose ends, but I have faith in the creator. The story so far is just haunting.
3. The Meek by Der-shing Helmer
Man-oh-man does this comic have an excellent, individualized style. The artist manages to present a full-color, professional, well-styled comic to the table that's both fun to look at and wonderful to read for the story. The Meek is still on-going and fairly new, so only about 40 pages has been illustrated, but it is otherwise a great comic, especially for those looking to improve their own art. By no means does this comic lack in high artistic quality.
4. Dreamless by Sarah Ellerton, written by Bobby Crosby
The art. The art is so beautiful that often times, even after reading the latest update, I'll go back and just stare at each panel for a long period of time. The painterly style of the drawing combined with the historical setting and old-fashioned characters just fits together so well. Again, this one is on-going as well, but the story is very close at home and easy to relate to for anybody. Well worth the read.
5. Strays by Samantha Whitten and Stacey Pefferkorn
Okay, so mainly I find this one a great read because of the entertainment value. It's wonderfully funny and focused on the characters while not delaying or detracing from advancement of a linear plot. The expressions in the panels are gold, particularily from Feral, a character who the creators dared to write/draw as mute. What results is a fun, charming adventure (still on-going) that spotlights on some well-designed, well-drawn characters, their reaction to each other, and a dangerous world that we yet know the full extent of (but probably will). The story isn't exactly original, but the writer(s) turned it around and added their own spices to give it a fresh feel.
Coppelia's 10 Old-School Games You Should Definitely Play
1. Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu
Oh man, I love this game to death. Played on the PlayStation and published in 1998, this game has all markings of one of its time: very blocky graphics and flat detail, but who says these aspects make a game? The story is excellent. It takes some of Japan's mythology and tales and expands upon them into an innovative, interesting story. Despite the "main protagonist doesn't talk at all" trope with the game, you feel yourself enchanted and startled by the many twists and happenings that occur throughout. One moment, you think, "Wow, I cleared all four forests. That's the end of the game?" and then you're thrown another development to the story, one that totally turns it around and makes you feel for the characters. The gameplay seems straightforward in hindsight, but in actuality, there is a ton of depth to the system used that allows for many player options. Basically, the main aspect of play involves something similar to Pokemon or any other "catch them all" game with its own, very unique style. The protagonist, Levant, must become a "Cocoon Master" in order to enter the forests to find an herb, and as such, during the gameplay you run into many monsters roaming the environments. You defeat these wild monsters with your own, capture them, go back into town and have one of the characters "purify" them, and then the monsters can either be sold or merged. The merging system is actually very original and fun: not only are stats, elements, abilities, and magicks merged to create individual, combined monsters with their own assets, but the appearances also change according to the two monsters used. Each merge with a different monster builds upon the existing and creates stronger assets. Furthermore, one of the most interesting bits about these monsters is how they grow. If you've used your same monster and simply merged things with it for most of the game, it will very, very gradually grow into an "adult" version. I just found this really interesting, as the changes are so subtle until you compare an early-game image to a later-game image, in which the huge differences can finally be seen. My only complaint about this game is its short play time, but once you finish the plot, the game also has a "never quite ends" conclusion that allows you to access a massive, multi-level forest with different monsters and exclusive items. Very cool. I'd very much recommend this one. Oh, and by the way: the character designer is Katsuya Kondo, the character designer for several Studio Ghibli films. You can definitely see it.
2. Jade Cocoon 2
The decent, Playstation-2 platform sequel. If you liked Jade Cocoon, the sequel is worth a shot, though this game is much different from its predecessor. The graphics are significantly amped-up, the protagonist changes, but most of all the storyline and world alters dramatically from the style and feel of the previous game - both a downside and a goodside in some ways, but I mainly see it as a downside. Levant, the hero from the first game, has founded the Kemuel Temple and become a legendary "beastmaster" (cocoon masters were changed to beastmasters). The protagonist finds himself cursed, and Levant agrees to help heal him if the protagonist can find four orbs within the forests. Just like the first game, however, once you think the game is done...it isn't. There were a few pleasant surprises in terms of twists and plot occurences for this game, and while some of the characters still bother me, the story is decent enough to enjoy. The "merging" aspect of the game was also given some strong differences. Instead of capturing wild monsters and merging them, you encounter special, less-frequently occuring monsters that, once brought back, can be merged with your existing monsters. Appearances do not change, however, except when your monster "grows" and changes then as according to a certain number of merges, you merge only status effects, element-assigned magic, and some stats, and the merging costs money. You have more monsters for battle this time, but they are placed in elemental "slots" that conduct their attacks (if you have a monster with only a fire slot attack and no wind slot attack and they're placed in the wind slot section, then they will do nothing), you can use only one element at a time, etc. It's interesting, but I prefer the original game's system more. Perhaps if the sequel had stuck to the original a little more and combined some of its battle elements, the battle aspect would approve. Overall, a nice game. Again, worth a shot if you liked the original.
