Call me weird, but I always liked Zelda II. I've played through it several times now and there is something delightfully nostalgic about it. I hope you are enjoying it Be sure to check out the goofy temple 5 glitch (after you've saved of course). I hope someday Nintendo does a graphics remake on both of the NES zelda games.
As to FFX, I played both the JP and the NA versions of the game right after their respective release dates. I must say that the second time through it really cemented how linear the game was and how much I did not like this style of RPG. Tetsuya Noumura's Final Fantasy games have gotten progressively more linear with each release. Now with FFXIII, SquareEnix has taken heat for the overt linearity of the game and has publicly stated that FFXV will take a different path (pun intended).
As far as the theological implications of FFX..
The return of Sin and the sacrifice of the Aeon to usher in the the calm certainly has some loose parallels in the sacrifice of Christ -- in fact, the name "Sin" makes the comparison a bit too obvious -- but the cyclical nature of the sacrifice reminds me more of the pagan tribal rituals of the aztecs where they would cut the hearts out of their human sacrifices in order to keep the sun rising and setting.
On the whole the religious themes in the game seem to be drawn mostly from south pacific paganism. Concepts such as unsent spirits becoming 'fiends', the paths of spirits, death after death, and a permeable realm of the afterlife (the farplane) are all themes found in the religions of Polynesian and Thailand and to a lesser extent, Japanese Shintoism.
BTW, If you disliked the linearity of FFX, i think you will find FFXII a refreshing change of pace.
May 18, 2010 at 7:02 AM
I haven't been posting as I have been wrapped up in exams and revision for them. Still getting a bit of gaming in though. I'm working through the old Zelda II for the NES (unfinished business from when I was very young ;) ) and also FFX. I'm sure I'll have posts on both soon enough. I'm not sure why I had never got round to playing FFX in the past but am glad that I am now, I think I am pretty close to the end and am working out exactly where the game stands in terms of complementing or detracting from a Catholic worldview. Purely in terms of graphics/ gameplay/ sound/ battle it rates very highly- the battle system in particular, as with thought and tactics fights can be brushed aside quickly. Obviously, in terms of gameplay, things are too linear for my liking... that seems to be the way of a lot of RPGs. There has to be balance because too much freedom normally seems to devalue the story and characterisation.
"Revising for exams"
1 Comment -
Call me weird, but I always liked Zelda II. I've played through it several times now and there is something delightfully nostalgic about it. I hope you are enjoying it Be sure to check out the goofy temple 5 glitch (after you've saved of course). I hope someday Nintendo does a graphics remake on both of the NES zelda games.
As to FFX, I played both the JP and the NA versions of the game right after their respective release dates. I must say that the second time through it really cemented how linear the game was and how much I did not like this style of RPG. Tetsuya Noumura's Final Fantasy games have gotten progressively more linear with each release. Now with FFXIII, SquareEnix has taken heat for the overt linearity of the game and has publicly stated that FFXV will take a different path (pun intended).
As far as the theological implications of FFX..
The return of Sin and the sacrifice of the Aeon to usher in the the calm certainly has some loose parallels in the sacrifice of Christ -- in fact, the name "Sin" makes the comparison a bit too obvious -- but the cyclical nature of the sacrifice reminds me more of the pagan tribal rituals of the aztecs where they would cut the hearts out of their human sacrifices in order to keep the sun rising and setting.
On the whole the religious themes in the game seem to be drawn mostly from south pacific paganism. Concepts such as unsent spirits becoming 'fiends', the paths of spirits, death after death, and a permeable realm of the afterlife (the farplane) are all themes found in the religions of Polynesian and Thailand and to a lesser extent, Japanese Shintoism.
BTW, If you disliked the linearity of FFX, i think you will find FFXII a refreshing change of pace.
May 18, 2010 at 7:02 AM