Author Archives: anivyl

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Persona 4 Golden

"Me" in the game

“Me” in the game

I have been playing Persona 4 in the last few days while being held up feeling like crap at home or at work. Originally obtained late last November, I was held up with Disgaea, then Ragnarok Odyssey and other games (such as Totori), it took me a while to get around to Persona 4, despite hearing many good things about it.

The idea of teamwork is to punch someone up happily!

The idea of teamwork is to punch someone up happily!

I will be upfront about this: I have never played any other Persona. When I started playing the game, I have NO idea what this game was about besides being a JRPG, which means there could be multiple endings and it could be a long, possibly grindy, background story to the game. It turned out to be something horribly addictive that I can’t stop playing T_T

Hottie in Bikini... just don't ask her about her Persona...

Hottie in Bikini… just don’t ask her about her Persona…

This particular storyline follows a protagonist (me) who has moved to his uncle’s place in the country side for a year. There were some mysterious murders happening and then the protagonist and a couple of his friends discovered that they could enter a world in the televisions – and somehow these murders were related to the TV world!

Rise using her Persona to aid the Protagonist and his team

Rise using her Persona to aid the Protagonist and his team

In the TV world, other than the protagonist, everyone has to face up to their “Persona” – their inner selves, their “Shadows”, the “self” they are not ready to admit is a part of their very being. Once they did, these Personas also become a power that they can utilise to battle with. Over the course of the game, the protagonist is also able to collect and “fuse” all different Personas together to aid him in the fight.

I have no idea why he's on the toilet. but hey...

I have no idea why he’s on the toilet. but hey…

This is where it interests me the most. All the Personas in the game are…. legendary beings! Yay! I have always been interested in Mythological creatures, like Beliel, Izanami and Izanagi, angels and demons, etc. So, when I realised there’s a FULL compendium full of different beings, I was completely ecstatic >.> I sat there for a few hours and spending more than 2 million yen ingame just trying to see what I can obtain from different fusion, lol!

I have no idea why she's called a Harlot either...

I have no idea why she’s called a Harlot either…

Each Personas have their own characteristics, weaknesses and strengths that are elemental in kind. Within the compendium, there’s also a mini intro to where this particular mythological being came from. Personas are also further categorise into sets that are depicted by Tarot cards. However, I am still unable to really understand how each category is really sorted out as it’s not always clear.

Tell me that doesn't look like a tentacled penis

Tell me that doesn’t look like a tentacled penis

Then again, considering how there are some hilariously depicted Persona (like the one on the toilet, some that look like penises…) I am not sure if there really was a point any way.

Attempting to raise social links were a pain

Attempting to raise social links were a pain

The gameplay itself was quite intricate. While I love my JRPG, I didn’t used to play them that much so Totori itself was a shock to my system (what, crafting, killing, levelling wtf all at the same time!?!?!). This was probably worse, lol. To get somewhere in the game, you have to raise some social links – meaning you actually have to socialise with some characters in game. To be able to help the game play ease out, such as cheaper things for better heals/attacks, you SHOULD raise those social links. However, some social links cannot be accessed or raised unless you raise some of your PERSONALITY TRAITS. ~_~

one more picture for all of us :)

one more picture for all of us :)

You have limited time each day to raise either or choices of things. And some of those dates are completely untouchable as, being a high school student, your protagonist gets time out to go for camps, ski trips, onsen trips (lol), cultural festivals (LOL) or have to hold down a job (to help with cash flow AND your personality traits). And, not to mention, to get into the pants of various female characters.

turn-based and choose your own skills.

turn-based and choose your own skills.

Actual battles are turn base, although most bosses cheat and get 2 chances of bitch slapping you. However, if you were as hardworking as the other characters wish you to be, you could easily out level the mobs to the point of one shotting them by the second dungeon. Or, at least, I was. The main problem I faced was mostly a personal one. I like all the characters that I could use towards the end of the game, which was like 7 or 8 of the. But I could only actively pick 3 more characters beside my main one. As such, I had to rotate through them so I could level them and see them every now and then.

True End to this game

True End to this game

I have finished the game once now on Very Easy level so I could have a feel of the story line and what’s expected of me from the game. I really enjoyed myself, particularly with the Persona fusion function (lol). The good part is, if I wasn’t looking to get a platinum in achievements, I am not compelled to finish the game to check out x or y ending (there really isn’t much different endings. just good or bad).

Further more, there were many times in this game where some of the storyline was so sudden and crazy that I burst out laughing because it was all just so unexpectedly funny!

There were many parts of the game where I felt it was just completely lengthy and unnecessary and then when it matters the most, I felt I was being rushed :( Especially when it came to one of the characters’ social link, I really had no time to build that social link since I didn’t know that I had to try and build my personality traits before.

Neko Shogun! my Favourite Favourite, FAVOURITE persona! hahaha

Neko Shogun! my Favourite Favourite, FAVOURITE persona! hahaha

Still, I am going through a round 2, and possibly a couple more rounds, more of a challenge now to see what other social links I can obtain and what can come out of it (different fusionable godly creatures) hahaha!