3. Spyro the Dragon
What a classic! I played this game in grade school and middle school, ha. I like the Insomniac sequels much more, but the voice-acting, soundtrack, and characters give this game an excellent charm that can't be and wasn't duplicated in the newest Spyro games (I am not a fan of them, if you can't tell). It's a short game just like Jade Cocoon, but the use of worlds is an absolutely fun element that has allowed for much exploring by fans (or at least, by me). God knows how many times I've wandered around a portal world after I did everything I need to do just to check out nifty spots. There are a few mini-games or aspects of the game that challenge you as well, and the simple, straight-forward plot allows you to get into the game right away and have some fun. It was released on the PlayStation console and in the year 1998.
4. Spyro the Dragon: Ripto's Rage
I feel the Insomniac producers really stepped it up a notch with this sequel. Man, how the charm of the first game was captured all over again and perhaps expanded even more. The music is just as great, and while the voice actors have changed, they are very suited to their character. Spyro, Elora, and Hunter are much more developed and whimsical, while the worlds involved are even more unique, fresh, and updated in terms of graphics. There's a lot more mini-games here as well, plenty of them with the new NPCs as well (man, do I love the quirkiness of Hunter's character and the mini-games he offers). The gameplay is about the same drill as the first, but there are a few more things to collect and frankly, plenty of parts are a little harder. Pretty much just as short as the first.
5. Spyro: Year of the Dragon
The third and perhaps final good sequel made by Insomniac, this one is my favorite Spyro the Dragon game. The charm of the first two games is even more utilized, the graphics are upped a notch, the music is upped a notch, the characterization is upped a notch, and the story is upped a notch. In fact, the entire premise of the Spyro games is upped more than a notch! What I love most about this series is the excellent introduction of new characters and the slight yet enjoyable development of the original cast. While the plot is still very easy-to-follow and made to be understood by kids, it bears significant improvement and player-involvement in comparison to the first two games. The worlds are more expansive, stylized, and interesting than ever. More mini-games (including the much-favorited skate-boarding aspect...how I have screwed around with that thing so) and challenges were added to the board to include a longer playback experience. If you like entertainment most in a game, go play this now, you! Of course, Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly and Spyro: A Hero's Tail hit absolutely rock bottom after this, but I believe they weren't created by Insomniac. It's a pity, really. They have also finished releasing a three-part reboot trilogy of Spyro games, but I'd prefer to call them The Prince of Rings (Prince of Persia + Lord of the Rings) without much awesome to be had. They didn't echo the original charm of the game at all, the characters are vastly different, and the new ones introduced...just don't match up. The only atonishing part of the new games are the incredible, huge environments and the ability to fly around them however you'd like. But that's the only thing. :|
6. Monster Rancher
The amount of time I've spent playing this game is incredible, and I doubt I will ever truly be finished with it, even though it was published in 1997 for the PlayStation. :| Anyway, great monster-raising/fighting type game, and always a classic. I'm convinced the original is the best game, though I hear the second is better despite having not played it. There have been up to five sequels or spin-offs, including a TV series that has become one of my most-loved childhood shows, so this franchise is popular. Anyway, lots of good stuff to be had here. Basically, you can take any CD you want (since this is old-school, DVDs can't be used) and you get a monster from each one! Yay! Sometimes there are super rare monsters on some CDs too, but you have to be at a certain level to keep them. Anyway. You take this monster back to your ranch. You train it, feed it, and then fight it. Over time, your monster learns new skills based on Intelligence levels, and these come in handy in battle. You can also merge your monsters as well, though the system isn't as complex as Jade Cocoon's. Your monsters grow in that subtle way over a long period of time too, though. :D There's also a feature called exploration, which is kind of scary since your monster can get lost, but it's always packed with rare things like parts for special monsters. There's an endless supply of strategy, monster creation, and finding monsters off of CDs you own here. And, surprisngly, this game is pretty hard - there's tons of complex guides on the internet. Nonetheless, the game's guaranteed to suck the time out of your day.
7. Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
So much love for this game as well. The basic premise behind it? Have fun stealing and playing as a characteristic, slick Raccoon thief. While the first game doesn't have as many gameplay additions as the second and third sequels, and the play itself is also too short for the fun had, the original sticks to some much more stylized elements that I like (though the sequels are very, very good as well). Sly Cooper is your not-so-run-of-the-mill orphan whose parents were killed by a ruthless gang known as the Fiendish Five. His family line is descended from a long history of Cooper thieves, and as such, the gang took the family's secrets, The Thievius Raccoonus, split it up amongst its five members, then abandoned the very young Sly for lack of finding him. A now twenty-something-year-old Sly has teamed up with two sidekicks (how Bentley annoys the crap out of me, I'm sorry Suckerpunch) to defeat the Fiendish Five and take back his rightful secrets. The cutscene art is original, implementing elements of thick-lined American comic books, and the environments are dark, mysterious, and involve you in the isolated criminal world easily. Inclusion of elements like voodoo and psychology (the latter mostly in later games) gives the game some depth, while the relationship between smooth Sly and the Paris police detective Carmelita Fox gives the gameplay definite charm. There are some mini-games as well, both enjoyable and a little frustrating in terms of controls, but the main entertainment that is certain to be had lies in sneaking, fulfilling jobs, and opening safes. I very much recommend the sequels as well, as they include more depth in the characters and story, more mini-games and playable characters, and more aspects of thieving (like pick-pocketing, for example). The sequels are just not very old, particularly the latest game, as the first was published in 2003 for the PlayStation 2, so I won't mention them here.
8. Final Fantasy VIII
Always over-shadowed by Final Fantasy VII several years earlier, FF8 is an awesome game with a just amazingly complex, well-thought storyline. While the graphics are still a little blocky and smudged at times, they were the next step for its time of 1999. I can think of only one downfall to this highly-rated PlayStation game: there is no voice-acting. But frankly, the game doesn't need it. The unique characters come through on their own, and the fantastic music score more than makes up for it. How do I put this? BRILLIANT. Every time I play this game, there's always some part of the world it's set in that just shines with its own style, its own pace. The gameplay involves your typical RPG with some notable twists: to customize your characters, you equip Guardian Forces (GFs; the usual summoning monster in Final Fantasy games) to your characters, and from there, you can equip collected magicks that alter stats depending on its use. You can reach huge proportions of HP, speed, strength, etc. by going through the game and encountering different monsters, collecting their magick, and equipping it. Oh, and did I mention the large roster of GFs? The concepts and artwork for each of them are magnificent. And while Squall is pretty much put into the "emo/angst-fest" archetype by fans, the development that occurs to him from encountering other characters and the surprising, deep-rooted conflicts of the story is well-executed. This game is far too underappreciated even though it has received more fans in recent years.
9. Final Fantasy X
Holy crap where do I begin. This is another game you should buy and play, because you're seriously missing out. While I think, in comparison to just about every other Final Fantasy game, this one is a bit too easy and has significantly less replay value, the story is incredible. Dear God the characters. The characters are some of video gaming's prime examples of developing existing archetypes into mutlifaceted individuals that relate to the player with strong ties. The plot is absolutely engaging. It really is, and I love this game to death. My only few qualms are that the battle system is very simple and unoriginal, sometimes over-stretching into the gameplay, and some of the dialogue does get a little...cheesy. The voice-acting is alright, but not magnificent, with the exception being the voice actor for Rikku, the voice actor for Auron, and the voice actor for Seymour. The ridiculous amount of game-pausing cutscenes will annoy some, but it's well worth it for the story. I really can't say enough about the emotional impact the story gives, so just go play it. Do it. I'd have to admit that Final Fantasy VIII I like better all around, but the impact from the characters of Final Fantasy X is perhaps greater.
10. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
My last recommendation is probably the last truly great adventure-platform game of our time, excluding the third sequel to this game, Two Thrones (Warrior Within, the second game, was complete shit). Published in 2003 for Windows and PlayStation 2, then later Xbox and Gamecube, this game is just so close to perfect in my mind that it's ridiculous. The story is intruiging and a nice backdrop for very charismatic, easy to relate to characters, namely the protagonist, the Prince, who accidentally unleashes the Sands of Time on the kingdom using the Dagger of Time he found. After the player uses the Prince to struggle through all manner of challenging, absolutely fun abcrobatic manuevers (like running across walls, climbing ledges, dodging traps, and even more great stuff) to get to the thrown room, the Prince encounters Farah, an Indian princess captured along with other "treasures" in a Persian army ransack, used initially as "peace gifts" to the Sultan of Azad. Farah, the Prince, and the villain of the story, the Vizier, remain unchanged by the Sands of Time due to the Time artifacts they hold. So, the Prince and Farah team up to undo his fortunate mistake, lest the Persian kingdom be lost to the sands forever. From there, it only gets better. Tons better. I can't even think of anything bad about this game, that's how incredible it is. I suppose the computer, mobile phone, and Gamecube platform versions are very difficult to proceed in the game with, as their controls are difficult to use, but there's no problem with this in the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions. The gameplay? Fantastic. The puzzles are sure to challenge you, the use of acrobatics in proceeding through a fully dimensional, graphic, historic world, and the free-form, also challenging combat are all the best I've seen in an adventure game to this day. The story is amazing, simply for the fact that the charismatic, easy-to-empathize-with characters seem to lead it along on their own. Don't even get me started on the romance in the game that builds up over time as just a wonderful, charming, both hilarious and emotional journey that rivals Tidus and Yuna, Squall and Rinoa. Let me put it this way: you have to play this game. You have to. Go buy it now and play through it. I'm just sad that even after five or so years since I've last played it, it's still over...well, technically. Prince of Persia: Warrior Within was the game's sequel, but please don't even look it up. They murdered the poor Sands of Time by turning the Prince into a Gothic angst-fest that just slays people all the time (though I will admit, that game is very, very good at scaring the shit out of you, particularly at parts with the Dahaka). They didn't involve the original producers of the first game, so they got what they got. The company tried to redeem itself in the third sequel, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones, and it succeeded for the most part, but it didn't quite capture the wit of the first game as with the characters. In any case, go play Sands of Time. As I said, you have to buy this game. This is probably one of the most under-appreciated games of all time, and yet it's received outstanding ratings and awards by almost every gaming site and magazine. Yes, play it now, or you are missing out on the pure awesome.
1. 10%+ from Zachary Braun's Nature of Nature's Art website
Easily my favorite webcomic I've read. Created in an Oekaki program, the first storyline of the NOFNA world, 10%+, follows the struggles of animals gifted with a "halo brain" that allows for them to develop a society, a complex common language, and a series of powerful martial arts. While the art isn't exactly professional and often looks a little makeshift, the later development of it suits the strangely technological, vivid style of the world Zack successfully hooks you into. Furthermore, Zack shows his incredible drawing skill and comic rendering by exploring shifts in perspective, angles, and spacing to create a haunting and mind-racing tale. 10%+ follows Meander, a maned wolf intending the College to learn the sophisticated martial arts offered in this developing animal society. Along with him is Quintet, a fiery cat who vies for him as his best friend, and Syncope, a kinkajou studying as a representive within the building judicial system. While attempting to create his "thesis", however, Meander rushes headlong into the problem of expending the halo brain and the injuries it may cause. In an attempt to diverge from this path and create a new thesis, Meander comes across his teacher, a purple wolf by the name of Mr. Rule, selling wild, vacuous (without a brain) coyotes as a slave service to the public. Turns out, Mr. Rule is using his own martial arts technique to make the coyotes vacuous. Infuriated and connected with these coyotes, Meander faces Mr. Rule's operation and attacks...by the consequences of his actions are dire, leading to a societal battle between morality and insanity, reason and justification. The themes written into the story are amazing. I absolutely love the plot behind the comic, and after reading it completely, you will too. I have to warn you: the ending is just heart-shattering. How I have sobbed reading this comic. Anyway, a must-read. I will say, however, that the comic isn't for everybody. Many people who hate science fiction, solely feral stories, and/or huge martial arts battles may not like it, despite some of the significantly at-home tones of the story. Just try it out and see. You either love it or dislike it, but if you read it and love it...you will most likely become as obsessed as the small following.
