Thursday, September 11, 2008

Round 1 - Bracket D - Match 1

1. Tales of Symphonia





Vs.





8. Halo 3

This list was thrown together over the summer, almost three months ago. Tales of Symphonia is exactly where it belongs, without question. Halo 3? Well, I put it there because that is how I felt then. Also because I had not played Call of Duty 4. However, I will stick with what it is (as if it would change the outcome, just saying).

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I could name a handful of games that I would consider my favorites right away, and Tales of Symphonia was one of them. Since I have not said it enough: Tales of Symphonia is the game that inspired my choice of career. It is a legendary story of how I wrote the review online for GamePro and saw it published in the December 2004 issue under the name TinyTim531. Seeing my work in a wide read magazine was astonishing, I horripilate every time I think about it. I decided I wanted to do that for a living.

I cannot say enough words to do ToS the justice it deserves. You need to either experience it yourself or just see me while I play it. I stumble and just freeze at this keyboard when I think of something next to say. Story is there. Depth is there. Quality is for sure there. Gameplay is there like woah. Like. Woah. Replayability is there (but it should not be overdone). This game is paced amazingly. The battle system is the greatest I have ever experienced. It is exciting everytime, even when fighting three wimple little bunny rabbits. Boss battles. BOSS BATTLES!!!

One paragraph is not enough to explain why this game should be considered a favorite. I should just write an essay about why ToS is the best RPG ever (saying best RPG for GCN would be easy, it has like three games to compete with). When building an RPG, do not consider games like FFVII or Chrono Trigger or Dragon Warrior. Think Tales of Symphonia. Turn-based games are still okay, but lets keep things fresh, eeh?

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When I talk Halo 3, I mean very few things about the game. I could care less about the story. I could care less about the graphics. I could care less about the gameplay (it is FPS, that is all I can say). What matters to me about playing Halo 3, especially my spring semester sophomore year, is its multiplayer. Not online multiplayer by itself, I mean multiplayer where I get to play with the people that are close to me and have a good time pwning noobs.

I do not see how this game can be played alone. That would be sad. The campaign mode is insanely cool with four people all at once. It creates for some serious Covenant ass-kicking and more importantly, comradery. You want more fun than throwing a sticky grenade at a Brute? Throw one at the back of your buddy's head. Online with a full team of your pals can mean intense, well-thought out tactics and shooting. Or it can mean just running around, joking, trying to splatter as many people as you can with the Ghost on Snowbound.

What I do not get with Call of Duty 4 is playing online with my friends. Halo 3 let me do that on a nightly basis. I threw this game in last on my list for favorite contention, but it still should get some recognition. I spent three months with an XBox Live account to reach level 30 on Team Slayer. I also spent those three months having a grand time with my boys on second floor Saxe. Jeez, I am getting all teary-eyed.

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Halo 3 put up a good fight against a heavy favorite. It is obvious when reading this when the top seeded team will just win because of the lack of love the other game gets. Halo 3 gets a lot of love. Valiant effort. It is one of those things I will miss. Tales of Symphonia though is Tales of Symphonia. There is no way to get around that. Dwarven Vow #7: Goodness and love will always win.

Winner: Tales of Symphonia

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