 

Current Mood: (amused) amused
Current Music: Teshima Aoi - Sayonara No Natsu
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Atelier Totori!

Atelier Totori

I have been playing a lot on my Vita mostly because it’s portable (duh) and I can use it everyday. Atelier Totori just suddenly appeared buyable on the Vita one day! I heard a lot about it from Jake, who plays it on the ps3, and thusly bought the game to give it a shot.

Atelier Totori

Atelier Totori is not quite my usual jrpg in a way. It’s still a grindy, almost visual novel type thing with multiple endings. There’s a huge map to run around on, but there’s a catch. You’re an atelier – an alchemist. As such, there’s the dual purpose of levelling your alchemy skills AND your adventuring skills – while being time limited to get to a certain end of the story within 5 years of your game time *twitch*.

The fighting system is similar to FFXIII. It’s turn based and basically pick a fight style, rather than walk and slash. So, you can essentially miss out on mobs if you’re there to just open up the maps or have accidentally not brought any pots and don’t have an instant escape route *cough cough cough*

Atelier Totori

Initially, I had a hard time adapting to the “exploring & monster killing is not that important” idea. I like to explore the maps of anything I played. The story line intrigued me and I kept having a go at it, eventually going past the “bad ending” to have a “normal ending” – the first step out of 6 (!!!) to the true ending.

Atelier Totori

I think the graphics were pretty to look at, and the gameplay is awesome. Each play doesn’t feel like it’s the same thing even though your goals are essentially the same, just aiming for a difference character ending.

However, I wish that once you have had any sort of ending, they should have just let you choose to skip any cut-scenes. The length of the cut scenes drove me nuts even though I am only on my 5th play at this point. It has made the game just that little bit longer than it really should be, making any attempt to try and get the true ending just less enticing.

Was it worth my money? I literally played many hours worth of this over the last week and a half – I would say hell yes!

Current Mood: (exhausted) exhausted
Current Music: Rachel Leahcar - La Vie En Rose
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Following resolutions

I bought a lot of cookbooks over the years, with very good ernest intentions to actually utilise them. I think the main problem I have when I do that is that when I read the recipe, I sort of understood how it’s meant to taste… and then proceeded to change everything about that recipe. LOL!

Truites aux amandes, plus any leftovers I found in my fridge haha

Truites Aux Amandes (from I Know How to Cook, by Ginette Mathiot) with rice and pasta bake (basically stuff left over in the fridge mix with a new dish for the night).

One of my New Year’s resolution this year was to cook 5 nights a week at least. This was partially stemming from the fact that I really hope to pick up and utilise at least 30 recipes over the course of the year. This is not to say that my cooking didn’t involve recipes – they were recipes that I picked off the internet rather than my books LOL!. So this year, this resolution is more focus on the cookbooks i currently own rather than recipes off the internet.

This being Lent leading up to Easter, I was hoping to pick up different ways of cooking fish. So far, I normally eat fish steamed, baked or, if I am buying it from anywhere else, raw. I like my fish a little on the bland side, in comparison to my marinated meats, so this exploration was also to see what else can I do to my fish.

The Trout with Almonds from “I know how to cook” was the first time I have heard of a fish cooked that way and the first time I have done it. In fact, I am actually not sure if that’s what the book intended, LOL!

At the beginning of each section (types of meats/vegies is further categorised into basic ingredients), there is a “x can be cooked this way”. I wondered if it was a form of “blanching” and decided to give it a shot. In the end, this pan fried fish was really beautiful. Quite greasy (might have to tone the butter down), but definitely beautifully done. not saucy at all, nor the slightest bit too rich.

Truites Aux Amandes

2 trouts (the recipe book used whole trouts, and 6, I used 2 fillets instead, skin on)

100mls of milk

60g of flour

50g of butter

salt and pepper

20g of flaked almonds (it was listed at 100g for 6 full trouts. I adjusted it to this amount since I do like almonds but I don’t want the fish to disappear)

Lemon slices for garnishing.

According to the preamble, they suggest that trouts can be cooked in court-bouillon with salt. This is essentially enough water to cover the fish and salt. There was another court-bouillon recipe, so, instead, I sort of chop and change the 2 court-bouillon recipes.

Firstly, I blanch the fish in a mix of water, about 1/3 cup of dry white wine, salt and pepper. This took about 5-10 minutes. I let it dry for a bit before dipping the fish into milk first, then flour.

Heated up half the butter in the frying pan, I then throw the fish into the frying pan and let it cook through. This took about 10 minutes.

In the mean time, in another pan, the almonds were cooked with the remaining butter till they were brown – was also a little crispy.

When ready to serve, pour the almonds over the fish and garnish with the lemon.

 

Current Mood: (accomplished) accomplished
Current Music: Aika Sekiyama - Aesthetic
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