2. Secretary from Zachary Braun's Nature of Nature's Art website
The second and currently on-going storyline of the feral world also seen in %10+. This time, we follow the difficult life of SV, a rodent who struggles to follow behind the footsteps of his older brother in the College. The malice of his family, the rocky friendship with a jerboa named Nutsedge, and the misunderstanding of his teacher play a part in his unwillingness to accept the teachings applied at the school, in comparison to what he feels are his own innovations. But in time, the pressures amount and SV's refusal to the academics grows: he is pushed from the school by his own attitude and comes to accept "malice", using it as a tool to teach others, ensuing new meetings of fear, psychology, and insanity. While very confusing so far, the tale is dark, chilling, and gives off great mood to the reader. The problems behind the characters are much easier to relate to, while the ever present "dark side" the protagonist sees and narrates creates a distorted environment not unlike the perspectives used in film noir (furthermore similar to aspects of film noir in that Zack uses the same Oekaki program drawing but leaves things black and white). Obviously, it's not finished, so the story may change to something less desired or with too many loose ends, but I have faith in the creator. The story so far is just haunting.
3. The Meek by Der-shing Helmer
Man-oh-man does this comic have an excellent, individualized style. The artist manages to present a full-color, professional, well-styled comic to the table that's both fun to look at and wonderful to read for the story. The Meek is still on-going and fairly new, so only about 40 pages has been illustrated, but it is otherwise a great comic, especially for those looking to improve their own art. By no means does this comic lack in high artistic quality.
4. Dreamless by Sarah Ellerton, written by Bobby Crosby
The art. The art is so beautiful that often times, even after reading the latest update, I'll go back and just stare at each panel for a long period of time. The painterly style of the drawing combined with the historical setting and old-fashioned characters just fits together so well. Again, this one is on-going as well, but the story is very close at home and easy to relate to for anybody. Well worth the read.
5. Strays by Samantha Whitten and Stacey Pefferkorn
Okay, so mainly I find this one a great read because of the entertainment value. It's wonderfully funny and focused on the characters while not delaying or detracing from advancement of a linear plot. The expressions in the panels are gold, particularily from Feral, a character who the creators dared to write/draw as mute. What results is a fun, charming adventure (still on-going) that spotlights on some well-designed, well-drawn characters, their reaction to each other, and a dangerous world that we yet know the full extent of (but probably will). The story isn't exactly original, but the writer(s) turned it around and added their own spices to give it a fresh feel.
Coppelia's 10 Old-School Games You Should Definitely Play
1. Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu
Oh man, I love this game to death. Played on the PlayStation and published in 1998, this game has all markings of one of its time: very blocky graphics and flat detail, but who says these aspects make a game? The story is excellent. It takes some of Japan's mythology and tales and expands upon them into an innovative, interesting story. Despite the "main protagonist doesn't talk at all" trope with the game, you feel yourself enchanted and startled by the many twists and happenings that occur throughout. One moment, you think, "Wow, I cleared all four forests. That's the end of the game?" and then you're thrown another development to the story, one that totally turns it around and makes you feel for the characters. The gameplay seems straightforward in hindsight, but in actuality, there is a ton of depth to the system used that allows for many player options. Basically, the main aspect of play involves something similar to Pokemon or any other "catch them all" game with its own, very unique style. The protagonist, Levant, must become a "Cocoon Master" in order to enter the forests to find an herb, and as such, during the gameplay you run into many monsters roaming the environments. You defeat these wild monsters with your own, capture them, go back into town and have one of the characters "purify" them, and then the monsters can either be sold or merged. The merging system is actually very original and fun: not only are stats, elements, abilities, and magicks merged to create individual, combined monsters with their own assets, but the appearances also change according to the two monsters used. Each merge with a different monster builds upon the existing and creates stronger assets. Furthermore, one of the most interesting bits about these monsters is how they grow. If you've used your same monster and simply merged things with it for most of the game, it will very, very gradually grow into an "adult" version. I just found this really interesting, as the changes are so subtle until you compare an early-game image to a later-game image, in which the huge differences can finally be seen. My only complaint about this game is its short play time, but once you finish the plot, the game also has a "never quite ends" conclusion that allows you to access a massive, multi-level forest with different monsters and exclusive items. Very cool. I'd very much recommend this one. Oh, and by the way: the character designer is Katsuya Kondo, the character designer for several Studio Ghibli films. You can definitely see it.
2. Jade Cocoon 2
The decent, Playstation-2 platform sequel. If you liked Jade Cocoon, the sequel is worth a shot, though this game is much different from its predecessor. The graphics are significantly amped-up, the protagonist changes, but most of all the storyline and world alters dramatically from the style and feel of the previous game - both a downside and a goodside in some ways, but I mainly see it as a downside. Levant, the hero from the first game, has founded the Kemuel Temple and become a legendary "beastmaster" (cocoon masters were changed to beastmasters). The protagonist finds himself cursed, and Levant agrees to help heal him if the protagonist can find four orbs within the forests. Just like the first game, however, once you think the game is done...it isn't. There were a few pleasant surprises in terms of twists and plot occurences for this game, and while some of the characters still bother me, the story is decent enough to enjoy. The "merging" aspect of the game was also given some strong differences. Instead of capturing wild monsters and merging them, you encounter special, less-frequently occuring monsters that, once brought back, can be merged with your existing monsters. Appearances do not change, however, except when your monster "grows" and changes then as according to a certain number of merges, you merge only status effects, element-assigned magic, and some stats, and the merging costs money. You have more monsters for battle this time, but they are placed in elemental "slots" that conduct their attacks (if you have a monster with only a fire slot attack and no wind slot attack and they're placed in the wind slot section, then they will do nothing), you can use only one element at a time, etc. It's interesting, but I prefer the original game's system more. Perhaps if the sequel had stuck to the original a little more and combined some of its battle elements, the battle aspect would approve. Overall, a nice game. Again, worth a shot if you liked the original.
3. Spyro the Dragon
What a classic! I played this game in grade school and middle school, ha. I like the Insomniac sequels much more, but the voice-acting, soundtrack, and characters give this game an excellent charm that can't be and wasn't duplicated in the newest Spyro games (I am not a fan of them, if you can't tell). It's a short game just like Jade Cocoon, but the use of worlds is an absolutely fun element that has allowed for much exploring by fans (or at least, by me). God knows how many times I've wandered around a portal world after I did everything I need to do just to check out nifty spots. There are a few mini-games or aspects of the game that challenge you as well, and the simple, straight-forward plot allows you to get into the game right away and have some fun. It was released on the PlayStation console and in the year 1998.
4. Spyro the Dragon: Ripto's Rage
I feel the Insomniac producers really stepped it up a notch with this sequel. Man, how the charm of the first game was captured all over again and perhaps expanded even more. The music is just as great, and while the voice actors have changed, they are very suited to their character. Spyro, Elora, and Hunter are much more developed and whimsical, while the worlds involved are even more unique, fresh, and updated in terms of graphics. There's a lot more mini-games here as well, plenty of them with the new NPCs as well (man, do I love the quirkiness of Hunter's character and the mini-games he offers). The gameplay is about the same drill as the first, but there are a few more things to collect and frankly, plenty of parts are a little harder. Pretty much just as short as the first.
5. Spyro: Year of the Dragon
The third and perhaps final good sequel made by Insomniac, this one is my favorite Spyro the Dragon game. The charm of the first two games is even more utilized, the graphics are upped a notch, the music is upped a notch, the characterization is upped a notch, and the story is upped a notch. In fact, the entire premise of the Spyro games is upped more than a notch! What I love most about this series is the excellent introduction of new characters and the slight yet enjoyable development of the original cast. While the plot is still very easy-to-follow and made to be understood by kids, it bears significant improvement and player-involvement in comparison to the first two games. The worlds are more expansive, stylized, and interesting than ever. More mini-games (including the much-favorited skate-boarding aspect...how I have screwed around with that thing so) and challenges were added to the board to include a longer playback experience. If you like entertainment most in a game, go play this now, you! Of course, Spyro: Enter the Dragonfly and Spyro: A Hero's Tail hit absolutely rock bottom after this, but I believe they weren't created by Insomniac. It's a pity, really. They have also finished releasing a three-part reboot trilogy of Spyro games, but I'd prefer to call them The Prince of Rings (Prince of Persia + Lord of the Rings) without much awesome to be had. They didn't echo the original charm of the game at all, the characters are vastly different, and the new ones introduced...just don't match up. The only atonishing part of the new games are the incredible, huge environments and the ability to fly around them however you'd like. But that's the only thing. :|
6. Monster Rancher
The amount of time I've spent playing this game is incredible, and I doubt I will ever truly be finished with it, even though it was published in 1997 for the PlayStation. :| Anyway, great monster-raising/fighting type game, and always a classic. I'm convinced the original is the best game, though I hear the second is better despite having not played it. There have been up to five sequels or spin-offs, including a TV series that has become one of my most-loved childhood shows, so this franchise is popular. Anyway, lots of good stuff to be had here. Basically, you can take any CD you want (since this is old-school, DVDs can't be used) and you get a monster from each one! Yay! Sometimes there are super rare monsters on some CDs too, but you have to be at a certain level to keep them. Anyway. You take this monster back to your ranch. You train it, feed it, and then fight it. Over time, your monster learns new skills based on Intelligence levels, and these come in handy in battle. You can also merge your monsters as well, though the system isn't as complex as Jade Cocoon's. Your monsters grow in that subtle way over a long period of time too, though. :D There's also a feature called exploration, which is kind of scary since your monster can get lost, but it's always packed with rare things like parts for special monsters. There's an endless supply of strategy, monster creation, and finding monsters off of CDs you own here. And, surprisngly, this game is pretty hard - there's tons of complex guides on the internet. Nonetheless, the game's guaranteed to suck the time out of your day.
7. Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus
So much love for this game as well. The basic premise behind it? Have fun stealing and playing as a characteristic, slick Raccoon thief. While the first game doesn't have as many gameplay additions as the second and third sequels, and the play itself is also too short for the fun had, the original sticks to some much more stylized elements that I like (though the sequels are very, very good as well). Sly Cooper is your not-so-run-of-the-mill orphan whose parents were killed by a ruthless gang known as the Fiendish Five. His family line is descended from a long history of Cooper thieves, and as such, the gang took the family's secrets, The Thievius Raccoonus, split it up amongst its five members, then abandoned the very young Sly for lack of finding him. A now twenty-something-year-old Sly has teamed up with two sidekicks (how Bentley annoys the crap out of me, I'm sorry Suckerpunch) to defeat the Fiendish Five and take back his rightful secrets. The cutscene art is original, implementing elements of thick-lined American comic books, and the environments are dark, mysterious, and involve you in the isolated criminal world easily. Inclusion of elements like voodoo and psychology (the latter mostly in later games) gives the game some depth, while the relationship between smooth Sly and the Paris police detective Carmelita Fox gives the gameplay definite charm. There are some mini-games as well, both enjoyable and a little frustrating in terms of controls, but the main entertainment that is certain to be had lies in sneaking, fulfilling jobs, and opening safes. I very much recommend the sequels as well, as they include more depth in the characters and story, more mini-games and playable characters, and more aspects of thieving (like pick-pocketing, for example). The sequels are just not very old, particularly the latest game, as the first was published in 2003 for the PlayStation 2, so I won't mention them here.
8. Final Fantasy VIII
Always over-shadowed by Final Fantasy VII several years earlier, FF8 is an awesome game with a just amazingly complex, well-thought storyline. While the graphics are still a little blocky and smudged at times, they were the next step for its time of 1999. I can think of only one downfall to this highly-rated PlayStation game: there is no voice-acting. But frankly, the game doesn't need it. The unique characters come through on their own, and the fantastic music score more than makes up for it. How do I put this? BRILLIANT. Every time I play this game, there's always some part of the world it's set in that just shines with its own style, its own pace. The gameplay involves your typical RPG with some notable twists: to customize your characters, you equip Guardian Forces (GFs; the usual summoning monster in Final Fantasy games) to your characters, and from there, you can equip collected magicks that alter stats depending on its use. You can reach huge proportions of HP, speed, strength, etc. by going through the game and encountering different monsters, collecting their magick, and equipping it. Oh, and did I mention the large roster of GFs? The concepts and artwork for each of them are magnificent. And while Squall is pretty much put into the "emo/angst-fest" archetype by fans, the development that occurs to him from encountering other characters and the surprising, deep-rooted conflicts of the story is well-executed. This game is far too underappreciated even though it has received more fans in recent years.
9. Final Fantasy X
Holy crap where do I begin. This is another game you should buy and play, because you're seriously missing out. While I think, in comparison to just about every other Final Fantasy game, this one is a bit too easy and has significantly less replay value, the story is incredible. Dear God the characters. The characters are some of video gaming's prime examples of developing existing archetypes into mutlifaceted individuals that relate to the player with strong ties. The plot is absolutely engaging. It really is, and I love this game to death. My only few qualms are that the battle system is very simple and unoriginal, sometimes over-stretching into the gameplay, and some of the dialogue does get a little...cheesy. The voice-acting is alright, but not magnificent, with the exception being the voice actor for Rikku, the voice actor for Auron, and the voice actor for Seymour. The ridiculous amount of game-pausing cutscenes will annoy some, but it's well worth it for the story. I really can't say enough about the emotional impact the story gives, so just go play it. Do it. I'd have to admit that Final Fantasy VIII I like better all around, but the impact from the characters of Final Fantasy X is perhaps greater.
10. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
My last recommendation is probably the last truly great adventure-platform game of our time, excluding the third sequel to this game, Two Thrones (Warrior Within, the second game, was complete shit). Published in 2003 for Windows and PlayStation 2, then later Xbox and Gamecube, this game is just so close to perfect in my mind that it's ridiculous. The story is intruiging and a nice backdrop for very charismatic, easy to relate to characters, namely the protagonist, the Prince, who accidentally unleashes the Sands of Time on the kingdom using the Dagger of Time he found. After the player uses the Prince to struggle through all manner of challenging, absolutely fun abcrobatic manuevers (like running across walls, climbing ledges, dodging traps, and even more great stuff) to get to the thrown room, the Prince encounters Farah, an Indian princess captured along with other "treasures" in a Persian army ransack, used initially as "peace gifts" to the Sultan of Azad. Farah, the Prince, and the villain of the story, the Vizier, remain unchanged by the Sands of Time due to the Time artifacts they hold. So, the Prince and Farah team up to undo his fortunate mistake, lest the Persian kingdom be lost to the sands forever. From there, it only gets better. Tons better. I can't even think of anything bad about this game, that's how incredible it is. I suppose the computer, mobile phone, and Gamecube platform versions are very difficult to proceed in the game with, as their controls are difficult to use, but there's no problem with this in the PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions. The gameplay? Fantastic. The puzzles are sure to challenge you, the use of acrobatics in proceeding through a fully dimensional, graphic, historic world, and the free-form, also challenging combat are all the best I've seen in an adventure game to this day. The story is amazing, simply for the fact that the charismatic, easy-to-empathize-with characters seem to lead it along on their own. Don't even get me started on the romance in the game that builds up over time as just a wonderful, charming, both hilarious and emotional journey that rivals Tidus and Yuna, Squall and Rinoa. Let me put it this way: you have to play this game. You have to. Go buy it now and play through it. I'm just sad that even after five or so years since I've last played it, it's still over...well, technically. Prince of Persia: Warrior Within was the game's sequel, but please don't even look it up. They murdered the poor Sands of Time by turning the Prince into a Gothic angst-fest that just slays people all the time (though I will admit, that game is very, very good at scaring the shit out of you, particularly at parts with the Dahaka). They didn't involve the original producers of the first game, so they got what they got. The company tried to redeem itself in the third sequel, Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones, and it succeeded for the most part, but it didn't quite capture the wit of the first game as with the characters. In any case, go play Sands of Time. As I said, you have to buy this game. This is probably one of the most under-appreciated games of all time, and yet it's received outstanding ratings and awards by almost every gaming site and magazine. Yes, play it now, or you are missing out on the pure awesome.